Phil Coyne was born right around the time the Cubs started playing at Wrigley Field – the second oldest ball park in Major League Baseball – but it doesn’t seem that anyone’s told him that.
I say that because this 99-year-old Pirates usher has been showing fans to their seats for the past 81 (EIGHTY-ONE!) years, and doesn’t seem to have any plans of stopping soon:
99-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates usher shows the way to happiness https://t.co/59dygpzneM via @cbsnews
— Keep On Playing (@ikeeponplaying) June 4, 2017
According to the story, Coyne first became an usher back when he was 18 years old – a right of passage for every kid in his neighborhood, in his words – and has remained one ever since.
And if, for some reason, you don’t think walking fans to their seats and wiping every single one down (the seats, not the fans) before sitting is impressive at 99, know that he also kept a day-job as a machinist for most of his ushering-career and only ever took time off to “save the world in 1941.”
Now that’s something special.
And it’s special to Coyne too, who mentions that he’s never got more hugs and kisses in his entire life than he does now. I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone more enthusiastic about their job than he is.
If you head over to CBS News you can read/watch more on Coyne, how the National Anthem still gets to him every time it’s sung, and how the fans of Pittsburgh appreciate him dearly. It’s a wonderful story, and definitely one that’s worth your time.