Cleveland Indians legend Kenny Lofton threw out the first pitch prior to Tuesday night's Game 1 of the World Series against the Chicago Cubs. But before Lofton did the honors, he graced us with what's sure to be one of the best stories of the series. That's because Lofton used an Indians fan's plane ticket to get to Cleveland in the first place.
Ken Kostal was about to fly home to Cleveland when he noticed Lofton was uncertain about his ability to catch a flight. That's when Kostal offered (then later gave) Lofton his ticket. You might wonder what Kostal, a restaurant owner, got from the swap. Here are some of the details:
For Kostal, a selfie with the former Indians outfielder was payment enough. Lofton also gave him his business card in exchange for a Big Boppers pen.
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He said Lofton told him he would try to get an autographed bat for him to hang in the restaurant, but Kostal said that wasn't important.
Lofton also shouted out Kostal on a television show on Tuesday. But clearly the real prize for Kostal was knowing he helped out an Indians legend in need. It's a nice gesture.
And boy, it sure makes for a nice story, doesn't it?
