Speaker 1: 0:01

And welcome to another episode of Hold my Cutter coming your way from Bern by Rocky Patel. We're just a few blocks away from PNC Park on the North Shore. Special guest is a Pirate Hall of Famer today and our featured smoke. I think it's the same one that he suggested the last time, but it's such a good cigar, who can blame us or him? It's the Vintage 2003 Cameroon, rated 93 by Cigar Aficionado. It's aged Cameroon wrapper with Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers and a Nicaraguan binder. The blend delivers a medium-bodied smoking experience and it really is perfect for any time of day. It was also recommended by one of our sponsors, berkshire Hathaway Home Services.

Speaker 1: 0:46

We were going to talk a lot about not just Hall of Famers, but All-Star Steve Blass and speaking of All-Star ERA, pronounced like Sarah, without the S CATS, just like the business school. Not sure there's any affiliation there, but she is our MVP in real estate and a top producing realtor at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. She is our MVP in real estate and a top producing realtor at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. If you are thinking about buying or selling, you need to call Eric Katz. She has been knocking it out of the park for over a decade. She handles your home like she would handle her own. You're in good company. She's good people, so do me a favor and check out her website at askerikatzcom. That's askerikatz with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. When it comes to real estate sales, remember to ask Era, because she knows, and she's the best of this era. Yeah, era, era Pronounced Era, the best of this era, or that too. But it's not Era Cats, it's Era.

Speaker 2: 1:42

Cats at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. She's the best era of this era.

Speaker 1: 1:45

There you go. Now. That's more like it. Now we are with. In case you haven't noticed, recognize the voice, the face, if you're watching on YouTube, it is the great Pirate Hall of Famer, steve Blass. We were with Steve a recent episode talking about the good old days, but we didn't get to a couple of things. First of all, that NLCS, you pitched two complete games in the 1971 World Series. Steve will never say it. It's blasphemous to say it here in this town but there is an argument.

Speaker 1: 2:22

I'm not saying it should have happened, but there is an argument. In fact, if you take out the personalities, you take just statistics. Just look at the seven-game series. There's an argument that Steve could have been the MVP. Maybe should have been the MVP of the 1971 World Series. Obviously Roberto Clemente very deserving and we applaud that we applaud?

Speaker 2: 2:46

Of course we do.

Speaker 1: 2:47

But there's a story leading up to that. You did not pitch as well in the National League Championship Series against the Giants. You're kind.

Speaker 2: 2:58

Well, just set to say I had a good year. We had a stacked team, we ran away with a division and I was 15-8, had an ERA about 2.5, so I was going to pitch the first game of the playoffs. What I did was fall into the trap. I had never pitched in the postseason In 1970, we got swept by the Reds and I didn't have a particularly good year, so I didn't get in.

Speaker 2: 3:24

So 71, I start the first game and subconsciously I guess, I fell into that trap that it wasn't the regular season anymore, so elevated, so it's an elevated situation. So I must have to be better, I must have, I have to throw harder. And I fell into that trap. I had a bunch of strikeouts in the first four innings against San Francisco out there, and then I got my face ripped off and I didn't realize that that was a problem. And the same thing in, I think, the last game. I got beat up in both of those games. So thank goodness our team was good. They've saved my butt by getting enough runs and outscoring the Giants. So we get into the World Series in spite of my two bad starts. So now I don't pitch the first two games because I was awful in the playoffs.

Speaker 1: 4:14

In fact, Doc. Is that the reason behind that? Yes, oh wow, I didn't know that, yeah.

Speaker 2: 4:17

I got beat up so bad they're trying to ride the hot hand. Yeah, and what happened? Doc Ellis had a big year. So Doc, yeah, and what happened? Doc Ellis had a big year. So Doc started the first one. He got beat up, and the second game was started by Bob Johnson. He beat Juan Marichal in the playoffs 2-1. And so he pitched game two of the World Series. And you've got to think of that team. We were up against the Baltimore Orioles, defending world champions. They won 100 games again that year. At the end of their year they won the last 13 regular season games. They swept their playoffs and won the first two. They were on a 16-game winning streak by game three Can you believe that?

Speaker 2: 4:56

If you don't win game three, you're not going to sweep them four games. Oh man, and I finally got in my head, hard head. I had to go back to be the pitcher that I was and I pitched a game of my life three-hitter against that team and we mentioned it, I think, previous podcast that after that game my dad jumped out.

Speaker 1: 5:19

Yeah, that's the thing to remember. That was at Three River Stadium, obviously.

Speaker 2: 5:23

And so that got us back into it and we won the middle three games of the series, outpitched them. I won five to one. We won the first night game in World Series history, which I'll never forget the Pirates for having, Because the World Series should be played in the afternoon so the kids can run home from school like we did. Anyway, that's a whole different story, for another time. But we won 4-3. Bruce Keeson came in in the first inning, pitched five shutout innings and we won 4-3. And then Nellie Briles pitched a two-hit shutout in game five. So we won games three, four and five outpitched that team that had four 20-game winners Can you imagine that.

Speaker 2: 6:08

Palmer, mcnally, dobson and.

Speaker 1: 6:09

Cuellar Four 28 winners on one staff.

Speaker 3: 6:10

Yeah, I mean, you may see one this year Maybe.

Speaker 2: 6:13

Yeah, maybe Hall of Famers everywhere Frank Robinson, brooks, robinson, palmer, the manager, earl Weaver, hall of Famer, jeez, louise. And so we go into game six, go back to Baltimore and everybody in Pittsburgh, we can win it. Now Everybody in Pittsburgh is rooting for Bob Moose to start. Nobody was rooting for him more than I was, because I'd had my moment in the sun in game three. And as Frank Robinson slid across home plate to win for them, danny Murtaugh tapped me on the shoulder and said tag you're it, game seven, tag you're it for game seven. We knew I was going to pitch.

Speaker 1: 6:48

No, steve. So go back to the NLCS. So the Pirates beat the Giants in the best of five. Then Back then just the NLCS. You won the division. The Pirates in the east, the Giants in the west played them in the National League Championship Series. Then you go to the World Series, but best of five, three games to one. You pitched games one and Five, five.

Speaker 2: 7:11

Yep, but we outscored them, so you slugged your way into the World Series.

Speaker 2: 7:14

Yep, our team did. Yeah, we just outscored them. I mean, we had that kind of firepower. There's a play in the World Series, you know. You think we were talking another time about little things that maybe you look back on Earlier in that series you got. First of all, it was advertised in some papers by saying it was going to be the clash of the two great right fielders, clemente and Frank Robinson, mvp in both leagues, robinson, frank. And so earlier in the series Frank Robinson is playing right field it's one of my favorite things in the series and Clemente hits a home run over his head, but he doesn't make it by much. Frank has got his back to the wall like this, reaches up the ball just barely goes over his glove and as it goes over his glove you see Frank Robinson. Tip of the cap, professionalism, respect. Yeah, I get goosebumps because it never. It wasn't a headline or fireworks or anything but that little symbol of professionalism.

Speaker 2: 8:15

I mean, that is so big and it's just one of those great moments you look back if you play in a World Series a great moment.

Speaker 1: 8:24

But those little things that happen.

Speaker 2: 8:25

That little subtle thing, frank.

Speaker 1: 8:27

Robinson doing that is a shine of respect to Clemente.

Speaker 3: 8:30

Yeah, it's greatness, greatness, right.

Speaker 2: 8:34

Two superstars with respect.

Speaker 1: 8:37

Just to be clear, it was game four of the best of five. Pirates won three games to one. You pitched game four in the NLCS against Gaylord Perry. I didn't realize. He gave up seven runs in five and two-thirds innings on ten hits. You just talked about how you had to out-slug the.

Speaker 2: 8:53

Giants. And then you out-pitched and Bob Johnson beating Marischal. Yes, Was that the?

Speaker 1: 8:58

last game. No, because you pitched the last game. Okay, and Keeson won in relief Because you started. You went two innings, keeson came in relief, four and two-thirds and Justy got the save. Justy, two and a third innings to earn the save.

Speaker 2: 9:12

Well, Dave Justy, by the way, in that postseason closer, 10 scoreless innings throughout playoffs and World Series Wow. Didn't touch him. Didn't touch him, a great friend of yours, of course.

Speaker 1: 9:23

Now you said that you thought you had to do something different when you got to the playoffs, the World Series.

Speaker 2: 9:29

In the playoffs you thought that, yeah, I had to be better, you had to be better, yep, and in both games you pitched two games.

Speaker 1: 9:35

In that NLCS against the Giants, you did not pitch well, yep. What triggered your change when you got to the World Series? Okay, yeah, bigger game, no, no, but I mean yeah. What made you say, well, I better not do that anymore?

Speaker 2: 9:51

First of all I thought when I got beat up in the first game okay, I got beat, I had one of those terrible games. So I didn't do anything drastic to think about. You know what caused that? What happened? What do I have? So I went out there and thought again I have to be better than I was during the regular season. So after those two games, finally I sat down and said this ain't working, what's wrong? Oh oh, it took me two games to realize that's not me. I've got to go back to where I was effective.

Speaker 1: 10:19

So I had a little meeting with myself after the second time. It's interesting that nobody came to you and said this is what you've got to do. Nobody said you mechanically got to change Nothing. I still think one of the most remarkable things I think in game seven, the final score was what? Two to one, I don't remember. Did Murchall ever visit the mound?

Speaker 2: 10:36

Well, they asked him about that because it's a two-to-one game. In the bottom of the seventh, we're ahead one to nothing. I of the seventh, we're ahead one to nothing. I got two guys on, nobody out, and so they asked Mertz, Danny, you're going to get Jussie's been so good, aren't you, or somebody? He said well, and he's quoted. I've got this quote on the wall too. He said I didn't think I had anybody better that day.

Speaker 1: 11:00

Now, that gives me goosebumps, that gives me goosebumps.

Speaker 3: 11:02

That's called feel that Now. That gives me goosebumps. That gives me goosebumps. That's called feel.

Speaker 2: 11:05

But that's the line right there.

Speaker 1: 11:06

Think of that.

Speaker 2: 11:07

Never made a visit, I mean.

Speaker 1: 11:09

that mindset, though, is gone in baseball now. Well, that's trusting the player.

Speaker 3: 11:14

Yes, that scene, what's unfolding. You're like, yeah, that's the guy today. That's amazing, wow. And when?

Speaker 2: 11:19

people ask me what I think of Danny Murtaugh. Two things he cared about me. That's the greatest coach, the guy that cares about you. That's amazing In the world, in life, on the planet people that care about you. What else is the best thing in your world? You have people that care about you. Amen, and that thing. I didn't think I had anybody better today. He didn't even go to the mountain. No visit. The game was 2-0-7.

Speaker 1: 11:48

Devil's Advocate, though. On that, it's a nice story that Danny Murtaugh cared about you as a person Not to be too cold, but I will be to play Devil's Advocate. Who cares if the manager cares about you as a person? I mean, I want to win the game, yeah oh yeah, the game is first. Yeah, yeah, like because, quite frankly, you can have 25 guys I hear that a lot in sports now professional jim leland had that great quote.

Speaker 2: 12:16

She said you can give me 25 jerks, and if they can play, give me those I'll teach him PR in the offseason, but Danny.

Speaker 3: 12:26

But it's a special cat that manages.

Speaker 2: 12:30

I was a rookie, I didn't know anything. I wasn't a high pro, I didn't get a big bonus. I came up, I wasn't big, I didn't throw hard. He hung in there with me and that was my rookie year. He retired after that year.

Speaker 2: 12:44

Harry Walkerer came in I'm going to send you to triple a, said your stuff's a little short. But then I came up the next year, so and and I went down there and I, when I talked I've talked to pirate teams, I've been in the clubhouse. If you, you're in, I I did a spring training talk. You guys are in this room, if you get. I got sent back, jay bell got sent back. It depends on the attitude. Attitude when you get down there, am I going to pout or am I going to say I belong there? Yeah, and I. I also told him this. I did that in in the room and it was an honor to talk to him. I said you guys have worked your tails off to get in this room, in this Major League clubhouse.

Speaker 2: 13:23

Please don't content to be in the big leagues, because content is cancer. Amen. Find out how good a Major League player you are. You might be better than you think you might be capable. I did that. I don't want to be inspirational, but I did that All my steps through. I didn't know if I could be better, but I was obsessed with finding out. I have to find out when I played D-ball Am I good enough to beat B-ball? I don't know and nobody can tell you. They know because you don't know until you do. But I'm obsessed with finding out and I tell them you don't want to be 85 years old sitting on the back porch. Yeah, I made it to the big leagues.

Speaker 3: 14:05

I wonder how good a major leaguer, I could have been no regrets To go back to that care factor, like you said. Why does that matter? It's because of what he just said. The only way you'll ever find that out is if somebody cares enough to put you in that position. But no, it's all those times up to that moment, him, understanding him as a human being, outside of what he could do on the field, said he's the best I got today because he's seen the best.

Speaker 1: 14:26

Okay, I understand that. Does that make sense?

Speaker 3: 14:28

Of course it does, if it's just a number, just an algorithm or just a situation you're like oh two on, I have a better version out in the bullpen, but he's seeing something he's like. I'm seeing the guy I know has something more today.

Speaker 2: 14:42

There's two categories there's personal caring and then Danny Murtaugh and every other. I've got to win this ball game and to me that comes first.

Speaker 1: 14:54

And the care factor is sometimes I grab and throw.

Speaker 2: 14:57

Looking back this guy. He gave a damn about me.

Speaker 1: 15:00

Well, that's a nice touch.

Speaker 2: 15:02

It's nice to look back on. Absolutely, but if I couldn't pitch, he be he'd care about me. Just didn't work out. Yeah, but the caring is never going to go away, exactly.

Speaker 3: 15:11

And I think you fight a little bit different. I use military to think about this, because if it was life and death, you want someone that cares about you right next to you. I think that's where it kind of comes into fruition in sports. It's like if you know that guy cares about you, if you don't have your best stuff you think you do They'll also come out and say it's not your day, thank you for everything you did today, and they pull you out.

Speaker 3: 15:32

It's the same factor, it's just a different way, cause he's seeing something and the only way you know that been around each other enough, I know when you have something to do in your head, I back down. You only get that relationship through understanding that you would protect me, I'd protect you. Vice versa, all of us would do that. That only comes through time and actually sitting down and doing this story time. That's why I think the game is missing more than anything right now. It's guys after the game grabbing a nice coffee, maybe a cigar, sitting down and reflecting back on the game, because that's something I've loved with you guys.

Speaker 2: 16:07

Well, there's also a moment. We're ahead 2-1. I go off to the bottom of the eighth inning. Before I start warming up, I picked up the ball. And I just picked up the ball and I made a circle around the mound and took it all in. And that's risky because you know you're locked in. But I made myself do it. I said I may never be in this situation again. And I've got that image the crowd.

Speaker 1: 16:32

That's before game. Seven In game, seven In game seven.

Speaker 2: 16:35

You walked around the mound In the eighth inning, in the eighth inning and I walked around before I started warming up.

Speaker 1: 16:40

Now, why do you think you chose the eighth inning, steve? I don't know why not the ninth, I'm just curious if it crossed your mind.

Speaker 2: 16:49

I felt like I wanted to do it, it just came to me.

Speaker 3: 16:51

I'm so glad I did it Do you think that slowed everything down for you for a minute I think so, yeah, good point.

Speaker 2: 16:58

I've never thought about it that way. And then something I may never be here again, but I want this mental image.

Speaker 3: 17:04

That's so great so great, that's probably what he saw too.

Speaker 2: 17:10

This guy's taking this all in like locked in, but going out to the bottom of the ninth two-to-one lead and the top of the ninth. I don't want us to score anymore. I want to get out there. Get me out there. I want to find out. No more runs. I Get me out there. I want to find out.

Speaker 3: 17:22

No more runs.

Speaker 2: 17:22

I'm obsessed, yeah, and so to kill time I walk back in the clubhouse, Bob Prince is back there, as God is my judge, our announcer, and I said what the hell are you doing in here? He says me what the hell are you doing in there? Go, get me three outs so I can do some interviews.

Speaker 2: 17:39

Only Bob Prince would say that the gutter, but the gutter. But I go out and I got Boo Powell. It's a two-to-one game. He had 43 home runs there at some point and all it takes is one swing and I got him. I threw a slop, drop the old dead fish, the flip Wilson. He hit it nine miles but it was three miles foul Out in front. I got him on him. I turned the ball over just to get out of there so I could set up another one and he tried to pull it rolled over on it, hit it to second base and then Frank Robinson comes up and I won five to one in game three, the only run they got. He hit a monster home run at Three River Stadium.

Speaker 2: 18:19

Sankey puts three fingers down for a slider. I let go of the ball and it feels like the same release that I threw to him when he hit the home run. Oh no. And as I released the ball I looked up and said Lord, if you get me out of this one, I'll be a good Catholic boy for the rest of my life. He popped it straight up in the air and I said I was only kidding. And he popped it straight up in the air and you know how that works, you and he popped it straight up in the air. And you know how that works. You can hit it nine miles or you can throw your perfect slider and it hits it nine miles or pops. He popped it up and then Merv Rettman came up.

Speaker 2: 18:53

It was the three, four, five guys in the batting order. I always follow it through. Merv Rettman hit the ball off the side of the mound. I said, well, here comes Justy, our closer, but I didn't realize. The ball sent it back to shortstop a little bit. It bounced off. Jackie Hernandez was shaving up and I looked around. I said catch it. He caught it and I said throw it. And then I looked over to first base. Bob Robertson, now you catch it and then all hell breaks loose. The release is unbelievable. I ran over, jumped on Bob Robertson and for the three steps it took me, I said we did it, screaming, screaming. We did it, screaming, we did it. And it's just it's all crazy.

Speaker 1: 19:33

How long does that high last? By the way, man A couple months. Yeah, a couple months, because then you go.

Speaker 2: 19:40

We're in the clubhouse. Clemente's getting interviewed. He's the MVP. They announce it right away Because you know everybody had a chance to see what we've been seeing for 20 years with Roberto.

Speaker 1: 19:50

He was finally on center stage. I applaud it.

Speaker 2: 19:53

But he's, we're not together. And finally we get this picture. We're standing there topless. I've got a picture of me and Roberto Clemente side by side, no shirts on, after the World Series. And the best part we finally get on the airplane to come back to Pittsburgh. We don't take off, we're getting on and he and Vera, his wife, are up at the front of the airplane. I'm sitting back in the middle and I'm by the window. He gets out of his seat, comes down the aisle to our row and unquote glass, come out here and let me embrace you. Wow, I mean, I just all I do is hold on. I didn't say a word. I'll never forget that. That's those moments yeah that's I.

Speaker 2: 20:38

Thank god I've got an iq of 16, but I can remember all that stuff, yeah and uh for him to get out of his chair, and the next spring, of course. I told him hey, you've got the sports car for MVP. I should have gotten the tires. And then he said something in Spanish that I can't not repeat, but I got to know him. We both had better friends, closer friends, but I got close to him because I really believe the last five years I pitched on that team with him. My one of my goals was to make him laugh or break him up, and I got good at it.

Speaker 2: 21:11

There was an old TV show, mission impossible, where the guy used to go in a phone booth to get his mission from. Yeah, so he always got his neck worked on run every every every game, ten minutes before the game. He, his neck worked on every game, 10 minutes before the game. He got his neck worked on In the trainer's room. In the trainer's he's laying down face belly down and then you get up very quickly and get in his uniform. Nobody could do it quicker. So he's getting his neck worked on and I crawled under the trainer's table. I said good morning, mr Clemente, this is your neck. Your assignment, for any of your teammates, is for you to get two doubles off Jack Billingham and throw three guys out at third base, and if anybody catches on to you, we will disavow any knowledge of this.

Speaker 1: 21:54

He's up there on the top. You can see the body, the table, moving because he was laughing. Oh my God.

Speaker 2: 22:00

But what an honor. I got so lucky so many ways in baseball, but an honor to spend 10 years as a friend and a teammate and a fan of Roberto Clemente so cool. I mean, the planets align. I come from a town of 800 people in Connecticut, a small town, so small, we didn't even have a town drunk. The guys had to rotate until Uncle Larry had his turn. Then the rotation stopped. But I'm from this small town, he's from Puerto Rico. How do we wind up as teammates for 10 years? So cool, thank you.

Speaker 2: 22:35

Just as simple as that. Everybody has dreams. Not everybody has a chance to live them, and I will never forget it wasn't the Giants, the Dodgers, the Mets, somebody. They gave me a chance to live that dream. It was the Pittsburgh Pirates. So they got my loyalty for life. I'll never quit on them. They gave me that dream?

Speaker 1: 22:56

Where were you when you found out about Clemente dying who?

Speaker 2: 23:00

called you. We had a PR guy, bill Guilfoyle, 4 o'clock in the morning. It's New Year's Eve just had a big party at my house. Dave Jesse and his wife were staying upstairs In Pittsburgh yeah, in St Clair and Dave and his wife were there. We were neighbors, but as our parties usually did, they went late. So it's 4 am in the morning and Bill Guilfoyle, the PR the phone, rings and says Steve, this is Bill Guilfoyle. There's an unconfirmed report A plane went down in Puerto Rico and Clemente was on it. So of course you don't go back to bed, dave and I stay up At that point.

Speaker 1: 23:36

I wonder what you do. We went to.

Speaker 2: 23:37

Joe Brown's house.

Speaker 1: 23:39

Oh my gosh, the GM's house.

Speaker 2: 23:42

He was in.

Speaker 1: 23:42

Mount Lebanon.

Speaker 2: 23:43

We drive over there and there wasn't CNN or 24-hour news loop or anything.

Speaker 2: 23:48

So we had no confirmation, but I used this phrase, I think. When it was confirmed, the shoulders of the city of Pittsburgh slumped. I mean, just as simple as that. This city slumped. And then we went over to Willie Stargell's house and I wound up delivering the eulogy for his memorial service down in Puerto Rico. I don't know how I ever got through it, but Bill Guilfoyle had worked for the Yankees and they paraphrased the eulogy for Lou Gehrig and allowed us, gave us, permission to use it, and I read that at that church. I'm so proud that I did that. I wish it had been 20 years later, but I've got it on a plaque in my home. He was just something else, he was something else.

Speaker 2: 24:35

So when I say I've lived a dream and it continues now I go out and talk to people and get a chance to say thank you to the people for being interested in the pirates and the stuff that I did, and I've come up with this thing that I say every time I talk and it can apply to anybody anywhere, but it only takes a minute to make a moment. You stop when you've got a kid. I'm going to have it now. When I see a young kid. I get down on one knee and get eye level and say hey, jimmy, where have you been? I've been waiting for you all afternoon. Would you take a picture with me? I ride home. When I get through, my heart feels good. It takes a minute to make a moment. The kid may never remember it, but I remember that stuff and I was taught. That's part of the stuff that those guys helped me with yeah, so that's what we.

Speaker 1: 25:26

I brought this up with fort. A lot about you I bring up to other players, I to me. Steve lass is my prime example of why there cannot be anyone any excuses for not signing autographs for kids or having time for a reporter or someone. I'm just sorry because this is a guy who was at the top of the baseball world. He was at the cover of Sports Illustrated. He was one of the top two or three pitchers in the league, all-star, arguably an MVP of a World Series Could be, certainly co-MVP, if not. The MVP always had time, never hid, and then at the peak of his career, it comes essentially crashing down on him. But you know what? He didn't hide. That tells me and should tell everyone that there are no excuses and I don't think I could be wrong. But I don't believe, steve, that it was again not being cold or disrespectful. You did learn from the baseball academy of all these great, but that was inbred in you, that you had that growing up in Connecticut. For me that came from somewhere else that's mom and dad.

Speaker 3: 26:37

Yeah, that's mom and dad, I mean enough was said when your dad ran down there and gave three yeah Right.

Speaker 2: 26:42

That speaks volumes ran down there and gave three. Yeah, right, that speaks volumes. Yeah, yeah, and you know it was horrendous. You know we won the world series next year, I won 19 and then it was over and uh, I still don't know why. Uh, that it happened. I don't have to it, it happened. But uh, I learned from that too that uh, I it didn't end my life. I'm still a human being. I got a family. There's no reason. I still and I made myself a promise that if people wanted to hear that part of the story, I never said no, because that's part of the story. And if you're going to be available for the media and all that stuff, stand-up guy. I felt good about being a stand-up guy after all that. And when I went back down to minor leaguers, I was the story of every writer. Here's this guy who won a World Series and now he's down here in the minor leagues.

Speaker 1: 27:33

I never said no, were they following you around like different, wherever you pitched down in the minor leagues after.

Speaker 2: 27:38

Well, every town we'd go to.

Speaker 1: 27:40

That's what I mean. Yeah, so the media would kind of go around to you right.

Speaker 2: 27:44

Well, yeah, they'd come over. It's an easy story.

Speaker 1: 27:46

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 27:46

It's an easy story and I had respect for the job they're trying to do. Again, it's mutual respect, professionalism I'm a professional still. I was a ball player. I wasn't a star anymore, a big name, but I still had and looking back, I just turned 82, so a lot of looking back, but I'm proud of the fact that I never said no, yeah, and I still don't.

Speaker 1: 28:11

You said that you, to this day, don't know what happened. And it continued. And I tried everything I know you did, and I remember being involved in the old when Pirates used to have old-timers games and I was helping set those up and I'd contact the player, write letters and I'd try to get the positions for each player and I didn't know anything about it, but they said Steve will play the outfield Now at some point, though you've fixed it. How did that happen?

Speaker 2: 28:40

Well, I fixed it. I met a guy and I can't think of his name now, richard crowley, kind of a early how'd you meet him? Sports psychologist. I was broadcasting early in my broadcasting career. This guy shows up at uh at uh in bradenton and he said I'm in the wrong town.

Speaker 1: 29:01

I'm looking for mark wallers who also also had that thing, mark Wohlers, having all kinds of issues.

Speaker 2: 29:07

And he said what's your name? I said Steve. I said I should be looking for you. And I wound up spending a lot of time with Richard Crowley and we had fantasy camps and we had a guy that was a pain in the ass. So I worked with him psychologically. He said I don't care what caused their thing, we're going to pour acid on it. Why doesn't matter, we're going to fix it. And we talked and talked and talked and I spent a lot of time with him and we had a fantasy camper who was a pan neck and he said hey, I think I could hit you.

Speaker 2: 29:39

And I went out and I asked Chuck Tanner. I said let me just pitch to one guy. See, if I hit him I don't care Because I was hitting everybody. I went out there and I struck him out on three pitches and I had not pitched in how long. I pitched seven innings in a fantasy camp game just because I said I'm just going to do this until I'm all over the place and I just got tired. But I pitched seven innings and I said I'm not going to do anything more, I'm too old to pitch.

Speaker 1: 30:10

How great did that feel.

Speaker 2: 30:12

I went home. On the way home, I bought a huge bottle of champagne, karen and I drank that bottle of champagne.

Speaker 1: 30:18

Now think about that Kind of a quiet moment. You yourself nobody else probably had any idea what was going on, but you overcame.

Speaker 2: 30:26

I'll never forget that, and I didn't have to do anything more because I don't want to. I didn't want to ruin the moment. Yeah, but was there anything that?

Speaker 1: 30:33

richard crowley said to you that that stuck, that you, you can pinpoint just a mindset, huh well, one of the things he said.

Speaker 2: 30:40

You gotta stop asking why. You gotta get beyond that and go forward. Try to go forward. That that's going. You can't change what the and what you looking back on the stuff. The toughest part of that whole time was going is that I, I wanted. I kept going out there thinking somewhere something would fall play. When it was still in the big leagues 73 kept trying, had a bunch of starts. Thing would fall in place when it was still in the big leagues 73 kept trying, had a bunch of starts. And the interesting thing, when I was on the road, when I was awful and I was awful, uh, people would cheer because their team was winning. When I was pitching at three rivers, it was quiet.

Speaker 2: 31:17

That was the toughest part because they were rooting so hard for me because what I'd done that was boy, that was that was. And I literally was up in my backyard two and three o'clock in the morning with tears coming down my eyes because I knew I couldn't do it anymore. But I couldn't quit until I was convinced and the pirates were so great Danny Murtaugh, this guy that cared about me, and Joe Brown cared about me they said we're not going to release you or anything. You tell us when you've had enough. I mean, how about that gift? And finally I said Joe Danny, I can't do it anymore. And I pitched one more time, danny Murtaugh, my last game.

Speaker 2: 31:56

I pitched down in Bradenton. He got thrown out of the game in the second inning. I was all over the place and blocking people and throwing them and he came out and waited on the mound until the umpire came out and argued with him until he threw Danny out as a gesture to me. How about that? I'll never forget that either. And my kids were there. My wife was there and as I walked down the right field line at my technique field, they were sitting there. And I got my two sons and they walked down the right field line at McKechnie Field. They were sitting there and I got my two sons and they walked down the right field line with me and he explained why. I said tomorrow I'm gonna announce it, it's gonna be enough.

Speaker 2: 32:32

So and you learn. You learn from the great stuff, but I learned just as much. Well, I don't know if I learned as much, but I learned a lot that my life wasn't over, but boy, it took some while because I had to find a job. You know, I wasn't making a hell of a lot of money and before I left Florida I had a job and it was a job selling high school classrooms and I still stayed doing clinics and camps and everything for the Pirates. So the word involvement still applies. But I remember all of that and there's value in all of it.

Speaker 1: 33:10

I can't imagine being at Three River Stadium and it's quiet because everybody's anticipating rooting for him internally without cheering, just kind of watching. Come on, hope it works. But he's a bulldog. Speaking of which, era's battle cry, berkshire Hathaway Home Services Era Katz Battle Cry. Exceptional service, bulldog at negotiating and relentless in your pursuit of happiness. If you're buying or selling real estate, you need to call Era Katz. She's strategic, smart and aggressive in her approach. She's no joke. When it comes to that bulldog claim, she goes after it. She's in it to win it for you. No-transcript. Now more than ever, you need a knowledgeable real estate agent. You need a closer. You don't want to necessarily win the game, but you want to finish it with the least amount of stress on you and your family. Call Eric Katz, realtor at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services at 814-758-8623 for guidance. That's 814-758-8623. She is the best. You'll be glad you did. We're talking to the Hall of Famer, steve Lass, the Pirate Hall of Famer.

Speaker 2: 34:27

Yeah, and during that time you learn about people, my teammates during that time when I was struggling and still in the big leagues and it was awful never stood up taller or closer.

Speaker 3: 34:41

That's incredible.

Speaker 2: 34:42

That was so tight. We had roommates back then. Dave Jussie was my roommate, our closer. He was with me every night on the road, every night there with me, and I'll never forget that for Dave and Willie Stargell was so great. Willie would say, hey, I'm going to get in the cage, just you and me, just see, I don't care if you hit me 20 times, I want to see, just you want to work on it. And I did hit him a couple times but he would go in the cage and just to be there for me and let me throw to him. So something would fall in place.

Speaker 2: 35:18

And you don't forget that kind of of stuff. You don't forget a lot of things. This guy here, when you were there you gave me your time so many times. I asked you for you to remember a time at the ballpark here we wound up talking for about 45 minutes and it started by you were walking down the steps to go out on the field. I say, michael, can you give me five minutes for a little? We did the interview for the pregame show and and then we went out together just on the field. I remember sitting on the bench there with you, for it had to be a half an hour just shooting people having time for you.

Speaker 1: 35:52

It goes back to your point. And he did and he always had time, he was always kind. Those are the guys you want to root for the team, the players to win all of them, but especially guys like Michael McHenry and Steve Blass.

Speaker 2: 36:04

Amen, and Greg Brown Amen. And don't shut me up, because I think he's one of the best in the business now.

Speaker 2: 36:11

There's no question and having to deal with one of the things dealing with several different color guys, all different personalities that's not the easiest thing to do. We had one guy we got in a rhythm, I know when he was going to let me in. I know times when he wasn't going to let me in. I shouldn't have been in, but I interrupted. I stepped on him so many times. He's one of the best in the business.

Speaker 1: 36:35

Well, thank you for that we got lucky. Yeah, we did.

Speaker 3: 36:43

I can say that about both you guys. I went around, played a lot, a lot of different places. You guys were the best and are the best, and I've been so very blessed to be around you guys and I I feel very fortunate to call you friends and people I look up to so, and the easiest thing to do is give to somebody your time.

Speaker 2: 36:56

I always said the only real gift we have as human beings is a gift of time. We only got so much. You can't negotiate. It can't buy more. And maybe, just maybe, how we might be judged will be based on how we distribute that gift. Simple and he's.

Speaker 1: 37:11

You know we talk about people getting it and it's it's so hard to define what that means. Who are the people that truly get it?

Speaker 1: 37:19

you know he's for's like he's on the Mount Rushmore of people that get it, he gets it, he's amazing how he gets it To watch him work a room, watch him work with people, watch him do a broadcast, watch him out on the baseball field. I watched, fortunate enough, the Pirates. Let me in a couple of times to watch him address the team in spring training. It's a marvel To know his history, to have been a fan, to now be a great friend and to watch him evolve, continue to evolve now as a great ambassador and to be the Pirate Hall of Famer that he is. To know his great family knew his dad, didn't know his mom. But you're talking, steve, about a quiet three river stadium and it made me think about the transition from forbes field. I never went to forbes field but lived at three river stadium, knew that. What a contrast. Oh right, we were right in the middle of oakland, a neighborhood in that old ball.

Speaker 2: 38:20

It it was a ballpark there was a dirt path from the clubhouse down wound around underneath right field stands to the dugout. There were rats as big as dogs down there and it was an interesting time my first six years there, but it's one of my favorite ballparks because that's where I got to the big leagues. But 457 to center. I threw a ball to Willie McCovey who hit it over the 457 sign with a backspin and they say that it disrupted a foursome at the Shenley Park Golf Course and I have a friend well, he's a former friend now because of this story who says every Monday night at 10 o'clock in the eastern sky you can still see it going around here. A former friend.

Speaker 3: 39:05

Oh man, they don't build them like that anymore.

Speaker 2: 39:08

But we left on a road trip, left. Forbes came back to Three Rivers and we were so excited because we're going to have carpeting and air conditioning for the first time, wow. But you know, I was in the big league, I didn't care. I thought it was a beautiful ballpark, yeah, but it was pretty wild.

Speaker 1: 39:26

But then going from that hard dirt grass infield to artificial turf.

Speaker 2: 39:31

Yeah well, they would put the tarp on it when we went on the road. It would bake. Maz set National League records on that nasty infield. Those hearts were off. There were infielders that would come into play, that wouldn't take fielding practice when we used to do that because they didn't want to get hurt.

Speaker 2: 39:46

They left the tarp on while you guys were gone. Yeah, and in the World Series, in 60, tony Kubek hit a ground ball, or they hit a ground ball to Tony Kubek it was going to be a double play, hit him in the throat. It opened up the inning for the Pirates in a World Series game. But the thing is going from that field we played on the carpet and everybody thought, well, that's going to be a huge, huge advantage for the batters because the ball is going to get through quicker and everything. But we found out first of all, there's going to be more double plays because the ball is going to get quicker and you're going to have more guys held up at third base on a base hit because the ball will get quicker. So it wasn't as lopsided it was they thought it was going to be.

Speaker 1: 40:27

There was more balance than we thought did you have to change at all your pitching style in that?

Speaker 2: 40:32

no, because if you lose track, it's still 60 feet six inches. No, no, you know, that would have been a trap too you don't know if you pitched better there.

Speaker 1: 40:39

You didn't feel different there as opposed to Forbes. Did you love pitching at?

Speaker 2: 40:44

Forbes. At Forbes I led the league in winning percentage. I was 18-6, 2-1-3 ERA. It was a whole point in back of Bob Gibson. He was 1-1-2, and he was 22-9. Who the hell beat him nine times? How did that happen? But anyway, I was playing in front of Maz and Gene Alley. Well, in 1966, on that infield, they set a national record for double plays. Gene Alley a very underrated baseball player. But again, at every stage, every level, every experience, there's something wonderful Was there one moment, great moment, aside from the World Series.

Speaker 1: 41:32

Yes, okay, first major league start.

Speaker 2: 41:35

Oh, pitching relief. My first appearance, pitch five, score a signing, which was where that was, at Forbes Field when I pitched against Henry Aaron.

Speaker 2: 41:42

The second batter I faced as a result of that. I get a start in LA against Don Drysdale. He was 6-1 Hall of Famer, dodger Stadium, 40,000 people there and I get my first big league start Complete game 4-2 win over Don Drysdale. First major league start Complete game 4-2 win over Don Drysdale. First Major League start. Dreams these are dreams you live, everybody has them. I lived them all the way up. Nothing close to the 7th out of the World Series in the 7th game. But again, it's always a shame it was in Baltimore.

Speaker 2: 42:21

Yeah, well, game 3 was in Pittsburgh, that was as important. Well, you can never say but if we lose that game, we don't win that World Series Game 3 was huge.

Speaker 1: 42:32

Well, what about the city's reaction when the Pirates came back in 71 from Baltimore? Do you remember that at all what the town was like?

Speaker 2: 42:40

We landed at the airport at night, 8 o'clock at night, it was cold. We had convertibles. We came from the airport downtown. There were people on both sides of the parkway from the airport to downtown Just lined up, lined up and we got down here. We were going to have a parade through downtown but Danny Murtaugh's daughter was pregnant and people were grabbing at our clothes and stuff and we had to shut down the parade. So we had an impromptu party on one of the gateway clipper boats and so we're there till two o'clock in the morning. Karen and I had a room out by the airport where we'd left our car, and it's two o'clock in the morning, everybody's gone home.

Speaker 2: 43:21

We're standing outside the Hilton trying to get a cab Stranded Trying to get a cab so we could go out to the airport to get our car to drive home to Connecticut.

Speaker 1: 43:32

The night of the World Series of Game 7.

Speaker 2: 43:35

At 2 in the morning you're in downtown Pittsburgh, we're like stranded outside the Hilton. We walked across the bridge Incredible and finally got a cab ride and drove home. And you drove, no sleep. Well, yeah, we got out there at 3 o'clock, slept, woke up.

Speaker 1: 43:51

You stayed at a hotel there yeah, we stayed overnight. And then Connecticut you got a hero's welcome, I'm sure. Well, that little town.

Speaker 2: 44:00

It's like a Norman Rockwell setting. We had a little railroad station there and on the loading dock we had a dais and the governor of Connecticut was there, the guy that signed me, my high school coach. I was the emcee and I'll never forget it. We had our little league teams there and I'll never forget it. Just, we had our little league teams there from our time. We had the and my high school coach see, you know how pitchers are? Oh yeah, my high school career. I wore the same pair of white socks for four years. He bought, he found them and he bought them in a mason jar.

Speaker 2: 44:37

No no, as God is my judge on my children, he found those socks and bought and presented them to me on my day. But I mean, we had. That's a classic story. Oh my god, we had a guy that had a uh, a chevy, uh, uh, suv. What are they, the chevy? Station wagon yeah, well, it was back then I don't know the next. Like an suv, okay, he made, designed it into a pirate cap.

Speaker 1: 45:04

Wow.

Speaker 2: 45:05

Like they used to have in the bullpens, remember, oh yeah.

Speaker 3: 45:08

Bullpen carts yeah, yeah yeah, but 4,000 people.

Speaker 2: 45:12

They shut school down in my town. Wow More dreams.

Speaker 1: 45:18

Did you end up getting that 7-Up car? No, no, no. How did you end up?

Speaker 2: 45:22

getting that seven up car as it was. No, no, no, no I.

Speaker 1: 45:23

How did you end up getting?

Speaker 2: 45:24

that I I'd never had a mustang. So finally I found a green bottle green mustang with a white top and I I had that. We still have it, do you? Yeah, my son has it. It's a, it's a two seats in an engine. Everybody knew when I left the house that thing roared, so you called it the 7-Up car. Yeah, because 7-Up had a promotional thing with Ford and they made 2,000 of them. Then they shut it down, they stopped, something happened with the promotion, so there's only 2,000 made. So it's kind of a collector's item.

Speaker 3: 45:56

That's really cool Still got it.

Speaker 1: 45:58

Yeah, still got it. Wow, it's been an unbelievable, quite a journey.

Speaker 2: 46:04

a pirate life, uh man, yeah I wrote a little book a pirate for life. All those stories, and most of them are true, not really can I tell a story about richie hefner I?

Speaker 1: 46:19

don't have to swear, not the one I don't swear well, wait a minute. Go ahead.

Speaker 2: 46:23

Okay, so spring training after we won the World Series. Richie Hebner, one of my best friends, Third baseman. We're both from New England, so I'm driving a bunch of pitchers in. You know spring training, it gets boring. So we stopped at a 7-Eleven. Remember those white kind of jungle pith helmets? You know the styrofoam oh yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2: 46:40

So I bought one just to fit around within the clubhouse. So I walk in hefner's, uh meets me at the door. I guess, uh, I don't know he wasn't in a good mood, so he took it off my head and broke it in half over his knee, so I did my work. He had to play in a game, so I did my work. And, uh, I could go home, so I went in his locker.

Speaker 1: 46:58

Okay, it will be clean yeah, so, yeah.

Speaker 2: 47:01

So I got a sock out of his locker, out of his shoe, and I took it in the men's room and pinched off about a six-inch steamer into the sock and put it back in his shoe. He never bothered me again.

Speaker 1: 47:14

Our audience here tells a story.

Speaker 3: 47:17

Did you get the extra velocity on that?

Speaker 2: 47:20

Oh yeah, my control was a little borderline.

Speaker 1: 47:24

Point Park University's sports arts, entertainment and music business major in downtown Pittsburgh is among the most innovative business programs in the United States.

Speaker 2: 47:33

Speaking of doing your business.

Speaker 1: 47:33

You earn a Bachelor of Science degree in the Roland School of Business, while focusing your studies in the thriving industries of sports, arts, music and entertainment marketing management. Located in downtown Pittsburgh, point Park is in the heart of some of sports' most admired teams, world-class arts and cultural organizations and nationally acclaimed entertainment venues all within walking distance. Register now for the fall term. You might even get Professor Blass. For more information, go to pointparkedu. And how do people really find out more about the Hold my Cutter podcast for it? How do you listen to it?

Speaker 3: 48:09

How do you see?

Speaker 1: 48:10

it.

Speaker 3: 48:10

You've got to get online. Anywhere you watch or see, listen whatever your podcast Apple, go there, comment like subscribe, because you're going to want a lot more of this.

Speaker 1: 48:21

Yeah, you're going to want it, Especially if you like a good steamer. I can't wait to see the comments on this one. Oh, I know, right On YouTube because you'll answer.

Speaker 2: 48:26

I will. I will answer. There's one more chapter to that.

Speaker 1: 48:29

Oh, there's another chapter.

Speaker 2: 48:30

Well, oh boy.

Speaker 1: 48:44

I'm 82 on that.

Speaker 3: 48:46

Yeah working on that.

Speaker 1: 48:49

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. Finding a home is much like selecting the perfect cigar it takes time, expertise and a discerning eye to ensure it suits your taste and budget. So before you think of anyone else, remember to check out askerracatscom and ask ERA, because she knows. Era Cats with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services is your real estate aficionado. Call her for unparalleled guidance and expertise. Whether you're buying or selling, era is a winner. Remember to ask E Ara because she knows. Ask for Ara Katz with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services for all your real estate needs. Askarakatzcom and tell her the fort and Mr Blass hired Hall of Famer. Censor.

Speaker 2: 49:36

Tell her, if I was playing now I would go to her and get a nice house, because I can't afford her now, because my rookie salary was $7,000. Now the rookie salary is $740,000.

Speaker 1: 49:48

Curious what your home is worth. If you don't at least ask Eric Kass, you'll regret it. We're wondering about regretting the end of Hold my Cutter no, never, regret, never this man is. Hold my cutter no, never, never, regret this man is. We will continue our conversation, probably off mic, for some more interesting stories, but make sure you like and subscribe and tune into our next episode. And thanks to the folks here at Byrne by Rocky Patel Hold my cutter, thanks, fellas.