Ferguson Jenkins is the real deal. Some celebrities who say they hunt make me
nervous.
Most
of them, in fact. But I was fortunate enough to spend this morning hunting
pheasants with Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins on a strip-mine property
owned by Walt Frakes of Washington. Also along for the hunt was a crew that
included former all-star catcher Ozzie Virgil (who is a very funny wild man),
Joe Frakes (Walt’s son), Pat Tulley and Brian DeLong of Washington and Cody
Weinstein of Germantown Hills.
Fergy was in town after making an appearance Saturday evening at the Independent Sports Club’s wild-game feed at the Kickapoo Sportsman Club. The event raised more than $7,000 according to a preliminary tally and attracted a crowd of more than 400. It was an excellent event, even if I wasn’t asked to be a judge in the home-made wine contest (hint, hint).
Anyway, after an enjoyable morning’s hunt, I’m happy to report that I’d gladly hunt with Fergy again. He’s a personable, easy-going person who is fun to be around. I’ll have a full story on the outing in the Feb. 3 Journal Star. Until then, let me tell you Fergy can also handle a gun. He did not miss a bird in close range today and was calm, cool and collected at every flush. Everything he did was so fluid. Not unlike the way he pitched, I’m told. Very impressive.
He said he spends most of his time from September through early January travelling around hunting with former Cubs Jody Davis and Keith Moreland. The hunt mostly deer but chase some birds also. Fergy sure looks like a natural out there. Here he is blasting a black pheasant.
Here’s Fergy getting ready to shoot a rooster, while my little setter Hawk crouches on point (dog loses points on form for that, but at least he was solid) and Frakes’ Brittany Mac moves in.
Finally, here is Fergy waiting patiently while Ozzie shoots at a black pheasant that eventually fell down and died from exhaustion. (Prior to Sunday, Ozzie said the only pheasant he had ever hit was with an Expedition while driving in Montana.)
