You Can Still Surprise Me

46

Starsky finds out something he didn’t know about Hutch during a conversation on a stakeout.

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September 17th 1975

Starsky opened the paper and folded it up so he could read the baseball scores easily. Immediately, one score and one article caught his eye and made his mouth drop open. He was still reading bug-eyed when Hutch returned with their coffee.

“Starsky…Starsky! Grab your coffee, will you?!”

“Oh. Sorry. Thanks.”

Starsky took a sip of his drink and returned to reading the article.

“What’s got you so engrossed?” Hutch asked.

“This,” Starsky said, waving the paper under Hutch’s nose. “Did you hear about the Cubs game yesterday?”

“No. I take it they did well?”

Starsky shook his head in wonder. “Nope! Pittsburgh won, making it 22-0 in games!”

“What?!”

“Yeah, the Pittsburgh Pirates knocked their socks off! And guess what?”

“What?”

“Rennie Stennett set a new record for hits.”

Hutch thought and said, “The record was 6 for 6, wasn’t it?”

“Yep! Stennett got 7 for 7!”

“Wow!”

Starsky returned to reading the paper. Hutch sipped quietly on his coffee.

“I got 5 for 5 once.”

Starsky looked up in surprise.

“What! When?”

“1963. For the University of Minnesota in their run for a place in the College World Championships.”

“But…I thought you did wrestling at college?”

“I did.”

“Blintz, you better explain ’cause I’m confused!”

“I was good at baseball at high school but decided to pursue wrestling at college. I used to play friendly games with some of the guys on the baseball team. They knew me from high school. This particular game, a couple of players were sick and they asked me to stand in.”

“Wow, bet they wanted you to stay on afterwards!”

Hutch looked embarrassed but nodded.

Starsky shook his head in amazement.

“Thought I knew all there was to know about ya, Blintz, but you still surprise me from time to time!”

“Just the way I like it, Gordo. It doesn’t do to be too predictable!”

They grinned at each other as the Dispatcher’s voice erupted from the mic.

“You answer it, slugger,” Starsky said, as he downed the rest of his coffee and started the engine.

Hutch shook his head but did as he was told.