FROM
FROM MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIOS BOB COLLINS.
BOB COLLINS. >> I HAVE A DISEASE WHICH IS AN
INNER EAR DEAL THAT LEAVES YOU
DEAF.
DEAF.
DEAF. >>
DEAF. >> Reporter: IT IS A CRUEL
IRONY WHOSE MAN'S LIFE WORK WAS
DESIGNED BY HOW HE LISTENED MY
ALWAYS ENJOYED THOSE STORIES OF
PEOPLE, JUST -- I MEAN THERE IS
NOTHING MORE DRAMATIC THAN
PEOPLE'S LIVES.
PEOPLE'S LIVES. YOU KNOW, IT IS ALL STARTS BY
JUST ASKING PEOPLE ABOUT
THEMSELVES THAT YOU THINK ARE
PROBABLY NOT NEWS WORTHY,
MAYBE, BUT EVERYONE HAS A GREAT
STORY.
STORY.
STORY. >>
STORY. >> Reporter: FOR THE LAST
DOZEN YEARS ON-LINE, BOB
COLLINS TOLD THE STORIES OF THE
ORDINARY PERSON.
ORDINARY PERSON. DRIVEN BY THE PREMISE THAT
DROVE CHARLES TO CANVAS AMERICA
THAT EVERYBODY HAS A STORY.
ONE WOULD THINK THAT WOULD GIVE
A GUY A BIT OF AN EGO.
A GUY LIKE BOB, BUT THAT
THOUGHT COULD NOT BE FURTHER
THAN THE TRUTH.
>> I DO NOT DO COMPLEMENTS
WELL.
WELL.
WELL. I
WELL. I WROTE ABOUT THIS, THIS
MORNING.
MORNING.
MORNING. I SUFFER FROM IMPOSTER
SYNDROME.
SYNDROME.
SYNDROME. YOU WORRY THIS IS THE DAY THAT
PEOPLE FIND OUT YOU ARE A FRAUD
AND YOU WORK LIKE CRAZY TO TRY
TO FIND STUFF TO TRY TO
CONVINCE, YOU THINK, YOU ARE
TRYING TO CONVINCE OTHER PEOPLE
THAT YOU BELONG IN A NEWS ROOM
OR ANYWHERE ELSE IN ANY JOB BUT
WHAT WE ARE DOING IS TRYING TO
CONVINCE OURSELVES THAT WE ARE
WORTHY OF THE JOBS THAT WE
HAVE.
HAVE.
HAVE. >>
HAVE. >> Reporter: THAT MIGHT BE THE
SECOND IRONIC MILE MARKER ON
BOB'S LIFE'S HIGHWAY.
THINKING HIS WAY WAS NOT.
LIKELY WHY THE STORIES HE
GRAVITATED TOWARDS WERE THE
STORIES OF THE UNSUNG.
THE CAST AWAYS.
THE UNDER DOGS.
>> I THINK IT IS OKAY TO ROOT
FOR PEOPLE.
FOR PEOPLE. I THINK IT IS OKAY FOR PEOPLE
TO WANT TO WIN AND SUCCEED.
IT IS OKAY TO CHAMPION THEM.
>> BOB'S LOVE OF STORY IS ONLY
RIVALED WITH HIS LOVE OF A
STORIED PASTIME.
STORIED PASTIME. >> YOU LOVE THE GAME OF
BASEBALL?
BASEBALL?
BASEBALL? >> I DO.
>> I DO.
>> I DO. >> Reporter: YOU BETTER BET
THERE IS A TALE AS TO WHY.
>> WHEN I WAS A KID MY MOM TOOK
ME TO FENWAY PARK.
AN OLD MAN, PROBABLY MY AGE
NOW, CALLED ME DOWN.
HE REACHES INTO HIS SUIT COAT,
WHICH THEY WORE THEN, THE
USHERS WORE THEN, HE PULLS OUT
A REAL BASEBALL.
HE GAVE IT TO ME.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE GREATEST
THINK EVER.
THINK EVER. I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE AN USHER,
BECAUSE OF THAT.
>> Reporter: IT BEGINS HIS NEW
CHAPTER.
CHAPTER.
CHAPTER. BOB SAN USHER AT TARGET FIELD
FOR YOUR -- BOB IS AN USHER AT
TARGET FIELD FOR YOUR MINNESOTA
TWINS?
TWINS?
TWINS? EVERY GAME HE GIVES A KID WHAT
HE GOT THAT DAY AS A KID.
>> I TELL KIDS, I TEACH THEM
HOW TO DO THAT?
YOU COME OUT AND YOU SIT --
ABOVE ALL YOU GOT TO LOOK CUTE.
THEN I MAKE THEM PRACTICE
LOOKING CUTE.
LOOKING CUTE. THEN WHEN THEY PASSED THEY ARE
SENT OFF.
SENT OFF.
SENT OFF. >> Reporter: THAT IS HOW HE
COACHES KIDS TO COACH A FIELD
AT A PLAYER.
LOW AND BEHOLD A COUPLE WEEKS
AGO.
AGO.
AGO. >>
AGO. >> SECURITY GUARD GIVES IT TO
HIM.
HIM.
HIM. HIS
HIM. HIS SISTER GIVES HIM A HUG, HIS
PARENTS GIVE HIM A HUG AND HE
FINDS ME -- SHOWS ME THE BALL.
IT MAKES ME TEAR UP THINKING
ABOUT IT.
ABOUT IT.
ABOUT IT. I LOVE THAT.
[ LAUGHTER ]
NOTHING BETTER THAN A KID
GETTING A BALL.
>> I HAVE SEEN BOB GIVE A KID A
BALL AT A GAME BEFORE AND THAT
IS WORTH THE PRICE OF
ADMISSION.
ADMISSION. SORRY MINNESOTA TWINS YOU CAN
TAKE IT OUT OF MY PAYCHECK.
BOB IS A COOL GUY.
HE IS GETTING A HUGE HIGH-FIVE
FROM THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.
>> FRIDAY MAY 31st, 2019 AS BOB
COLLINS DAY.
COLLINS DAY. [ APPLAUSE ] >> THAT
IS LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR STOPPING
BY MPR STUDIOS TODAY TO
ANNOUNCE THE GOVERNOR'S
PROCLAMATION FOR TOMORROW AS
BOB COLLINS DAY IN MINNESOTA.
SOME ASKED DO WE GET THE DAY
OFF FOR BOB COLLINS DAY AND BOB