The Deuce Club, 10.23

By Jackie, TW Social Director

Evening, TWibe! The World Series is off to a roaring start, with the Phillies winning last night’s game by a score of 3-2 (congrats, Sam!). Please feel free to use this thread to discuss your thoughts on tonight’s Game 2 action.

Each week, I receive additional requests to join our Facebook group, TennisWorld > Real World. However, I haven’t seen much activity in the group of late, and I’m wondering if there’s anything I can do to make it a more enjoyable space for you all. Send any thoughts or ideas to my Tennis.com e-mail, and hopefully we can ratchet up the group’s enthusiasm!

Most of you know by now that I'm an avid wrestling fan and have been for over 15 years. My favorite performer from the very beginning was Bret "Hitman" Hart. His character was the perennial hero - always fair, honorable, and a man of his word - so I thought the world of him. He was my idol.

It didn't hurt that he was also a tremendous wrestler; he managed to make every move look so real, every match genuine and meaningful. Imagine if all of the tennis matches you witnessed had the palpable excitement of a Federer-Nadal encounter - that's how I experienced each of Bret's battles, regardless of his opponent.

Surprisingly, I had never met Bret or seen him wrestle live, but I felt like I knew him, having followed his career for so long. All the research into his personal life helped, too! I dreamt of one day coming face to face with my childhood hero and telling him how much he had touched my life – I just never fathomed that day would come.

And then it did, last Wednesday.

Bret was in town, signing copies of his newly-released autobiography, Hitman: My Real Life in the Cartoon World of Wrestling. I jumped at the chance to be a part of the event and planned my week around it. The day of, I arrived at the bookstore three hours before his scheduled arrival (dressed in Bret's trademark pink and black, naturally) so I’d be among the first in line. The hours passed quickly; I spent them biting my nails, chatting up those around me, and penning a fan letter.

Then, it was time. There he was.

I tried to take pictures but my hand was shaking so terribly that they all came out a blurry mess - I was that overwhelmed. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of him. Initially, he was silent and just started signing my items. I was afraid to make a move but decided I couldn’t let this moment pass me by without saying something – anything! After all, I had waited more than half of my life for this opportunity. I stammered, “I’ve been a fan ever since I was 10 years old.” That broke the ice and we shared a brief exchange (most of which I can’t recall since I was in a daze). He was extremely gracious and made every effort to treat me like a peer, which really impressed me.

Unfortunately, the photo taken of us by the bookstore staff member was a disaster, so I went through the line again just for another one (more than a two-hour wait!). When I approached him for the second photo, he couldn’t have been more obliging and even remembered my name - it nearly made me jump for joy. Fortunately, this one turned out perfectly; that’s us above, if you haven’t figured it out already.

All in all, it was one of the most thrilling experiences of my entire life.

Afterwards, I wondered if many others have felt this same way about someone unrelated to them. My friends were all happy for me but couldn't empathize with my situation, having never looked up to a celebrity or public figure. I suppose I should be embarrassed for caring so strongly about a stranger - or should I?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter: If you could meet anyone, who would it be? Or maybe you've already had your own personal "Bret Hart experience"; if so, tell us about it! What was it like, and was the person just as you'd envisioned?