SPORTS
Fantasy Diamond
The fifth Tiger fantasy camp
attracts another large turnout
,
- MIKE ROSENBAUM
Sports Writer
Ila. icardo Montalban was
nowhere in sight.
There was no small
man to guide the
guests around. But in
Lakeland, Fla., in mid-February, 96
men lived out a boyhood fantasy at
the fifth annual Tiger Fantasy Camp.
The first camp in 1984 featured
many players from the Tigers' 1968
world championship squad and
received plenty of media hoopla.
Subsequent camps lacked that
publicity, but have been well-attended
and enjoyed by the participants, as
evidenced by many repeat customers.
"It's something that we've looked
forward to," says four-camp vet
Harvey Saperstein of Redford. "Those
that have gone to more than one
camp, like myself, really look forward
to the coming year. As long as the
Saperstein checks his stance.
52
FRIDAY, APRIL 1, 1988
good Lord keeps us in physical condi
tion!' Saperstein reports that this
year's oldest camper, 73-year-old Jim
Eckmeter of Allen Park, wants to
return every year. "He says as long as
he can move his legs he's gonna be
there!'
The main attraction of the camp,
which is not affiliated with the
Detroit Tigers baseball club, is the
Harvey Saperstein prepares Al Kaline for action
presense of former major leaguers.
This year's camp included ex-Tigers left was a very sensitive area for him
to sign. So that was kind of funny
Al Kaline, Willie Horton, John Hiller,
Don Wert, Mickey Lolich, Jim Nor- because every time I see him, I say
`Al, how'd you ever sign the dress in
thrup, Gates Brown, Rocky Colavito,
Dick McAuliffe, Jim Price and current that spot?' I don't know,' he says. 'I
Tiger coach Dick Tracewski. Tiger had to close my eyes and just hope and
radio announcer Ernie Harwell and pray I'd get the right spot; he says.
Tiger catcher Mike Heath also He's a real nice fella."
The 96 campers are divided up in-
appeared.
"Everybody first comes into to six teams in Lakeland, and play a
camp," explains Saperstein, "and round-robin schedule. At the camp's
they're kind of intimidated by the fact end, each team plays a four-inning
that these are all former major "dream game" against the ex-Tigers.
leaguers that you're dealing with. The camper teams never beat the
When you see them hitting and when Tigers, but the contests provide some
you see them fielding and the little special memories for the campers.
things they can do, you almost feel
Jim Feldkamp, athletic director of
like they could really go out there and West Bloomfield High School, was the
do it now (in the majors), but maybe only camper to hit an over-the-fence
just for one game, or maybe for a homer, a 340-foot shot to left field.
week."
Feldkamp later won the camper's
Saperstein recalled speaking with championship game with an inside-
campers Dennis and Tom Kovan, the-park round tripper. He thought it
brothers from Farmington Hills and was a triple when he hit it. Rounding
West Bloomfield, respectively, follow- third, he recalls, "I was more concern-
ing a morning of batting practice ed about oxygen" and a collision at
under the eyes of a pair of former home than he was about glory.
Tiger sluggers. "They said they Feldkamp now has both homers on
couldn't believe how Colavito and videotape.
Horton would be so patient with peo-
Feldkamp considers his heroics as
ple who, really, are professional men "icing on the cake!" He prizes more
and this isn't gonna be their life's highly the friends he made at the
work. And yet they were trying to camp. "The whole experience was just
teach them as though they would any fantastic. You originally intend to go
other young ballplayer coming up."
down there to play ball with some of
Saperstein, a podiatrist, received your childhood idols. And you walk
an off-the-field thrill when he got to away feeling great about the people
treat Al Kaline after the Hall-of- you meet and come in contact with!'
Famer injured a foot while jogging.
Joe Kass of Bloomfield Hills did
Saperstein says that Kaline is treated not hit a home run but he played in
like royalty by most everyone in camp. his dream game despite a broken
But the former batting king found hand — received in an earlier game
himself in a tricky situation at the — and got a hit.
1984 camp, courtesy of Saperstein's
Saperstein singled to center
wife, Brenda, at an autograph session. against recently-retired Milt Wilcox
Mrs. Saperstein had the ex-Tigers in a dream game. It was one of Sapers-
sign her dress, which was decorated tein's three hits in the camp session.
with a roaring Tiger.
He also had some off-the-field fun on
Harvey Saperstein explains, "I the last day of the camp.
understand Al Kaline had a little
Harwell appeared the final day to
trouble because the one space he had introduce all the campers and broad-
cast an inning of a dream game over
the public address system. Saperstein
later took over with his "Ernie Hard-
ball" impression. Since he was er-
roneously announced as Ernie
Harwell, and because he has a talent
for mimickry, some apparently believ-
ed that Harwell had returned to the
microphone.
The day's other announcer was
Tiger publicist and trivia expert Fred
Smith, who now has this bit of Tiger
Trivia, thanks to the latest camp.
What is the only all-Jewish outfield
ever to wear a Tiger uniform? The
answer is the fantasy camp's
"Hadassah Hellcats" — Paul
Schneider of Southfield, Burt Risin of
Farmington Hills and Ron Danuloff
of West Bloomfield, who played out-
field for the same camp team.
Saperstein helps keep the camper
spirit alive year-round by co-editing,
along with Phil Breen, the Camper's
Corner newsletter, which is sent to all
campers and former campers. Local
campers usually gather for luncheons
every six weeks, and attend special
events' such as Piston games and, of
course, Tiger games.
Another special feature of the
camp is the opportunity to have per-
sonalized baseball cards printed.
"This," says Saperstein, "is probably
one of the fun things coming out of
the camp . . . Somebody will come in-
to the (podiatrists') office and say,
`What do you think about (Kirk) Gib-
son going to the Dodgers?' I say, 'I
know who their replacement is! And
they'll say 'You do?"Yeah, I've got his
card here! And I go in my office and
I get one of my baseball cards. And
then I'll sign it to whoever it is and
I'll say 'Here's the guy! They look at
it, 'It's you!"Well, yeah, I can play left
field! "
While the camp may not actually
help the real Tigers find any young
prospects, it does seem to help the
campers recapture their youth. ❑