Tag Archives: fans

Day 218: Jon Stewart

Posted on August 6, 2015 | Leave a comment
Photo: AP Photo/Brad Barket

Photo: AP Photo/Brad Barket

My second letter this year to a long standing (ok, sitting) host of late night television. Thanks for the memories Jon – see you at the party on January 5th!

Day 218

You’ve been coming into our living rooms, ahem…bedrooms perhaps, for more than 15 years. More importantly you’ve been informing us and entertaining us – you’re like a therapist only better. Sure, you listen, you process information and become an active voice in the conversation, only you cut through the charades and bullshit and deliver the medicine we need with a soothing spoonful of humor that makes the insanity of the reality – or is it the reality of the insanity? – somehow easier to swallow.

Day 218-3I’m writing you as part of a year-long commitment that I’ve made of writing handwritten letters every day. It’s a lost art – or as your pal Steve Carell said (I wrote him on Day 7), “Sending a handwritten letter is becoming such an anomaly. It’s disappearing. My mom is the only one who still writes me letters. And there’s something visceral about opening a letter – I see her on the page. I see her in her handwriting.” He’s so right.

While everyone is grilling you about what you will do next, my wish is that whatever you do, you find time to be with those you love – maybe even write them a letter. Speaking of you writing letters, a response from you would be the pinnacle of my Year of Letters. Right now that honor goes to either my father or an inspiring 100 year-old doctor from California who wrote me back. I also received a response from George W. Bush.

Anyway, good luck and thanks.

With respect and admiration and a bit of a man crush,
Reed Sandridge 

Day 218-2P.S. A wiser man than me once said, “Love what you do. Get good at it. Competence is a rare commodity in this day and age. And let the chips fall where they may.” Well played, sir.

P.P.S. Mark your calendar for January 5th, 2016 – I’m throwing a party for all 365 people who have received a letter this year. More details at YearOfLetters.com or email me at reed@yearofletters.com. Your drinks are on me!

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Day 175: Charlie Slowes and Dave Jageler

Posted on June 24, 2015 | Leave a comment

“You don’t realize how easy this game is until you get up in that broadcasting booth.” — Mickey Mantle

Dave and Charlie Photo: Washington Post

Dave and Charlie
Photo: Washington Post

Baseball is as much about tradition as it is about hitting home runs. For me, one of the great pastimes of baseball is calling the game. I find that I prefer radio broadcasters over their television counterparts. Maybe it’s the nostalgic part of me envisioning my grandfather listening to games over a crackling radio or maybe I just appreciate their artistry more.

It’s about their voice. It’s about their cadence and inflection. It’s about the nuances they share and the banter they exchange over the sounds of the ballpark. Charlie and Dave are like old friends. I invite them into my living room every night throughout the summer, letting them deftly paint the picture of the game as smoothly as Bob Ross used to add a few happy trees or bushes to his canvas. My experience following the Nationals is richer thanks to them and I wanted to let them know that.

Day 175

Dear Charlie and Dave,

I’m a loyal Nationals fan – while I’ve never been able to be a season ticket holder, I’ve found a way to be at every Opening Day since the team came back in 2005. I also don’t have cable so I don’t get MASN, so I listen to you on the radio. And truth be known, I often mute the TV when the games are on WUSA9, and overlay you guys on WJFK.

I tucked this photo of me in the envelope with the letter. I was up in the broadcasting booth last summer. What a dream job it would be to work with Charlie and Dave.

I sent Charlie and Dave this photo of me taken in the broadcasting booth last summer. What a dream job it would be to work along side them.

I’ve made a commitment to send a handwritten letter to someone every day this year – you’re day 175. It would be great to hear back from you or even better have the opportunity to visit you guys some time.

You are truly the best baseball broadcasting team in the business bar none and it is a pleasure to see the game through your words.

Your fan and faithful listener,
Reed Sandridge

P.S. I’ve also written to some of the players (Robinson, Escobar, Werth)…hell, I even wrote Teddy – but haven’t heard from a soul.

UPDATE Oct. 26, 2015

Today I received a card in the mail from Charlie!

The front of the card is an image of "Big Baseball", a painting by Washington, D.C. artist Daniel Kessler.

The front of the card is an image of “Big Baseball”, a painting by Washington, D.C. artist Daniel Kessler.

Day 175 response-2

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Day 40: Kimmy

Posted on February 9, 2015 | Leave a comment

I was a huge fan of the New York Mets when I was growing up. I have every baseball card made from 1984-1988 and a ton of memorabilia of the Mets. A hero of mine was Gary Carter who wore number 8 and played catcher for the Mets. I wrote to him as a kid and he wrote me back and sent me autographed card.

Gary Carter after winning the World Series in 1986. Photo: Newsday

Gary Carter after winning the World Series in 1986. Photo: Newsday

In May of 2011 Carter was diagnosed with an aggressive case of brain cancer known as glioblastoma multiforme. He lost his battle with cancer on February 16, 2012. The 57-year-old was married and had three adult children.

I had found Carter’s address a few years before he died, before he was diagnosed with cancer, and I thought I would write him a note to let him know how much I looked up to him as a young person. I put it off and sadly he died before I ever sent the letter.

As we get close to the anniversary of Carter’s passing I thought I would write his daughter Kimmy a note. I’ve struggled around the anniversary of my mother’s death and find comfort when people reach out to say something nice about her. Hopefully my letter to Kimmy will brighten her day to know how much I admired her father.

Year of Letters-6

Dear Kimmy,

As a kid, your father was my hero. I was 12 when he led the New York Mets to the 1986 World Series victory against the Boston Red Sox – in fact my Dad took me to the NLCS Game 5 where your father hit a single up the middle off of the Astros’ Charlie Kerfeld in the bottom of the 12th that scored Wally Backman to win the game. It was truly amazing.

As an adult, I learned about your father’s work ethic and unwavering character. His comments at the the 2003 Hall of Fame induction touched my heart.

I imagine that this time of year must be tough for you and your family but I hope that somehow it is comforting to know that he is remembered fondly by so many – not only as a Hall of Famer on the field, but as a role model off the field as well.

With warm regards,
Reed Sandridge

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Day 35: A Letter to Jayson Werth

Posted on February 5, 2015 | Leave a comment
Photo: Washington Post

Photo: Washington Post

I’m a huge Nationals fan. Two months ago today Washington Nationals’ right fielder Jayson Werth was convicted of reckless driving for cruising around in his Porsche at over 100 mph on the Capital Beltway last summer.

A judge sentenced him to serve five days in the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. He’s been serving it over the weekends so that he can attend to his physical therapy for a shoulder surgery he had in early January. I figure he’s got some time to do some reading while he’s in jail – that is if he’s not swamped signing autographs – see this story.

I left him my number too. You never know he might get bored in there and I’d welcome a call from the Nats slugger – collect of course. I’ll keep you posted.

Jayson Werth

Jayson,

I know you have to spend a few days here so I thought I would drop you a note. I figured you might have time to actually read my letter while you are serving your sentence.

I’m a big fan of you and the Nationals – although I got to be honest, one of my favorite memories of you (if not my favorite) is from when you were with the Phillies. May 12, 2009 when you stole 2nd, 3rd and then home! That was awesome. Game 4 in 2012 was probably more amazing though – the stadium went nuts after you hit that walk-off homer against Lance Lynn. I wasn’t there – I was there though for game 5 – we won’t talk about that.

Anyway, we’re less than three weeks away from the start of Spring Training. I hope your shoulder rehab goes well so that you can get back to baseball as soon as you’re healthy enough to play.

I have some free time – I guess that’s obvious given this letter – so if there is anything I can ever do to help out you and/or the team, let me know, it would be a dream come true.

Oh, and I read on the Fairfax Detention Ctr. website that you can make collect phone calls. If you are bored and you can’t reach your family and you need a break from signing Inmate Handbooks – feel free to give me a call. You can call me collect at xxx.xxx.xxxx.

Hang in there Jayson!

Your friend and loyal fan,
Reed Sandridge

 My address: PO Box 53065, Wash. DC, 20009

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Day 21: Cade

Posted on January 21, 2015 | Leave a comment
Cade Pope's letter to the Carolina Panthers with owner Jerry Richardson's response below. Image courtesy of The Washington Post.

Cade Pope’s letter to the Carolina Panthers with owner Jerry Richardson’s response below. Image courtesy of The Washington Post.

Did you catch my post on Sunday about the 12-year-old from Yukon, Oklahoma who made the news with his handwritten letters to all 32 NFL teams? If not, take a moment to read the story, it’s inspiring. I got to thinking this week, I ought to write young Cade a handwritten letter to tell him how cool I think it was that he wrote each team – and he wrote them all by hand. It would have been so much easier to write the letter once and do a mail merge and send it out.

YoL-5
YoL-6

Dear Cade,

I’m a big fan of handwritten letters and I love that you took the time to write all 32 NFL teams. You’re awesome! It just goes to show you that you never know who might write you back if you send them a letter – especially a handwritten letter.

YoL-7-2I can’t join you as a fan of the Panthers (I’m a Pittsburgh Steelers fan), but I am your number one fan!

Keep writing letters,
Reed Sandridge

 

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