Most of the well known , whom I've met are sports related. Because of my family's frequent support of our local Double A team, we've gotten to know Vladimir Guerrerro, Jamey Carroll, Michael Barrett, Javier Vasquez, among others.

I met John Kruk while on vacation a few years ago at the Jersey Shore.

I also met Pete Rose at an autograph signing several years ago, and we discussed the Phillies 1980 Championship run in some detail. That was a thrill.

I also met some members of the Steelers from the 70s: Franco Harris, Rocky Bleir, Frenchy Fuqua, Jack Ham and Andy Russell. Of the present Steelers my older son and I met Hines Ward.

I also met Tom Landry in the early 90s. He's the one I spent most time speaking to as we both had a lot of time to spend one weekend at a hotel where we were there for unrelated business.

My mother's first cousin was a tv/movie actor, seldom known but frequently seen, in the 70s and 80s. Through him I got to know Jason Miller, who played Father Karros in the Exorcist, and wrote a Pulitzer Prize winning play. Through him, his immediate family got to know some of his famous friends, including Robin Williams, who notified his family after my second cousin was in a serious auto accident about 25 years ago. My cousin appeared in a lot of sitcoms and dramas of the day.

Finally, Sleepy Jim Crowley, who was the last surviving member of the Four Horsemen of Notre Dame, lived in my hometown and gave me and my family tickets to a couple of ND road games.