1 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:25,600 Speaker 1: The following takes place between seven pm and eight pm. 2 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 2: All right, let's go seven oh eight, seven hundred WLW 3 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:32,559 Speaker 2: Welcome in RNL Carrier Sports Talk presented by Kelsey Chevrolet 4 00:00:32,640 --> 00:00:35,879 Speaker 2: Avliance Cavlister. How you doing, Thanks for making your way here. 5 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:37,519 Speaker 2: We've got two hours to get it done tonight. I 6 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 2: can tell you upfront. Coming up at about fifteen minutes, 7 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 2: we're going to start some pretty in depth Kyle Schwerber 8 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:46,880 Speaker 2: conversation and reaction on your part to what is transpired 9 00:00:46,920 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 2: over the last twenty four hours or so. And then 10 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:50,800 Speaker 2: we'll have a fun topic we'll toss in in the 11 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:53,960 Speaker 2: eight o'clock hour as well. But let's start first right here. 12 00:00:54,720 --> 00:01:01,840 Speaker 2: My first guest is from Middletown. No, he's not Kyle Schwarber. 13 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 2: He created something really cool though, years ago, the MLB 14 00:01:07,920 --> 00:01:12,840 Speaker 2: Ballpark Passport. Think of a book to officially stamp your 15 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:16,679 Speaker 2: visit to a ballpark. Well, this idea, this product has 16 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:19,840 Speaker 2: grown so big and has had such an impact on 17 00:01:19,920 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 2: baseball fans across the country that the Baseball Hall of 18 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 2: Fame has voted to induct the original first print of 19 00:01:29,040 --> 00:01:33,560 Speaker 2: the Major League Baseball Ballpark Passport to be put on 20 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:37,080 Speaker 2: display in the museum, and I said, how cool is that? 21 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 2: Because I had this next guest on way back when 22 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 2: let's find out all about it. Welcome in, Tim Barks. 23 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 2: How are you, hey, Lan? 24 00:01:47,600 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 3: How you doing? 25 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 2: I am fantastic. 26 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 3: Let's do this. 27 00:01:50,440 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 2: Let's backtrack a little bit for those who may not 28 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:56,680 Speaker 2: know of the idea, just kind of describe the passport, 29 00:01:57,120 --> 00:01:59,480 Speaker 2: what it looks like and how it works. 30 00:02:00,880 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 4: Well back in twenty ten, I had the idea, you 31 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:09,000 Speaker 4: know of in the recording your memories and your visits 32 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 4: to the ballparks. And when I got back, you know, 33 00:02:13,639 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 4: I had the prototype made and and everything, and I 34 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 4: called up Phil Cassolini of the Reds and said, hey, Phil, 35 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 4: I got this pretty neat idea. I want to show 36 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:25,799 Speaker 4: you and see what you think. And he said, sure, Tim, 37 00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 4: come on down to the ballpark. And so he loved it, 38 00:02:30,400 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 4: and he took it to Major League Baseball at the 39 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 4: winter meetings. 40 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 3: That was fifteen years ago. Wow. 41 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:40,799 Speaker 4: And and he came back and called me and said, Tim, come. 42 00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 3: On down to the ballpark. 43 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 4: We have a conference call with MLB. They love your idea. 44 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:50,639 Speaker 4: And the rest is history. And that year it was 45 00:02:50,680 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 4: the Red season Passport which if you recall, I was 46 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 4: on your show prior to opening day discussing the first book, 47 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,359 Speaker 4: and I know Casey had one and he got one 48 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:06,120 Speaker 4: to use. And you know, we were all such short 49 00:03:06,280 --> 00:03:09,840 Speaker 4: notice that we didn't have a chance to design and 50 00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:13,200 Speaker 4: make the MLB Ballpark Passport Book, which was for visiting 51 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 4: all thirty ballparks. And so that's what we did, you know, 52 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:23,919 Speaker 4: the whole summer and in winter was creating and developing 53 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:27,800 Speaker 4: that book for release in twenty twelve. And I just 54 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 4: want to say real quick that without Phil Casalwini, none 55 00:03:31,240 --> 00:03:34,120 Speaker 4: of this ever would have happened, because he took that 56 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 4: to MLB on his on the cord, had an offline 57 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:42,360 Speaker 4: meeting with MLB and Phil just you know, it never 58 00:03:42,720 --> 00:03:43,960 Speaker 4: the day of light they've had it been for him. 59 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 4: I just want to tell him thanks, if he's listening. 60 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 2: And Tim, if I remember correctly, this all kind of 61 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 2: popped into your head because you you had kind of 62 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 2: a quest to visit you wanted to visit all thirty 63 00:03:54,400 --> 00:03:55,600 Speaker 2: Major League parks to begin with. 64 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 3: Correct, Yes, I was already doing it. 65 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:01,920 Speaker 4: I was already doing it, and uh I drove to 66 00:04:02,280 --> 00:04:06,320 Speaker 4: uh the Arctic Circle back in twenty ten, and we'd 67 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 4: already been to a number of ballparks and and of course, 68 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:10,760 Speaker 4: you know, watching the Reds. 69 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,840 Speaker 3: Play as much as we could on the road, and uh, 70 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 3: you know. 71 00:04:14,160 --> 00:04:16,480 Speaker 4: When you drive to Alaska, you know, yeah, a lot 72 00:04:16,480 --> 00:04:22,080 Speaker 4: of time to think. And I started thinking about growing 73 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:24,280 Speaker 4: up with the big Red machine when I was, you know, 74 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 4: thirteen years old in the seventy five, and I said, 75 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 4: you know, I've got no memories at all. 76 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:34,159 Speaker 3: No ticket stubs, nothing, no anything to. 77 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 4: Remember all the visits that I had, you know, to 78 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:39,280 Speaker 4: the ballpark with my with my dad and brothers and 79 00:04:39,440 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 4: sisters and in church groups and youth groups and things, 80 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:44,720 Speaker 4: and I had nothing. And I said, I want to 81 00:04:44,720 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 4: throw something out there. And I would get back to 82 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 4: the hotel and I'd do some search, you know, on 83 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:54,040 Speaker 4: my phone online and couldn't find anything. And so it's 84 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 4: just amazing that you know, a guy from Middletown had 85 00:04:56,080 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 4: an idea. Yeah, and you know that I went with 86 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:02,880 Speaker 4: and you know, I was the first one to come 87 00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 4: up with this idea for baseball and pathboards. 88 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:09,480 Speaker 2: And so tim, if if someone has a passport, say 89 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:11,840 Speaker 2: that they order the passport from you kind of walks 90 00:05:11,960 --> 00:05:15,040 Speaker 2: like when you walk into a stadium. What happens or 91 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 2: how is it used? Explain it for someone who might 92 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:18,280 Speaker 2: not understand it. 93 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:21,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, so you have the book, and so inside the 94 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 4: book it lists all what we call them validation stations 95 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:28,960 Speaker 4: at all the Major League ballparks. And so what happens 96 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:32,159 Speaker 4: when fantomes in they look inside their book they see 97 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:35,919 Speaker 4: where the valuation stations are located inside the ballpark. 98 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 3: There's multiple locations. 99 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:42,520 Speaker 4: At all thirty stadiums, and so like the red for example, 100 00:05:42,560 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 4: the Reds have I think seven or eight different stamping 101 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 4: locations listed and Dodger Stadium has like ten. So it 102 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 4: was grown from one, you know, from one stamping location 103 00:05:54,560 --> 00:05:59,920 Speaker 4: for ballpark to you know, seven, eight, nine, tens stamping locations. 104 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:04,240 Speaker 3: It's kind of crazy. And so fans will present their book. 105 00:06:04,320 --> 00:06:07,920 Speaker 4: And they'll ask for the stamp and they'll turn to 106 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 4: their you know, to to the team page in the book, 107 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,200 Speaker 4: and uh, the staff will roll the date to the 108 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:17,880 Speaker 4: date that you're there, and they'll hand you the stamp 109 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 4: and you'll ink it up, test it, then stamp your 110 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 4: book and it has the name of the ballpark, city, stton, 111 00:06:23,760 --> 00:06:25,600 Speaker 4: zip code to the ballpark, and then the date you 112 00:06:25,640 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 4: were there, and so once you stamp that it's ink 113 00:06:29,080 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 4: the paper, it's there forever. 114 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 2: Tell me the Hall of Fame news. Tell me how 115 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:37,200 Speaker 2: you got the news, and tell me how exciting this is. 116 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:39,799 Speaker 3: Yes, it was so unreal. 117 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 4: I've been thinking for a while because you know, next 118 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 4: year is the fifteenth year of the MLB ball Park 119 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 4: Passport Book. We released it at the All Star Game 120 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 4: in Kansas City in twenty twelve, and we only took 121 00:06:53,880 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 4: you know, we brought like something like, you know, one 122 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:59,320 Speaker 4: hundred and fifty one hundred and seventy five books, and 123 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:01,320 Speaker 4: we got the joking on the way in that hey, 124 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 4: well what if we don't sell any books. 125 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:09,000 Speaker 3: And never been done before? You know, no one had 126 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:09,640 Speaker 3: ever done before. 127 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 4: So there was no blueprint for it, and I knew 128 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:17,160 Speaker 4: on the second day there at Fantast we sold out 129 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:21,120 Speaker 4: of our inventory and we took orders for another I. 130 00:07:21,200 --> 00:07:22,600 Speaker 3: Think it was three hundred and some. 131 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:27,160 Speaker 4: Orders for the next print, and we told them up 132 00:07:27,200 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 4: front that hey, it might be three four five months 133 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 4: before we have another rundowe, and they said, we don't care, 134 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 4: we want the book. And it was at that time 135 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:38,960 Speaker 4: that I knew that we had, you know, something special, 136 00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:41,960 Speaker 4: and so I have to thinking about the fifteenth year 137 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 4: and coinciding with that. 138 00:07:43,640 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 3: And I said, you know, I said, I said, I 139 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 3: wonder if the Hall of Fame would be, you know, 140 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:49,920 Speaker 3: interested in this book. 141 00:07:50,840 --> 00:07:52,440 Speaker 4: And since it was the first you know, I kept 142 00:07:52,480 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 4: the first book off this off the press and got 143 00:07:57,400 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 4: the first stamp at Great American Ballpark in it on 144 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 4: April fifth of twenty twelve, and so, you know, I thought, 145 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:07,000 Speaker 4: you know, this is this is a part of baseball history, 146 00:08:07,520 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 4: and you know, I'll contact the Hall of Fame and 147 00:08:09,840 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 4: see what they think. And so I called and got 148 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:17,520 Speaker 4: ahold of a very nice lady, Cassidy Lynt, who is 149 00:08:17,680 --> 00:08:21,880 Speaker 4: the library director at the Hall of Fame. And I 150 00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:25,880 Speaker 4: told her I had the original first print, first book, 151 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 4: first stamp MLB Ballpark passport book, and if the Hall 152 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:32,959 Speaker 4: of Fame would be interested in it. And then so 153 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:37,320 Speaker 4: then she pertea to tell me she's like Tim bat 154 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:41,880 Speaker 4: the Hall of Fame Committee Board on Historical Artifacts. It's 155 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:44,719 Speaker 4: scheduled to have a meet on the I think it 156 00:08:44,880 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 4: was the first Wednesday in November. And she said, I'll 157 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 4: take this information about your books. She she knew about 158 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 4: the book the Hall of Fame has sold it from 159 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,880 Speaker 4: the very beginning. They've been a part of it. And 160 00:08:59,320 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 4: she said, I'll see what they think, and she's all 161 00:09:01,559 --> 00:09:04,040 Speaker 4: get back to you. And so it was, you know, 162 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:06,439 Speaker 4: several weeks that passed and and then I'm you know, 163 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 4: in the back of my mind, I had November fifth 164 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 4: on the calendar, you know. 165 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:15,360 Speaker 3: So so on November seventh, I got the call and 166 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:19,200 Speaker 3: uh yeah, and so you know, and I was nervous. 167 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 4: You know, my my heart kind dropped my stomach because 168 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 4: I I didn't I didn't think he would go anywhere, 169 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 4: you know, And so uh, she said, Jim, she said, 170 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:32,640 Speaker 4: the board voted to have have your book put into 171 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:33,200 Speaker 4: the Hall of Fame. 172 00:09:33,800 --> 00:09:36,000 Speaker 3: Unbelievable, so cool. 173 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 4: Yeah, so I mean it's like a baseball player gave 174 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:40,800 Speaker 4: him the call. But that's how you really felt like it. 175 00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:44,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, yeah it was. Yeah, it was so cool. Tim. 176 00:09:44,520 --> 00:09:47,280 Speaker 2: For for those wondering who I want to learn more 177 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:50,320 Speaker 2: about it does and kind of explain the inventory here 178 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:53,760 Speaker 2: would would if somebody wants to hit like minor league 179 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:57,920 Speaker 2: ballparks or spring training ballparks. Is there a version of 180 00:09:58,000 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 2: that for the ballpark passport? 181 00:10:00,840 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 4: Yes, you you talked a little about before, you know, 182 00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:07,319 Speaker 4: the program has grown where we now have stamped in 183 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:13,040 Speaker 4: two hundred and twenty four stadiums and and museums and 184 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:17,120 Speaker 4: in ballparks all over the country. So we have the 185 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:19,400 Speaker 4: MLB ball Park Passport Book, which is of course pro 186 00:10:19,440 --> 00:10:23,120 Speaker 4: visiting all thirty ballparks. It's a binder, so and the 187 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:25,640 Speaker 4: most often question I get asked is about what there's 188 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 4: a new stadium built. It's a binder, so you can 189 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:32,360 Speaker 4: add new stadium as the build. The book never becomes outdated. 190 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:35,880 Speaker 4: We have a Game day Book which took the place 191 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:41,240 Speaker 4: of the Red Season Passport book. That is for season 192 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,559 Speaker 4: ticket holders and people who frequent, you know, multiple games, 193 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:47,360 Speaker 4: so you can stamp every game you go to. And 194 00:10:47,679 --> 00:10:50,080 Speaker 4: we have the Spring training Passport, we have the minor 195 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:54,920 Speaker 4: league Passport, and then then we have this the new 196 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:59,640 Speaker 4: Baseball Attractions Passport that was created here about a year 197 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:05,439 Speaker 4: and a half, which has fifty non MLB venues in it. 198 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:11,959 Speaker 4: So the Jackie Robinson Museum, yeah, Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame. 199 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:14,520 Speaker 3: The list goes on and on all right, So. 200 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 2: This would be great, This would be great for the holidays, 201 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:20,560 Speaker 2: A great stocking stuffer for a kid who's starting out 202 00:11:20,600 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 2: as a baseball fan or an older adult who's a 203 00:11:23,679 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 2: baseball fan. Tell listeners how they can find out more. 204 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:29,559 Speaker 2: What's the website to get more information on the MLB 205 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:30,600 Speaker 2: Ballpark passport. 206 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:38,040 Speaker 4: Yes, it's an MLB Ballpark Passport dot com and it's 207 00:11:38,080 --> 00:11:41,319 Speaker 4: on there. We have an awesome Facebook group also that 208 00:11:41,640 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 4: for they want some real, live, you know, working information. 209 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 4: It's the Facebook group is Ballpark Stampeders, and it's a 210 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:53,560 Speaker 4: wonderful group. They poster stamps from all over the country 211 00:11:53,600 --> 00:11:57,640 Speaker 4: every night, and I think now we have people coming 212 00:11:57,679 --> 00:12:01,280 Speaker 4: in from all over the world to ballgames with the book. 213 00:12:01,640 --> 00:12:05,240 Speaker 4: Oh it's just uh yeah. And we're small business. We 214 00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:09,400 Speaker 4: don't advertise at all, and so we we've been award 215 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:11,959 Speaker 4: of mouth. And I appreciate you so much for you 216 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:12,920 Speaker 4: having me on your program. 217 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:16,280 Speaker 3: You got it when it started. 218 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:19,800 Speaker 2: Absolutely, man, those were great days. And I'm just so 219 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 2: happy and excited for you. And shout out to all 220 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 2: the stam Peters listening. Shout out to our guy Bill 221 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:27,480 Speaker 2: Bray who's listening, and congrats on all this and and 222 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 2: keep it rolling and keep me posted on stuff unfolding, 223 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 2: all right, I sure will, brother, Thank you, Thanks Tim, 224 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 2: Take care