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1. I have a cousin named Kirby. He's about 5 years old. I wonder how my uncle Corey, his Dad is.

2. B just noted "Grandpa Joe's lovin this." He passed away on Christmas 2 years back... it was pretty to me that Joe wouldn't pass away during the season. Joe played minor league ball in Duluth between the wars.

3. Memory #1: Neighbor kid back in New Ulm, Nate Hilbert, and I had some games close to baseball that we'd imitate. He must've listened to the games on the radio. Tim Teufel and Kirby Puckett were the names that stood out, I think Nate mentioned that they were the new players. Nate knew how Casey announced Kirby, did Casey do that from the start? These players we would act out as. Oh, and Hrbek, too, but he was a name then. This must have been May '84, given Teufel and that I know school was still in session. I would have been 6 and I was just ending first grade.

4. Memory #2: Everyone will remember this, but I don't mind repeating. Game 6, 1991. I was fourteen and stayed up for the whole thing. The Catch at the plexiglas. The homerun.

5. If you were my age in Minnesota, and Kirby wasn't your favorite, something wasn't quote right with you. The discussions were over who was your second favorite player.

6. Godspeed, Kirby.