When Steve Garvey first came to Albuquerque in 1969 as a fresh-faced 20-year-old in just his second year of professional ball, the city was quite a bit different then.
Now, more than a half-century later, the city and the youngster have grown up, although Garvey still looks like he can turn on a heater chucked on the inside part of the plate.
“So many fond memories,” Garvey said Friday of his time in the Duke City, “There are always people that come up and remember 1969 when I played in the Texas League with the Dukes. It was the old, old stadium’s first year.