Indianapolis, Ind. – For the second consecutive Sunday, I find myself at a baseball stadium, and this time I’m in Indianapolis, Indiana, watching the Indians play the Toledo Mud Hens.

I was here a year ago and was very impressed with this beautiful facility that still ranks in the top five of my favorite minor league ballparks. Part of what makes this baseball stadium unique is its location and the bullpens are in foul territory, instead of beyond the outfield wall.

I also like the open concourse design and the grass berms for outfield seating, similar to that at ONEOK Field in Tulsa, and may other ballparks around the country.

One thing is for sure, the folks in Indianapolis still love one of their former players; Razor Shines. I’ve known Shines since I was a batboy for the Jamestown Expos in 1978, and he was a player on that team. He worked his way up the Montreal Expos organization, and eventually made it to the Major Leagues.

Shines and I reconnected in 2015 when he was the manager of the Tulsa Drillers.

On his way to MLB, Shines enjoyed many successful years in Indianapolis, the Expos Triple-A team at the time. He spent all or part of nine seasons in Indianapolis, eight with the Expos and the final season (1993) in the Cincinnati Reds organization.

During this visit to Victory Field, I noticed that the local team and fans still have a lot of respect and love for Shines. They Shines caricature t-shirts in the team shop, and they have a banner hanging above the concourse walkway with his photo and the inscription, “Razor Shines, First Baseman, 1981-89, 1991-93.”

New this year, is a mural painted by local artist, Koda Witsken. The mural depicts Shines with former Indians president and general manager Max Schumacher celebrating one of the teams many championships.

I called Shines and asked him what he thought of the new mural.

“I can’t even put that into words,” Shines said. “It sends chills up and down me when I think about that mural. Max Schumacher was like a father to me. He was in my corner as much as anyone was throughout my baseball career. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him and he wouldn’t do for me, and I still feel that way to this day.”

Schumacher transitioned to chairman emeritus in November 2016, after 60 years of running the organization. He turned his responsibilities as chairman of the board to his son, Bruce, and his title of president to Randy Lewandowski, Indians general manager.

Shines said since he played in Indianapolis for so long, he fell in love the with the team, the fans and the city. The entire Indianapolis baseball community fell in love with Shines, as well.

“The love affair was mutual and it was the best time I had in baseball when I was in Indianapolis,” Shines said. “It was a mixture of all of it. Max Schumacher was tremendous to me and everyone around him. He was Indians baseball, The love affair with the city, the fans, and the front office staff. My wife and I were married there and our kids were born there. It’s just a family and the fact that we won so much, everyone likes a winner, and year in and year out we were the team to beat. The relationship I had with players on those teams I still have today. We won seven titles in Indy.”

There has been some talk among the Indianapolis Indians brain trust of possibly retiring Shines uniform No. 3. I posed that possibility to him.

“I’m speechless really,” he said. “To even think about doing it tells me how much they think about what I did there and the relationship I had with the fans, the community, and front office people. That would truly be an honor.”

Shines is now retired and enjoying life with family in Florida.

“I couldn’t be happier, things are good, I’m satisfied,” he said. “I’ve had offers from various teams to coach again, but I’m not interested in being away from my family and grandkids as I’ve been in the past. My son has two children, a son and daughter, and the little boy carries on the name Razor. My name is Anthony Razor Shines, my son is Evan Razor Shines and my grandson is Reilly Razor Shines.”

Whatever the first name may be, the rest of the name is one the folks in Indianapolis will not soon forget.

TULSA BEACON RADIO

My guest this week on “Tulsa Beacon Weekend” will be Olympic gold and silver medalist, chaplain and singer Madeline Manning Mims. The show airs on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. CST on 970am KCFO.