Back When There Was Baseball

We travel back to the 1970s with our guest this week. Darrel Chaney played in the Majors from 1969-1979. He started out his athletic career as a Parade All American quarterback in 1965. Darrel turned down scholarship offers to Notre Dame and Michigan State to pursue his baseball career. He made his name as a utility-infielder, but as all utility players will tell you, they intended to be starters and Darrel was no exception. But when you look at the Cincinnati Reds lineup during the years he was with the club (1969-1975), you had to have been an outstanding player to even make the team. Darrel was traded to the Atlanta Braves in 1976 where he finally got his chance to start and had the best season of his career. Join us as we go Back When There Was Baseball with our guest Darrel Chaney.

We merge modern day baseball with baseball played 40+ years ago when we go Back When There Was Baseball. Don Cooper joins us this week. Don played in the Minor/Major Leagues from 1978-1987 with stints in the Majors with the Minnesota Twins, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees. His experience as a pitcher helped him immensely as he became a pitching coach and had a long stint with the Chicago White Sox from 2002-2020. What is amazing about this long stint is that he worked for 4 different managers: Jerry Manuel, Ozzie Guillen, Robin Ventura and Rick Renteria. He was part of the 2005 World Series Champion Chicago White Sox and coached some outstanding pitchers during his tenure.

We take the time machine back to the early 1970s with our guest John Doherty. John was drafted in the 1st round of the 1970 MLB January Draft - Secondary Phase by the California Angels. He played in the Major/Minor Leagues from 1970-1978. John suffered an arm injury early in his career which relegated him to 1st Base. He broke into the Majors in 1974 with the Angels and had a decent season. He also played in the Majors in 1975 which was the last time he played in the Major Leagues. Join us as we go Back When There Was Baseball with our guest John Doherty.

Curt Kaufman joins us this week. Curt received a scholarship out of high school to play baseball at Iowa State University. After that he was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the New York Yankees on July 10, 1979. He worked his way through the minor leagues rather quickly and was named the International League Relief Pitcher of the Year in 1983 with 25 saves while playing for Columbus. Curt first appeared in the Majors with the Yankees in 1982 and was up for a short stint in 1983. He was traded to the California Angels in December of 1983 in exchange for Tim Foli. He played the 1984 season with the Angels and never made it back to the Big Leagues as elbow surgery curtailed his career. Join us as we go Back When There Was Baseball to the early 1980s with our guest Curt Kaufman.

Doug Rau joins us this week. Doug had a good collegiate career at Texas A&M which earned him a #1 draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the secondary phase of the June 1970 draft. He had an 81-60 record with a career ERA of 3.35 from 1972-1981. However, Doug may be best known for his infamous mound visit during Game 4 of the 1977 World Series as manager Tommy Lasorda was mic'd. He was a very effective pitcher until arm problems curtailed his career. Doug was part of 3 World Series teams, however the Dodgers lost all 3 (1974 to the Oakland A's and 1977-1978 to the New York Yankees). Join us as we travel Back When There Was Baseball with our guest Doug Rau.

Rudy Meoli joins us this week. Rudy played in the Major and Minor Leagues from 1969-1979 for several teams (California Angels, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies). He got up to the Majors in 1971 for a short stint, but 1973 was the season that he established himself. Rudy started at 2B for the Phillies during that infamous 23-22 game with the Cubs on May 17, 1979, which ended up being his last year in the Major Leagues. Join us as we take a trip Back When There Was Baseball to the 1970s with our guest Rudy Meoli.

American League umpire Rich Garcia joins us this week. Richie was one of the most highly respected umpires of his time period (1976-1999). During his career, he worked 2 All-Star games (1980, 1992), 3 ALDS (1995, 1997, 1998), 5 ALCS (1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1996) and 4 World Series (1981, 1984, 1989, 1998). Richie was part of some memorable post-season games including the great 1982 ALCS between the Milwaukee Brewers and California Angels. He was the first base umpire in Game 5 of the 1986 ALCS when Donnie Moore served up the infamous home run ball to Dave Henderson of the Red Sox. Richie was scheduled to be the left field umpire in Game 3 of the 1989 World Series before the earthquake delayed the series. Enjoy this look Back When There Was Baseball with umpire Rich Garcia.

We take the time machine this week Back When There Was Baseball to the mid-1960s with our guest John Werhas. John was signed in 1960 by the Dodgers after being a 2-sport athlete out of USC (baseball and basketball). He was the opening day starter at 3rd base for the Dodgers in 1964. After he struggled hitting, Manager Walt Alston inserted Junior Gilliam at 3rd base which provided the Dodgers with an all-switch-hitting infield in 1965 (1B - Wes Parker, 2B - Jim Lefebvre, SS - Maury Wills, 3B - Junior Gilliam). John exited baseball after the 1973 season and devoted his life to the ministry.

There were a few players in the 1970s whom Rex was told to emulate if he wanted to play Big League Baseball. Art Howe was one of them and he is our guest this week. Art started his athletic career as a football player at the University of Wyoming. After an injury, he concentrated on baseball and it paid dividends. Art started out in the Pirates organization but was traded to the Houston Astros and finally made it to the Majors permanently at the age of 30 in 1977. He was able to play all infield positions and was part of the Greatest 5-Game NLCS in history when the Astros lost to the Phillies in 1980. Not only did Art have a solid Major League career, but he followed that up with a solid managing career with a record of 1129-1137. We travel Back When There Was Baseball to the mid-1970s through the early-1980s with our esteemed guest, Art Howe.

When you talk about the greatest outfield arms in the history of the game players such as Roberto Clemente, Dave Parker and Ichiro Suzuki come to mind. However, our guest this week may have the greatest arm of them all. Ellis Valentine joins us to talk about his MLB career. Ellis was drafted in 1972 in the 2nd round by the Montreal Expos and made his Major League debut in 1975. He was part of that great outfield in the late 1970s which consisted of himself, Andre Dawson and Warren Cromartie. He was traded to the New York Mets in 1981 and also played for the California Angels and Texas Rangers to end his career. Injuries curtailed his career, but we consider Ellis one of the better players of his generation. Join us as we go Back When There Was Baseball with our guest Ellis Valentine.

Tom Murphy joins us this week. Tom played in MLB from 1967-1979 with the California Angels, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. He pitched as a starter and a reliever. Tom was drafted out of Ohio University in 1967 and made his Major League debut with the Angels in 1968. Enjoy this trip Back When There Was Baseball with our guest Tom Murphy.

John Morlan is our guest this week. He played in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization from 1971-1977 with stints in the Major Leagues in 1973 and 1974. John is our first guest that was drafted 4 times before signing with the Pirates out of Ohio University. He participated in the 1974 season which included the Dock Ellis incident where Dock attempted to hit every Cincinnati Reds batter on May 1. The Pirates also won the National League East but lost to the L.A. Dodgers in the NL Championship Series. Enjoy this trip Back When There Was Baseball with John Morlan.

Our guest this week is former MLB pitcher Skip Lockwood. Skip signed with the Kansas City A's in 1964 for the unbelievable sum of $135,000. He started out at 3rd base and played behind Ed Charles in 1965 with the parent club. He had trouble hitting, especially during night games and was transitioned into a pitcher. Skip played for the A's, Seattle Pilots/Milwaukee Brewers, California Angels, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox. He excelled with the Mets from 1975-1979 mainly as a closer. Enjoy this trip Back When There Was Baseball with our guest Skip Lockwood.

Doug Corbett joins us this week. Doug played college baseball at the University of Florida but was not drafted. He signed with the Kansas City Royals for $500 on a free agent contract in 1974. Doug debuted with the Minnesota Twins in 1980 and had a great year as a relief pitcher, which resulted in a 3rd place finish for Rookie of the Year award (behind Joe Charboneau and Dave Stapleton). He played for the Twins, California Angels and Baltimore Orioles in a career that lasted through the 1987 season. Enjoy this trip Back When There Was Baseball with our guest Doug Corbett.

We travel Back When There Was Baseball this week to the 1980s with our guest Mike Stenhouse. Mike was one of the best hitters in Ivy League history coming out of Harvard before signing with the Montreal Expos in 1980. Mike was able to hit everywhere he played, but he struggled when he got to the Majors. We speak with Mike about having to break into the lineup playing behind Andre Dawson, Warren Cromartie, Tim Raines, Terry Francona and Al Oliver to name a few. He talks about not getting a chance to play on a regular basis, which he needed to become consistent as a hitter. Mike shares some great stories and elaborates on the game being a "business" as we go Back When There Was Baseball.

Our guest this week was All-Everything out of the University of Tennessee before he entered the professional ranks. Sam Ewing hit .412 during his career at Tennessee garnering him All-American status. After competing in the World Amateur Games, he started his Major League baseball career. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox and had stints with the parent club in 1973 and 1976. Sam was selected by the Toronto Blue Jays out of the expansion draft in 1976. He had a very productive year in 1977, hitting .287 while platooning. Sam takes us on a trip Back When There Was Baseball and talks about being platooned and also being labeled, which was prevalent in the 1970s.

Jim Lyttle joins us on the podcast this week. Jim played in the Majors from 1969-1976. He then had a successful career in Japan from 1977-1983. Jim played with the Yankees during the CBS years (1969-1971), White Sox (1972), Expos (1973-1976) and Dodgers (1976). Jim discusses his career, what it was like fighting for playing time, and also playing for 4 teams then playing in Japan. He was a solid outfielder during his career and played with many great players. Join us as we journey Back When There Was Baseball with Jim Lyttle.

Dyar Miller joins us this week. Dyar graduated from Utah State and was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1968 after he was not drafted. Dyar played from 1968-1984 with 7 of those years in the Majors (Baltimore, California, Toronto and the New York Mets). After switching to a relief pitcher in 1975, he posted a career record of 23-17 with a 3.23 ERA. After retiring as a player, Dyar stayed in the game as a coach from 1985-2012 with most of those years in the Cardinals organization. Enjoy this trip Back When There Was Baseball to the mid-1970s through the early 1980s with our guest Dyar Miller.

Who was the last player to hit a home run in the original Yankee Stadium (1973) before the massive remodel? His name is Duke Sims and he is our guest this week. Duke also had the privilege of catching one of the greatest pitching staffs in the history of the game, the 1968 Cleveland Indians staff which included "Sudden" Sam McDowell, Luis Tiant, Sonny Siebert, Stan Williams and Steve Hargan. Duke was also the catcher in Game 2 of the 1972 ALCS when Bert Campaneris threw his bat at Detroit Tigers pitcher Larrin LaGrow after being hit by a pitch. Duke shares some great stories about his career Back When There Was Baseball.

Mike Paul joins us on the podcast this week. He came out of the University of Arizona and was drafted in the 20th round in 1967 by the Cleveland Indians. He was a part of arguably the best pitching staff in Major League history in the 1968 Cleveland Indians. Mike made it to the Majors quickly and had success. He played for the Cleveland Indians, Texas Rangers and the Chicago Cubs and then finished out his career in the Mexican League. Mike talks about the Indians pitching staff and playing for Ted Williams in Texas.

Ken Frailing passed away on August 25, 2022. We re-air this podcast in honor of him. Ken Frailing is our guest this week. Ken pitched from 1966-1978 in the Minor Leagues and the Majors. Ken was very promising out of high school as he had a 13-0 record his senior season with an unbelievable 0.17 ERA. He played for the White Sox and Cubs organizations in his tenure and shares some fascinating stories about his career in Chi-Town. Ken was also a very good hitting pitcher and unfortunately an injury curtailed his career. We hope you enjoy this interview with Ken Frailing Back When There Was Baseball.

Bart Zeller joins us this week. He was with the St. Louis Cardinals organization his entire career. Bart was a catcher and only appeared in one game with the parent club. So, you ask, why would you interview Bart Zeller? It's simple, Bart was the Cardinals insurance policy and worked with their great young staff which included the likes of Steve Carlton, Mike Torrez, Wayne Granger, and Reggie Cleveland to name a few. He played behind great Cardinal catchers Tim McCarver and Ted Simmons. Bart shares some great stories Back When There Was Baseball.

Bill Melton passed away on December 5, 2024. We are re-airing this podcast in honor of him. Who was the American League home run leader in 1971? If you do not know the answer, maybe "It is soo hot in Chicago that the third baseman is Melton" will jog your memory. Bill Melton is our guest this week. Bill talks about his career and the many teammates he played with, including the late Dick Allen. He also shares his feelings toward Harry Caray who turned the fans against him. Bill Melton was a very good third baseman, mostly with the White Sox, and we are fortunate to have him share his story. Sit back and enjoy this interview Back When There Was Baseball.

Eddie Leon is our guest this week. He played in the Major Leagues from 1968-1975 with the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees. His longest stint was in Cleveland where he teamed up with Jack Heidemann as one of the best double play combinations that few people knew about, as there were very few fans in attendance in Cleveland Municipal Stadium in those days. Eddie played his college ball at the University of Arizona before he was drafted by the Indians. He shared time at 2nd base and shortstop during his career and learned to turn the double play well from both positions. Join us as we go Back When There Was Baseball to the late 1960s/early 1970s with Eddie Leon.

Kevin Kobel joins us this week. Kevin came out of Athol Springs, NY which is south of Buffalo on Lake Erie. This is obviously not a good weather area for baseball, but Kevin earned his way to an 11th round draft pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 1971. He had a fast track to the Majors and appeared in his first game in 1973. Kevin pitched in 1973-1974 and part of 1976 with Milwaukee. He ended up being traded to the Kansas City Royals but was subsequently traded to the New York Mets before appearing in any games. He pitched for the Mets from 1978-1980 until arm problems ended his career. Join us as we take a trip Back When There Was Baseball with our guest Kevin Kobel.

Tommy McCraw is our guest this week. Tommy, or Mac as he likes to be called, played in the Majors from 1963-1975 with the Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, California Angels and back with the Indians to finish out his career. Mac played for Ted Williams in 1971 and credits Ted for helping him become a better hitter. He also coached 24 years in the Majors as a hitting coach. Enjoy this trip Back When There Was Baseball as Mac shares some great stories about his baseball career.

Our guest this week is Rance Mulliniks. Rance played from 1977-1992 for the California Angels, Kansas City Royals and the Toronto Blue Jays. He was traded to the Blue Jays in 1982, where he finally got a chance to play every day. He credits Cito Gaston for elevating his hitting. Rance was also an outstanding glove and for several years in the mid-1980s, was one of the top 3rd basemen in the American League. He became a designated hitter later in his career while he helped Kelly Gruber transition to the starting 3rd baseman. Rance won a World Series in his last season, 1992. Due to a back injury that hampered him early in his career, he was forced to retire after the 1992 season. Enjoy this trip Back When There Was Baseball with our guest Rance Mulliniks.

Tim Foli joins us on the podcast this week. Tim played in the Majors from 1970-1985. His statistics don't jump out at you, but he was a very good defensive shortstop and hit very well, mostly out of the 2nd spot in the batting order. Tim played for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, then the Mets again before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1979. He and the acquisition of Bill Madlock propelled the Pirates to a World Series championship in that 1979 season. He also filled in for an injured Rick Burleson in 1982 and helped the California Angels to the ALCS. Tim was a very good shortstop in the time he played. Join us when we go Back When There Was Baseball and review the career of Tim Foli.

Steve Kealey joins us this week on our look Back When There Was Baseball. Steve came out of Torrance, California in the mid-1960s where there was a boatload of talent. He was signed by the California Angels in 1966 and made his major league debut in 1968. Steve played for many years in the minors and majors with manager Chuck Tanner who he credits for giving him a chance. He played for the Angels organization until he was traded to the White Sox in March of 1971 where he played again for manager Chuck Tanner. Steve shares some great stories Back When There Was Baseball.

Our guest this week is Mike Epstein. Mike played in the Majors from 1966-1974 with various clubs and was part of the 1972 Oakland A's world championship team. He went to Cal-Berkeley on a football scholarship but ended up switching to baseball. Mike was nicknamed "Superjew" and played for quite a host of managers, which include Hank Bauer, Gil Hodges, Ted Williams and Dick Williams. Mike has some great stories, so enjoy this trip Back When There Was Baseball.

Dave Ford joins us this week. Dave was a 1st round draft pick in 1975 by the Baltimore Orioles. He was one of the many hot prospects and dominant pitchers that were a part of the Orioles organization at that time. Listen as Dave talks about the amazing pitching staff of the Orioles during the years he was in their organization (1975-1983) and what it was like to play for Earl Weaver as we go Back When There Was Baseball.

Our guest this week is former National League umpire Jerry Crawford. Jerry comes from a family of officials. His father Shag was a Major League umpire from 1955-1975 and his brother Joey, was an NBA official from 1977-2016. Jerry started out in the National League in 1976, then became a Major League umpire for the last 10 years of his career, which ended with the 2010 season. He shares some great stories about his career in Major League baseball and working with his umpiring crews. We hope you enjoy Jerry Crawford's perspective as we go Back When There Was Baseball.

Rick Wise joins us this week to talk about his outstanding career. Rick's career was lengthy, 1963-1982, with only parts of 3 seasons in the Minor Leagues. He started 8 games for the 1964 Phillies in a year in which the Phillies collapsed at the end of the year. Rick was traded for Steve Carlton in 1972 and gets a bad rap for that trade, but he had a good year with the Cardinals that year (16-16) in which a lot of his 16 losses were by 1-run. In 1974 he was traded to the Boston Red Sox and led the staff in wins with 19 during the World Series year in 1975. He ended his career with stints in Cleveland and San Diego. We go Back When There Was Baseball and let Rick Wise share some great stories around his career in baseball.

Zack Minasian joins us this week to talk about his book Lasorda University: A Recollection of My Summer of '68 with Tommy Lasorda and the Ogden Dodgers in our combined Sports Authors Showcase and Back When There Was Baseball podcasts. Zack shares some great stories about that 1968 Ogden Dodgers team (Pioneer League) which had some great players: Bill Buckner, Bobby Valentine, Steve Garvey, Tom Paciorek and Sandy Vance to name a few. Tommy Lasorda was the manager and led this group of young players to a championship which was a prequel of things to come for both the players and manager. Zack was a successful clubhouse manager with the Texas Rangers, and he shares what it was like as a 16-year-old boy in charge of a clubhouse in 1968 in Ogden, Utah.

Steve Whitaker joins us this week. Steve played from 1962-1972 with parts of 5 seasons in the Big Leagues. He started out in the Yankees organization and talks about playing in Yankee Stadium (when the monuments were in the field of play) with Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris and Bobby Richardson to name a few. Steve ended up in the expansion Seattle Pilots organization and played in their inaugural season (1969). His last year was with the San Francisco Giants in Candlestick Park. Enjoy this trip Back When There Was Baseball to the mid-1960s through the early 1970s with our guest Steve Whitaker.

Greg Terlecky joins us this week. We've had the privilege of hosting several pitchers that had great resumes, but for some reason or other, just didn't quite pan out. Greg is one of those pitchers and had he not been "rushed", could have had a different career. He played one season at the Big-League level in 1975 for the St. Louis Cardinals and just when he thought he was going to factor into their pitching rotation in 1976, he was traded to the Chicago White Sox. Greg was a "Bonus Baby" and this may have contributed to his being rushed to the Majors. He took his baseball experience and became successful in the insurance/financial planning business when his baseball career was over. Join us as we go Back When There Was Baseball and look at the career of Greg Terlecky.

Some of you may never have heard about our guest this week, but you will come away impressed with what this gentleman brought to the game when he was healthy. Gil Patterson joins us to talk about his career. He only played in the Majors for one year and it was 1977 with the New York Yankees. Gil can reminisce about "The Bronx Zoo" year and the many things that happened during that season. When you review some of the most promising pitchers that never quite made it due to injury, Gil Patterson has to be up there at the top. We go Back When There Was Baseball to the 1970s with Gil Patterson, who will also share his unique Topps Baseball Card story.

Tom Trebelhorn joins us on the podcast this week. Tom played in the Minor Leagues in the early 1970s, starting with the Bend Rainbows (Hawaii). After his playing career, he started his coaching venture, which culminated in a managerial position with the Milwaukee Brewers from 1986-1991 and then the Chicago Cubs in 1994. Tom shares some great stories surrounding his career as we travel Back When There Was Baseball.

Claude Osteen joins us for Part 2 which focuses on his coaching career and quite a career it was. Claude had stints as a pitching coach with the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Philles, Texas Rangers and L.A. Dodgers. He survived several coaching changes in Philadelphia and produced 3 Cy Young award winners in a 6-year span (Steve Carlton, John Denny and Steve Bedrosian). Claude shares some great stories about coaching his pitchers Back When There Was Baseball.

This week we air Part 1 of a 2-part interview with Claude Osteen which focuses on his playing days. Claude played in the Majors from 1957-1975 as a left-handed pitcher. He compiled a 196-195 record with a career ERA of 3.30. He is most noted for his days with the Los Angeles Dodgers pitching alongside Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale. Claude won game 3 of the 1965 World Series which helped propel the Dodgers to a 7-game series win against the Minnesota Twins. We go Back When There Was Baseball and relive some great stories about the playing career of Claude Osteen.

Our guest this week was headed for a stellar career as a pitcher until a torn rotator cuff cost him his career. Do you remember Steve Busby, Kansas City Royals pitcher 1972-1980? Steve talks about his career from high school into his stint at USC during their great days in the late 1960s/early 1970s. He had three very good years in the Majors from 1973-1975, which included two no-hitters. Let's go Back When There Was Baseball this week and let Steve Busby talk about his MLB career and how those Kansas City Royals teams became A.L. West perennial winners in the late 1970s.

Our guest this week is Gary Lavelle. You should remember Gary as a left-handed relief pitcher for the San Francisco Giants (1974-1984). When you look at Gary's career stats (80-77 with an ERA of 2.93), you wonder why he gets lost in the shuffle. Gary discusses his career, from his minor league years and getting called up with the Giants in 1974. He talks about how tough it was to pitch in Candlestick Park. Gary finishes up his career with the Toronto Blue Jays and participates in the 1985 ALCS against the Kansas City Royals. Enjoy this trip Back When There Was Baseball into the NL West Division in the mid-1970s through the mid-1980s with Gary Lavelle.

Greg Pryor joins us this week. Greg is one of those guys we love to interview. He was a solid player during his day, but not necessarily a household name. Greg played from 1971-1986 after being drafted by the Washington Senators which became the Texas Rangers in 1972. He finally got his chance to play regularly in the Chicago White Sox organization in 1978 and earned his stripes as a solid infielder. Greg was with the Kansas City Royals organization during the mid-1980s and earned a World Series ring in 1985. Join us as we go Back When There Was Baseball with our guest Greg Pryor.

We take the time machine back to the late 1950s through the late 1960s with our guest this week. Gary Bell joins us to talk about his great career. Gary was a pitcher with a career record of 121-117 with a 3.68 ERA. He was on that great Cleveland Indians pitching staff in the mid-to-late 1960s. Gary was moved to Boston and the Red Sox appeared in the 1967 World Series. He was also the starting pitcher in the first game of the 1969 initial season of the Seattle Pilots. Gary has some great stories to share as we go Back When There Was Baseball.

Two members of the PennSports.live family had fathers who played in the Minor Leagues and this episode will honor those fathers. My co-host, Steve Schaaf's father, Charles Dean Schaaf, played from 1955-1957 in the Baltimore Orioles organization. Tim Clark, host of Musings of a Sports Fanatic and Wall 2 Wall Football, had a father who played in the St. Louis Cardinals organization from 1949-1952. Steve and Tim share insight about their father's careers in baseball as we honor them this Father's Day.