The town he came out of was Pomona, a very Southern California-ish kind of place located at the southeast end of Los Angeles County, about five miles north of the Orange County line.
The San Bernardino and San Gabriel mountains, offering everything from fishing to camping, are a mere few minutes away. And if you're into oceans, the Pacific is 30 miles due west. The weather? Beautiful, about 63 sunny degrees each and every day on the average. Perfect for all outdoor activities.
Yet even though he was to become one of the most feared hitters in baseball, he still recalls that as young boy growing up in the serenity of Pomona, he didn't want to be a fisherman, a hunter, a swimmer or any other kind of athlete. He just wanted one thing: to be a cop.
"I've always loved law enforcement," he has said. "I still think I might get into it."
YEAH, RIGHT. AND FORD will stop selling cars, Jane Fonda will become president of the United States and Hillary Clinton will win the 1998 Miss America crown.
It's always been baseball for him, you see. The power side of the game. In fact, his first memory of a major accomplishment came at the age of 10 when he was playing in a Little League game. He whacked his first homer.
"To right field," he says. "My team was the A's."
But despite being a hulking monster of a kid, he had finesse, too, even if the bat looked like a toothpick in his meaty hands.
"I always enjoy hitting homers. I believe that is what I'm here to do, to be a ballplayer," he said. "But I think God gave me the ability to hit homers. The thing I like about it is right when you hit it, you know. When the ball hits the bat, I like it. But I'll never stand at home plate and watch it. I've never done it in my career, and I never will."
HIS FATHER, JOHN, WAS a success story in himself. Afflicted with polio as a child, his dad walked with a limp caused by a leg bracket that he had to wear every day. But nevertheless, his father both boxed and played golf and went on to a very successful career as a dentist.
"I looked back at all the injuries I've had throughout my career," John's son said after he was in the major leagues. "(and) my injuries are meaningless compared to what my father went through."
He was the third in a string of five sons.
As he grew, so did his legend. The righty went to Damien High School, played first base and graduated in 1981. When it came time for college, USC came calling. The school simply had to have this right-handed slugger. So did the Montreal Expos, which selected him with the 8th pick. But he would not sign and went off to USC on a baseball scholarship instead.
He paid the Trojans back in spades. In fact, he still holds the Pac-10 Conference record for most homers in a season with 32. He also was a member of the U.S. Olympic team in 1984, when baseball was being played as an exhibition sport in the Games.
BUT LIKE SO MANY TALENTED collegiate players, he knew the money was in the pro ranks and so, after three years, he left USC when he became the Oakland Athletics' top pick in the June 1984 draft (he was the 10th player overall selected).
The A's, not wanting to waste time with the prize 6-5, 245-pound catch, immediately sent him to Modesto where he played 16 games that season. After 55 at-bats in 16 games, he finished with a .200 average. Not a sterling start, for sure, but things were to get better. Much better.
In 1985, he was back in Modesto where he became the starting third baseman. By the end of the year, he racked up 24 homers, 23 doubles, 3 triples and bumped his batting average to .274. His efforts earned him the California League's rookie of the year honors.
In 1986, it was time to move. So the A's packed him off to the Class AA Huntsville Stars. He was in Alabama hardly long enough to say "Bear Bryant" when the A's shipped him in early June to Triple-A Tacoma. There, he excelled with a .311 batting average, 23 home runs and 112 RBIs.
HE WAS CALLED UP to the majors that season on Aug. 20 and four days later, he got his first big-league hit off the bionic pitcher -- Tommy John. The following day, he socked his first homer against Detroit's Walt Wade. But his fielding was terrible that season and he never could find the right tempo, finishing with a .189 average and a measly three homers.
His breakout year, however, was just around the corner - the very next corner. In 1987, he became the American League rookie of the year for his prowess with a bat. He became only the second rookie ever to be a consensus selection, the great Carlton Fisk first accomplishing it in 1972.
Why? Well, he hit 49 homers that year, tying Andre Dawson for the major-league mark. That number also broke the great Reggie Jackson's record of 47 dingers for an Oakland player that was set in 1969. His slugging percentage was a monstrous .618.
"I think I've always had power since I was a little kid," he once told baseball writer Peter Gammons. "I've always hit homers. (But in the majors), probably my rookie year, I was sort of in awe myself when I hit 49. I remember driving home, and I didn't know what I was doing. I was just up there trying to get a good swing, and they were leaving the park. I think at that time I was thinking maybe I am a home run hitter."
Who is he? If you don't know, then click here for the rest of this story.
Mr. Irish person: Who was the most memorable football player you ever saw?
-- From a fan named Kim at a San Diego net.
Good question, Kim. I have seen quite a few top-players in my day -- John Elway, Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, Jim Brown. But the most memorable was Lyle Alzado when he was with the Oakland Raiders. I was sitting behind the Raiders' bench at Riverfront Stadium where Oakland was bashing the Bengals. A fan near me shouted something obscene at Alzado and the hulking linebacker calmly walked over to the seats, sprayed him with a cup of Gatorade and glared at him, daring the fan to say another word. The guy in the seats promptly shut up.
Do you still think the Pirates suck, now that they're on top again?
-- From Darryl at AOL place.
I don't think they "suck," Darryl but the season is only halfway over and you have to remember that a lot of the marquee players don't turn it up until the second half. The Bucs are going to finish no better than second in their division.
1) In April 1997, he hit one over the left-field roof at Tiger Stadium in Detroit, becoming only the fourth man to ever do so. Who were the other three? Give up?
2) Has any rookie every outslugged him? Give up?
3) He had a brother who was a decent athlete in his own right? Who? Give up?
4) What was so special for him on June 27-28, 1987, and June 10-11, 1995? Give up?
5) Has he ever hit a homer off Seattle's Randy Johnson? Give up?
Mike Emmett has been kicking around sports departments in newspapers and online operations around the U.S. for years. Got something to say to the Irishman? Email him with a click here.
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