Excerpt: Buzz had a good sense of humor. He was a big hit one day during Vikings training camp practice in Mankato, Minnesota. He took his helicopter and came to our practice and lit right in the middle of the field. It was a big hit. Everyone was wondering “Who is that yo-yo?” I said, “That’s a good friend of mine.” That is the kind of thing Buzz liked to do. –Bud Grant [pg 60]
Excerpt: I always thought that Buzz would have been a great explorer. If he were born in the 1800s, he would have explored the world. Every new experience was something he looked forward to. He was always up for anything. Anything you wanted to do, Buzz was ready to go. Just give him a new idea, and he would run with it. –Bud Grant [pg 61]
Excerpt: As children, Buzz and I were inseparable. He was my mentor—(and tormenter)—and friend. I idolized him, believed in him—and I shouldn’t have! I did survive his “teachings,” and from him I learned much about the world around me.
He taught me about electricity—“Put your finger in this light socket while I turn on the switch!”
He taught me about metallurgy and physiology one day when the thermometer hovered around zero. “I dare you to put your tongue on the turning pole.” I very quickly learned about the properties of metal and weather, and I also learned that blood is salty.
He taught me about nature—“See the wasps in the bird house? You climb up the trellis and hold the hose nozzle in the hole and I’ll turn on the water.”
I learned about gender differences. Little boys can pee on lamp posts just like dogs can, but little girls wind up with one yellow stocking when they try!
And I remember his childhood generosity. He shared his rusty skate key, his broken and taped bat and tattered softball. He also shared his chicken pox, measles and seven-year itch. –Lonabelle Kaplan Spencer [pg 93]