1983 Tidewater Tides Game Worn Jersey. Worn for the 1983 Playoffs and signed on front with “1983 #5.” Left sleeve bears the “International Baseball League” 100th anniversary patch. “Medalist Sand-Knit” tag on back tail with [size] “L” flag tag. 2.
The above was from a Lelands auction which featured an 83 tidewater tides jersey. It was signed #5 so one can guess the jersey number was five. The photo for the auction is not accessible anymore.
Seeing the posts on Strawberry reminded me of the last time I saw him. On March 30 or 31, 1998 before traveling to Anaheim to open the season, the Yankees played an exhibition game at San Diego State (at what was to become Tony Gwynn Stadium) against the San Diego State Aztecs as a fundraiser for the Aztec baseball program. In his first at-bat, Strawberry crushed one over the centerfield fence, out of the stadium, and nearly bounced it against a dorm building about 650 feet away. The crowd went nuts. Straw was taken out of the game after his second at bat (line drive double), but instead of splitting to the clubhouse like the other Yankees who were pulled from the game, he spent the next 4 or 5 innings walking around the field along the seats... infield, outfield, and behind the plate....both between AND during innings.... signing anything and everything the fans wanted. His number that day was 1000, both in batting average and with the fans.
