I first met Mike Sandore in the summer of 1970, before we started at Lane as freshman in the fall. He joined my Senior League baseball team (13 to 15-year-olds) at Hanson Park on Grand and Central. My coach introduced us and asked me to show him around and make sure someone was playing catch with him. Mike had a disease that affected his coordination and his ability to run, but he didn't let that stop him from playing baseball. So I knew Mike all four years at Lane. It turned out we lived about 4 blocks from each other and I got to know his family over the years. His older brother was a Chicago cop and stopped to visit one day when we were playing fast pitch under the viaduct on Wabansia Avenue. Anyway, he took a few turns at bat and severely sprained his ankle. I'm not sure how explained that one at the station! Mike tried to teach himself guitar sophomore and junior year and was always walking up to the guitar store on north Western Ave. to look at guitars he couldn't afford but always asked to try one. He had the opening notes of "25 or 6 to 4" down cold, but that was about it. One spring day senior year, shortly after Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's record, the Braves were in town so Mike and I decided to cut and just stay on the bus to Wrigley Field. We got bleacher tickets and sat in the first row in left field, just in time to see the Braves batting practice. So Aaron comes up and starts hitting line drives to the right of us and to the left of us and over our head. They were rockets. Finally, he hits a line drive coming straight for us. I just sat there but Mike stuck up his hand to catch it. The ball bounced off his hand and went another 10 rows back. I think he sat through half the game with that hand tucked under his arm.
Randall Blaser
I first met Mike Sandore in the summer of 1970, before we started at Lane as freshman in the fall. He joined my Senior League baseball team (13 to 15-year-olds) at Hanson Park on Grand and Central. My coach introduced us and asked me to show him around and make sure someone was playing catch with him. Mike had a disease that affected his coordination and his ability to run, but he didn't let that stop him from playing baseball. So I knew Mike all four years at Lane. It turned out we lived about 4 blocks from each other and I got to know his family over the years. His older brother was a Chicago cop and stopped to visit one day when we were playing fast pitch under the viaduct on Wabansia Avenue. Anyway, he took a few turns at bat and severely sprained his ankle. I'm not sure how explained that one at the station! Mike tried to teach himself guitar sophomore and junior year and was always walking up to the guitar store on north Western Ave. to look at guitars he couldn't afford but always asked to try one. He had the opening notes of "25 or 6 to 4" down cold, but that was about it. One spring day senior year, shortly after Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's record, the Braves were in town so Mike and I decided to cut and just stay on the bus to Wrigley Field. We got bleacher tickets and sat in the first row in left field, just in time to see the Braves batting practice. So Aaron comes up and starts hitting line drives to the right of us and to the left of us and over our head. They were rockets. Finally, he hits a line drive coming straight for us. I just sat there but Mike stuck up his hand to catch it. The ball bounced off his hand and went another 10 rows back. I think he sat through half the game with that hand tucked under his arm.
Tim Chlopowicz
Great memories thanks for sharing them
Randall Blaser
Mike Sandore is the player standing on the left. I'm the one on the right.