Bob Barker visited Google’s Santa Monica Office last week to talk about his memoir “Priceless Memories.”  I’m part of the team that brings in authors to visit our offices, so it was neat to be able to meet him. 

Bob was very entertaining and had us laughing for the entire hour of his talk with tales of Samoan women who loved to pick him up after they won new cars and his frustration over missing putts on the Hole in One game. The laughter continued over lunch afterward.

At lunch, I had a chance to ask him about being a Cardinal fan. Bob went to high school and college in Springfield, MO and became a fan. He even got married to his high school sweetheart in St. Louis.  Bob wrote in the book that it was dream to become a Cardinals pitcher. I guess Whitey Herzog heard that story, because he set it up for the Cardinals to pay Bob $1 per year on the condition that he NEVER pitches!  He said he got to meet Whitey, and that Whitey gave him a Cardinals jacket that he still wears. 

Had I know this connection, I certainly would have worn Cardinal gear when I went to a taping of The Price is Right a few years ago. Maybe I would have had a shot of getting into contestant’s row. 

We can bring our dogs to work, so I brought Edgar to meet Bob.  Bob pronounced him “a fine-looking dog” and wanted to know if he was neutered.  Edgar replied, “Unfortunately, yes.”