I'm new to this board and ventured over here to share my grief regarding Darryl's untimely death.

My son is friends with one of Darryl's older boys. He was over at Darryl's house regularly to hang out and swim or play video games. I was just getting to know him but he had already invited me to watch NFL games at his house this fall in his media room. I did know him well enough to know he was a great person and father. He'd play basketball with his boys and the neighborhood kids in his driveway, crack jokes, but also knew when to leave them alone.

When I'd see him, he always had this goofy grin on his face like he had just finished laughing at a joke. He was one of those guys who walks into a room and you can feel the room get brighter. He just had a presence about him that beamed.

The 1st time I was in his house, i started asking him about baseball. It never felt like bragging when he talked about his accomplishments. I wish I could find an image of it but though he only played for the Rangers one season, they used a photo of him making a catch on billboards and ads for years afterwards. He had a special print the Rangers sent him in his office.

He told me a story that I think you will love. When he was with the Rangers, he met then owner George "W" Bush. Later, when he was with the Mets, President Bush invited any former Rangers to get a tour of the White House. He saw him again but barely had any interaction.

So he was out at a Super Bowl event (I believe this year but not for sure) and entered a room just checking out who was there. Sure enough, President Bush was there and talking to a group of people. He said pretty much everyone in the room was listening to him. So he inconspicuously walks up as close he can get and leans up against the wall to listen to Bush.

After he finished a story, President Bush turns to look at him and says, "Oh, hey Darryl." Bush then proceeded to introduce everyone to Darryl. He said, "This is Darryl Hamilton and he was one of my Rangers" and then proceeded to tell everyone about Darryl including some of Darryl's stats, info about his family. Darryl said he was humbled and in shock by how much the (former) President of the United States remembered about him.

I think the story speaks volumes about both Darryl and President Bush. I have heard other stories but it's clear that Bush was purposeful in remembering the people in his life. But it also says that Darryl never believed he was significant. He thought he was ordinary, just another guy. In reflection, it explains why he was so approachable and kind.

Pray for his boys. His older boys, Julian and Donovan, had just reached the age at which he could really coach them. He coached Julian's basketball team over the winter and was just having a great time. (You may see his name again some day in the NBA - phenomenal athlete. It's going to be hard for them for a long, long time. Fortunately, they have good mom as well.

As for Jackson, his 14-month old, he will never really know how great his father was. Pray that he ends up in good hands. I know that Darryl's Mom is in good health and he has a brother. I expect one of them will take Jackson and raise him. I just hope he stays close with his brothers. They loved him. Julian recently told us that Darryl had just taken Jackson swimming for the 1st time with them in his Dad's pool.

If you are married and/or have kids, be thankful for them and love them. Our time here is short and sometimes cut too short. I hope all of us are remembered as fondly as people remembered Darryl this week: "One of the good ones." Thanks for reading.

One more story. Darryl was a huge Saints fan. He told me a few years ago he was in NYC (can't remember why). His buddy with EA Sports (in marketing I believe) invited him to dinner. As he makes his way into the restaurant, he realizes someone else is sitting with his friend but doesn't think anything of it. He walks up, shakes his buddy's hand, and turns to shake the hand of the other guy. As he turns his head, he sees Drew Brees is "the other guy".

The next season, Darryl was at a Saints game for an event and had a pregame sideline pass. He wants to get Brees to autograph a jersey for him but Brees finishes before he gets a chance. They were still not allowed to enter the field. He asks the security guy if he would get Brees attention. He reluctantly agrees but before he gets a chance, Brees is walking back for the tunnel and sees Darryl off in the distance. He yells, "HEY DARRYL!" and runs over to greet him. (Again, speaks volumes about both of them.) Darryl has the autographed jersey framed in his game room.

Darryl's funeral was today. It was good to see his family and childhood friends tell stories about him. His boys will be well cared for. Here is one story that I'll share:

Byron, one of his 6 good friends who still got together regularly, met Darryl later than the others. (Some of them met in Kindergarten.) Byron had just moved into town. Before school (middle school I believe), a bunch of students gathered in the gym. Byron's 1st day at school, he walks into the gym and sees a black student being dragged across the gym floor by his feet. When Byron noticed that the two kids who were dragging him were white, he thought to himself, "Oh man, this is gonna be trouble." (lots of laughs)

As soon as they got to the other side of the gym, the black student hopped to his feet, laughing the entire time, and ran to the top of the bleachers. The other kids tossed him a basketball and he launched a half-court shot, from atop the bleachers, and got nothing but net. Byron looked up and saw Darryl, still laughing while the back of his head and clothes completely covered in dust, and thought, "I want him as my friend for the rest of my life."

Most don't know that Darryl didn't play organized baseball until college. He walked on at Nicholl's State University and helped build their program. Over the 13 years he was in the majors, he only made 14 errors. That is incredible. As someone noted, he also had the 1st hit of interleague play. There is a clip of it on YouTube. He was a special person.

Do not know him as well as blue couch, but he lived two houses down from me in Greatwood when I was in high school. My brother and I helped him move in. This was in the early to mid 90s and we were in high school. Class act. Overpaid us for the help and fed us dinner. We used to shoot hoops with him on his court at his house. We thought it was so cool a pro player would take the time to hang out, shoot hoops, and b.s. with neighborhood kids.

Lost touch when my folks moved out of Greatwood, but considered him a friend and am saddened by his loss.