THE OPENING LINE

Monday, Oct. 16, 2006 | 7:26 a.m.

TREASURED MEMORIES OF OL' BUCK

One of the most enjoyable afternoons I have spent in a while was the Saturday after Thanksgiving last year at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in downtown Kansas City, Mo.

It would have been even more enjoyable had I stopped by two days before Thanksgiving instead of two days after it, which I would learn upon purchasing a ticket from an older man watching the turnstile.

"Ol' Buck was just down here Tuesday," said the grizzled old-timer - but not quite as grizzled or old as John "Buck" O'Neil, one of the brightest rays of sunshine the game has ever known, who was buried this weekend in his beloved Kansas City.

It seems Buck had driven himself down to 18th and Vine (down the street from the corner in Wilbert Harrison's song, although I didn't notice any crazy lil' women there) in his old Buick. When it comes to accomplishments, that probably doesn't make up for missing the Hall of Fame by a single vote. But it's still pretty impressive for a man of 94.

The old-timer was downright delighted when I asked about Josh Gibson and Cool Papa Bell and the Homestead Grays and, of course, Ol' Buck himself.

It was almost like listening to Billy Crystal and Christopher Guess discuss "Smelt Night" and the great Negro ballplayers like in that old "Saturday Night Live" bit, although the grizzled old-timer, it should be noted, was the real deal.

So was his affinity for Ol' Buck, a pretty good first baseman in his day who led the Kansas City Monarchs to a couple of championships and later signed Ernie Banks and Lou Brock to Chicago Cubs contracts.

O'Neil became the first black coach in major league baseball history, joining the Cubs shortly after Banks and Brock did. But I never looked at him as such when I would skim the Cubs' roster book, which is what they called media guides then.

I just knew him as "John 'Buck' O'Neil, coach" because that's what it said under his picture. I said it that way, too, as if his first name, nickname, surname and position were all one word. Maybe that's why the grown-ups would chuckle, and maybe that's why I would never forget Ol' Buck.

But it's not why I bought a K.C. Monarchs cap in the gift shop before leaving the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum that O'Neil had envisioned.

Now that I am closing in on grizzled old-timer status myself, it's a cap I will always treasure, just as baseball will always treasure Ol' Buck.

THIS WEEK'S BEST BET

L.A. Lakers vs. Sacramento Kings, NBA preseason game, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Thomas & Mack Center

The big story is not whether the Kings win or lose, but how many Playboy bunnies the Maloof brothers can fit into a tiny T&M luxury suite.

TICKETS: $11 to $92

ON THE WEB: www.unlvtickets.com

ALSO WORTH A LOOK

"The Real Deal," PRIDE fighting championships, 6 p.m. Saturday, Thomas & Mack Center

PRIDE FC matches the world's fiercest fighters in competitions of strength and honor. At least that's what it says in the media guide. Back in my neighborhood, they called it beating the snot out of each other.

TICKETS: $52 to $728

ON THE WEB: www.unlvtickets.com