Austin Hough: Sometimes, it's cool meeting your heroes

Jun. 4—There was three different times Saturday where I thought I was finally going to interview Ben Zobrist.

It didn't happen any of those times because Zobrist was asking questions about me.

Usually when a big-name former MLB player like Zobrist makes an appearance at a smaller minor league game like he did with the Elkhart County Miracle Saturday night, they're looking to get in and get out as quickly as possible.

Not Zobrist, though. He went above and beyond with everyone he encountered Saturday, including me.

My sole focus Saturday was doing a story on Zobrist being at the game. I wasn't sure what to expect, as far as media access with him, going into the evening. From the start, though, he was totally laid back and cool with everything.

I invited my dad, also named Austin, to come to the game as well. He's the person that got me into sports, and the first team we bonded over was the Chicago Cubs. Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, we lived and died with the Cubs every summer — mostly dying, given their history. But that changed in 2016, when Zobrist was a key part of the World Series-winning Cubs, ending a 108-year title drought in the process.

I watched game 7 of that World Series with my dad. He was the first person I hugged after they won. With Zobrist now making an appearance in the area I work in, I was hoping to be able to get just a picture with him, myself and my dad together.

We got more than that.

As Zobrist was walking toward the field to throw out the ceremonial first pitch, my dad was (naturally) leading the discussion with him, joking that the Miracle should sign him to a one-day contract. The conversation then continued to where Zobrist was warming up at before throwing the pitch.

After the first pitch, Zobrist went over by the dugout and watched the Miracle players go through introductions. He loved what they were doing so much — almost imitating how starting lineups look at basketball games — that he took out his phone and captured it on video.

Right after that, I asked him if I could see his 2016 World Series ring that he had been wearing. He was actually in the process of taking it off when I asked him, and so when he said 'yes,' he just handed it to me.

Almost instinctually, I started putting it on my own finger. I got it about halfway on before I realized I hadn't even asked Zobrist beforehand if I could wear it. I sheepishly then asked if I could, and he said 'Sure.'

Even if he had said no, we were past the point of no return, given I was displaying it as if it was my own. Shoutout Dale Tobias for being next to me and taking a picture of me with it on. As a Cubs fan, it felt like being in heaven.

Zobrist then worked his way over to the autograph signing table, where the long line started forming. Heading into the night, we were under the assumption he was only going to be signing Miracle team pictures that featured him on it. That quickly didn't last, however, as Zobrist was more than willing to sign anything people had brought to get his signature on. He also took pictures with whoever wanted those as well.

Mother Nature then decided to rear its ugly head, as a combination of nasty wind and rain took over NorthWood High School. This forced most people to find shelter, with me, my dad and Zobrist joining some others in the concession stand building.

Finally, I thought, I'll be able to interview Zobrist for the story of his appearance.

I thought wrong.

Instead, Zobrist asked my dad and I about what our viewing experience was like for game 7 of the World Series.

I was stunned. Who asks that to the fans, right? Usually, people just say it to him unprompted.

But Zobrist genuinely seemed interested in hearing our story, so we recounted the whole thing. How I drove up from the University of Missouri to watch it with my family and best friend from high school in Illinois. How Rajai Davis's home run that tied the game for the Indians in the 8th inning had my grandma pacing around our kitchen, "speaking in tongues," as my dad illustrated. And then, how we all erupted when the final out was recorded and the Cubs were world champs.

I still get chills thinking about that moment to this day.

By the time we got done telling the story, the severe parts of the weather had passed. It was still raining, but Zobrist was able to stand under the outside part of the concession stand that was still covered by the roof, continuing to sign autographs and take pictures with fans.

After more than an hour of that, the line had finally dissipated. Once again, I thought, here's my chance to do a formal interview with Zobrist.

Before I could hit the red record button on my phone, though, Zobrist stopped me and asked about my career in journalism.

I'm sorry, what? You want to hear about my life? That's not how this works, Ben.

I was stunned (again), but in a good way. So, with my dad serving as my hype-man next to me, we talked about my various steps along the way, starting back in high school, working my way through college before ultimately reaching here at The Goshen News. By the time that conversation started winding down, a few other people seeking autographs came by, so Zobrist signed those.

He then had to go talk with Crossroads Community Church lead pastor Tim Fisher, given Zobrist was set to speak at the church's Sunday service the following morning. After they got done — along with moving the operation back inside the concession stand — I was finally set to do my formal interview with 2016 World Series MVP Ben Zobrist.

You guessed it, though. He once again asked about my career, since we didn't get to truly finish the conversation from earlier.

After another 5-10 minutes talking about me, we finally got to the part where I had to ask him about his visit, the feedback he had received all night, the turbulent weather, and everything else about his time in Elkhart County.

The formal interview went five minutes and 39 seconds, for those curious.

Afterwards, we continued to make small talk. Zobrist also chatted with the concession stand workers and told a story to them, along some of the fans nearby, about the one time he was ejected from a game in his pro career.

He then went up to be interviewed on the team's radio broadcast. Given the game wasn't close, my dad and I decided to leave.

I was able to spend a little more than two hours around one of my sports heroes Saturday night, and it ruled. Zobrist was as down to Earth of a person as I've ever seen, being incredibly generous with his time. He made it a point to be genuinely interested in everyone's stories, even if it meant his time at the ballpark was extended.

More so, I'll never forget how he interacted with me and my dad. As two diehard Cub fans, just being in the same room as a 2016 World Series champion was good enough for us. Zobrist went above and beyond, though, holding multiple conversations throughout the evening with us and showing a vested interest in our story. He didn't carry himself as if he was Ben Zobrist, World Series MVP; he was just Ben, a guy who was interested in learning about other people's lives.

So, thank you, Ben, for caring, creating a memory that my father and I will cherish forever.

And thank you for that World Series, too. That was pretty cool, if you ask me.

PS: He signed autographs for all six people that watched game 7 of the 2016 World Series in my house. He signed the one to my grandma "sorry for causing so much stress that night."

Austin Hough can be reached at austin.hough@goshennews.com or at 574-538-2360. Follow him on Twitter at @AustinHoughTGN.