Getting to the stadium early for batting practice you meet a lot of fans.   Last night on Sandy Koufax bobblehead night,  after the 7th inning stretch we noticed Michael who we usually see during BP, was standing behind us.  He was asking “Who did I miss during BP?   We told him “Maury Wills was signing”   He has gotten Maury Wills autograph before.  We also told him Sandy Koufax did not appear to be at the stadium that night.  He then started telling us why he was late.   Here is his story:  

“I got to the stadium early today (8/7) because it was not just a bobble head game, but the Sandy Koufax bobble head game. The most popular bobble head, right up there with the upcoming Vin Scully bobble head.

I was able to park on Stadium Way in front of the Barlow Hospital, and around 4:40pm, walked over to wait with the other fans at the Elysian Park entrance, where we would be let in at 5:10pm.

I saw three boys petting and playing with a young kitten who was just laying on the sidewalk just inside the Dodger Stadium parking gate. I asked if it was their kitten and they said no, they had just found it there. One of the boys was able to pick the kitten up and it seemed pretty tame. I picked the kitten up, and it appeared to be a boy and about eight weeks old. I went to the front of the line with the kitten and told the security guard about it. I said I wanted to take the kitten home, but wondered if someone at Dodger Stadium could keep it somewhere until the end of the game. The security officer said probably not, and pointed me to the main parking hut, where the security guards let people into the stadium. I told them my story, and they said they couldn’t help, but did offer me some water for the kitten.

My options seemed to be to have security call animal services and pick up the kitten, or leave the kitten in my car until the game was over some five or six hours later.

Neither opinion seemed reasonable, as I didn’t want the kitten taken to the pound, nor did I want to leave it in a car for hours when it was about 90 degrees out. I also didn’t think leaving the kitten where it was found was very safe, as it was next to the 10 lanes of traffic where people drive in and out of Dodger Stadium.

While my daughter Dianna kept the kitten company in the car, I went to the Barlow Hospital but they couldn’t help either. I called the Dodger Fan Assistance line and they also could not help me.

I ended up calling my wife Donna, and she drove from Sherman Oaks, while I drove to back to Griffith Park, so we could meet half way at the zoo parking lot, and I passed the kitten over to her so she could take him home.

We ended up making it back to the game and getting our bobble heads, but missed batting practice and the chance to get autographs. A small price to pay for saving a life. The kitten is doing fine. We’re going to call him “Koufax.”

Meet Koufax

Thanks Michael for sharing the story and the pictures of your kitty Koufax.   Thank you for giving  little Koufax a home.