Athlete Run-Ins: Embarrassing Kirk McCaskill

It's turn back the clock day here with athlete run-ins, as we continue our curious decision to focus on minor stories about minor sports stars. (Hey, they're not all Tim Duncan going crazy in a bar, you know.) This one features former White Sox and Angels pitcher Kirk McCaskill — whom was once chosen as one of People's 50 Most Beautiful People, inexplicably — and a bad moment at the baseball card store.

In the winter of 1991, a friend of mine and I were in a shortly-lived baseball card shop on Newbury Street in Boston. As we were browsing, in walked free agent pitcher Kirk McCaskill and his young son. Me and my friend were very excited, since clearly he was in town to meet with the Red Sox, and apparently this was a good thing. Anyway, we recognized him immediately and were watching when he went up to the guy behind the counter and asked, "Hey, do you have any Kirk McCaskill cards?"

After searching through some boxes of "common" cards, the guy finds one. Kirk pulls out his wallet to impress his son and asks, "How much is that?" The guy — completely oblivious to McCaskill's presence — says, "Ppph, you can have it," and walks away.

Believe me, nothing beats the "I'm a hot free agent who was in People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People issue and you embarrassed me in front of my young son" face.

We have always thought stuff like this happens. We mean, if you're, say, Dane Iorg, does anyone even suspect you're a baseball player?

Athlete Run-Ins: The Proper Way To Beep [Deadspin]