The Altoona Rail Kings were a minor league baseball team that lasted two seasons, starting in 1996. They moved to West Virginia before folding. As I remembered it, the Rail Kings never even played a game, so I have to attribute the facts here to Wikipedia. Although I’m a baseball fan, and I’ve spent a fair amount of time in Altoona, I never got to see a Rail Kings game. The Altoona Curve baseball team started playing in 1999, and I didn’t get to one of their games until last summer (that’s the photo here).
I have good friends, Joel and Barb, who have lived in Altoona since the mid-1970’s. Whenever I needed a break from the insanity of Penn State, I’d just take a ride down Rt. 220 to what we all agreed was the “Rest Home”.
Since I never got to a Rail Kings game, I never got any branded merchandise. Generally, I’ll only get something (shirt, glass, etc.) if it represents something I’ve seen, or somewhere I’ve been. Nevertheless, getting a Rail Kings jersey became a running joke with Joel and Barb since about 1997.
Once a year or so, I’d check EBay and Craig’s List to see if anyone was selling a jersey. No such luck. And, as it happens, the last time I checked was just a few days ago.
Yesterday, the mailman delivered a small box, and it had Joel and Barb’s return address. My first thought was that the Rail Kings jersey had finally arrived. But when I opened the box, it was actually a Rail Kings jacket! That was a really cool surprise.
Of course, I immediately called Joel and Barb, telling the story about having just checked EBay, and it was probably the day they sent it. Barb asked if there was any time limit on my request, and was 11 years too long to wait.
I have good friends, Joel and Barb, who have lived in Altoona since the mid-1970’s. Whenever I needed a break from the insanity of Penn State, I’d just take a ride down Rt. 220 to what we all agreed was the “Rest Home”.
Since I never got to a Rail Kings game, I never got any branded merchandise. Generally, I’ll only get something (shirt, glass, etc.) if it represents something I’ve seen, or somewhere I’ve been. Nevertheless, getting a Rail Kings jersey became a running joke with Joel and Barb since about 1997.
Once a year or so, I’d check EBay and Craig’s List to see if anyone was selling a jersey. No such luck. And, as it happens, the last time I checked was just a few days ago.
Yesterday, the mailman delivered a small box, and it had Joel and Barb’s return address. My first thought was that the Rail Kings jersey had finally arrived. But when I opened the box, it was actually a Rail Kings jacket! That was a really cool surprise.
Of course, I immediately called Joel and Barb, telling the story about having just checked EBay, and it was probably the day they sent it. Barb asked if there was any time limit on my request, and was 11 years too long to wait.
