Cave Dweller Favorites: Kyle Thompson

Here is a list of Kyle Thompson's (@KyleOKC) favorite moments from his 2012 MLB Fan Cave Experience.

Player Visit:George Brett

My favorite player visit was actually from a former player. Hall of Famer George Brett paid the Cave a visit early on in the season. He was incredible to have around, and he did one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced. He was concerned that we hadn’t had any good BBQ in NYC yet, so he actually smoked up nine racks of ribs in his back yard in KC and sent them to us. I love that guy!

Non-player Visit: It was incredible having Jackie Robinson’s daughter, Sharon, in the Cave on Jackie Robinson Day.

She had a powerful presence, and it was great getting to hear her tell us stories about her legendary father. I will never forget that day.

Fan Cave Video: Derek Holland and Ryan Dempster of the Rangers came in and filmed what turned out to be the funniest skit of the year.

They each have incredible Harry Caray impressions, and they did dueling impressions. The video was obviously condensed down, but the raw footage featured them doing their impressions for about 15 minutes without stopping. Ashley wasn’t kidding; I was crying because I was laughing so hard.

Concert: The Nas show was insane.

He did his album release show for “Life is Good” at the Cave, which speaks to the expansion and perceived viability of the space as a concert venue destination. The crowd was huge, and a ton of people from Queens showed up and showed out.

Game Moment: Watching Josh Hamilton send his fourth HR of the night into the Baltimore air in early May was unbelievable.

I am a huge fan of him, the resilience he has showed, the boldness with which he shares his faith, and his ability get back to the Major Leagues. He is the closest thing that we have to a true life Roy Hobbs.

Game Watched: King Felix’s perfect game was one of the most amazing games that I have ever seen.

In most perfect games or no hitters, there is at least one amazing defensive play that helps to keep the no-no intact. There was no such play in this game because Felix was THAT NASTY. It was by far the greatest and most dominant pitching performance that I have seen.

Dweller Memory: I really enjoyed experiencing the All Star Game festivities in Kansas City with everyone.

None of the Dwellers had ever been to an All Star Game, and just watching everyone’s faces at the HR Derby and the game itself was priceless. Also, I got to take batting practice at Kauffman Stadium the morning of the All Star Game. I couldn’t believe that was a perk of my job!