45. Dee Rowe and baseball

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University of Connecticut icon Dee Rowe died on Sunday. He was 91. Rowe was much admired, not only at UConn but throughout sports. He was not only a successful coach of the UConn men's basketball team, he later became a successful fundraiser and goodwill ambassador for the university. How many know that Dee Rowe was also a big baseball fan, who frequently visited New Britain Stadium? When William Dowling and Coleman Levy purchased the New Britain Rock Cats in 2000, they not only revived a stagnant franchise, they reached out to many people, among them Rowe. When Rowe visited the ballpark, he would always make sure to drop by and visit Rock Cats voice Jeff Dooley and me in the broadcast booth. Occasionally he would sit in on the broadcast, including the night of July 19, 2000. I was calling the play-by-play, while Rowe talked baseball and UConn basketball. At the time, the men's hoop program had been riding a 10-year high as one of the best programs in the nation. The Rock Cats, then the AA affiliate of the Minnesota Twins, were playing the Cleveland Indians affiliate the Akron Aeros, who eventually became the Rubber Ducks. Rowe joined me during the last of the sixth inning. Enjoy, as Rowe relives some UConn memories.