For those who knew and loved Keli McGregor, words in a newspaper or on a computer screen are slight consolation. Waves of loss sweep away words like grains of sand on a beach.
But that doesn’t make the words any less true.
Like everyone else, I was shocked and sadden by McGregor’s sudden death.
In my years covering the Rockies, I gradually got to know the man. At first, I found him a little bit guarded and a little bit intimidating. He was so tall and so fit. He was always impeccably dressed. He seemed, well, so together.
He looked and acted like everybody’s All-American.
And I think he was a bit leery of me because I worked for The Denver Post.
But over time, I got to see the real Keli McGregor. Behind that stature and that firm businessman’s handshake was a very gentle, very nice man.
He treated everyone, and I mean everyone, with respect. He helped make the Rockies a first-class organization.
I sometimes wondered if McGregor was too good to be true. The other night, at the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame banquet, I asked Dave Logan about McGregor.
“Keli was the real deal,” Logan said. “That was no image thing with Keli. He really was as good a person as you think.”
The Rockies, I’m sure, are planning to honor McGregor in a classy, fitting fashion. The players are already wearing patches on their jerseys.
But I have a suggestion, perhaps one the Rockies have already thought of: I propose that the Rockies’ new spring training complex outside Scottsdale be named for McGregor. He was the man who made that move happen. He invested countless hours in that project. I know he was extremely proud of that accomplishment.
It’s such a tragedy he will never see the Rockies play on their new diamond in the desert, but it would be a fitting memorial to a man who loved Colorado. And years from now, when generations of Rockies fan venture down to Arizona for spring baseball, a kind, gentle giant will be remembered.
Trivia time
McGregor was drafted by the Broncos in the fourth round in 1985. After playing for the Broncos, what other NFL teams did he play for? (Answer below).
Polling
The lead topic to Wednesday’s “Lunch Special” consider whether or not there is bias against Stanford running back Toby Gerhart because he’s white. It produced a lot of reaction from irate readers. It also produced a lot of votes in our poll. Of the more than 500 votes cast, nearly 67 percent said that Gerhart was being stereotyped as a “white running back,” and wouldn’t get a fair shot in the draft.
Quotable
“Unless the Steelers know something deep, dark and dirty about (Ben) Roethlisberger that goes beyond his problems in Georgia or unless they are convinced he is incorrigible as a human being and will embarrass the organization again with his abhorrent behavior, they would be crazy to trade him.” — Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on rumors the Steelers will trade the troubled quarterback.
Reader’s rant
“Stop it already. It is perfect with 64. (I overlook the 65th team.)” — Fabien A, posting on that the NCAA will likely expand March Madness to 68 teams.
In case you missed it
Former Cherry Creek High phenom Darnell McDonald became an instant hero in Boston with two swings of his bat.
Tuesday, he hit a two-run homer in the eighth and a walkoff, game-winning single off the Green Monster in the ninth in the Red Sox 7-6 victory over Texas.
McDonald, 31, has been a minor-league journeyman for most of his 13 years in pro baseball. But he sure caught the fancy of Red Sox fanatics. Read for the full flavor of McDonald’s heroics.
Trivia answer
McGregor also played for Indianapolis and Seattle.
Patrick Saunders: 303-954-1428 or psaunders@denverpost.com
