Less than 6 degrees of MLB players?

[jaybird2001wi]

A new coworker of mine told me her cousin is married to Casey Blake of the Cleveland Indians and for some reason I didn't believe her even though she isn't that avid of a baseball fan to the point she knows everyone. She said she only roots for the Indians because of her relation to Blake. I asked her what her cousin's name is and it is Abbie and I checked it out online and lo and behold, look at this bio of Blake on the Indians website. My new coworker just moved from a small town in southern Iowa and she even told me Blake didn't grow up in Des Moines where it says he was born according to his bio on the Indians' website:

Full name: William Casey Blake... Wife's name is Abbie (Archibald)... They have three daughters, Bailey (6/14/2001), Lauren (7/14/2003) & Dana (9/27/06)...Was a 1992 graduate of Indianola (IA) High School where he played baseball, football, basketball and ran track...Was named a top 10 HS athlete in the history of Iowa in a Des Moines Register survey in a list that included Bob Feller and Nile Kinnick.

What is much more amazing of this coworker of mine's knowledge of him is that she mentioned he went to Indianola HS, which makes her story more believable and on top of that, Blake's wife's maiden name is the same as my coworker's. I was so amazed I asked her if she ever sees him at family functions and she said once or twice.

 

I am also less than six degrees of separation from Brewers' Vinny Rottino. When I covered the Snappers in Beloit, him and I made small talk in the Snappers' clubhouse after every game and he graduated high school with another coworker of mine and I know baseball guys from Racine who used to work out with him every offseason.

 

Anyone have any stories like this?

[Brian the Automator]

My mom's best friend's daughter is the wife of Marcus Hanel... I see him probably once every other year. He's a real good guy.

[jaybird2001wi]

Wow, Brian... you got a Racine link? I went to high school with this guy who attends the same church as the Hanel family in Racine. They attend Grace Church on Hwy 31 in Racine. As weird as this sounds, the one time I talked to Hanel was at Wrigley Field during batting practice and I mentioned the last name of the guy I went to high school with and he went on and on about whats been happening with the entire family. I think he used to shop at the grocery store where my brother used to work as a high schooler.

[zzzmanwitz]

Not Brewer related, but 3 years ago I worked on a Marketing project with former Wisconsin Badger goalie Brian Elliot (currently with the Ottawa Senators).

 

I'm not sure of any ties to MLB players... sadly.

[Brian the Automator]

Wow, Brian... you got a Racine link? I went to high school with this guy who attends the same church as the Hanel family in Racine. They attend Grace Church on Hwy 31 in Racine. As weird as this sounds, the one time I talked to Hanel was at Wrigley Field during batting practice and I mentioned the last name of the guy I went to high school with and he went on and on about whats been happening with the entire family. I think he used to shop at the grocery store where my brother used to work as a high schooler.

I was actually born in Racine, and lived there for a year I believe (that portion of my life is a bit fuzzy). Jill (Marcus's wife) used to babysit me, and we spent a ton of time at their house until I left for college. He and his wife do a lot of charity events, and they're deeply involved with their church. They're just a terrific family.

 

[trwi7]

The only one I got is that I went to school with Ned Yost's kid. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/laugh.gif

Edit: I went to school with Jim Gantner's son too.

 

[jordanmuehl]

My brother worked at a hitting instruction school in West Bend for a while and Jim Gantner would pop in from time to time to give lessons. My brother got to know Jimmy well and whenever my brother would go to Miller Park to watch a game, Jimmy would yell out his name and throw him a ball from the field (given that he was near the dugout, which my brother usually would be since he's an autograph/meet-the-player hound).

[Raw Biz]

I went to high school with Uecker's granddaughter. And my cousin's cousin's half-sister (so i guess my cousin's half-cousin?) used to date Fernando Vina.

[Brian the Automator]

Oh, I forgot to mention that my wife worked with Bill Schroeder's daughter Lindsay over at V Richard's.

[Point Beer Is Best]

Not Brewer related, but my cousin's cousin dated Brett Favre during his early years in GB. Favre introduced her to his friend, who she dated after that. Sadly, it was that friend (who she was still dating at the time) who was killed in the accident that Favre's brother was involved in years ago.

[ryne100]

ryne100 chats on a message board with jaybird2001wi

jaybird2001wi works with Casey Blake's wife's cousin

Casey Blake's wife's cousin is cousins with Casey Blake's wife

Casey Blake's wife is related to Casey Blake

Casey Blake plays with Grady Sizemore

 

5 degrees to Grady!

[endaround]

A guy I went to school with has a sister who was an assistant to Gwyenth Paltrow, so that pretty much puts me 6 degrees to anyone famous.

[Diskono]

I used to talk to Russell Branyan's sister regularly on usenet, and my dad sold cars to Mike Fetters, Kevin Seitzer, and Dave Nilsson.

[gypcasino]

My ex wife somehow knows Mike McCarthy's fiancee.

[bacon06]

My Employment Law professor went to high school and played baseball with Dave Kingman.

[sbrylski]

I'm just two from Favre, two from Rodgers, and three from Dan Marino.

[saget]

A former co-worker of mine who I still talk to is friend's with Travis Diener. That's probably not that uncommon around here though.

 

A friend of mine's cousin is a professional MMA fighter. He goes by 'Ravishing Red' Schaeffer. I got to party with him on the day before Thanksgiving.

 

I have nothing baseball related.

[davebobn]

Spike TV just replayed Red Schaeffer's first UFC fight about a week ago.

 

My wife works in public relations and she worked on a project with Ashley Melvin (Doug's daughter). That's pretty weak, but it's all I got.