Steve Garagiola: Thanks, Mom!

DETROIT – Moms are amazing. Not just my mom. I bet your mom is amazing, too.

When you step back and look closely at what it takes to be an amazing mom, I marvel that anyone would take the job. The pay is lousy... okay, the pay is non-existent. The hours are terrible (on call 24-hours a day, seven days a week). The work is exhausting, stressful, and never-ending. And that’s just for moms who don’t also work outside the home. That adds five fresh layers of fatigue and stress. Moms need a lobbyist, a good union rep, or, at the very least, a better public relations firm to remind the rest of us to tell mom how amazing she is on more than one Sunday in May.

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Take a few moments to remember some of the special things that have made your mom amazing. And make a point to tell her that you haven’t forgotten.

My dad had a career that took him on the road a lot. So, quite often, my mom had double duty for me and my two siblings. When I was about eleven, she took me to the park to pitch me batting practice. I drilled a shot right back up the middle. Thank goodness she was one quick mom. She ducked and the baseball sailed past her head. That scared me, and I suggested maybe we should quit for the day. She said, “No way. That was a good one. Now, get back in the box.”

I didn’t know for years that she didn’t like cooking. All the more amazing with her German ancestry that she mastered Italian cuisine. Every Christmas, I make her recipe for meatballs and killer pasta sauce, and risotto; though it’s never as good as my mom’s.

I remember jam sessions in the living room. She played the organ and I played drums. I loved to watch her play, both hands, both feet all flying in different directions. Before I was born, she was the organist at Busch Stadium for the St. Louis Cardinals. My dad used to joke that she was the only Garagiola who ever played in an all-star game.

I know you all have special mom memories. So, if you still enjoy the blessing of having her in your life (as I do -- she’s 92 and going strong) take the time to remind her that she’s amazing. 

Love you, mom. Sure glad I didn’t bean you with the line drive.

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