1 00:00:05,720 --> 00:00:08,039 Speaker 1: Welcome back to Is this a great game or what 2 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:10,240 Speaker 1: with the Hall of Famer Tim Kirkshin. I'm his son, 3 00:00:10,320 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: Jeff Kirkshon, And last week we brought you part one 4 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: of our twenty twenty five season Highlights, and we had 5 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:23,000 Speaker 1: some incredible, incredible guests this past year. So before we 6 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:26,320 Speaker 1: start this episode, if you missed last week's episode, you're 7 00:00:26,320 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 1: gonna miss the first six months of the podcast highlights. 8 00:00:29,120 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: So go back listen to that first and then come 9 00:00:31,920 --> 00:00:34,360 Speaker 1: back to this one. But if you're listening right now, 10 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 1: wishing everybody a happy New year. Coming up this week, 11 00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:38,519 Speaker 1: which is. 12 00:00:38,479 --> 00:00:42,479 Speaker 2: So exciting, right and Part two, we're beginning with Ron Darling, 13 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 2: who took part in the famous July fourth game between 14 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:51,879 Speaker 2: the Mets and the Braves, maybe the craziest game of 15 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 2: all time. The game started at nine oh four because 16 00:00:55,440 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 2: of a rain delay, and with other rain delays, the 17 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 2: game lasted a total of six hours, ten minutes and 18 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 2: ended at three point fifty five in the morning. So, Ron, 19 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 2: forty years later, when you think about that game, what 20 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:13,679 Speaker 2: first comes to your mind? Having played in maybe the 21 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:15,160 Speaker 2: craziest game of all time. 22 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 3: Most of our team now has either been thrown out 23 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,679 Speaker 3: and is watching the game on TV. And as I 24 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,559 Speaker 3: opened the doors, reopened the doors, the entire locker room 25 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 3: was littered with bud light cans and Chip played around. 26 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:35,759 Speaker 3: That's what That's all I can remember is that it 27 00:01:35,840 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 3: was cans and rappers everywhere where. Half of our teammates 28 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 3: were in a state of annihilation and the rest of 29 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:48,160 Speaker 3: us were coming wearily off the field trying to celebrate 30 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 3: a win. It was mad Our. 31 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 2: Next guest is former Major leaguer Scott Bradley, who is 32 00:01:54,720 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 2: now the baseball coach at Princeton. And there are a 33 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 2: few college baseball coaches in this country better than Scott Bradley. 34 00:02:02,840 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 2: He also played with Ken Griffey Junior on his way 35 00:02:08,080 --> 00:02:10,959 Speaker 2: to the big leagues, and he tells a great story 36 00:02:11,080 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 2: about how Junior reacted to coming to the Kingdome to 37 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:21,160 Speaker 2: take batting practice for the first time after getting drafted as. 38 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 4: An eighteen year old. 39 00:02:22,639 --> 00:02:24,360 Speaker 5: I played with Ken Griffy senior when I was with 40 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 5: the Yankees, right, so when we signed Junior, you know, 41 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:31,399 Speaker 5: we brought him into Seattle and a big commotion, brought 42 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 5: him out, let him take some batting practice, had his 43 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 5: hat on backwards already. I can vividly remember just standing 44 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 5: next to Harrold Reynolds and Alvin Davis. The whole turtle, 45 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 5: the backstop was was surrounded by the press, and Junior 46 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:47,080 Speaker 5: stood up there and like where most young kids go 47 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 5: up and immediately just start trying to pull and yank 48 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 5: and hit the ball in the seats, Junior just sort 49 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 5: of got in there with the smile of his and 50 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:57,880 Speaker 5: just started to hit one line drive after another into 51 00:02:57,960 --> 00:02:59,880 Speaker 5: left field. You know, it was like he was a 52 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:03,040 Speaker 5: twenty year veteran. Stepped out, towled off a little bit, 53 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 5: answered a couple of questions, then he started work in 54 00:03:05,919 --> 00:03:08,040 Speaker 5: the middle of the field, and Alvin and Harold and 55 00:03:08,080 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 5: I were just shaking our head, saying, man, he's way 56 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 5: mature beyond his years. Look what he's just He's not 57 00:03:13,760 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 5: trying to do too much. Next round, towels off, hits 58 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 5: a few balls line drives into right field, and then 59 00:03:18,760 --> 00:03:20,360 Speaker 5: he tows off for the last time, and then he 60 00:03:20,360 --> 00:03:23,280 Speaker 5: proceeds to hit one four hundred foot home run after another, 61 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:26,760 Speaker 5: rattling the seats in the in the second level of 62 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:31,359 Speaker 5: the of the Kingdome. And I remember Alvin saying, boy, 63 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 5: it's amazing young kid. He looks like he belongs already. 64 00:03:34,639 --> 00:03:38,080 Speaker 2: Our next guest is Hall of Fame third baseman Chipper Jones, 65 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 2: who was the number one overall pick, which was very 66 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 2: important to him to be the overall number one pick 67 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:50,960 Speaker 2: and go play immediately, as opposed to like holding out 68 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 2: for more money and saying this is what I need. 69 00:03:53,080 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 2: He told me once, I'm going to make so much 70 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:58,720 Speaker 2: money playing baseball, I don't need to get it all 71 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 2: in that first. 72 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:05,120 Speaker 4: But right before the draft, he broke his hand. 73 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:07,760 Speaker 1: He broke his hand because he got in a fight 74 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,840 Speaker 1: with a teammate. Incredible story. 75 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,840 Speaker 6: I got in a fight two weeks before the draft 76 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 6: and broke my hand. But when that cast came off, I. 77 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 7: Wanted to. 78 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 6: Be in camp with my guys, signed, sealed and delivered, 79 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 6: ready to play when that cast came off. 80 00:04:25,880 --> 00:04:28,320 Speaker 4: Was it a baseball fight in which you broke your hand. 81 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:31,480 Speaker 6: Yeah, it was a day before the state championship game 82 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 6: my senior year, which I was slated to pitch in. 83 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:37,920 Speaker 6: I still pitched even with the broken hand, but didn't 84 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:40,960 Speaker 6: have the stuff. Yeah, it's just stuff that happens between 85 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:44,960 Speaker 6: seventeen eighteen year old kids. Every day we were practicing 86 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,440 Speaker 6: at a local high school and my coach comes up 87 00:04:48,480 --> 00:04:51,040 Speaker 6: to him and he goes, hey, get your right handed 88 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,279 Speaker 6: swings in. Take another round or two after everybody's done 89 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:58,120 Speaker 6: left handed, just to you know, show show the scouts 90 00:04:58,120 --> 00:05:01,159 Speaker 6: that you can that you got this in your tool belt. 91 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:03,880 Speaker 6: And some of the guys were one of the guys 92 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 6: on the team, he was a backup catcher. Junior didn't 93 00:05:08,040 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 6: really like the fact that he had to stay out 94 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:13,400 Speaker 6: there a little longer so that I could I could 95 00:05:13,440 --> 00:05:17,000 Speaker 6: take some extra hacks. And he, you know, he said 96 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 6: something to me and I popped him and yeah, so 97 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:26,719 Speaker 6: he got he got seven stitches kind of in the temple, 98 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:30,719 Speaker 6: and yeah, I broke my hand. My coach comes up 99 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 6: to me, he goes, are you okay. I was like, NA, no, 100 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,839 Speaker 6: it's I think I broke my hand. It was a 101 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:42,200 Speaker 6: lesson for me early on in my career. Maybe swallow 102 00:05:42,279 --> 00:05:45,360 Speaker 6: hard and walk away you know the next time, as 103 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 6: opposed to popping some dude in the faith. 104 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:52,039 Speaker 1: Our next guest is Billy Wagner, shortly before he went 105 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:55,840 Speaker 1: into the Hall of Fame in twenty twenty five as 106 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:59,120 Speaker 1: a member, and he talked about Kenny Rogers now as 107 00:05:59,160 --> 00:06:02,000 Speaker 1: a country music morning show host, I was thinking singer 108 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 1: Kenny Rogers. I was wrong, clearly, But Billy Wagner is 109 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: ambidextrous because he had to change his pitching arm after 110 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 1: injuring it growing up. 111 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:16,360 Speaker 2: He broke his right arm twice when he was six 112 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:20,239 Speaker 2: years old and then turned to be a left handed 113 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 2: pitcher and ended up being one of the most dominant 114 00:06:22,839 --> 00:06:25,159 Speaker 2: left handed relievers in the history of the game. 115 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:28,120 Speaker 1: And clearly Kenny Rogers did not know that. 116 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:31,520 Speaker 8: Kenny Rogers, we were in Philadelphia one time and we 117 00:06:31,520 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 8: were out at the cage and. 118 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:33,520 Speaker 3: He came out. 119 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 8: He come out with some of the guys and he 120 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 8: goes he hollers at me and goes, wags, I think 121 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:40,840 Speaker 8: I can throw further than you can right handed. And 122 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:42,800 Speaker 8: he was so excited, and I was like really. I 123 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 8: was like, well, yeah, let's see, you know. And so 124 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 8: he picks the ball up right handed. We're staying at 125 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 8: the batting cage and he throws it out out in 126 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 8: the outfield. I'm like, man, that's really good. 127 00:06:52,320 --> 00:06:54,360 Speaker 3: So I picked the ball up and I threw. 128 00:06:54,240 --> 00:06:58,159 Speaker 8: It into the seats and I go I said, I'm 129 00:06:58,240 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 8: natural right handed, and. 130 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:00,200 Speaker 9: He's like what. 131 00:07:00,760 --> 00:07:03,320 Speaker 8: It was just so funny his face his face. What 132 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:06,320 Speaker 8: what And I was like, yeah, he's And so one 133 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 8: of the funniest stories is also is Darryl Kyle was 134 00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 8: was ambidext chios. When we first came up. We would 135 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:14,840 Speaker 8: just flip each other gloves and Shag is a right 136 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:16,680 Speaker 8: hander and hit Shagg is a left hander, and he 137 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:19,480 Speaker 8: would throw curveballs to me left handed that were as 138 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:21,560 Speaker 8: good as his curveballs were right handed. And then I 139 00:07:21,680 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 8: was just baffled. I was like, how does people because 140 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:27,040 Speaker 8: everybody go, oh, your story so good. I'm like, Darryl 141 00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 8: Kyle was unbelievably. 142 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 2: He had one of the great right handed curveballs we've 143 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:35,160 Speaker 2: ever seen, and it's lefty curveball was just as good. 144 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 8: It was crazy because I was like, Daryl, why why 145 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:40,320 Speaker 8: haven't you pursued something like this? Because he goes, I'm 146 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:44,000 Speaker 8: natural left handed, and I said, but everybody nobody knows that. 147 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:46,160 Speaker 8: And I just kept warning why nobody made a big 148 00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 8: deal out there. 149 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:48,960 Speaker 1: But our next guest for twenty twenty five was Tony 150 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 1: Gwynn Junior. 151 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:52,720 Speaker 2: Right and Tony Gwynn Senior, of course, one of the 152 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:55,760 Speaker 2: great hitters of all time. Tony Gwynn Senior was also 153 00:07:56,000 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 2: a great basketball player at San Diego State, and Tony 154 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 2: Gwynn Junior was a really good basketball player also, And 155 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:08,280 Speaker 2: I found it interesting that Junior said he got way 156 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 2: more advice and teaching lessons from his dad about basketball 157 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 2: than he did about baseball. And one night, Tony Gwynn 158 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:22,000 Speaker 2: Junior had a really difficult night as a high school 159 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 2: basketball player, and that's when his dad came home and 160 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:27,440 Speaker 2: just looked him right in the eyes. 161 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 9: Nothing irritated my dad more than the turtles. I remember. 162 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:38,920 Speaker 9: I remember coming home and after one of our rivals, 163 00:08:39,040 --> 00:08:41,400 Speaker 9: Mount Carmel, I had like, I had ten turn that 164 00:08:41,480 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 9: was really poor game, and he just came into that. 165 00:08:46,160 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 9: I beat him home and he came in maybe fifteen 166 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:53,520 Speaker 9: twenty minutes later, and he just had this fuddled look 167 00:08:53,559 --> 00:08:56,440 Speaker 9: on me. He wasn't mad, but he was you could 168 00:08:56,440 --> 00:09:00,679 Speaker 9: tell he was bothered by the turnovers. And eventually, I 169 00:09:01,520 --> 00:09:04,400 Speaker 9: don't know what possessed him to say it, but he 170 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:07,119 Speaker 9: just turned to me saying, Hey, are you having girl. 171 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:09,240 Speaker 10: Problems or something like why. 172 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:12,600 Speaker 3: I don't understand how. 173 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:15,679 Speaker 9: It's possible to turn a ball over ten times? 174 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:18,600 Speaker 3: And I didn't have nothing for it. I didn't have 175 00:09:18,640 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 3: nothing for it. It was just a bad game that day, 176 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:22,920 Speaker 3: and I just took it on the chain. I didn't 177 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,679 Speaker 3: say nothing, I just kind of I heard it. 178 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 9: I just kind of shook my head went back to 179 00:09:27,600 --> 00:09:27,960 Speaker 9: the room. 180 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 3: But he was he was definitely bothered by it. 181 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 2: But Tony had a double double that day, didn't you? 182 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:33,120 Speaker 3: Ten points? 183 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 4: Ten turnovers? 184 00:09:34,320 --> 00:09:45,319 Speaker 1: Right during trade deadline season, which is so exciting for fans, 185 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:50,000 Speaker 1: but so intimidating and exhausting for gms because they're gonna 186 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: hear it from their teams and their fans. And we 187 00:09:52,320 --> 00:09:56,120 Speaker 1: had Steve Phillips on former GM now turned great broadcaster, 188 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 1: and he told us about the pressures of the trade 189 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:03,679 Speaker 1: deadline and maybe some messages he got from fans as well. 190 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:08,160 Speaker 4: A death threat for a general manager. That's ridiculous. 191 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 2: Mets fans don't hate you. 192 00:10:10,920 --> 00:10:13,520 Speaker 11: No, you know, well, they've come to appreciate me a 193 00:10:13,559 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 11: little bit more during the time there when the fire 194 00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:21,959 Speaker 11: Steve Phillips website was created, and I had death threats 195 00:10:21,960 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 11: from Mets fans and stalkers from Mets fans. They didn't 196 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:27,800 Speaker 11: love me a whole lot back then. Like I had 197 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 11: literally a psychiatrist call up and say that her patient 198 00:10:31,600 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 11: was a threat to my life that she's going to 199 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:38,960 Speaker 11: break into confidentiality because well, he threatened you, and so 200 00:10:39,200 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 11: they you know, I put Major League Security in touch. 201 00:10:41,520 --> 00:10:43,839 Speaker 11: They got the information and they followed him for a 202 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:47,120 Speaker 11: couple of weeks and came to me and said, here's 203 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:51,360 Speaker 11: the thing. He's he's a little unstable. So I had 204 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:53,880 Speaker 11: to have an alias on the road. I was Sam 205 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:55,680 Speaker 11: Adams when I traveled on the road. 206 00:10:57,280 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 2: Did you ever find out what deal you made or 207 00:11:00,960 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 2: didn't make that upset this guy the point that he 208 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:04,840 Speaker 2: wanted to kill you? 209 00:11:05,480 --> 00:11:08,559 Speaker 11: Yeah, Melroe Hots, I had issues with Melroe Hot. 210 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:09,160 Speaker 7: I don't know. 211 00:11:09,679 --> 00:11:13,720 Speaker 2: Our next guest is Joe West, who umpired more games 212 00:11:13,800 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 2: than anyone in Major League history, and he told a 213 00:11:17,160 --> 00:11:21,199 Speaker 2: story involving Joe Morgan and Johnny Bench, and. 214 00:11:21,160 --> 00:11:24,000 Speaker 1: He did talk a little bit about Johnny Bench's head, 215 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:25,760 Speaker 1: which I got you laughing. 216 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:29,520 Speaker 12: Probably the best catcher that I worked was Bench. But 217 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:33,719 Speaker 12: Bench had broad shoulders, he had a a size of 218 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:38,199 Speaker 12: eight helmet, and if he didn't hit right behind the plate, 219 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,720 Speaker 12: you couldn't see anything. He actually created what they call framing, 220 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:44,200 Speaker 12: holding the pitch out in front of him because he 221 00:11:44,280 --> 00:11:46,640 Speaker 12: knew that if he caught like Yogi Barra did, you'd 222 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:50,000 Speaker 12: never see anything. In fact, one day we're in Cincinnati 223 00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 12: and Phil Garner's on first base for the Pirates and 224 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:55,880 Speaker 12: there's a ball in the dirt and hits a Bench 225 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:58,200 Speaker 12: in the shoulder and that gets away and Garner takes 226 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:00,520 Speaker 12: off for a second. Joe Morgan's cover in the bag 227 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:03,800 Speaker 12: tells Garner to stand up, and Bench got to the 228 00:12:03,840 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 12: ball and threw him out, And Morgan caught the ball 229 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:09,559 Speaker 12: but refused to tag him because he told him to 230 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 12: stand up. Concept she own's yelling Annie. Garner's yelling at 231 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 12: him because he told him to stand up. Bench is 232 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:21,600 Speaker 12: yelling at him. The picture's yelling Atny. And Joe just 233 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 12: looked at me and rolled his eyes. And I'm laughing 234 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:30,360 Speaker 12: because I know what happened, and they don't know what happened. Right. 235 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:33,320 Speaker 12: So a couple of years later I asked him about 236 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:35,120 Speaker 12: that and he says, I should have just dropped the 237 00:12:35,200 --> 00:12:39,320 Speaker 12: damn ball, right because I told him to stand up. 238 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:41,120 Speaker 12: I wasn't going to tag himunt after I told him 239 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:44,080 Speaker 12: to stand up, you mean to start that would be 240 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:47,640 Speaker 12: starting to fight for no reason. But Bench did. He 241 00:12:47,679 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 12: threw him out, and Morgan wouldn't tag him. 242 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:52,640 Speaker 1: Thanks to our friends, a game changer. We were out 243 00:12:52,720 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: at the Little League World Series yet again this year, 244 00:12:55,960 --> 00:12:59,079 Speaker 1: and if you remember last season twenty twenty four, we 245 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 1: had to Frasier on and he is like the biggest 246 00:13:02,800 --> 00:13:05,320 Speaker 1: twelve year old of all time. He's like the President 247 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 1: of Little League World Series pin trading champion, right. But 248 00:13:09,160 --> 00:13:12,040 Speaker 1: we decided to bring in Karl Ravich, our good friend, 249 00:13:12,080 --> 00:13:13,320 Speaker 1: to join him. 250 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:16,000 Speaker 4: The voice of little League Karl Rabie. 251 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:20,800 Speaker 1: Iconic, And we started off the episode exchanging pins, which 252 00:13:20,840 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: is Todd's favorite thing to do in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. And 253 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:27,240 Speaker 1: this is gonna be a tough one because we explain 254 00:13:27,520 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 1: the pin that we got for Todd and the one 255 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 1: he got for us. But if you go to our 256 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:34,280 Speaker 1: YouTube page, you'll actually be able to see the pin. 257 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:36,800 Speaker 1: It's all clipped in there. You've got to see it. 258 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 2: And remember Todd gave Raby and I a pin last year, 259 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 2: so we return the favor with the pin that we 260 00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:46,080 Speaker 2: gave him and Ravi. 261 00:13:46,480 --> 00:13:49,679 Speaker 1: We made a pin for Todd, okay, and for Ravi. 262 00:13:49,840 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 4: So this is your pin? 263 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 7: What? 264 00:13:51,679 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 4: And this is your pin Todd? 265 00:13:53,559 --> 00:13:58,360 Speaker 7: And God look at this bad board. 266 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:01,880 Speaker 2: Right, So we called Eve Strauss. Who is is Todd's 267 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 2: guys made now? Since not everyone's going to be able 268 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:10,079 Speaker 2: to see this, imitate right, The inside joke is that 269 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 2: when when we used to do when we did games 270 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:15,199 Speaker 2: together Raby and I, when the count was two and two, 271 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:17,640 Speaker 2: Jeff I used to just go, it's two and two, 272 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 2: and then I would leave, so then Rabbi would start 273 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:21,240 Speaker 2: doing it. 274 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 4: And then Todd did it. 275 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 2: So now when there's a two two counter we're all 276 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:28,240 Speaker 2: doing again, we go like this, it's two and two 277 00:14:28,280 --> 00:14:30,360 Speaker 2: and that's what the pin looks like. 278 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 7: This is amazing. Your fingers are huge on this pen. 279 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 7: Tim you know what. 280 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:38,320 Speaker 1: I don't know if you know this, but he has 281 00:14:38,600 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 1: rather big hands for a guy his side. 282 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 7: I told you times, Tim, I gotta be honest. I 283 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 7: got a pin for you too as well. 284 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:51,000 Speaker 4: No second you did it again, You. 285 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:52,920 Speaker 7: Guys can figure out what color you want there, but 286 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 7: there's another one. And look look at you, Timmy on 287 00:14:56,600 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 7: the top there and you want to actually you're on 288 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 7: my shoulders. 289 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:01,120 Speaker 12: And then. 290 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:07,880 Speaker 2: To our next guest is our dear friend ad Nan Vig, 291 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:10,280 Speaker 2: one of the great show hosts, one of the great 292 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 2: commentators we've ever seen, and he wrote a book about 293 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:18,240 Speaker 2: Cinophile because he's the greatest movie expert ever. 294 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:20,560 Speaker 1: And like everybody does, when you write a book. First 295 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 1: of all, available on Amazon right now, Cinephile, check it out, 296 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:26,400 Speaker 1: you have to ask for blurbs for the back of it. 297 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 1: Here's who he got. 298 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 13: Josh Toumel is of course a great actor, huge Minnesota 299 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 13: sports fan. I asked him for a blurb. I hadn't 300 00:15:33,120 --> 00:15:35,040 Speaker 13: talked to him like ten years, writes back, No problem, 301 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 13: happy to help. Miles Teller, fellow Eagles fan. We're still 302 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 13: riding the highs of the defending Super Bowl champions I literally. 303 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:43,240 Speaker 13: And Timdo's is sometimes you just write the blurb for them, 304 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:45,160 Speaker 13: Like Miles is, like on a set somewhere shooting a movie. 305 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:46,640 Speaker 10: They go, listen, I'll do the blurb for you. 306 00:15:46,680 --> 00:15:48,880 Speaker 13: It's just going to say from one Eagles fan to another, 307 00:15:48,920 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 13: by this book, goe burds. 308 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:51,720 Speaker 4: Miles is like, yeah, works for me. 309 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 1: I'm like great. 310 00:15:52,360 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 13: So I'm so grateful for all these guys. And this 311 00:15:55,640 --> 00:15:57,640 Speaker 13: is one that Bob costas is blurb which is on 312 00:15:57,680 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 13: the back. This one's pretty good because this one you can. 313 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:02,840 Speaker 4: Hear Bob Costa saying this. 314 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:06,840 Speaker 13: I've always contended as something of a polymath and cinophile 315 00:16:06,880 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 13: confirms my belief. I just wish his area addition had 316 00:16:09,960 --> 00:16:14,000 Speaker 13: extended to my classic films Pooty Tang and Basketball. That's 317 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 13: what the words of Bob Costa say. 318 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:16,840 Speaker 12: Dad. 319 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:19,080 Speaker 1: I remember when you called me and you said you 320 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 1: went to a banana ball game at spring training at 321 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:23,800 Speaker 1: the beginning of twenty twenty four. 322 00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:26,760 Speaker 2: And I think my exact line was, was the stupidest 323 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:28,680 Speaker 2: thing I've ever seen, and I loved it. 324 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:32,280 Speaker 1: That's what Jesse Cole has started with the Savannah Bananas. 325 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 1: It's now gone bigger and better with multiple teams. So 326 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 1: we had to have Jesse Cole on the show, right and. 327 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:40,440 Speaker 2: Our first question not seen here is I asked him 328 00:16:40,480 --> 00:16:43,800 Speaker 2: because if you can't see, he's got this yellow tuxedo on. 329 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 2: He says he has seventy five yellow tuxedos in his closet. Jesse, 330 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:53,120 Speaker 2: have you ever tried something and you thought this is 331 00:16:53,160 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 2: going to be great and it didn't work? 332 00:16:55,760 --> 00:17:00,720 Speaker 14: The Living Pinata, the idea of put someone in a 333 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:03,120 Speaker 14: costume and having kids with you know, little plastic bats 334 00:17:03,160 --> 00:17:04,920 Speaker 14: hit them while I throw candy. You know, that was 335 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:07,560 Speaker 14: an hr disaster. I mean in Baltimore, we did a 336 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:10,679 Speaker 14: promotion called Crab My Pants, and we actually put we 337 00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:13,400 Speaker 14: put crabs in people's pants as they ran the basis 338 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:18,119 Speaker 14: that just didn't even make sense. We did Razorback. We 339 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:19,680 Speaker 14: went to Arkansas with the Party Amals. We did the 340 00:17:19,720 --> 00:17:23,520 Speaker 14: Razorback promotion, but we actually put shaving cream peoples backs 341 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:27,280 Speaker 14: and we shave their backs running braces like that's extremely dangerous. 342 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 14: Brotherly Shove and Philly where we actually had four brothers 343 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:32,679 Speaker 14: and they had to do musical chairs, but they had 344 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:34,800 Speaker 14: to shove the other brother off the chairs. These are 345 00:17:34,920 --> 00:17:38,000 Speaker 14: very very physical. On the Boston Tea party in Boston, 346 00:17:38,040 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 14: I mean I could keep going. There's there's a lot. 347 00:17:40,040 --> 00:17:43,280 Speaker 1: Our next guest major league pitcher Jim Abbott, who in 348 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:45,840 Speaker 1: his career threw a no hitter and hit. 349 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:49,720 Speaker 2: A triple in a spring training game with one hand. 350 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:52,080 Speaker 2: That's how good Jim Abbot was. 351 00:17:52,119 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 1: And it's incredible. If you don't know Jim Abbott, it's 352 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:56,800 Speaker 1: not like he let go of the bat with one 353 00:17:56,800 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 1: hand and he hit a triple. He was born without 354 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:03,040 Speaker 1: a hand and he has become an inspiration for so 355 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:07,960 Speaker 1: many others, including one of our incredible listeners. McKinley Abbot 356 00:18:08,000 --> 00:18:12,000 Speaker 1: and the Abbot family not related, but she was also 357 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:14,879 Speaker 1: born with a limbit deficiency, so shout out to that 358 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 1: incredible family as well. Jim Abbot made us laugh so hard, 359 00:18:18,760 --> 00:18:19,880 Speaker 1: but he also made us cry. 360 00:18:20,320 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 2: Jim, when you make a speech and a kid comes 361 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:26,720 Speaker 2: up to you who's missing his right hand, sure it's happened. 362 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:30,359 Speaker 2: You look at that kid, and what do you tell him? 363 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:34,119 Speaker 10: I tell him what my parents told me. You are 364 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:38,359 Speaker 10: up to this challenge. You were up to this challenge. 365 00:18:38,680 --> 00:18:42,119 Speaker 10: And my dad used to tell me when I was 366 00:18:42,160 --> 00:18:45,840 Speaker 10: a kid, Jim, what's been taken away once will be 367 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 10: given back twice. You have to focus on what's been 368 00:18:50,280 --> 00:18:52,920 Speaker 10: given and more has been given to you than was 369 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:56,879 Speaker 10: ever taken away, and that's where the focus has to stay. 370 00:18:57,760 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 10: And if you dwell on something, if this becomes your 371 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:05,480 Speaker 10: identity and who you are, you know it's going to 372 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 10: be very difficult to get over those limitations. But in 373 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:11,800 Speaker 10: my experience, and I've met so many kids, and you 374 00:19:11,800 --> 00:19:14,520 Speaker 10: should see the things they're doing now. You know, mma 375 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:18,440 Speaker 10: fighters and football players and basketball and doctors and moms, 376 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 10: and they are up to it. They are up to it. 377 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:25,200 Speaker 10: Their families are up to it. They are up to it. 378 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 10: I've just seen it happen too many times not to 379 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:29,200 Speaker 10: believe in it wholeheartedly. 380 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:38,119 Speaker 1: Our next guest for is this a great game or what? 381 00:19:38,359 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 1: Was Jane Levy, fantastically talented writer who this year released 382 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:45,919 Speaker 1: a book called Make Me Commissioner. 383 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:49,200 Speaker 2: Right, and she was critical of the way the game 384 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 2: has been played in recent years. But in talking to 385 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:56,879 Speaker 2: her and in doing this interview, we realize she loves 386 00:19:56,960 --> 00:20:00,360 Speaker 2: baseball so much that this was a love story more 387 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:01,280 Speaker 2: than anything else. 388 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:04,320 Speaker 15: My first idea for how to do this was to 389 00:20:04,359 --> 00:20:06,879 Speaker 15: get Joe Tory and Sandy Kofex to go to a 390 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 15: game with me and tell me how it would have 391 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 15: been played in nineteen sixty six. And Joe was all 392 00:20:13,080 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 15: in and I said, Sandy's never going to do it. 393 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 15: He goes, oh, let me talk to him, so he 394 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:22,879 Speaker 15: calls Gofac says, but then I'd have to go to 395 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 15: a Balkan And I later saw them in Cooperstown on 396 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:32,760 Speaker 15: the veranda of the Oda Saga at a breakfast where 397 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:35,680 Speaker 15: Joe said he was twenty nineteen. It was at Mariano's 398 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:40,480 Speaker 15: induction where Joe said hard to watch and Sandy said, 399 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:44,439 Speaker 15: I don't watch. So I wasn't entirely surprised by his answer, 400 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 15: but more than anything else, those two things were the 401 00:20:48,600 --> 00:20:52,119 Speaker 15: impetus for doing this, because I thought, if baseball's lost, 402 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:56,040 Speaker 15: those guys, you know, they're really in trouble. 403 00:20:56,240 --> 00:20:58,400 Speaker 1: Our next guest, Dad, this is so funny because we're 404 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:01,400 Speaker 1: sitting here in your office, and just last night when 405 00:21:01,440 --> 00:21:03,760 Speaker 1: I got in, we were sitting here in your office, 406 00:21:03,800 --> 00:21:07,119 Speaker 1: brand new TV up, and Kevin Brown was calling a 407 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 1: game right in front. 408 00:21:08,440 --> 00:21:11,720 Speaker 2: Of us, right and we had Kevin Brown on as 409 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:13,920 Speaker 2: one of our guests. And of course it was another 410 00:21:14,119 --> 00:21:18,120 Speaker 2: Kevin Brown who played in the major leagues, borderline Hall 411 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 2: of Famer pitcher Kevin Brown. 412 00:21:20,960 --> 00:21:23,520 Speaker 1: And then there was another Kevin Brown who played in 413 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:27,000 Speaker 1: the minor leagues and a little bit in the major leagues, 414 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:30,399 Speaker 1: not quite a borderline Hall of Famer. He tells the 415 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:33,000 Speaker 1: story of the other Kevin Brown's. 416 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 16: My brother in law got me a gift for Christmas, 417 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 16: a Kevin Brown signed baseball and I thought, oh, that's 418 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:45,280 Speaker 16: really neat. And then I examined more closely, and I'm 419 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:46,720 Speaker 16: going to hold up to the screen here and it 420 00:21:46,760 --> 00:21:54,879 Speaker 16: says two thousand and two Kevin Brown c now those 421 00:21:55,160 --> 00:22:00,400 Speaker 16: of you eagle eyed baseball fans will know that stands 422 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 16: for catcher, and then on the ball it says Red 423 00:22:04,040 --> 00:22:09,840 Speaker 16: Sox two thousand and two. So I said, Andrew, which 424 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 16: Kevin Brown is this? Because I'm pretty sure there was 425 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:17,560 Speaker 16: a journeyman catcher who kicked around the big leagues for 426 00:22:17,640 --> 00:22:22,840 Speaker 16: about forty games, also named Kevin Brown. And he said, 427 00:22:22,840 --> 00:22:26,119 Speaker 16: without missing a beat, Oh, I guess that's why I 428 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:27,199 Speaker 16: got such a good deal on it. 429 00:22:28,400 --> 00:22:33,720 Speaker 2: Our next guest is Jeremy Shapp, the best journalist at ESPN, 430 00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:37,280 Speaker 2: and of course the son of Dick Shapp, who's one 431 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:40,800 Speaker 2: of the great all time writers, slash broadcasters and the 432 00:22:41,000 --> 00:22:44,560 Speaker 2: greatest interviewer of all time, and his son, Jeremy, for me, 433 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:46,639 Speaker 2: is second best on that list. 434 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:46,960 Speaker 17: Well. 435 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:50,479 Speaker 1: And Jeremy Shapp, it's worth noting throughout this season, was 436 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 1: texting you about things happening on the podcast constantly. 437 00:22:55,119 --> 00:22:56,600 Speaker 4: So he opened up the interview and it. 438 00:22:56,560 --> 00:22:59,200 Speaker 1: Was very flattering. And I know this is flattering ourselves 439 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 1: saying big of the Pond, but it's true because he 440 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:03,560 Speaker 1: was texting us every week. 441 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:05,679 Speaker 2: Right, and he, like his dad, it's one of the 442 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 2: great storytellers of all time, and he tells a story 443 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:11,600 Speaker 2: about cats and Tom sever And one. 444 00:23:11,560 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 18: Day my dad came home with a cat, Himalayan cat, 445 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:18,240 Speaker 18: which are like you know, Persians and Siamese mixed, right, 446 00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:21,239 Speaker 18: I think. And and it was like, well, what are 447 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,119 Speaker 18: we gonna name the cat? And like, you know, I 448 00:23:24,119 --> 00:23:27,760 Speaker 18: guess he thought, you know, Gandhi and the Himalayas India, 449 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:30,879 Speaker 18: it's all vaguely connected. So the cat was Gandhi, but 450 00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:33,679 Speaker 18: we called him Gandy to make any sense. But that 451 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:35,520 Speaker 18: was our cat, the cat I grew up with, you know, 452 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:38,080 Speaker 18: for like fourteen years. But this is the sever the 453 00:23:38,160 --> 00:23:41,040 Speaker 18: brother He took home two cats, One went to us 454 00:23:41,080 --> 00:23:46,480 Speaker 18: and one went to Tom. And Tom named his Fergie 455 00:23:47,040 --> 00:23:51,320 Speaker 18: after mister Jenkins, to whom he had just finished second 456 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:53,520 Speaker 18: for the nineteen seventy two Cy Young Award. 457 00:23:53,800 --> 00:23:56,480 Speaker 4: Really, so as a tribute. 458 00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:58,960 Speaker 18: To Jenkins, he named his cat Fergie. Oh and so 459 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 18: we had brothers, you know, as I was growing up. 460 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:04,520 Speaker 18: And then I remember sever more than once, as I 461 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:07,000 Speaker 18: recall when he was with the Reds, you know, so 462 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:08,920 Speaker 18: now at this point Fergie's a few years old. He 463 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 18: would bring Fergie to spring training and he'd always run 464 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 18: away and so like he'd missed a start trying to 465 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:20,600 Speaker 18: find his cat Forgie somewhere near where. 466 00:24:20,440 --> 00:24:21,320 Speaker 1: Was it Plant City. 467 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:26,160 Speaker 2: Our next guest is former catcher Caleb Joseph, now a 468 00:24:26,200 --> 00:24:30,239 Speaker 2: great broadcaster, and he told us about one of the 469 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:32,040 Speaker 2: most amazing games. 470 00:24:31,680 --> 00:24:32,760 Speaker 4: In Major League history. 471 00:24:32,960 --> 00:24:36,600 Speaker 2: I was there in Baltimore in twenty fifteen when they 472 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:39,240 Speaker 2: played a game with no fans in the. 473 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:42,480 Speaker 1: Stand And it's worth noting twenty fifteen, so this was 474 00:24:42,600 --> 00:24:45,399 Speaker 1: before COVID, so before we were used to having no 475 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:50,000 Speaker 1: fans in the stands. Caleb made us laugh really hard. 476 00:24:50,040 --> 00:24:51,000 Speaker 4: Take a listen. 477 00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 2: Caleb Joseph ten years ago when he caught Jeff in 478 00:24:55,119 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 2: the fanless game in Baltimore in two thousand and fifteen. 479 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,800 Speaker 19: I wasn't really thinking that cameras were rolling like there 480 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:05,120 Speaker 19: was no one there. So I just didn't really put 481 00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 19: two and two together that they would still be televising 482 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:10,720 Speaker 19: the game, and so I started acting like an absolute 483 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:14,040 Speaker 19: bozo out there. I run on the field and I 484 00:25:14,119 --> 00:25:18,280 Speaker 19: start signing fake autographs and like waving the people, trying 485 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:23,080 Speaker 19: trying to keep some sort of normalcy to my routine. 486 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:25,800 Speaker 7: I could literally hear Gary. 487 00:25:25,560 --> 00:25:30,080 Speaker 19: Thorne up in the booth saying, well, Caleb, Joseph now 488 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:32,440 Speaker 19: one for his last thirty six. I'm going I won 489 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:37,000 Speaker 19: for my last My god, I got to get this together. 490 00:25:37,119 --> 00:25:42,040 Speaker 1: Our next guests include this guy, Eduardo Perez, Karl Ravch 491 00:25:42,119 --> 00:25:44,320 Speaker 1: and Tim Kirkshin. I chatted with the three of you 492 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:46,639 Speaker 1: because at the time, you guys were calling playoff games 493 00:25:46,640 --> 00:25:47,560 Speaker 1: on ESPN. 494 00:25:47,359 --> 00:25:50,720 Speaker 2: Radio, and the travel habits of mister Ravis, mister Perez, 495 00:25:50,840 --> 00:25:55,280 Speaker 2: mister Kirkchen are needless to say, completely different, even. 496 00:25:55,040 --> 00:25:56,320 Speaker 4: Though we're traveling together. 497 00:25:56,440 --> 00:25:59,000 Speaker 1: It would have been a great sitcom from the sixties. 498 00:25:59,040 --> 00:26:01,679 Speaker 1: So the three of you traveling together because you all 499 00:26:01,760 --> 00:26:03,680 Speaker 1: three of you have different takes on how it should 500 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:08,879 Speaker 1: go down, including when you were traveling overseas abroad. Oh gosh, 501 00:26:09,080 --> 00:26:10,280 Speaker 1: and sadly that was Jeff. 502 00:26:10,320 --> 00:26:12,680 Speaker 20: I was having a flashback because the only other time 503 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:15,040 Speaker 20: that I recall that happening. 504 00:26:15,320 --> 00:26:17,840 Speaker 6: Was in Cuba, where we couldn't prevent it. 505 00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:21,320 Speaker 11: Ugh, But he got on the wrong bus, and if 506 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 11: you're going to get on a wrong bus and. 507 00:26:23,400 --> 00:26:26,560 Speaker 18: You're gonna do it in Cuba, we may never see 508 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:27,159 Speaker 18: him again. 509 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:29,280 Speaker 21: Ever, it was the. 510 00:26:29,200 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 2: Only person on the bus. I don't speak a word 511 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:36,760 Speaker 2: of Spanish about his country. It's ten thirty at night, 512 00:26:36,880 --> 00:26:40,200 Speaker 2: and I'm dressed in a three piece suit because everyone 513 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:42,199 Speaker 2: told me you have to wear a suit when you 514 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:43,679 Speaker 2: go to go to Cuba. 515 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:46,480 Speaker 4: So I wear the best suit I have. Everyone else 516 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 4: they dupe me. 517 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:51,120 Speaker 2: Everyone else is dressed in sweatpants and everything else. I'm 518 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:53,639 Speaker 2: all dressed up. I'm on the wrong I'm on the 519 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:55,560 Speaker 2: wrong bus in a communist country. 520 00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:56,760 Speaker 7: I don't speak the language. 521 00:26:56,800 --> 00:26:57,800 Speaker 4: It's a miracle. 522 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:01,520 Speaker 2: I got to my hotel without getting killed. A miracle. 523 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:04,000 Speaker 1: Our next guest of is this a great game? Or 524 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:07,520 Speaker 1: what is our podcast's most listened. 525 00:27:07,280 --> 00:27:10,119 Speaker 2: To interview of twenty twenty five right Harold Reynolds and 526 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:14,240 Speaker 2: Jeff I thought I had heard every Harold Reynolds story 527 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:16,480 Speaker 2: there was, because I was his teammate as he had 528 00:27:16,520 --> 00:27:19,000 Speaker 2: again for years. And I also thought I had heard 529 00:27:19,160 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 2: every Bo Jackson story ever told. But boy, I had 530 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:28,000 Speaker 2: never heard this one Bo Jackson in his prime. 531 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:31,159 Speaker 17: So I'm hitting extra, I'm early hitting, and he's like, 532 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:34,280 Speaker 17: you know, switch hitter, you know, switch hitter? 533 00:27:34,840 --> 00:27:37,520 Speaker 7: And so I finished my round. We're done. I was 534 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:39,520 Speaker 7: the last hitter. He hops in fresh to. 535 00:27:39,560 --> 00:27:42,560 Speaker 17: VP and he's hitting and he's taking the swings and 536 00:27:42,600 --> 00:27:45,959 Speaker 17: these hammering balls in the Kingdome, just all over the place, 537 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:49,560 Speaker 17: and he goes, you know, switch hitter Reynolds, and I 538 00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:51,479 Speaker 17: look at him and he turns around left handed. 539 00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:52,879 Speaker 7: I kid you not. 540 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:54,960 Speaker 17: If I didn't see it, I wouldn't believe it. And 541 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:57,320 Speaker 17: he hits the ball in the fifth. 542 00:27:57,040 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 11: Deck in the Kingdome. 543 00:27:58,119 --> 00:28:03,200 Speaker 17: No left left handed I've seen in ten years. 544 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:05,120 Speaker 7: I saw five balls go up there. 545 00:28:05,359 --> 00:28:09,320 Speaker 17: Bo hit the ball left handed into the fifth deck 546 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,720 Speaker 17: and he drops his bat and goes bo Nos. 547 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:22,160 Speaker 1: Our next guests were Dan and Ben Shulman. And I'm 548 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:24,440 Speaker 1: very careful when I say their last name, and there's 549 00:28:24,480 --> 00:28:26,720 Speaker 1: a reason behind that, but they were the first ever 550 00:28:26,800 --> 00:28:30,960 Speaker 1: father son duo to broadcast the same World Series Game 551 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:32,560 Speaker 1: one on radio, one on television. 552 00:28:32,760 --> 00:28:36,760 Speaker 2: So cool, right, And Dan Shulman many years ago did 553 00:28:36,920 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 2: a radio interview and he's like a star broadcaster then 554 00:28:42,080 --> 00:28:45,920 Speaker 2: and now. But the show host got his name a 555 00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:49,320 Speaker 2: little bit mixed up. But Dan, what, how did he 556 00:28:49,400 --> 00:28:51,880 Speaker 2: pronounce your last name in the same interview. 557 00:28:55,760 --> 00:28:59,600 Speaker 21: So to this day, Cherry Francona, the world's greatest human 558 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:01,240 Speaker 21: being is you know? You know him as well as 559 00:29:01,240 --> 00:29:04,800 Speaker 21: I knew who I worked with at ESPN. Whenever I 560 00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:06,680 Speaker 21: see him like when the Blue Jays played the Reds 561 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:10,000 Speaker 21: this year and I walked into his office, Sloeman, it's 562 00:29:10,040 --> 00:29:12,120 Speaker 21: the first thing that he says to me all the time. 563 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 21: So you know what, I think it's funny. I love 564 00:29:15,280 --> 00:29:18,000 Speaker 21: nicknames and funny stories like that. Like again, it's a 565 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:20,720 Speaker 21: moment in time. We're in the moment, You're like, what's 566 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:23,520 Speaker 21: happening here? But then you get twenty years of laughs 567 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:26,440 Speaker 21: out of that one moment, Like what's a what's a 568 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:27,959 Speaker 21: better payoff than something like that? 569 00:29:28,200 --> 00:29:31,440 Speaker 2: And Ben, didn't Aaron Boone come up to you during 570 00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:35,320 Speaker 2: the el LDS tell us what happened there? 571 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:36,320 Speaker 7: Yeah? 572 00:29:36,360 --> 00:29:38,840 Speaker 20: So this was so in the in the playoffs, it's 573 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:42,960 Speaker 20: you know, less intimate meetings sometimes in more press conferences, 574 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:45,560 Speaker 20: and so Boone, the Jays are up one nothing. I 575 00:29:45,600 --> 00:29:48,960 Speaker 20: think this was Game two. But Aaron has an awesome 576 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:51,840 Speaker 20: sense of humor. And he's up there and he's taken questions, 577 00:29:51,840 --> 00:29:53,640 Speaker 20: and I might ask him one of the last couple 578 00:29:53,600 --> 00:29:56,000 Speaker 20: of questions, so he would have seen that I was 579 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:58,280 Speaker 20: in there right before he left, and he wraps up 580 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:02,200 Speaker 20: and he walks a the podium down the stairs toward 581 00:30:02,280 --> 00:30:04,640 Speaker 20: the door to leave the room, and right before he leaves. 582 00:30:04,800 --> 00:30:08,000 Speaker 20: He turned with a room full of reporters, mostly Yankee 583 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:12,920 Speaker 20: reporters who have no context for what is going on either, 584 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:15,960 Speaker 20: and he turned and just went Schwillman and then left 585 00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:17,280 Speaker 20: the room and walked away. 586 00:30:18,720 --> 00:30:21,840 Speaker 1: And our final guest of twenty twenty five was incredible 587 00:30:21,960 --> 00:30:26,160 Speaker 1: writer and broadcaster Ken Rosenthal. Dad, and I mean, obviously 588 00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:30,720 Speaker 1: both of you have created incredible writing and television careers, 589 00:30:30,720 --> 00:30:33,160 Speaker 1: but you two go way back to being on the 590 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:35,640 Speaker 1: beat against each other in Baltimore right now. 591 00:30:35,640 --> 00:30:39,880 Speaker 2: I'll never forget asking our secretary at the Baltimore Sun, 592 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:42,760 Speaker 2: what's the new guy like? Is he a really big guy? 593 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:45,800 Speaker 2: And she said no, no, no, he's really little like you. 594 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:49,680 Speaker 2: Ken rosehal is five foot five o five foot five, 595 00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:53,840 Speaker 2: And that led to a pretty funny nickname. Tell Jeff 596 00:30:53,880 --> 00:30:57,400 Speaker 2: what ed farmer nicknamed us? Well, we were working to 597 00:30:57,560 --> 00:31:00,520 Speaker 2: get together on the beat to keep them going. 598 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 3: The farmer was an Oriel. 599 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:04,720 Speaker 20: Scout the former Picture and he was a guy with 600 00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:08,720 Speaker 20: an amazing sense of humor. And back then the Houston 601 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:11,719 Speaker 20: Rockets had Ralph Sampson and I came Alajawan. 602 00:31:11,840 --> 00:31:13,520 Speaker 12: They were known as the Twin Towers. 603 00:31:13,960 --> 00:31:16,480 Speaker 8: Tim and I obviously were not the Twin Towers, so 604 00:31:16,560 --> 00:31:18,080 Speaker 8: it called us the Twin Towers. 605 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:21,320 Speaker 12: And Frank Robinson when he was managing during that time, 606 00:31:21,360 --> 00:31:23,680 Speaker 12: that was the manager we had in those years. 607 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:25,840 Speaker 3: First Cowripkin Senior for me and then Frank. 608 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:28,840 Speaker 6: Frank would just say sometimes Talas what the Towers. 609 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:33,080 Speaker 12: It was unbelievable. 610 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:33,880 Speaker 7: It was so bad. 611 00:31:34,160 --> 00:31:38,040 Speaker 2: Elijahuan and Sampson were like average seven feet tall and 612 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:40,560 Speaker 2: Junior and I were five feet tall, so it was 613 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:43,280 Speaker 2: it was a really perfect comparison there. 614 00:31:44,040 --> 00:31:47,960 Speaker 1: And that's it for our highlights of our great guests 615 00:31:47,960 --> 00:31:50,719 Speaker 1: of twenty twenty five. A big shout out and a 616 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:53,240 Speaker 1: thank you to all of the guests that joined us 617 00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:56,240 Speaker 1: this year. We know that our guests are are really 618 00:31:56,280 --> 00:31:59,000 Speaker 1: what makes this show even more special. But Dad, I 619 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:01,840 Speaker 1: have to just say before we wrap up this episode, 620 00:32:02,160 --> 00:32:05,800 Speaker 1: thank you. I had so much fun in our second year. 621 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:10,040 Speaker 1: I remember at the end of last season, Coyoushly, you 622 00:32:10,080 --> 00:32:11,080 Speaker 1: looked at me and said, I. 623 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:12,880 Speaker 4: Don't know who else I'm gonna. 624 00:32:12,640 --> 00:32:14,600 Speaker 1: Call to join the show. We got all of our 625 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:19,800 Speaker 1: best guys already done this year, Dad, Jim Desha's, Steve Sparks, 626 00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:24,240 Speaker 1: Tony Gwinn Junior, I mean, Joe Wes Steve Phillips, Jim Abbott. 627 00:32:24,480 --> 00:32:26,560 Speaker 1: The list goes on and on of the incredible guests 628 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:28,440 Speaker 1: we had this year, and it's all thanks to your 629 00:32:28,560 --> 00:32:29,000 Speaker 1: hard work. 630 00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:32,440 Speaker 2: Listen, we laugh and we learn on this show. And 631 00:32:32,480 --> 00:32:36,960 Speaker 2: that's why I believe our interviews work is where we're 632 00:32:37,040 --> 00:32:41,040 Speaker 2: just trying to relate to these people on a human level. 633 00:32:41,160 --> 00:32:44,440 Speaker 2: And you see that there are former players and broadcasters 634 00:32:44,600 --> 00:32:45,000 Speaker 2: who are. 635 00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:47,080 Speaker 4: The most normal people in the world as long as 636 00:32:47,080 --> 00:32:49,360 Speaker 4: you talk to them about normal things. 637 00:32:49,800 --> 00:32:52,000 Speaker 1: Who would have thought that Caward Ken Jr. Was playing 638 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:53,480 Speaker 1: Mario Karts. 639 00:32:53,240 --> 00:32:55,960 Speaker 2: Right as Ryan Ripkin told us. He said, you know, 640 00:32:56,440 --> 00:32:58,920 Speaker 2: it takes an awful lot to make my dad laugh 641 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:01,560 Speaker 2: out loud, but you guys did it, so we'll take 642 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:03,200 Speaker 2: that as a compliment. 643 00:33:03,280 --> 00:33:05,000 Speaker 4: It was a great twenty twenty five. 644 00:33:05,040 --> 00:33:06,840 Speaker 2: And what do we have ahead for twenty twenty six? 645 00:33:06,880 --> 00:33:09,000 Speaker 1: Well, we have a lot ahead for twenty twenty six. 646 00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:11,640 Speaker 1: We're going to continue once a week during the off season, 647 00:33:11,760 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 1: but then when the regular season kicks in, we'll go 648 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:16,480 Speaker 1: back to three days a week bringing you all the 649 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:18,960 Speaker 1: great baseball content that you love. And I thought, Dad, 650 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:21,880 Speaker 1: this might be a good chance to ask people, Hey, 651 00:33:22,360 --> 00:33:25,680 Speaker 1: message us great gamer, what dot com if there's a 652 00:33:25,760 --> 00:33:29,560 Speaker 1: guest that you would want to see us interview on 653 00:33:29,680 --> 00:33:32,640 Speaker 1: the podcast in twenty twenty six, so Great Gamer, What 654 00:33:32,760 --> 00:33:35,320 Speaker 1: dot Com Scroll down, there's a little box there. Dad's 655 00:33:35,360 --> 00:33:38,400 Speaker 1: able to respond to those these days me as well. 656 00:33:38,520 --> 00:33:41,680 Speaker 1: So we'd love to hear from you and make sure 657 00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:45,000 Speaker 1: you subscribe on YouTube. Follow wherever you're listening right now, 658 00:33:45,680 --> 00:33:48,280 Speaker 1: Follow us on social media at great Game or what 659 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:50,520 Speaker 1: as well, because twenty twenty six is going to be 660 00:33:50,520 --> 00:33:51,280 Speaker 1: a big year for the pop. 661 00:33:51,360 --> 00:33:53,240 Speaker 2: Right now, I'm gonna watch the big screen TV in 662 00:33:53,280 --> 00:33:54,120 Speaker 2: twenty twenty six. 663 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:57,400 Speaker 1: He's got a new TV in here, folks. Thanks to you, 664 00:33:58,240 --> 00:34:00,280 Speaker 1: Thanks to you for listening, and thank you so much 665 00:34:00,280 --> 00:34:01,680 Speaker 1: for being a part of our family. 666 00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:10,680 Speaker 18: M HM.