The Baseball Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree

Bob speaks with Perry Barber, a remarkable and witty woman. She is an umpire, a musician.... the opening act for Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and Hall & Oates back in the day. She is also a former "Jeopardy" champion, and the recipient of the Dorothy Mills Lifetime Achievement Award. Best of all, she flawlessly explains the "Infield Fly".

Bob joins with Jeff Idelson and Jean Fruth as they travel along historic Route 66 in search of the "Grassroots of Baseball". Enjoy a conversation about their next endeavor, "Grassroots: Women in Baseball"!

For this episode, Bob has a conversation with Kirk McKnight, the author of newly revised version of his book, "The Voices of Baseball: The Game's Greatest Broadcasters Reflect on America's Pastime", which has just come out this past April, 2023. Join them as they discuss America's greatest game, and become familiar with the artists who paint portraits of the game with words.

For this episode, Bob speaks with Kelly Candaele, the brother of Casey, a former MLB player and son of Helen, a former All-American Girl's Professional Baseball League player. It was Kelly's documentary of the same name that caught Penny Marshall's eye, and the iconic #1 baseball film of all time was born... "A League of Their Own".

"America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It's been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But baseball has marked time." - Field of Dreams

Change has come to the MLB this year. Join Bob and his friend, former major league umpire Al Clark, as they discuss the recent new rule changes.

Bob reaches into the archives of past interviews for this June 22nd, 2014 talk with Steve Blass, former pitcher and broadcaster, and a 1971World Series hero. Steve discusses some of his baseball influences, like his dad, Bob Whalen (the scout who signed him), former teammates Bob Friend and Jim Bunning, and broadcaster Greg Brown.

Pull up your favorite chair and meet the prolific author Peter Golenbock. He has penned 48 books so far, both sports and non-sports. He has 7 NY Times best sellers to his credit. He's been meeting baseball icons since the day he met Jackie Robinson when he was 10 years old. Join him at "The Bronx Zoo" and listen with him to the "Whispers of the Gods".

For this episode, Bob's guest is former MLB pitcher Randy Lerch. Randy was signed out of Cordova H.S. and debuted for the Phillies in 1975. He pitched for 11 seasons for the Phillies, Brewers, Expos, and Giants. Randy was a member of the 1980 World Series Champion Phillies, has been inducted into the Reading Baseball Hall of Fame, and Sacramento Sports Hall of Fame. In 2019 he released his inspiration memoir "God in the Bullpen".

For this episode, Bob dips into the archives for a conversation he had with Dan Duquette in March 4th, 2020. Dan was a general manager with The Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, and Baltimore Orioles. Early in his career he scouted for the Milwaukee Brewers. Dan discusses notable players that he was fortunate to scout and sign up.

Bob speaks with his long time friend Bruce Markusen, who is an an award winning baseball author, as well as a manager at the Baseball Hall of Fame. They share a passion for baseball card collecting, as well as players they've both previously interviewed. Bruce also shares recommendations for how to tour the museum... simply a baseball fan who happens to work at baseball's shrine!

For this episode, Bob catches up with a longtime friend, Kent "Teke" Tekulve, former MLB pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, as well as for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Cincinnati Reds . We met during Pirates Dream Week 30 years ago, and again about 12 years ago, around the time Bob wrote his SABR biography.  Bob and Kent reminisce about Fantasy Camp, the "We Are Family" World Champions, Kent's heart transplant, and having 9 grandchildren!

Archival interview Bob did in August of 2012 with Herb Raybourn. Herb was a very successful baseball scout and great judge of raw talent. He signed Manny Sanguillen, Rennie Stennett, Omar Moreno, and notably Mariano Rivera, who he signed after seeing him throw only nine pitches. Herb passed away in 2017.

Bob speaks with Roger Repoz, who played 9 years in Major League Baseball with the Yankees, Athletics, and Angels... and then finished in Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball League. His years with the Yankees basically consisted of filling in for Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle while they were injured. Roger considers the highlight of his professional baseball career to be simply putting on the pinstripes alongside all of the great Yankee stars! Sit back, relax and enjoy Roger's baseball stories.

Bob talks with the son of George Case Jr, a standout outfielder with the Washington Senators and Cleveland Indians during the 1930's and 40's. George talks about his father and some of the great players he had the opportunity to rub shoulders with, and he shares his reminiscences of growing up and playing ball in the Trenton, NJ area.

Bob's conversation with Dick Drago from May 20th, 2014. Dick pitched 13 years in the Major Leagues with the Royals, Red Sox, Angels, Orioles, and Mariners... and relieved in two World Series games in 1975. Dick shares his views on pitching and those who were his biggest baseball influences.

Fifty-five years ago, I met and shook hands with our guest Al Downing. As a ten year old my dad took me to Rutgers for a baseball banquet, and the panel consisted of Monte Irvin, Jeff Torborg, Tom Gorman, and Al. I happened to win one of the door prizes... a baseball autographed by all four, and I got to go on stage and shake each man's hand. Unfortunately, I used that ball in a local game and lost it! Sit back and relax and listen to this 17 yr veteran of MLB!

When Pete Mikkleson informed Mickey Mantle that during the 1963 season, Ike only struck out four times in 559 at bats, the Yankee legend quipped, "Hell son, I could do that in one game!" Ike would enjoy a nine year minor league career, the majority spent in the New York Yankee organization, striking out only 59 times in 4057 at bats. Ike would team up with Ronnie Retton for several of those years... Ronnie had a daughter Mary Lou who would go on to make a name for herself!

Bob has a conversation with Al Clark, former MLB umpire. Al umpired for 26 years in the majors. So.. sit back and be entertained with Al's great baseball stories and feel his love of the game!

Bob chats with award winning journalist Melissa Ludtke, who challenged and won her 1977 suit against Bowie Kuhn and MLB over her 14th Amendment rights, brought about when then Commissioner Bowie Kuhn forbade her from going into either team's clubhouse after games during the 1977 World Series. She has written a book about the experience which will hopefully be out by the end of the year.

For this episode, Bob spends time with Phil Garner, former MLB player for 16 seasons and MLB manager for 15 seasons. He shares some great baseball stories, and we visit the magical "We Are Family" Worlds Series Champion Pittsburgh Pirates of 1979!

I was totally surprised to speak with him on Monday, but what a delight!

For this episode, Bob speaks with Andy Dolich, who has five decades of experience in the professional sports industry... holding executive positions in the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB. He has worked from both sides of the coin, from the Philadelphia 76ers who only won 9 games out of 82 in 1972, to the Oakland A's, who swept the San Francisco Giants in the 1989 World Series.

For this episode, Bob speaks with respected author Jonathan Eig. Jonathan attended the prestigious Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, and has been a news reporter and freelance writer. He has also authored 5 books from Muhammad Ali to Jackie Robinson. We will be discussing his definitive biography on Lou Gehrig.

For this episode Bob speaks with Billy Martin Jr., whose father was the Yankee legend and extremely successful manager of the Twins, Tigers, Rangers, Yankees, and A's.  We will learn of his father's relationship with his HOF teammates, plus Casey and George, and also catch up with him and his successful career as an agent in the music and baseball arena.

For this episode of "The Baseball Doesn't Fall Far From The Tree", Bob talks baseball and about Jim's father Syd Thrift, a well-respected baseball mind. Syd was a long time scout, scouting director, GM for both the Pirates and Orioles, and the architect behind the Royal's Baseball Academy. His son Jim did not fall from the tree, as an evaluator of baseball talent as a scout, and as a minor league manager.

In this episode, Bob speaks with Nancy Finley, author of the book "Finley Ball". How can we not talk about her uncle Charlie Finley, the 3 World Championship teams, moustaches, the mule, MC Hammer, and Mrs. Fields? It will be both entertaining and informative!

For this episode, Bob speaks with Glenn Wilson, who played ten tears in the major leagues for the Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Seattle Mariners. Glenn was the Detroit Tigers first pick in the 1980 amateur player's draft, and an All-Star with the Phillies in 1985. He is now a licensed minister and the author of his memoir "Headed Home".

For this episode, Bob speaks with Doug "The Glue" Flynn. Doug played in the Major Leagues for 11 seasons, and was a member of the "Big Red Machine"! In 1977, he was traded to the Mets for Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Seaver. Doug was known more for his slick fielding than his hitting prowess, and went on to win a Golden Glove as a second baseman in 1980. He began and ended his career playing for Sparky Anderson, but his favorite manager was Joe Torre, who gave him his break.

In this episode of our podcast, Bob and Al Santorini have a detailed conversation about his stellar High School baseball career, where he was 35-1 with over 500 strikeouts for Union High School in New Jersey. Al was also selected in the first round of the inaugural Amateur Baseball Draft by the Atlanta Braves in 1966. He pitched one year in Atlanta, but was left unprotected and then scooped up by the San Diego Padres in the first round of the Expansion draft in 1969.  Nowadays he works one-on-one baseball instruction with baseball players.

In this episode, Bob listens to Al reminisce about growing up in Brooklyn, rooting for his beloved Dodgers, his own journey to the big leagues, and the differences between how the game was played then and how it is played today.

Bob chats with Mets historian and fellow SABR member Matt Silverman. Matt's latest book is "Shea Stadium Remembered". He has also written books on both the 1973 and 1986 Mets teams. If you're a Mets fan or just a baseball fan in general, you're not going to want to miss this episode!

For this episode, Bob speaks with Darrell Chaney, a utility man with the Big Red Machine. During his ten year career, he played with and against 41 members of the Hall of Fame.

For this episode, Bob speaks with Jake Wood, who played 7 seasons in major league baseball after being signed by Irving "Rabbit" Jacobson, and drafted in 1957 by the Detroit Tigers. He would lead the American League in triples with 14 in 1961, his rookie year. In their conversation, Jake expresses his love for baseball and life. To this day, while in his eighties, Jake plays competitive softball twice a week near his home in Pensacola, Florida!

Mike Capps is a former CNN correspondent, who reinvented himself after returning from the original Persian Gulf War. He went on to become the first and only voice of the Round Rock Express, a AAA affiliate of the Texas Rangers. By the end of April 2022, he will have announced his 3,000th ball game!

When Anne Keene's family asked her to write the obituary and give the eulogy for her father, she went down into the family basement to look for clues... and stumbled upon a magical metal trunk that revealed the unknown treasures that would become her book,

"The Cloudbuster Nine: The Untold Story of Ted Williams and the Baseball Team That Helped Win World War II"

For this episode, Bob talks with his good friend Mike Lynch, the founder of SeamHeads.com, baseball historian, author of several baseball books, and a proud member of Red Sox Nation!

Bob speaks with Tim Burman, former All-City pitcher out of Elder High School (Cincinnati), All-American for the University of Cincinnati, 1975 draft pick of the Pittsburgh Pirates... played one year of Class A ball. Suffered a career ending arm injury, and then because of a conversation with Branch Rickey's grandson in 1988, he became the left handed batting practice pitcher for his hometown Reds for the next 30 years. Tim shares stories of rubbing elbows with several MLB stars during that time.

Bob speaks with Tom "Mr. Ranger" Grieve about being drafted #1 by the Senators in 1966, playing for Ted Williams, and his 50 years in MLB as a player, general manager, and TV announcer. Chock full of interesting stories and anecdotes!

A conversation with pitching legend Tommy John: his thoughts on team-mates, managers, and the surgery famously named for him.

Conversation with former Yankees PR director, author and historian Marty Appel.

Conversation with former major league pitcher Mark Littell, who shares stories of his career in baseball.

Bob Hurte speaks with former major leaguer Tom Walker of Montreal Expos, St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Tigers, and California Angels fame, where Tom talks about his career and shares some of his stories and experiences.