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.

From an email that MLB sent me:

As a Reds fan, it’s a chance you won’t want to miss.

Hometown hero Aaron Harang is one of 30 nominees for the 2009 Roberto Clemente Award presented by Chevy, honoring the legacy of baseball’s most recognized humanitarians.

Here’s your chance to recognize Aaron for his efforts on and off the field, sharing Chevy’s commitment to improving our communities. Just for voting, you could win

* A VIP trip for 4 to the World Series
* Game tickets, airfare & lodging
* Participation in the pregame Clemente ceremony
* A chance to meet the Award winner and the Clemente family

We thank you for participating in this important award and invite you to see our own award-winning roster of cars, trucks, crossovers and SUVs.

Personally, I’ve entered dozens of these contests and have yet to win a single one, but voting for Harang is something that I can get behind, regardless of whether I have a snowball’s chance in Hades of winning anything myself.

Vote here.