Treasured Memories: Rottino, Romo, Taschner story in Racine

[jaybird2001wi]

The Racine Journal-Times did a story on professional athletes from Racine County with some stories about Vinny Rottino and Giants' Jack Taschner about their times in Racine during Christmas. In the print edition, there are more pictures of these athletes as kids (Rottino is pictured laying on the couch wearing a Red Sox cap holding his kitten).

A feel good Christmas story about the life and times of pro athletes from Racine.

 

Vinny Rottino is a testament to what determination can be, progressing through the ranks of the Milwaukee Brewers' farm system after signing as an undrafted free agent in February 2003. The 1998 St. Catherine's graduate has been called up the Brewers in each of the last two Septembers.

 

"I was 10 years old and my family was still getting over the loss of our cat 'Mittens' that summer before. We moved from our house on Blake Avenue into a new home in Caledonia. Mittens was an outdoor cat and ran away, confused by the move. She was spotted near the house on Blake a few times a couple of weeks later, but nobody could corral her. She actually was seen back near our home in Caledonia a few weeks after that, and was caught by my sister. She eventually ran away once more, never to be found again.

 

"We mourned the loss of 'Mittens' for a few months until Christmas came around and my parents brought home a new kitten. I had the job of thinking of a name for her, so I named her 'Jordan' after my favorite athlete at the time, Michael Jordan. I'm happy to say that Jordan is now 18 years old, alive and well."

[TooLiveBrew]

Sorry for the length of this excerpt, but if this doesn't touch you, have a nice day Scrooge. This is from former NBA-er Jim Chones:

 

"On Christmas morning, I rose from my bed and hit the floor walking towards the living room Christmas tree on air. My little brother, Marvin, and baby sister Sylvia, had beaten me to the presents. I grabbed the half-wrapped presents from them, thinking that they had taken my stuff. Only I should have the pleasure of opening my gifts. Especially since I was the oldest.

 

"After an exhausting search for my gifts, I fell back against the couch exhausted from the search. Where was my stuff, my presents, my gifts? I had been good. Hadn't I ?

 

"As I peered down at the vinyl covered floor, a large shadow appeared over me from the light from the kitchen. I slowly raised my head up to look right into my Daddy's eyes. Any other time when I had the stupid guts to look Daddy right in the eyes, it was to see from which angle the belt he held over his head was going to make contact with my head or butt.

 

"This time, it was different, Daddy had those Jesus eyes, the ones in the living rooms of most of America. They were still strong, but sympathetic and non-threatening. Damn! What was up with Daddy? Then he spoke.

 

" 'Jim, we didn't get you no presents.' He cleared his voice, only to say, 'We didn't have enough money, so we made sure the other kids had something.'

 

"I was stunned. No presents, no money. All year, I waited for Christmas and no gifts. I got up from the floor. I was so hurt and stunned I didn't know what to say or how to act. Nothing.

 

"I took the long walk up the stairs to my room, I could hear the others laughing and fighting already over the dolls and other gifts.

 

"I sat on the bed. I was hurting. But the more I gazed at the four walls in my room, with the roaches making their daily trek up and down, I was more hurt by Daddy's embarrassment and hurt over having to tell me that I would get no gifts this Christmas. I had never seen my Daddy's face look so hurt and shameful. I know it hurt him more than it did me.

 

"I ran downstairs to Momma and Daddy's room. They were sitting on the side of the bed with their heads down, looking like kids who got caught with their pants down. Daddy glanced up and me and said 'Come on in, Jim.'

 

"Before he could say another word, I interrupted him and said, 'Daddy, I understand. Don't worry about it. What's for dinner?' Momma reached past Daddy and hugged me. She had tears in her eyes. She was totally out of order. She never made a move without Daddy's consent. But this time she broke all the rules and hugged me, looking right at Daddy. She was bold.

 

"After that Christmas, I never put much faith or anticipation of getting gifts. It was more important for me to know that my parents loved me and hated to disappoint me or any of their kids on such a special day.

 

"Their hurt that Christmas morning let me know that they loved me. That was the best gift any kid can receive."

[jaybird2001wi]

One of my colleagues (I call him a colleague because he has been so good for me as a budding future journalist and offers me lunch sometimes in downtown Racine) Gery Woelfel wrote a story about some of the good things some local athletes have done, such as some Brewer players.

 

* Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jeff Suppan and his wife, Dana, recently held a Christmas party for 200 children from the inner city of Milwaukee at Miller Park. The Suppans gave each of them presents and some sound advice.

 

"As we have these gifts for you, maybe you can share your gifts with your parents by being kind and obedient to them,'' Suppan told his captive audience.

After the party, Jeff and Dana went to a homeless shelter, where they helped serve meals.

 

* Milwaukee Bucks star guard Michael Redd and his wife, Achea, distributed bicycles, dollhouses, etc., to 100 members of the Lavarnay Boys and Girls Club of Milwaukee.

 

* Brewers Rickie Weeks and Bill Hall recently spent a day with 14 Little League baseball players from Milwaukee and flew with them to Kansas City, where they toured the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

 

* After practice last Friday, Bucks players and coaches went to Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Wauwatosa and did their best to spread some holiday cheer to children who need cheering up as they battle cancer.

 

* Members of the Brewers organization recently donated hundreds of toys and gifts for the Career Youth Development's "Kids Santa Forgot About'' program.

* Bucks forward Desmond Mason donated 500 meals to the Salvation Army.

 

* And, finally, Racine's Caron Butler of the Washington Wizards continues to be one of the most community-conscious athletes in any sport. Butler donated 100 bikes and helmets last week to the Salvation Army of Washington, D.C. Butler picked up the entire tab.

 

Butler has now donated 900 bikes to youths - the other 800 going to children in Racine.

 

Said Butler: "Bikes is my thing. I'm the Santa Claus of bikes. I love giving bikes.''

 

And another excerpt about Rottino:

Rottino home for Christmas

 

Vinny Rottino returned to Racine Monday after playing winter baseball in the Dominican Republic.

 

"It's about 100-degreee temperature difference, but it's great to be back,'' Rottino said.

 

Rottino played winter ball to help his chances of making the Brewers' 2008 roster. While Rottino is a jack-of-all-trades player, he was used strictly as a catcher for Azucareros del Este in the Dominican League.

 

"I didn't hit very well, but nobody did,'' said Rottino, who batted .252. "But it was a great learning experience. I caught every single day and I think I led the league in throwing percentage.''

 

Rottino played in 48 games for Aucareros del Este and committed just one error.

 

Reid Nichols, a special assistant to the general manager for the Brewers, praised Rottino for taking the extra time to improve his game and said Rottino acquitted himself well. "Vinny's done a pretty good job,'' Nichols said. "He's a great kid, and he's got a great attitude. There should be more Vinny Rottinos.''

 

Rottino, who has been playing baseball basically nonstop since February, is taking a well-deserved break and won't be playing any more baseball until spring training. Rottino said playing in the Dominican Republic not only helped sharpen his catching skills but made him more appreciative of his home country.

 

"I'll tell you what: you never take for granted what we have in the States,'' Rottino said.

 

[iluvlamp]

They could have given him something. I think that's just awful. Geez, buy the kid a a couple packs of basketball cards that cost .40 cents a pop at that time. Make him a card. DO SOMETHING other than surprise him on the day of Christmas that he gets nothing. Why not tell him before-hand that he wasn't going to get anything. Sorry, TLB, I like ya but call me a scrooge. That's just not right. I knew kids growing up that were dirt poor and still got something. Merry Christmas!

[Houlie24x]

I agree with lamp. They could have even given the other kids one less present or any of the other options listed by lamp. I also don't know how old he is, but if Christmas morning and opening gifts still meant that much to him he was probably pretty young. I find it hard to believe that he looked his dad in the eyes and saw the pain at that age and was just happy his parents loved him.

[ELCABALLO45]

He was 11 at the time.

[Thats Freakin Sweet]

Congrats lamp and Houlie, you've both completely missed the point.

[iluvlamp]

I get the overall point but still think it's rather awful to get your kid's expectations up. If he was mature enough to understand why his parents did what they did, I am sure they could have informed him before Christmas Day that he wasn't getting anything and he would have understood.

[TooLiveBrew]

Ok, I hear you guys. I just think TFS has what I meant - the 'moral' of the story from the young child is touching. Plus, it doesn't sound like his dad was much of the thoughtful type anyway, huh?

 

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