Danny Kolb shares a big league experience with son Korbyn in Milwaukee

Danny Kolb retired nine years before his son, Korbyn, 8, was born and wanted to give his son a taste of what his big league baseball career was like.

Kolb, a 1992 Walnut High School grad who pitched in the Major Leagues for parts of nine seasons, was invited to participate in the 25th anniversary of the Milwaukee Brewers’ stadium which opened as Miller Park and now is called American Family Field on July 25.

The right-handed reliever pitched three seasons for the Brewers, breaking out as an N.L. All-Star closer in 2004, setting a then club-record 39 saves.

“They said they wanted to bring players who were a part of something special. The whole reason I did it was Korbyn,” Kolb said. “I’m a guy who doesn’t have regrets in life. I don’t. The one thing that eats at me is Korbyn never got to see me play other than the DVDs we’ve watched. He’s never got to experience what that life was like. To understand who I was, all the excitement about the guys on the field. Even the fans.

“You can put things into words, but until they get to see the experience it doesn’t register and now it registers with him.”

Even though he’s been back to Brewers games many times over the years, Kolb admitted being a little nervous about the whole thing.

“It’s been 19 years since I’ve (played for the Brewers). Do people still remember me? What I did? Who I was?” he said.

He need not worry.

Korbyn quickly learned his dad was and is a pretty big deal in Milwaukee. Kolb was greeted by fans at the hotel where the alumni were staying the night before seeking autographs.

“Korbyn said, ‘Dad, why are all these people yelling at you?’ I said they probably have stuff they want me to autograph,’” he said. “He was smiling ear to ear. He got to experience what my life was like off the field.”

It continued the next day at the ballpark when the autograph requests kept coming.

“He was like, ‘Dad, these people know you.’ I said, ‘Yeah, bud I was pretty good the time I was here,’” Kolb said. “And I was a part of the community. I did a bunch of stuff. I sat over there at the Little League park (next to the stadium) I don’t know how many times signing autographs. I tried to do a lot for everybody.”

Kolb was also accompanied by his daughters, Sidney and Kamryn, as well as his girlfriend, Tiffany, who didn’t know anything about his baseball career when they met, and her parents, who are big Cubs fans but decked out in Brewers gear.

It became like old home week for Kolb seeing many of his old teammates for the first time in years.

“I haven’t seen some of the guys in 20 years. It took literally 30 seconds,” he said. “First guys I see at the hotel are (former Brewers) Ben Sheets and Geoff Jenkins and we hugged and the conversation never left. Ben was my locker mate right next to me and when he started talking, it was like, ‘here we go again.’”

The fun only continued for Korbyn on game day. He got a collection of autographs including former Brewers Ryan Braun, Corey Hart, Sheets and Prince Fielder, his new favorite player, and current star Christian Yelich. He then got to make the outfield his own playground fielding balls during the pregame alumni home run derby and “having the time of his life.”

Kolb and all the former players were treated like royalty. He came back to the hospitality suite after a photo shoot to find his son with a plate full of food and big smile.

“He said, ‘Dad, dad … this stuff is free,’” Kolb said. “Prince (Fielder) is standing right behind me and we’re both dying laughing. It was just moments like that, like he’s getting to enjoy everything that the game was.

“He came home and called everybody he knew to tell them about his experience and didn’t stop talking about it the whole way home.”

Kolb said he got everything out of his baseball career he could have ever asked for.

“7 1/2 years in the big leagues. I never saw that happening and make the All-Star game,” he said. “I was with the best of the best. For one year, maybe a year and a half, I was one of the best in baseball. Nobody can take that away from me. It was icing on the cake. I wanted to be best I could be.”

Kolb pitched in 290 big league games, all in relief. His last MLB appearance came on June 20, 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates at age 32.

He was with the Red Sox in spring training in 2008 and while he pitched well and was “lights out” at Triple A, he never got called up.

“I had a deal with them that if I didn’t get called up in the first six weeks to move on. They just didn’t have room for me and it didn’t work out,” he said.

He was with the Blue Jays the next spring, rehabbing his shoulder, throwing to some rookies and “broke some bats.” He decided to retire when he saw one of the coaches on the field playing with his kids who were about the same age of his girls.

“I can’t tell you what happened, but I knew at that point, it was time to go home,” he said. “I went back to my hotel, called my agent and told him I was done. And then I called Joy (his former wife) and said I was coming home. She said, ‘if you’re coming him, you’re staying home. You’re not going back.’

“I don’t regret a second coming home. I retired to be with my kids. It was just time. The girls were doing sports and I got just as much enjoyment if not more coaching them and everything they did. I’m glad I chose to end my career and be with my kids.”

He stayed away from the game for a few years because he said he wasn’t sure he could have fun watching as a fan. He went back to a game after Korbyn was born which proved to be in a 2-1 game with a save situation.

“The hair on my arm stood up. I know it was going to be OK,“ he said. ”I don’t think that part of me is ever going to go away and I hope it doesn’t because it’s a cool feeling.”

Kolb said his son’s interest in the game has really taken off. He played for Princeton’s Instructional All-Star team this summer, showing some traits/skills of his dad. Perhaps one day, Kolb will be watching his son play in the big leagues.

Kevin Hieronymus has been BCR Sports Editor since 1986. Contact him at khieronymus@bcrnews.com