Success #2: Jeff Reardon (aka "The Terminator")

Well, part of my panic was for nothing . . . I opened up the mailbox today and inside was a beautiful sight. A #0 size Duck Bubble Mailer, addressed to me, in my handwriting. My only fear was finding an unsigned ball inside.

Instead, Mr. Jeff Reardon was good to me. 7 days good. I mailed a baseball to him on Thursday, January 26. That Friday (and Saturday), Reardon was going to be in Minneapolis at TwinsFest. That meant that when he arrived back home in Florida, after signing autographs all weekend at the Dome, and found my baseball in his mail, he didn't think twice about signing it and returning it. That's awesome.

Reardon, was acquired by the Twins before the start of the 1987 season. I was six years old. Apparently, the Twins closer position was shaky at best, and the team was anything but confident heading into the ninth inning of games. Reardon provided stability, saving 31 games his first season as a Twin and helping lead the Twins to their first ever World Series Championship. In 1990, Reardon would leave Minnesota for Boston. Four years later, in 1994, he retired following a final season as a setup man for the Cincinnati Reds.

In 2004, Reardon suffered from deep depression after the death of his son from a drug overdose. In 2005, Reardon was arrested while attempting to rob a jewelry store but was found not guilty by reason of insanity. He was on multiple medications at the time and was believed to be in a severe state of paranoia and anxiety.

In an article I read on ESPN.com, Reardon stated, "Actually, more people recognized me, I think, from that mug shot than from baseball. Now they were looking at a robber. To me, it was embarrassing." In my letter of request, I told him that that was not actually the case. He was in a dark place, no doubt, but lots of people can connect to that. Everyone responds to tragedy differently and everyone needs their own time and space to heal. People are understanding by nature, I assured him. Especially when you have pitched in a Twins uniform.

Mailed: 1/26/12
Received: 2/2/12 (7 days)