RPCV followed 1991 World Series while serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Poland



"I had been in Poland since June so by October I think I was at the anger stage in my assimilation to Polish culture. Part of my anger may have stemmed from the fact that all summer long my only source of news about the Twins came from my infrequent trips to Warsaw where I would purchase and read the USA Today in the Marriott lobby. Being away from home when your team is in a pennant race is not a pleasant experience."

RPCV followed 1991 World Series while serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Poland

E-rant: Fans ponder baseball heaven
E-RANT

Thank God for the life of Kirby Puckett!

The sudden death of Kirby Puckett should be a wake-up call to the baseball fans of Minnesota , its business leaders, and leaders in the state government that baseball is very important in our state and in surrounding states.

It would be a great tribute and memorial to the life of Kirby Puckett if a new baseball stadium would be built and very soon!

[Excerpt]

My fondest memory of Kirby occurred when I was 6000 miles away from home. It was the 1991 World Series and at the time I was stationed in Dzialdowo, Poland with the U.S. Peace Corps. My job was to teach English to Polish youth who a only couple of years before were learning Russian as their foreign language.

I had been in Poland since June so by October I think I was at the anger stage in my assimilation to Polish culture. Part of my anger may have stemmed from the fact that all summer long my only source of news about the Twins came from my infrequent trips to Warsaw where I would purchase and read the USA Today in the Marriott lobby. Being away from home when your team is in a pennant race is not a pleasant experience.

Why I thought I would be able to somehow pick up the post-season games on my short-wave radio I can't remember. But knowing that the playoffs started two days after the end of the season I went to bed that Tuesday night at 8:00 and set the alarm for 2:00 in the morning. Miraculously, not only did I get up,but after 20 minutes of working the turner I got a weak reception of the Armed Force's network broadcast from Germany. I moved the radio around my flat until I discovered that the best reception was on the kitchen table with me holding on to the antenna. Somehow over the course of the next two weeks I pulled myself out of bed for all 4 games against the Jays and 5 games with the Braves.

Weeks before the Six and Seventh games I had made plans to visit some American colleagues in Gdansk about two hours north by train. Not wanting to back out I went thinking that every American must have a short-wave radio if not to listen to the World Series at least to listen to the B.B.C. Needless to say, I was wrong. It was just as well for instead of waking up a 2:00 we all went bed at 2:00 after a night of heavy drinking.

I woke up late Sunday morning with a hangover but that didn't stop me from obsessing about the outcome of the game. My only thought was of catching the next train home to find out the results. Unable to eat breakfast, I took some aspirin, packed my stuff and took a taxi to the train station.

The train ride back to Dzialdowo was the longest two hours of my life.

Even before the train came to a complete stop I jumped off, ran down the platform through the streets to the solitude of my flat and turned on the radio. It was just after 6:00 pm and the announcer was getting done delivering the headline news. I knew after four months of listening to the B.B.C. a sports update would follow. I sat at the kitchen table with my hands clenched behind head uncertain if I really wanted to hear the result. First of course was a report of football (in America we call it soccer) scores, then the cricket scores, then the Formula One results and then by the way, "Last night the Minnesota Twins (right then I knew the news was good) evened the best seven baseball championship series at three games a piece with the Atlanta Braves. Kirby Puckett, the Twin's centerfielder, hit a game winning homerun in the bottom of the 11th inning with the score tied three to three."

I will never forget that moment as long as live. I started jumping on the few pieces of furniture I had. I threw my fist in the air and began laughing uncontrollably. I imagined Kirby's swing, him sprinting around the bases, and all the Twins mobbing him as he crossed the plate. How I longed to be home to share that moment with my friends and family.

Monday morning I got up at 2:00 for the final time and of course the rest is history. Even though the drama of the Seventh game will never be topped, deep down I truly believe that when Kirby hit that homerun every die hardTwin's fan knew the Series was over.

Minutes after Larkin's Series winning hit I packed my student's assignments in my book bag and skipped to school . And in the end I did find someone with which to share the joy I felt that Monday morning. For instead of teaching my students another lesson on English grammar, I taught them how to sing Baseball's National Anthem and how to pronounce Kirbeeeee Puckett.

From that moment on thanks to you Kirby, Poland became my home a way from home.

Thank you Kirby for the memories.

David

When this story was posted in March 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

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March 1, 1961: Keeping Kennedy's Promise On March 1, 1961, President John F. Kennedy issues Executive Order #10924, establishing the Peace Corps as a new agency: "Life in the Peace Corps will not be easy. There will be no salary and allowances will be at a level sufficient only to maintain health and meet basic needs. Men and women will be expected to work and live alongside the nationals of the country in which they are stationed--doing the same work, eating the same food, talking the same language. But if the life will not be easy, it will be rich and satisfying. For every young American who participates in the Peace Corps--who works in a foreign land--will know that he or she is sharing in the great common task of bringing to man that decent way of life which is the foundation of freedom and a condition of peace. "

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The Peace Corps Library The Peace Corps Library is now available online with over 40,000 index entries in 500 categories. Looking for a Returned Volunteer? Check our RPCV Directory. New: Sign up to receive PCOL Magazine, our free Monthly Magazine by email. Like to keep up with Peace Corps news as it happens? Sign up to recieve a daily summary of Peace Corps stories from around the world.

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Top Stories: February 2, 2006 Al Kamen writes: Rice to redeploy diplomats 20 Jan Peace Corps mourns the Loss of Volunteer Tessa Horan 1 Feb RPCV pursues dreams in America's Heartland 1 Feb Sargent Shriver documentary to be shown in LA 30 Jan W. Frank Fountain is new board chairman of Africare 27 Jan Abbey Brown writes about acid attacks in Bangladesh 26 Jan Christopher Hill Sees Ray of Hope in N.Korea Standoff 26 Jan Jeffrey Smit writes on one man diplomatic outposts 25 Jan Joe Blatchford's ACCION and microfinance 24 Jan James Rupert writes: A calculated risk in Pakistan 23 Jan Sam Farr rips conservative immigration bill 21 Jan Americans campaign for PC to return to Sierra Leone 20 Jan Kinky Friedman supports Gay Marriage 20 Jan Margaret Krome writes on Women leaders 18 Jan James Walsh leads bipartisan US delegation to Ireland 17 Jan Mark Schneider writes on Elections and Beyond in Haiti 16 Jan Robert Blackwill on a "serious setback" in US-India relations 13 Jan Kevin Quigley writes on PC and U.S. Image Abroad 13 Jan Emily Metzloff rides bicycle 3,100 miles from Honduras 9 Jan Charles Brennick starts operation InterConnection 9 Jan Lee Fisher tells story of Pablo Morillo 7 Jan Nancy Wallace writes: Was PC a CIA front after all? 4 Jan

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Paid Vacations in the Third World? Retired diplomat Peter Rice has written a letter to the Wall Street Journal stating that Peace Corps "is really just a U.S. government program for paid vacations in the Third World." Director Vasquez has responded that "the small stipend volunteers receive during their two years of service is more than returned in the understanding fostered in communities throughout the world and here at home." What do RPCVs think?

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RPCV admits to abuse while in Peace Corps Timothy Ronald Obert has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor in Costa Rica while serving there as a Peace Corps volunteer. "The Peace Corps has a zero tolerance policy for misconduct that violates the law or standards of conduct established by the Peace Corps," said Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez. Could inadequate screening have been partly to blame? Mr. Obert's resume, which he had submitted to the Peace Corps in support of his application to become a Peace Corps Volunteer, showed that he had repeatedly sought and obtained positions working with underprivileged children. Read what RPCVs have to say about this case.

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Military Option sparks concerns The U.S. military, struggling to fill its voluntary ranks, is allowing recruits to meet part of their reserve military obligations after active duty by serving in the Peace Corps. Read why there is opposition to the program among RPCVs. Director Vasquez says the agency has a long history of accepting qualified applicants who are in inactive military status. John Coyne says "Not only no, but hell no!" and RPCV Chris Matthews leads the debate on "Hardball." Avi Spiegel says Peace Corps is not the place for soldiers while Coleman McCarthy says to Welcome Soldiers to the Peace Corps. Read our poll results. Latest: Congress passed a bill on December 22 including language to remove Peace Corps from the National Call to Service (NCS) military recruitment program

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Why blurring the lines puts PCVs in danger When the National Call to Service legislation was amended to include Peace Corps in December of 2002, this country had not yet invaded Iraq and was not in prolonged military engagement in the Middle East, as it is now. Read the story of how one volunteer spent three years in captivity from 1976 to 1980 as the hostage of a insurrection group in Colombia in Joanne Marie Roll's op-ed on why this legislation may put soldier/PCVs in the same kind of danger. Latest: Read the ongoing dialog on the subject.

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PC establishes awards for top Volunteers Gaddi H. Vasquez has established the Kennedy Service Awards to honor the hard work and service of two current Peace Corps Volunteers, two returned Peace Corps Volunteers, and two Peace Corps staff members. The award to currently serving volunteers will be based on a demonstration of impact, sustainability, creativity, and catalytic effect. Submit your nominations by December 9.

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Friends of the Peace Corps 170,000 strong 170,000 is a very special number for the RPCV community - it's the number of Volunteers who have served in the Peace Corps since 1961. It's also a number that is very special to us because March is the first month since our founding in January, 2001 that our readership has exceeded 170,000. And while we know that not everyone who comes to this site is an RPCV, they are all "Friends of the Peace Corps." Thanks everybody for making PCOL your source of news for the Returned Volunteer community.

Read the stories and leave your comments.

By Anonymous (st-209-7-103-6.lisle.dupage.k12.il.us - 209.7.103.6) on Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 1:23 pm: Edit Post

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By Anonymous (st-209-7-103-6.lisle.dupage.k12.il.us - 209.7.103.6) on Thursday, January 18, 2007 - 1:22 pm: Edit Post

hi