Grieving Gregerson finds eagle cathartic

There are times Houston Astros reliever Luke Gregerson will reach for his cellphone, start to dial the number out of habit and suddenly stop.

There are times after games when he wants to simply hear his voice, talk to his best friend about his outing. But instead, he drives home in silence.

There are plenty of times, too, when Gregerson starts to think about him and tears fill his eyes, as he wishes so badly he could hug him just one last time.

It was New Year’s Day when John “Duke” Gregerson took his last breath, losing a two-year battle with brain cancer.

Four months later, and six weeks into the baseball season, his son has trouble grasping the reality that he’s gone, at age 60.

“It’s just so hard,” Gregerson says softly. “He meant everything to me. He was so proud of me because he loved baseball more than anyone I’ve ever known in my life. You know something, I was just as proud of him. He was always my hero.

“He was so strong. He fought this thing to the end.”

Gregerson, who paid tribute to his father by wearing his famed softball uniform No. 18 during the World Baseball Classic, now plans to honor his dad in a different fashion.

The notorious bald eagle statue that traveled every step of the way with Team USA during the World Baseball Classic as their unofficial mascot — last publicly seen with players hoisting it in the air during their gold medal celebration — is being put up for auction. Gregerson is hoping the statue, which includes autographs from every player and coach, brings in close to $100,000. The proceeds will be donated to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

The porcelain eagle, which is 24 inches tall and weighs 45 pounds, was the patriotic symbol of Team USA’s first gold medal in the WBC. Gregerson, who got the eagle from his father-in-law, Chuck Kuehner, took it wherever Team USA played. The players even buckled the eagle into its own seat on their crosscountry flight from Miami to San Diego.

“I remember hearing guys in the clubhouse saying we needed to get an eagle, a flag, something to represent us,” Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt says. “The guys from Puerto Rico dyed their hair. Other teams were doing different things. We knew we had to come up with something.

“Then, this cool eagle showed up. It really kind of brought guys together, a symbol of our patriotism. It actually meant a lot to guys.”

The WBC proved to be a catharsis for Gregerson, who permitted one baserunner in four games as Team USA’s closer, giving him a chance to heal. Each time he took the ball, it was as if his dad was on the mound with him, giving him a strength he never had felt in his life.

Duke Gregerson, you see, was the strongest man Luke Gregerson knew, with his powerful stature and loud voice. He could always hear his dad yelling in the stands growing up in Berwyn, Ill., a Chicago suburb. And he was the one cheering his dad on weekends when he played in 16-inch softball league games all across the region, playing in more than 5,000 games and being inducted into the softball Hall of Fame.

Gregerson wasn’t drafted out of high school, and, even after pitching at St. Xavier, planned on becoming a lawyer, even taking an admissions test for law school. Yet it was his dad who constantly gave him his inspiration and work ethic, believing in him when no one else did.

“It was so tough on Luke when his dad passed,” says Kuehner, whose daughter, Lindsey, is married to Gregerson. “His dad meant everything to him. I mean, everything. His dad was a man’s man, such a strong man.

“He was the type of guy that when he was around, everyone knew it. You would always see him outside the clubhouse, giving support to everyone. When he got sick, it was so hard on the family. Luke didn’t want to leave his side. When the season ended last year, he and my daughter spent every day in Chicago, just being there for him.”

His dad loved muscle cars, so Gregerson bought a ’67 Chevy Camaro Super Sport. His dad used to roll up the short sleeves of his T-shirts, just like Gregerson. His dad loved to listen to classic rock, everything from Led Zeppelin to Guns N’ Roses; now it’s Gregerson’s favorite genre.

It’s this mutual adoration that lends the eagle symbolism beyond a silly team mascot. To Gregerson, it evoked the manner in which his dad loved his country.

His father still was alive when Joe Torre called and asked if Gregerson would pitch for Team USA.

Duke Gregerson died three weeks later.

“His love for the game of baseball was unmatched as a fan,” says Gregerson, the setup reliever on an Astros team with a six-game lead in the American League West. “He had a son that got to play, and he had a chance to be there and watch. He would have been so proud to see us win that gold medal, just enjoying the moment.”

Gregerson, wanting to show his appreciation for the support of his father’s closest friends, even had custom Team USA jerseys sent to each of them. They were the replica jerseys that he wore — yes, with Duke’s No. 18 proudly on the back. Gregerson might have been the one on the mound, saving three games with a 0.00 ERA, but he wanted to let them know he never felt alone.

Gregerson chuckles, knowing his dad would be quite amused over the saga of the eagle. The players’ desire for a national symbol led to Gregerson calling Kuehner, his father-in-law, an avid collector of eagles. Gregerson had him send pictures of about 20 different eagles. He picked out the perfect one, got the approval of his teammates, and, 24 hours later, Kuehner was driving it down to Miami from his Orlando home.

The eagle stayed with them every step of the way, sitting proudly on the bench during batting practice, with the players rubbing their hands on it before every game. When the final out was recorded in their 8-0 championship game victory against Puerto Rico, reliever Pat Neshek grabbed it and carried it onto the field, with everyone celebrating by hoisting it on their shoulders. Sometime during the celebration, part of its wing was accidentally broken off, only adding to its legend.

“I think we all got pictures with the eagle,” says Detroit Tigers second baseman Ian Kinsler, Gregerson’s WBC teammate. “I mean, the eagle was even in the postgame party room. It was part of us.”

What that eagle will always symbolize, Gregerson says, goes much deeper than baseball.

“Every time I see an eagle, it’s always going to bring back memories of my dad,” Gregerson says. “It’s something I’ll never forget.”