Story Time: Famous People You Found Yourself With

MidCakePa said:
Aside: One of my buddies on that Ryder Cup boys weekend is a WP alum, former paratrooper in the 82nd, and Dessert Shield veteran. Two things he did while we were there: One, when we mentioned that he walked faster than we could jog as we rushed from hole to hole, he taught us the “infantry march.” Sure enough, we did a better job of keeping up with him, but I got a case of shin splints from it. Two, while strategizing how we were going to get from one green to the next to follow a certain foursome, he pointed and said, “That’ll be our point of egress right there.” My takeaway: Once an infantrymen, always an infantryman.
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@MidCakePa, I know how the Navy would have supported protecting all those desserts!;)
 
Clint Eastwood, while he was at Camp Pendleton filming scenes for the 1986 movie "Heartbreak Ridge". He was in Marine cammie utilities (he portrayed a grizzled gunny sgt in the film) , in line inside a Burger King, right in front of me. Chatted for a few minutes. Seemed like a nice guy. Can't say I liked "Heartbreak Ridge", though. I was out of the Marine Corps about a month later. Drove across the USA in a 1978 Chevy Camaro (damn did it eat gas!) back to Massachusetts with my DD214 in the glove box.

Also, James J "Whitey" Bulger at The Quiet Man Pub (classic dive, out of business years ago) on Broadway in South Boston a couple years later, when Whitey was at his gangster king height in Southie. He was there with less-famous Kevin Weeks & Stephen "The Rifeman" Flemmi. Unlike my pals & I, they weren't there to drink.

Trivia: Both Clint & Whitey were Korean War era US military veterans. They took different directions in life, however.
 
The Ryder Cup mention above sparked a memory of meeting Tony Jacklin as a kid when he was the touring pro for the resort my dad worked at. He came over to watch the summer chip and putt class I was taking, then just joined in with the teaching pro to help us with our swings. I was fascinated by his accent.
 
My son's High School occasionally brought in famous people to speak to the student body. One day they brought in Rafael Palmeiro, Cal Ripkin Jr. Tommy Lasorda and Hank Aaron. My Son was never into or interested in baseball. He had a free period before the assembly and was cleaning his locker alone in the hallway. He told me an old man came over to him and started talking. He asked my son what he wanted to do in life and what his interests were. He let my son talk for about 15 minutes and was totally focused on my son. He listened carefully to my son and encouraged him. He told him to love his family and work hard. The bell rang and the man said he had to go. In the assembly a few minutes later my son found out he was talking to Hank Aaron. He had no idea. RIP great one. Thanks for the talk with my son!
 
If anyone is familiar with women's college basketball they've most likely heard of Sabrina Ionescu from the U of Oregon. All-time NCAA triple-double leader, #1 pick in the WNBA draft. I met her last year after a college game, and she signed the back of my shirt.
 
Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern’s longtime football coach whose name occasionally comes up for NFL head jobs, almost bulldozed DD and DS when they were little kids.

We were walking on NU’s campus along Lake Michigan, approaching a small pedestrian bridge. The kids were frolicking with each other, oblivious to anyone approaching. when a burly fellow out on a run came around the corner. He stalled momentarily to skirt the kids — still oblivious — quickly swiveled his body and even put his hand atop a kid’s head in the process. Fitz showed the agility and reflexes that made him a two-time first-team All American and national defensive player of the year (alas not enough to get more than a cup of coffee in the NFL). He steadied himself and accelerated away, saying “Woops, sorry about that!”

At that point, I realized who it was and yelled “Go Cats!” (Fitz’s signature salutation). Without slowing or turning back, he waved his hand. The kids laugh about it now, but they were pretty clueless while it was all happening.
 
I forgot another one but golfing stories reminded me.
I had a PGA player as a flight student. He was one of those guys who as always about 10th in the field. Up there, fairly well known, but could never place first.
I don’t golf and never followed golf until he was a student.
One tournament I decided to follow him and see how he did. When he came back I said “Man, that one stroke cost you $250k:”
He responded, “Gee. I wasn’t aware of that. None of the players told me that. My wife didn’t tell me as I walked in the door.” Insert heavy sarcasm.
“Why do I keep you as an instructor?” He was kidding..: I think.
But I didn’t have to explain my comments as I did with some younger pilots.
“Wow. That landing went straight in the lumber yard.” He understood.
“Na na nah. Be the airplane. Don’t think. Be. The airplane.”
He understood.
 
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Years ago when I lived in Texas. My wife and I came out of a BBQ place in Lockhart, Texas and they were filming a scene at the courthouse and my wife went up to Johhny Depp to ask for an autograph. He was very kind and obliged her. There was a young kid sitting there also who we did not recognize. We realized later when the movie came out it was a very young Leonardo DeCaprio. They were filming "What's Eating Gilbert Grape."
 
VelveteenR said:
Hmmm... Does family count? My BIL is the Houston Chief of Police. He’s on the news a lot and is a rock star in law enforcement.
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Your brother in law is Acevedo? Yes a rock star in law enforcement and course here in Austin he is known.
 
Mine are not that great but my husband's I find pretty interesting.

Me: Newt Gingrich - As a young mother and young diplomat, I jumped on a plane from DC for my grandfather's funeral with the newborn future midshipman who had to come along as well and got upgraded to first class due to the circumstances. Newt was sitting a row behind me. I thought I was living the high life with fancy food and cutlery and said future mid was well-behaved mostly sleeping. Newt worked the entire 3 hour flight and didn't eat a thing.

Hillary Clinton - Worked a number of VIP visits as a junior diplomat but the closest I got to the VIPs besides being in the audience was making hotel arrangements and advising on the menu and picking out the dessert for Sec. Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov's dinner in Geneva. My main advice was no matter what do not serve andouillette (Americans always think it is andouille sausage but quite different and includes entrails) and I selected my favorite - moelleux au chocolat - for dessert - molten chocolate cake is always a hit with Americans. I didn't worry about Russian preferences.

Husband's story - Andre Agassi - My husband was a stay at home Dad, not a sports fan, and we were living in the 8th arrondissement of Paris near our gorgeous neighborhood Parc Monceau approximately 2003. On a cold winter day, husband had the infant future midshipman and his big sister toddler out at the park. An American man with a knit cap all bundled up and with a European woman struck up a long conversation with husband sitting on a bench together while our kids and his toddler kids played. At one point, the man's little boy kissed our little daughter on the lips and a bunch of men with cameras hiding in the bushes went crazy taking pictures with long lenses. The man had walked off a ways with a kid at that point and my husband asked "What in the world is going on what is with all the cameras?" Woman said - "Oh, that happens all the time with Andre." Husband - "Andre???" Woman - "Andre Agassi."

Husband had not recognized him at all and asked woman - "Is he still married to Brooke Shields? I thought he had long hair. " Woman said "No, Steffi Graf now. I am her sister." Andre returns and husband said "Man I had no idea who you were - and I thought you were still married to Brooke Shields." Andre said "It is refreshing to talk to someone who has no idea about my personal life. " Husband gets home and relays story. Told him Andre's face is plastered over every subway wall in the city since he is playing this week in the BNP Paribas tournament (indoor) and of course he is not married to Brooke any more, etc. Never found out if our little daughter and a little son of two tennis legends kissing made the French tabloids.
 
I was once walking with a woman business colleague at a black-tie event and we passed a couple

Me: "Wow, that woman is extraordinarily beautiful"

Colleague: "That's Cindy Crawford"

Me: "Really?? What on earth is she doing with that scraggly looking guy?"

Colleague: "You don't get out much, do you? That's Richard Gere"

Me: "Well he looks like crap with a beard"
 
Forgot one...

My wife and I were eating at a restaurant in Manhattan. I looked up and noticed that Christopher Reeve and his family were sitting two tables from us. This was after his accident. My wife is a physical therapist and actually previously worked at the facility where he was getting his rehab. She knew the therapists that worked with him wanted to go over and mention it. I asked her to just to leave the guy alone. She had great intentions, but I said imagine being famous and all you want to do is have a quiet dinner with your family. She agreed and stayed put. Sure enough, we started seeing a few people walk up to him. Asking for autographs of all things! The poor guy was paralyzed. Finally, the staff started to discourage anyone else from bugging him.

When we left, I smiled and nodded my head to him as I walked by. He smiled back.
 
I ran into Alan Tudyk at DFW. A group of cadets were traveling for our summer program, and the airline overbooked, so we were waiting for the next flight. One guy just kept staring, and we asked him what was up. He said, "Steve the Pirate is staring at me" and gestured towards TGI Friday's. We debated for a good 20 min if it was him or not, and when the guy paid his check, one cadet said, "I have to know" and walked over. "Excuse me, sir, are you Steve the Pirate from the movie Dodgeball?" 😆.
He said yes, and talked to us for a few minutes. He was traveling to visit family. Nice guy!
 
Steve The Pirate?

Oh come on! That's Wash!!!!!

(Hoban 'Wash' Washburne)

Clearly, you're not as geeky as I. :biggrin:
 
This thread is like opening up an attic I haven't entered in years...

I spent a weekend in a seminar with Tom House - throwing coach for Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Nolan Ryan - who is also the guy who ocaught Hank Aaron's 715 HR in the bullpen. I typically see Barry Bonds riding his bike about once a month. And I just remembered that my eldest played against Joe Ryan - who is now the top pitching prospect for the TB Rays.

Ran into Pierce Brosnan in the little market in Hanalei about 15 years ago. Sat across from Howard Stern at lunch
 
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