We charged across the street in pursuit of an autograph from
Gene Conley, a storied pitcher for the Milwaukee Braves.
I sneaked my brother into his building, and knocked on his door.
Conley, a smiling giant at 6'8" welcomed us, two pint-sized boys.
Stunned silence spoke our mission. The giant autographed
our two Braves pennants. We marched back home, victorious.
His smiling face lives in a cloud next to the autographed
blue pennant hanging in my attic.

Charles Trimberger is a creative writer and baseball nerd who never starred on any team. He enjoyed the fantasies that grew out of playing baseball in vacant lots and parks in Monona, Wisconsin. In those games, everybody lived their own special stardom, and their relationships to sports heroes.