Throwing out the first can of Spam

In the mid-1990s, a bunch of sports writers were attending a minor-league baseball game in Charlotte, N.C., as the guests of Winston Cup (later NASCAR) Scene magazine.

My friend Jim McLaurin was driving, and I was riding shotgun.

I don't remember the game, but I do remember the pre-game. Spam was Lake Speed's main sponsor, and Lake threw out the ceremonial first can of Spam.

Naturally, he threw a sinker, and the catcher took it out of the dirt. I can't imagine it being any other way.

I also remember that I drove back to the motel.

I also don't remember if the home team was the Charlotte O's or the Charlotte Knights. But I DID later remember singing during the seventh-inning stretch. I love to sing.

EMAIL: tgilli52@gmail.com  TWITTER:  EDITORatWORK

More entries from TARJ

• Angel in Black: Remembering Dale Earnhardt Sr.

(a book of great stories about the Intimidator)

• Then Junior Said to Jeff...

(the book of great NASCAR stories)

• My best day as a sports writer

• Jeff Gordon's milk toast to Dale Earnhardt

• Wayne Auton: A life in racing

EDITOR@WORK blog entries 

• You really DO need an editor

• Reminders for would-be novelists

• hat I charge (it's a steal) and what I edit

• What I do when I'm editing

• Slogging through the Internet

• J-school: More eyes on your stories

• J-school: Go out and learn•

Entries from The Dog Blog

• Katie cried

• Growl and pull

• 12-plus years with my dog Lady

• ... said the spider to ...

• The Dog Diary (2015)

• The Dog Diary (2014)

• YIP! YIP! The stereo-sound huskies

• What Lady and Michael Jackson had in common

More blog entries by Tom Gillispie

• Resume for a writer and editor

• An editor's views on powerful writing

• Advice for be and would-be novelists

• Links to TG's stories online

• Favorite quotes

• What I do when I'm editing

Anecdotes by Tom Gillispie

• Wipeout at Death Valley

• Days with rainbows

• A desperate writer working in the dark

• Yer outta there!