It is rare, especially in baseball, to have events align in such a way to allow someone to come full circle: have a dream, fulfill it, then return to, and be a part of, the place where it all began. That’s what happened for Alan Trammell in 2000 when he returned to San Diego to coach with his hometown team following a stellar 20-year career with the Detroit Tigers.
I first interviewed him then for my show One on One for COX’s Channel 4 San Diego, the TV home of the Padres at the time. Now that he’s on his way to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in July 2018, we can again celebrate his full-circle story that’s placing him now at the pinnacle of his profession. But first, rewind to his childhood, and our 2000 interview, as he shares his early love of the game.