His connection to the Miami Marlins precedes this team’s existence. Here’s his story

As a line snaked down the hallway Sunday with fans waiting patiently to enter the Marlins Museum and get a glimpse of their team’s history, Tim Anagnost stood tall directly next to an encased uniform, his wife by his side.

“I’d have to give a shout out to my mother,” Anagnost said while gazing at his old uniform. “She’s the one that saved this.”

His old uniform, which had been stashed in a closet for years, was now on display for fans to see in the museum at loanDepot park. Sixty-seven years ago, it was a uniform that formerly served an essential purpose — not for these Miami Marlins, per se, but for a Miami Marlins team that precedes the current franchise’s existence.

Anagnost was the original batboy for the Triple A Miami Marlins, a former minor-league affiliate first for the Philadelphia Phillies (1956-1958) and then the Baltimore Orioles (1959-1960) who played their home games at Miami Stadium. He earned the honor when he was just 12 years old after winning a contest run by the Miami Herald and led by Bill Veeck, who was the executive vice president of the Marlins, in the spring of 1956.

Now, nearly seven decades later, his original uniform from that season is one of the first artifacts seen in the Marlins’ museum at their ballpark, right alongside Livan Hernández’s World Series MVP Jersey, Craig Counsell’s World Series-winning shoes and Ichiro Suzuki’s 3,000th hit jersey among other mementos in Marlins history.

But, interestingly enough, Anagnost didn’t think he would get the position. It wasn’t even the real incentive for applying to be batboy.

Those interested only had to submit an entry that had to state in 25 words or less why he wanted to be the batboy.

Anyone who applied got two free tickets to a game that season — more than enough justification for a 12-year-old to write 25 words. He never expected that they would end up earning him a spot in Marlins history.

“I said I had watched the Miami Sun Sox batboy and always wondered how he became batboy, and all I can say is if I were to be selected, I would be the best batboy you could ever have,” Anagnost, now 80, said. “Something like that.”

He eventually advanced to be one of 10 finalists, each of whom won a pair of season tickets, and underwent an interview with Veeck. Anagnost ultimately prevailed in the competition and became the Miami Marlins’ first batboy.

He couldn’t believe it when he found out that he had won.

“First of all, just getting the two free tickets was enough for me,” said Anagnost, who went on to attend Miami Senior High School, the University of Miami and University of Miami Law School. “Then I find out that I’m in the 10 finalists and I’m going to be having season tickets. Then when I won the contest, it [was] beyond anything I had ever comprehended. So it was very exciting… I just was in shock. It was a wonderful experience.”

After he won, he was honored at a Marlins game where his entire school, Shenandoah Jr. High School, was also invited to be in attendance.

He was given several gifts, including a radio and a wrist watch.

But he recalls the most memorable gift being one road trip with the team to Havana for a three-game series against the Havana Sugar Kings.

Being the batboy for the Marlins came with many memories, but Anagnost’s first time meeting eventual Hall of Fame pitcher Satchel Paige was one for the books.

On opening night at Miami Stadium, a helicopter suddenly appeared, circuits the field, and settles in the middle of the field.

The helicopter’s blades began to gather up dirt from the infield, causing so much dust to build up around it, making it difficult to see.

“Out of this dust storm walks this long weave black man who looks like Lawrence of Arabia coming out of the dust storm,” Anagnost said. “It was Satchel Paige. That was his introduction to the fans at Miami Stadium.”