Hal McCoy, the Reds beat writer for the Dayton Daily News, is retiring after 37 years on the job. Well, whether he’s truly “retiring” in the strictest sense of the word is a matter of some debate, but that’s a another matter.

Tonight the Reds are honoring McCoy at the Ball Park, and some are sharing their favorite McCoy stories.

My favorite (only) Hal McCoy story is the time my family and I ran into him in a hotel lobby in Cancún, México. He and his wife were checking out after a disappointing trip–it had rained the whole time–while we were checking in for three days of beautiful weather. Too bad the subject matter of his career isn’t as promising on his way out.