I'm oftentimes asked what I remember most about my friend Buck O'Neill, and throughout this amazing journey on Black Diamonds, you've heard me reference Buck O'Neill any number of occasions.

Buckle Neil was my friend, my mentor, and my confidant.

And Buck O'Neill, in my humble observation, is one of the greatest human beings to ever walk the face of this earth.

But the thing that I remember

most about Buck, and I think it is synonymous to his spirit, is that you always felt better

leaving Buck than you did when you came to see him. I remember days here at the Negro Leagues baseball museum

when I'm dragging into the museum

and we only have two floors in the building

and I'm ready to get on the elevator

and here comes a 90-something-year-old Buck O'Neill

bopping in, energy exuding.

And now you're saying to yourself,

damn, I can't get on the elevator now.

I got to go up the stairs with Buck. I can't let Buck beat me up the stairs. And there you go.

And the next thing you know, whatever you were feeling at that time, whatever downtrodness that might

have been a part of you is gone in a blink of the eye.

And folks, I saw that everywhere we traveled around this great country.

Buck O'Neill never met a stranger in his life.

And we would be sitting in the airport and if the people didn't know who he was,

he'd go over and introduce himself to them. My name is Buck O'Neill. What's yours? And the next

thing you knew they were engaging in a conversation and as we would ultimately depart to go to our respective gates, they would share

and embrace as if they had known each other all of their lives. And when the late Buck O'Neill

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