BASEBALL DIGEST ALL-STAR EDITION A Special Publication of Arnall Golden Gregory LLP By Abe J. Schear Jeanne Ann Beckwith July 2017 “Spousal Memories” * * * Schear: I’m here with our good friend Well, we did go to the beach quite a bit, People ask me how I pick interviewees Jeanne Ann Beckwith. So Jeanne Ann, but Miami is a different kind of town and, honestly, many of them have been where did you grow up? and I guess probably in many ways still friends and acquaintances, people who Miami. is. It’s really a northeastern town, but it I found to be interesting and with a And were you a baseball fan when you didn’t have the northeastern influence in fascinating perspective on baseball. And grew up? baseball at all. I don’t know…until high that is how I met Jeanne Ann, while she I was not. As you know, the state of school, I don’t even remember baseball was trying (successfully) to sell us a Florida didn’t have much of a presence being played very much. In middle condominium. In response to an offhand when it comes to pro baseball. And school, I don’t remember – and I went to comment about where I’d put a bit of about the only thing I remember doing, large schools – us having any baseball baseball memorabilia, she noted that she my earliest memory, was flipping teams. I played softball in PE, but that had been married to a major leaguer. pennies for a Mickey Mantle baseball was the only time. card. But how things have changed now. But they had spring training in South Baseball is fun to play, a game with Did you play baseball or softball when Florida when you were young. reflex action. The ball is pitched and in a you were a child? Well yes, but I don’t remember it. split second you react. The ball is hit, what I did not. It wasn’t a very big deal. I I think the Yankees played in Ft. do you do? But, like the nervous energy didn’t know of any people doing it back Lauderdale for a long, long time. involved in youth sports, watching a spouse then. Well, they did, I used to go to their is complicated – involving nervousness, calmness, maturity, team play with player families and complicated relationships with “I was very unknowledgeable about baseball.” management. Was your family interested in baseball games, but that was once I was married So I asked Jeanne Ann to relate her or in sports? to Joe. perspectives about being the wife of a Yes, we were a big football family. Okay, I’m blasting through some player, and she surely did not disappoint My parents had season tickets to the questions! me. Highs and lows, colorful memories University of Miami and also to the I was very unknowledgeable about and wonderful stories. I was flattered that Dolphins. So I was raised going to the baseball. she was confident that I’d lead her through University of Miami games as a child. So how did you get into baseball? We memories of years ago and I’m sure you So they were all sports fans? have to bridge this gap from being will enjoy her interview as much as I did. Yes. a little girl to one of those days you Did they listen to baseball games on married a baseball player. So how did * * * the radio? that come about? Oh yes, yes. But I can’t tell you what From being totally illiterate to learning teams. a great deal about the game. I went to Abe J. Schear is an attorney with Arnall But back then, I mean maybe – I Auburn University and my junior year Golden Gregory LLP and is a member of hate to say this – but maybe the girls I met Joe in film class and got to know the firm’s Real Estate Group. Contact Abe weren’t following sports back then in him a little bit, and then – that was at 404.873.8752 or [email protected]. Miami. Maybe they were going to the spring semester, my junior year – and beach. then went home for the summer and he A r n a l l G o l d e n G r e g o r y L L P | July 2017 was going to summer ball. We weren’t team. But we just didn’t have a team in was exceptional. Now, the first year we really dating, we were just kind of South Florida until the Marlins arrived. went to spring training we (the families) friends, and I came back my senior year And they (the Marlins) hadn’t been couldn’t really go with them. They had to and met up again and then started dating. much of a team at that particular time. live. we had our own motel there. He I started going to games and learning a Exactly. had to actually stay on-site, and he lived lot about it, and… I mean to this day - So then go forward a little bit. So with Bob Welch, the number one draft and I was actually back at Auburn two then you and Joe got married at some pick and just a great guy. But we could weeks ago - I can recognize the sound point. come and visit, I could play tennis, go to all their games. There was no spring training experience like the Dodgers. “There was no spring training experience like the Absolutely nothing. The O’Malleys, I never knew Walter O’Malley, but Dodgers. Absolutely nothing. ” Peter O’Malley and his wife Ann were fabulous. The Dodger organization, in of the cleats. They used to be metal Right, the following autumn/fall. my opinion, was just -- there were no cleats – the metal cleats sound walking Okay, and where was he? This isn’t equals. They just did amazing things on across the street going back to what’s really about him, but he was still in the so many levels, I couldn’t even begin called The Concourse. And that sound minor leagues then? to go into it all. But they would have will never leave me but that’s how I Yes, when he was drafted he went Christmas in Dodgertown, and they started learning about baseball, thru Joe. straight to Double-A which was in San would invite all the players that were And then the day I graduated was the Antonio, and he was there the rest of married, that had children, big leaguers, baseball draft, and Joe could hardly even that summer. And it was a great town, and then some of the minors. I can’t see my graduation because he had to be and you learned a lot, and then he came remember exactly how it all worked, in another building because the draft was home from spring training and had a sore but then they would find out what going on. It was right after graduation knee. We were actually sitting around your children had and what your child that somebody came over and let me and he stood up and he tore the cartilage wanted, and Santa Claus would come, know that Joe was drafted in the second in his knee. He ended up having to have and maybe this was more after we got round by the Dodgers. surgery with Dr. Jack Houston. It was to the big leagues. It was just amazing! Joe was a pitcher. really interesting, the Dodgers used Dr. This organization loved their players. He was a pitcher, a starting pitcher. Jobe, because he was their exclusive And the front office was just an amazing And my memory about college – I orthopedic surgeon. But they knew Dr. organization. didn’t really think about this before, Houston so well that they finally agreed So you had Christmas during spring but I once interviewed Tim Hudson to let Jack do the surgery. And so Joe had training? who went to Auburn and he used the major knee surgery. And our wedding We had Christmas during the spring phrase that he was the “Saturday was in December, and the week before training and it was all decorated down night pitcher”, the star pitcher, so the wedding he had to go back and be by the pool. And the very first year he always pitched the star game. So put under anesthesia so that they could I went, Danny Kaye was there, the I guess Joe must have pitched the surgically bend his knees. So we got to dancer. So I got to meet Danny Kaye, Saturday night games. the week of the wedding and he could and they actually brought in the train, Yes. Joe had played in the world games barely walk, and during the wedding you know, like four cars. I have pictures before I had really known him. And we had kneelers and he had to get down of my daughter being in the train with I was still so new to this. I remember and I was afraid I was never going to get Danny Kaye, and all kinds of people. Mississippi State had such a strong team, him back on his feet. We went on our And I mean it was just such a warm, and they had been to the College World honeymoon and he’s in the pool doing fun, friendly, caring environment. And Series and all that sort of thing, so he exercises to recover from knee surgery in spring training you’ve got orange was the Saturday night pitcher.