Staff writer
Fred Puttroff, of rural Marion, has a large collection of memorabilia commemorating the career of Kansas City Royals hall-of-fame third baseman George Brett, but his best baseball memories involve his sons — Aaron, Brandon, and Christopher.
Baseball made good father-son relationships better, Puttroff said during a presentation Jan. 6 at Marion Senior Center. He showcased his collection of cards, jerseys, and posters featuring Brett. Many items in his collection were gifts from his sons.
Brett is a natural choice for favorite player because he was the star player for the closest professional team when his sons were growing up. It helps that Puttroff and Brett are the same age, 56.
The hall-of-famer played his best in the games that mattered most, Puttroff said.
“He always showed his greatness in the postseason,” he said.
Beyond that, he demonstrated personal qualities that any father would like to instill in his children, including perseverance, Puttroff said.
“He never quit; he wasn’t a quitter,” he said. “He never left Kansas City. He was loyal to the team.”
Puttroff, a retired conductor for the Santa Fe Railroad, made several trips to Kansas City with his sons to see the Royals play. If it weren’t for his sons, he would have preferred to watch the games on television.
He made the trip to see Brett’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999 at Cooperstown, N.Y. He went with Brandon and Christopher on a bus tour that included seeing five games in the northeast along with the trip to the Hall of Fame ceremony.
“It was a huge fanbase there for George Brett,” Brandon said.
Brandon — now 31 and living in Omaha — said George Brett was one of his favorite players when he was growing up. He enjoyed going to games in Kansas City for both the big league atmosphere and the bonding with his father.
“I think part of the experience is spending time with your family,” he said.
Among the photos in Puttroff’s collection is a picture of his oldest son, Aaron, with Brett in 1986 — one year removed from the Royals’ sole World Series championship.
Puttroff never met the third baseman. He attended a baseball card show Brett where was scheduled to appear, but other obligations arose. Puttroff said he would like to thank Brett for being loyal to his team and setting a good example, if he ever gets the opportunity to meet him.
“I would thank him for all the thrills and for providing us with some high-class entertainment,” Putroff said.