Local author Mark Keys brings out the best

Mark Keys had a great day Saturday, and that’s something that the author of the “My Best Day” series of books can say with confidence.

He’s on permanent disability, and had a hard time even making it to his book signing at The Cannery restaurant in Newport Beach.

Yet, it’s not really a subject that Keys wants to talk about. He appeared joyful and relaxed as he signed books alongside former USC and NFL greats that Keys idolized as a kid going to Newport Harbor High.

“My back was killing me,” Keys said. “But I try not to let on. I try to be as happy as I can ... I’ve had 35 surgeries, but I’m trying, you know? I can’t sit still. I don’t want to sit on a couch and just do nothing. This has really helped me focus.”

Keys had three of his “My Best Day” books available for purchase Saturday, including the original, “My Best Day – USC Trojans Football” and the most recent, “My Best Day Pro Football.” Portions of the sales will go to USC Athletics, as well as the Pat Tillman Foundation and the Fourth and Goal Foundation.

Special guests at the signing included Charle Young, an All-American tight end on the 1972 national championship team who went on to play for the Rams, Eagles, Seahawks and 49ers. Other former USC greats there included former running back Rod McNeill (Saints, Buccaneers), former defensive back Mike Salmon (49ers, Bills), and former linebacker Charlie Weaver (Lions, Redskins), as well as former Pitt wide receiver Eric Crabtree (Bengals, Broncos, Patriots).

That’s a lot of star power. John Hamilton, the Newport Sports Museum founder, helped Keys get in touch with the USC players.

It sounded like a great time to Keys, a Newport Harbor High graduate who also went to Orange Coast College.

“My dad had season tickets at that time with all of these guys playing,” he said. “These are the guys I looked up to. I still do, you know?”

They were happy to help out Keys, who has written more than 10,000 letters to various celebrities, by signing books. His wife, Laurie, who also plays a big role in the books being produced, also was in attendance, as was their younger daughter Megan. Keys said his older daughter Page, who attends the University of Arizona, called him Saturday morning to wish him luck with the signing.

The question that Mark Keys asks when he writes the letters is simple: What is your best day?

The answers might surprise some. Rod McNeill talked about playing college football in the early 1970s against his brother Fred, who played defensive end at rival UCLA before going on to a 12-year NFL career as linebacker for the Vikings. Fred has battled dementia in recent years.

But Rod’s struggles produced his best day, when a few years back he had to fight a rare form of tonsil cancer. He said it led to him becoming closer to his longtime wife, Pamela, who also attended Saturday’s signing.

“It was looking up every day about 3 o’clock in the morning, and finding my wife there with me in my hospital room, even though she had to sleep on a small chair,” he said.

Young, meanwhile, gave Keys the answer that his best day was winning Super Bowl XVI with the San Francisco 49ers. Yet...

“I haven’t had it yet,” Young said. “I’ve had great days, and I gave him something [for the book]. I talked about going to the Super Bowl [with the 49ers], but that’s not my best day. My best day is making God’s Hall of Fame ... a lot of people say when their child is born, or when they got married. All of those are great days, but I haven’t had mine yet. My best day is coming up; my best day is on the horizon.”

Keys has gotten to know the USC players better in recent years, yet there were also people at Saturday’s signing who have known him for decades. Burt Sirota has known him for about 40 years, and he remembers when Keys was a standout basketball player at Newport Harbor High.

Barry Wood, who was Keys’ first boss at Eddie Arnold Sailboats on Coast Highway, also was in attendance.

“I think [writing these books] saved his life,” Sirota said. “It gave him some purpose and something to do, and he gets to help people. And [the books] are fun. It’s touched people emotionally, and it’s not always about sports, either.”

Sirota bought three books Saturday, one for himself, one for his dad and one for his friend, Costa Mesa Mayor Steve Mensinger.

There are more books in the pipeline, including one on USC coaches and athletes and one on Newport Harbor football that Keys is trying to get out by the end of the year. He said he sold 670 copies of the USC football “My Best Day” book last year, prompting a second printing.

Keys certainly appreciates the love, although to him that’s really secondary.

“I like to help people,” he said.