A Class Act

I grew up reading sports biographies. My favorite one was of Bill Goldsworthy, and Minnesota North Star in the 1960's, a wonderfully talented goal scorer with a terrible temper. His temper kept him in the penalty box more than on the ice, so he had to work on his anger management. The book described him running through golf courses in the summer wearing heavy chains, pushing his body relentlessly, and fighting his anger. It rermains a poignant picture to me.

There are many fine things to be learned from sports figures, some very moving stories. This is one from the San Francisco Giants. Dave Righetti was an all-star pitcher for the New York Yankees, and is now the pitching coach for the Giants. He has always worn number 19.

A Giants' rookie, Kevin Frandsen, grew up in San Jose, where Righetti lived. Righetti has known Frandsen since he was a baby. Frandsen had an older brother, named DJ, who battled cancer his whole life. DJ died in 2004 at the ripe old age of 23. Number 19 was DJ's favorite number. In fact, Frandsen has a tattoo with DJ and 19 superimposed.

Imagine Frandsen's surprise when he walked into the Giants' locker room this week to find, hanging in his locker, his jersey with his name on it, and bearing number 19. Evidently, Righetti has given up that number, worn for 20+ years, to Frandsen in order to honor DJ.

Classy thing for "Rags" Righetti to do. Read about the moving story here. From the article:

"It's pretty special," Frandsen said. "It's not something I asked for. He offered it. I'm pretty excited about that."

Righetti had broached the number change with Giants clubhouse manager Mike Murphy, who in turn raised the idea with Frandsen.

"I didn't want to take it because that had been Dave's number for so many years," Frandsen said. "I didn't know how to react. I was excited, but there was a reason my brother loved the number so much. I told Dave, 'It was because of you.' He said, 'You go take that number.' "

This story begins four decades ago, when Righetti was an 8-year-old ball rat who served as a batboy for a team Dave Frandsen played for. Frandsen was five or six years older, "a guy I looked up to when I was a kid," Righetti said.

The families live close by and stayed close. Dave Frandsen is a teacher at Leland High in San Jose and was its basketball coach. Naturally, when Dave Frandsen married and had children, the kids grew up knowing Righetti, this big-league pitcher. Righetti often visited the house, and whenever DJ had a bad bout with his illness, Righetti would come by the hospital.

"The bond was always there," Righetti said.

As Righetti spent his years pitching in New York, San Francisco, Toronto, Oakland and Chicago, then moved into coaching, Kevin Frandsen was maturing into a fine baseball player in San Jose.

"I started going to San Jose State alumni dinners and I see this young kid out there, and I'm thinking, 'You're kidding me? Kevin's here?' Next thing you know he's the all-time hit leader at State. Then he gets a chance to come to the Giants," Righetti said.

As soon as the Giants drafted and signed Frandsen in 2004, Righetti said, he thought about handing his number to Frandsen if ever made the big club. Frandsen had worn it in the minors, but not at San Jose State, he said, "because I always had to just take the littlest jersey."

When Righetti got 19 in New York, it was not random, but an honor. Any number that ended with 9 was reserved for a pitcher with promise. Ron Guidry wore 49, Ron Davis 39, Catfish Hunter 29 and Dick Tidrow 19.

"I believe Don Larsen threw a no-hitter wearing that number. I was the next Yankee to throw one after him, so to me it was good luck," Righetti said. Nevertheless, knowing the bond between the Frandsen brothers, DJ and Kevin, Righetti had no reservations about handing it down. Murphy then assigned Righetti 46, Kirk Rueter's number. That was meant to be an honor, too.

Frandsen can guess what his late brother would have thought about seeing Kevin wear No. 19 in the majors.

"He'd just say, 'Don't screw up wearing that number,' " Frandsen said.

DJ Frandsen died on Sept. 16, 2004.

He had battled cancer for most of his years -- 19, to be exact.