Hawkeye Pete’s Bucket List
I Don’t Ask For Much — But, It’s a Lot!
Okay, I’ll play. The last time I was prompted to write my Bucket List, I wrote a “F***-it” list, instead. I didn’t believe in Bucket Lists. I believed in living in the moment, and making the most of this day. I still do. “Ah, but I was so much older then — I’m younger than that now.”
That attitude was a bit holier-than-thou though, now that I think about it, and I am not — holier than thou, that is. While I do everything I can to stay in the day, to stay in this moment, to not look too far ahead– I do have a few things I still want to do before I shake off these bones and slip out of this skin, and move on to another universe.
So with no further ado, I do have a list, and here it is, in no particular order:
1. Live into Triple Digits.
I want to celebrate my 100th birthday here on this plane of existence. I’m nearly two-thirds of the way there already (64 ½) and I like my odds. Longevity is in my genes.
What will I do when I’m 100? Well, four months into my year after I turn 100, I will walk into an AA meeting and pick up my 75 year sobriety chip. I might even make my way to an N.A. meeting and pick up a 75 year clean-time keytag, (or whatever they are using for that, by then.) Beyond that, I will just breathe, live, and enjoy life, as best I can, one day at a time. I plan to be in good shape and spirits when I get there, so I will do whatever the hell I feel like doing. Who’s going to argue with a hundred-year-old kid?
2. Spend a month touring China.
One of the very few regrets I have, regarding my mother, is that I didn’t get to go with her to see the Three Gorges before they filled them in with a vast reservoir. She really wanted to do that, but got too frail to travel after a couple of back surgeries, and we ran out of time. I’ve had a bug to see a lot of the sites of China ever since, and I want to do that before I, too, become too frail to travel.
3. Live on Arranmore Island, off the coast of Ireland.
I want to do this sooner than later. I want to do this next year, but I’ll settle for next decade.
This island is situated just three miles off the coast of County Donegal. This spectacular region of Northwest Ireland is among the country’s most rugged, scenic, and downright breathtaking. At roughly 3 miles by 5.5 miles, the island itself is about twice the size of Key West.
However, with clean beaches, dozens of sea caves, and rocky overlooks, it packs plenty of outdoor opportunities into its pint-sized footprint. Having been inhabited since prehistoric times, it’s also one of Ireland’s oldest settlements. Some of the country’s most cherished ancient traditions, and the Gaelic language itself, continue to this day. You might say it’s among the “most Irish” part of Ireland.
I am 74.8 % Irish myself, but only first stepped foot on Irish soil last September, when we made two stops in Cobh, Cork, and one in Dublin, on a spectacular British Isles cruise. This island is looking for people to help re-inhabit it, as its population has dwindled considerably. It is wired for sound, and sounds like my kind of place. I’ll write!
4. Publish 10 Books.
I’ve already written half of them, just need to do all the rewrites and edits to make them ready for prime time. I have determined that to be a worthy retirement project, and right now (unless I can convince my wife to quit her job and join me on Arronmore Island next year) the plan is to work five more years, then retire when I’m 70. But, that’s the plan to be able to keep living in this area, and maintain the lifestyle we currently are accustomed to. If I retire next year, and we move to Arronmore Island, I could start on those books that much sooner.
5. Get elected to the Softball Hall of Fame.
I’m already in Baseball’s Hall of Fame. I wasn’t elected, but selected, for a story I wrote about stealing Pete Rose’s hat. It was my way of getting him in there, through the back door, since he’ll never get elected, himself. He gambled on baseball, which is the ultimate mortal sin for a ballplayer, and he lied for years about it, so he’ll never get in — at least, not through the front door. I stole his hat when I was 10, wrote a story about it, and my story got selected for induction into the Hall’s story wing. But that’s baseball.
In softball, I played 11 years, from age 50–61, became known for driving in runs, thus my AA nickname, “RBI” (Runs Batted In), won a few championships, and I am now returning to the field of play after a 4 year hiatus-formerly-known-as -retirement. I was going strong at age 61 when my career was cut down by a brain tumor and resultant severe vertigo episodes.
It was hard to play when the field was spinning. But now that the tumor is gone, and the world has (for the most part) stopped spinning, I’m back for more. If we don’t make it to Arronmore next year, I plan to play until I’m 70, win a few more championships, drive in a bunch more runs, and become one of the few people who are in both the Baseball Hall of Fame, and the Softball Hall of Fame. I call that a Fame Double-Header, or, as Hall-of-Famer Ernie Banks liked to say, “Let’s Play Two”.
6. Race with the Presidents.
I first tried out for the Washington Nationals Racing Presidents when I was 52. I tried out again when I was 53. I keep missing the tryouts since then, for a variety of stupid reasons, but I really want to race with them, even if it is for just one game.
I sing the National Anthem on the field of a game every year, and every time I do, I offer my services to Tom Davis, who runs the presidents. I say, “Tom — this is our chance to make major league baseball history together. I could be the first person to ever sing the National Anthem, and race with the Racing Presidents, in the same game. Put me in, coach!” Tom always laughs and says, “Not this time, Pete.” For my final bucket list entry, I just want to race with the presidents one time. That’s it!
I could go on and on, here, but suffice it to say, there’s more — much more. At least 36 years worth of more. But, this will do, for now.
