In August 1999, we went to Canton for Eric Dickerson’s Hall of Fame induction.
After the ceremony was over that day, we were in the Hall of Fame gift shop, and I found myself standing next to Tony Dorsett.
Dorsett was to my immediate right, and we were almost shoulder to shoulder, looking over the same display or whatever.
No big whoop or anything. Certainly, Dorsett was a great player. But … hey … he was Tony Dorsett of the Dallas Cowboys. All that jazz. The only reason I gave him even a second look was because I was shocked at how small he was, physically. Really tiny dude.
Anyway, I was standing next to Dorsett for a couple of minutes when I glanced to my right, in his direction. That was when I noticed who was standing directly next to him: Gary Jeter.
Nineteen ninety-nine was the same year Lawrence Taylor was inducted, so I assume Jeter was present was because two of his former high-profile teammates were going into the Hall in the same year.
In what remains one of those moments burned permanently into my memory, I reached *past* Tony Dorsett … my arm going directly across his bow … to shake Gary Jeter’s hand.
I said top him, “
Gary Jeter! Wow!
Great to meet you!” Blah, blah, blah. Jeter smiled and thanked me. He was real gracious during our maybe 30-second conversation.
But I could tell by the look on his face that he was a little embarrassed for Dorsett – that this schmo fan had totally ignored the *
great* Tony Dorsett to shake his hand.
I guess they figured I either didn’t recognize Dorsett or didn’t know who he was. Didn't feel the need to explain, though.
Anyway … that’s
my Gary Jeter story.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/02/2017 06:12AM by The_Bad_Guy.
