When I was going to college in the late-70s, I worked at a sports bar near LAX. Cousins, who was then a rookie umpire working as a replacement, was one of my customers. I loved some of his fascinating stories about umpiring in the big leagues. It's part of what got me interested in that part of the game. I played and then coached, but I turned to umpiring too, because of how interesting he made it sound. I look at him now as one of the aging veterans, and it makes me feel pretty old.
I'm glad he eventually earned everyone's respect, because he is a good man.