Felix Hernandez of the Seattle Mariners won the American League Cy Young award today as the league’s best pitcher. Good for him.

I was once about five feet away from King Felix. It was July 2009, the day after the MLB All-Star game, which was held here in St. Louis. I was leaving KMOV-TV, where I was interning, to go pick up lunch (likely Jimmy John’s or Panera). I knew at which hotel the baseball players staying, so I decided to walk by and see if there were any outside.

Sure enough, as I approach the hotel, Felix and his Mariners teammate Ichro Suzuki walk out and head for a car that will presumably take them to the airport.

Next to me were four kids, all under the age of 12, begging the players for an autograph. The pair passed the kids and got in the car.

I groaned inside. I hate to be so idealistic, and some would call me naive. Maybe they were late for the plane. And surely they get tired of being asked to sign this, sign that. I have no idea what it’s like to be a public person. But it was four kids. Not 400. It would have taken literally one minute.

So, as long I live, when ever someone brings up Ichro, a future Hall of Famer, I’ll think of what a terrific and unique hitter he was. And when they bring up King Felix, I’ll think of his electric stuff.

But I’ll also think of that day when I saw them brush past four kids, pretending they didn’t exist.