Cal Ripken Jr. Wrestling Before Games? MLB Stories You Won’t Bel…

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Send us Fan Mail The majors look glamorous from the stands, but the real game is the pressure, the travel, and the personalities you share a clubhouse with. I’m joined by former MLB outfielder and longtime minor league manager Brad Komminsk, and he takes me straight into the moments most fans never hear about: the shock of going from high school baseball to pro ball, the constant need to prove you belong, and the whiplash of getting moved from city to city on trades and waivers. Brad walks t...

Send us Fan Mail

The majors look glamorous from the stands, but the real game is the pressure, the travel, and the personalities you share a clubhouse with. I’m joined by former MLB outfielder and longtime minor league manager Brad Komminsk, and he takes me straight into the moments most fans never hear about: the shock of going from high school baseball to pro ball, the constant need to prove you belong, and the whiplash of getting moved from city to city on trades and waivers.

Brad walks through his first call-up and what it’s like to face a veteran like Fernando Valenzuela when you’re the new guy and the strike zone doesn’t feel even. From there we get into pure clubhouse legend: Cal Ripken Jr. wrestling before home games, Billy Ripken’s prankster streak, and the day Ricky Henderson literally called time so a bat boy could bring out his Oakley sunglasses before a record-setting moment. It’s funny, it’s unreal, and it also shows how confidence, routine, and identity show up at the highest level of Major League Baseball.

We also revisit one of baseball’s most infamous flashpoints, the 1984 Braves vs Padres bench-clearing brawl, then shift into what baseball coaching can learn from it: why managers argue umpires, how players try to protect themselves in chaos, and what leadership looks like when emotions run hot. Brad finishes with hard-earned lessons from managing in minor league baseball, spotting future stars, and the mindset that survives a long season: leave it all on the field and move on fast.

If you love MLB stories, baseball coaching, player development, and the mental toughness side of the game, subscribe, share this with a baseball friend, and leave a review so more coaches can find the show.

Support the show

Follow: X | Instagram @Athlete1Podcast
Website - https://www.athlete1.net
Sponsor: The Netting Professionals
https://www.nettingpros.com

Chapters

00:00 - Opening Sponsor And Welcome

03:27 - Pressure Of A First Round Jump

05:34 - First Call Up Versus Valenzuela

08:49 - Trades Waivers And Constant Moving

11:59 - Ripkens Wrestling And Clubhouse Pranks

16:45 - Ricky Henderson Oakleys And Record Day

20:42 - 1984 Braves Padres Brawl Revisited

24:32 - Umpire Blowups And Protecting Players

26:45 - Wrigley Hecklers And Turf Burn Stories

32:32 - Managing Minors Spotting Future Stars

36:49 - Picking Game 7 Legends

39:11 - Minor League Bus Driver Mayhem

43:15 - Leave It All On The Field

44:24 - Closing Thanks And Sponsor

Transcript

WEBVTT

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Today on Baseball Coaches Unplugged, how Cal Ripkin Jr.

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jeopardized the streak before home games, the story behind Ricky Henderson and Oakley sunglasses, and being involved in the classic bench clearing brawl between the Braves and the Padres in 1984.

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Former MLB outfielder Brad Kaminsk, next on Baseball Coaches Unplugged.

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This is the Ultimate High School Baseball Coaching Podcast.

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Baseball Coaches Unplugged, your go-to podcast for baseball coaching tips, drills, and player development strategies.

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From travel to high school and college.

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Unlock expert coaching advice grounded in real success stories, data-backed training methods, and mental performance tools to elevate your team.

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Tune in for bite-sized coaching wisdom, situational drills, team culture building, great stories and proven strategies that turn good players into great athletes.

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The only podcast that showcases the best coaches from across the country with your host, Coach Ken Carpenter.

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Today's show is powered by the Netting Professionals, improving programs one facility at a time.

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Will Minor and his team at the Netting Professionals specialize in the design, fabrication, and installation of custom netting for baseball and softball.

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This includes backstops, batting cages, BP turtles, screens, ball carts, and more.

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They also design and install digital graphic wall padding, windscreen, turf, turf protectors, dugout benches and cubbies.

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The netting pros also work with football, soccer, lacrosse, golf courses, and pickleball.

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Contact them today at 844-620-2707.

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That is 844-620-2707.

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Or you can visit them online at www.nettingpros.com.

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Check out Netting Pros on X, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn for all their latest products and projects.

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Hello and welcome to Baseball Coaches Unplugged.

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I'm your host, Coach Ken Carpenter.

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Don't forget to hit the subscribe button and look for a brand new episode every Wednesday where I sit down with some of the best coaches from across the country.

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Well, it's the beginning of April, and every high school, college, and major league baseball team is getting their season started.

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And I thought it would be great to take you behind the scenes and into the clubhouse of Major League Baseball and have a guest who can share stories where he was teammates with some of the greatest players to play the game of baseball.

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His name is Brad Kamensky.

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He was a first-round draft pick out of high school, and he joined the Atlanta Braves.

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He ended up playing in seven different organizations.

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And he is going to take us behind the scenes to share some incredible stories that the average baseball fan has no idea these things took place.

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Here it is, Brad Kaminsk on Baseball Coaches Unplugged.

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Well, you go from a top five first-round draft pick out of high school straight to the pros.

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Can you describe the pressure that comes with going from high school to professional baseball?

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Well, it was interesting, you know, because I've always, as a as a player, you always won the best competition.

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You always I always tried to play up when I was in when I was younger, you know, I wanted I played Legion ball when I was young and I played versus when I was a freshman and all that stuff.

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So you always want to face the best competition.

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It was an eye-opener, though, because I went to um I went down to the Abbey League and I was in Kingsport, Tennessee, and it was predominantly a college league.

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So I was playing against all these college grads that were, you know, pretty good players, and there were a lot of good players around.

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So um they were pretty good.

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It was an eye-opener for sure.

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I competed, you know, the best I could and and had a decent first year.

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But um, you know, I think the I never really looked at it as a lot of press.

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I just I guess maybe I did because I like some some of the guys, the college guys, one of the college guys one time, it's actually it's actually Dave Steve's brother, Steve.

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He was our catcher on my team in uh in Kingsport.

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Um, and he's like, he's like, I was really wondering what you'd be like as a first-round pick.

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I didn't I I couldn't imagine that you'd be any good, you know, or that good.

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And he's like, You're you're you're pretty good, man.

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You got some pretty good tools on you.

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Because I I had some pop, you know, pop for a young kid, and I was a little scrawny, a little 178-pounder, you know, back then.

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And and um, then I could run, I can, you know, fly a little bit, you know, and and uh I I think I surprised a lot of them too.

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But I just I just every every year I felt like I had to prove myself and prove why I was the number one pick.

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You know, every year I was going in and trying to trying to do the best I could and and uh really show people I deserve to be that that pick, you know.

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How long did you you go playing minor league baseball?

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And when you that moment came where you get the call that you're going up to the big leagues, what was that like?

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And you know, how was that first game?

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It was kind of surreal.

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I I I was up in I was in Rochester, um, New York.

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We were playing the Red Wings, and um, I wasn't playing that today, and I was pissed because I played every game.

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You know, I didn't I I was out every day, you know, he took me out, and he's like, Yeah, you're not playing today.

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I'm like, what are you talking about?

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I'm not playing.

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Scoring the end of the year is in August, you know, mid-August or whatever.

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And I'm like, what do you mean I'm not playing?

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You know, I was, you know, I was had as good a stats, probably the best stats of anybody in the league overall.

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Um, I was just I was a couple points out from the for the you know the you know, the batting title and my home runs were right at the top, you know.

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RBIs had like a hundred ribbies, and he's like, You're not playing today.

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I'm like, whoa, whoa, I felt good, you know, it was August, but I was I was feeling good.

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We're we're playing good, winning some games.

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And um, he's like, you're not playing.

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And then after the game, he said, Hey, you're going up.

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Now he's like, now you might not you might turn around and come right back.

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Claudel Washington had like a maybe a pulled hamstring or groin or something.

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They're like, we're not sure he's they're gonna put you on the, you know, put him on the DL or not.

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So you might be coming right back.

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I'm like, okay, whatever.

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So I they I fly up.

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Um, and for some reason, it was, it must have been a day game, maybe a Saturday day game.

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And um like the flight was late.

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I was supposed to be, I was penciled in the lineup, so I didn't even I didn't play though because I was too late.

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Someone else played that day.

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And then the next day, I got um I got a play against Fernando Valence of Whale.

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It was my first day.

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And um, and and Atlanta back in the day, like they had no backdrops.

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Like nowadays, you got those big green or big black backdrops back there that are massive.

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In Atlanta, they had no backdrop.

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They had silver seats out in the center field.

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Like the silver, like in high school, that are glare, and the sun's beating down on a square.

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And my roommate at the time, Randy Johnson, he's like, you know, I knew right away it wasn't gonna be a good day for you.

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I he's like, I can't believe they played you in that can do with the uh, you know, with with the with the glare and everything.

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He said, that was not a good opener for him.

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I I punched out three times against Fernando, but um the thing was too, I mean, he he was a great pitcher, don't get me wrong, but back then the strike zones, they didn't have that little box like they do now.

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And if a you know, if it barely flips it, it's a strike, and if it's an eighth of an inch off, it's a ball.

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It's like if it was six inches off the off the plate, and it was a veteran like Fernando against me, a rookie, it was a strike.

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It could be a foot outside.

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And he might call it a strike.

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And then if you look back and did it again, he would just tell a guy, hey, just throw it out there again, and they wouldn't.

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They'd punch you out like that.

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You didn't even have to they didn't have to throw a strike.

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So the game has it's changed that much.

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It was like the until you really proved your proved your worth, they they would they would prove it for it.

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They say you gotta you gotta almost be exceptional.

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The best pitchers, yeah.

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I mean, they would get whatever they wanted, you know.

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If you kept hitting that spot, it was a strike.

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You know, it was a strike, it was a strike.

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Consistent.

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They're good, you know, they they caught it every time, you know.

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Um, but um, it it's a totally different game than it is today.

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Yeah, that no doubt about that, there.

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You know, you played with the Braves and what I what I was able to look up the Brewers, Indians, Giants, Orioles, A's, and the White Sox.

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And I was everywhere.

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And I played for the Remini Pirates in Italy, too.

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Yeah, there you go.

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How difficult is that as a as a player?

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Because everybody sees somebody uh get traded nowadays, and they look at it and they go, Hey, you know, we we picked this guy up or whatever.

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But how difficult is it for you as a player to go to a new team in a new city and not just the baseball end of things, but you got to find a place to live and things like that?

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You gotta do it all.

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Yeah, it's um like a couple of those were like major league to minor league trades.

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Like I went when I went to Milwaukee, I was traded for Deion James.

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Um, you know, I got a call from the GM.

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Like they could actually call my parents and man, we're so happy to have him, man.

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He's gonna be a great addition to our team.

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And I had a great spring and barely taste, I got a September call if that's it.

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Um so I really didn't, they I was in a hotel for for that, but but um and I went to the Indies as a six-year free agent after playing for a couple years in Milwaukee's organization, made the team.

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So I went to Cleveland, did all my stuff.

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Um, really never got hurt, but they they wanted to sign Mike Young, the GM, was old Warrior.

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Mike was, you know, an old Warrior too, a switch hitter.

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So um at the time I had a bad asthma attack, so they put me on the DL and sent me down with the with the asthma attack.

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It's kind of mysterious one.

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And then um then I had to go out to Colorado Springs, so I had to move out to Colorado Springs, move all my stuff from from Cleveland to Colorado Springs.

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Then I got called back up, so I had to move it all back.

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Um so it was, you know, it was interesting.

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Yeah, you know, at the end of spring training, my second year with the uh with the Indians, I got I got put on the waiver wire.

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Like I was one of the first guys ever to be wavered.

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The the Giants picked me up off the white waiver wire.

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So the last day of spring, getaway day, it's getaway game.

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I walk in, the game's going on in Scottsdale.

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I get on the plane, I go to San Francisco.

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You know, so I had just a suitcase of clothes.

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I go up there, get a get a hotel, or not get a hotel.

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I uh, you know, I end up renting an apartment, I stay there a month, they get put me on the waiver wire again, and Baltimore claims me.

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So I'm like the I'm the first guy in history to get claimed twice.

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And I get clay came claimed twice within a month.

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So then I had to fly over to Baltimore, get a place to stay, and I was in Baltimore all year.

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Um but they they you know then they pay for your and the biggest say pay for your transport.

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So you get whatever.

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I don't know what it is now.

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They probably give you 30 or 40 grand to move.

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I don't know, maybe more than that.

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Um but back then they gave you, I don't know, five grand or something or 10 grand or something to move all your stuff.

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And I was uh mine was all rental stuff, so it was no big deal, and a couple of suitcases, so that's pretty easy.

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But um, yeah, nowadays it's more for production.

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They get obviously the money gets so much more, and who knows what's been negotiated into those deals.

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Probably probably pretty more than a lot of people make in the country in a year.

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Yeah.

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Well, you you played, you know, uh in the 80s and you during an era where some of there were some truly just great players back in back in the eighties and and probably uh even more legendary characters of the game, I guess you could say.

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Who are some of the most unforgettable personalities that you uh shared a field or clubhouse with?

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I mean, the Ripkins were pretty cool.

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Billy was Billy's the funny one.

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Cal's like the Cal was a beast, you know.

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He was like, I mean, I'll tell you a funny story about Cal, which I I don't know if I I can't I honestly everybody knows about his streak, but we used to have a big clubhouse guy that was, I mean, he was probably 6'4, like two, he was probably 250, this guy.

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And Cal and him every day at home, every day, they would wrestle.

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I mean, wrestle now.

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They would Cal would be dripping sweat down.

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They were they were throwing each other all over the clubhouse, like every day.

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It wasn't like uh just a once every now and then.

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And it was just like his thing.

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I'm like going, how did this guy ever stay healthy after doing that every day?

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You know, you you know, someone's gonna step on a toe or break a pinky or or do something like that.

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But um, you know, it was it was it was wild to to watch.

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And, you know, he's a great guy.

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I mean, Cal was awesome.

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The Billy was a funny one.

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Billy was a Billy was a trip.

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He was uh, I mean, he always had something up his sleeve and doing something or making jokes and uh and stuff like that.

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He was he was he was he was a character.

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I mean, he had the obviously everybody saw the baseball card with the bat with the, you know, I mean, if you look up Billy, Billy Ripkin's baseball card with the bat, you know, everybody will see it.

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If most people have probably seen it by now, but I mean he did that just mess with him saying, I didn't do nothing about it.

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He knew exactly what he was doing, you know.

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So um, yeah, it was it was funny.

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They're just a bunch of good guys.

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We had we had so much fun, you know.

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Um probably the in the minor leagues, it's probably maybe more fun.

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Because everybody's, you know, everybody's, you know, no one's making any money and they're just they go out, and it's like a different, different atmosphere, you know.

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You know, in the major leagues, most of the guys are married, they go home to their kids and stuff.

00:14:10.799 --> 00:14:16.960
But um, there it's a lot of single young guys and they're out running around and having fun and and doing their thing.

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And he and uh like he had the we used to have like the red-eye flights at five o'clock in the morning.

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So you're getting up at 3:30 or 4 to go to the airport to to fly out at 5 and be in an airport all day.

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And like we had this one guy that he would like, he would, he would bring the fake puke and throw it in front of a you know, the stewardess back then when you could do it, you know.

00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:40.639
Nowadays you'd get thrown off and arrested.

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But back then you could you could in in we used to glue like quarters and dimes down in airports, you know, just for and have somebody come and pick them up.

00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:52.799
I remember this this woman being bossed, and they'd won.

00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:56.399
I think it's probably probably the same guy probably glued this quarter down.

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This lady came to pick it up.

00:14:59.120 --> 00:15:01.759
And I tell you what, she was she exploded.

00:15:01.919 --> 00:15:03.360
You men, you were all.

00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:05.679
I mean, she called us every name in the book.

00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:07.919
You guys, I mean, just it was hilarious.

00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:09.200
Everybody was dying.

00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:17.759
And then you'd have the old, you know, you'd have the the old dollar bill or like on the field, like a baseball and fishing line.

00:15:17.919 --> 00:15:32.799
You know, you'd throw, you'd put a dollar out in the middle of an airport and it'd be on a fishing line, and you know, someone would come, oh, they're kind of casually looking, and they see this dollar bill, and they'll go down to grab it, and he'd yank it away, and they'll fall over themselves.

00:15:32.879 --> 00:15:35.120
And they would do the same, they would do the same thing.

00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:36.960
We'd do the same thing on the field too.

00:15:37.039 --> 00:15:46.159
You'd throw a ball out there for some guy to go get one of the players would go get it, and you just start you know, reeling it in, you know, and it's just it was just funny stuff, you know.

00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:48.720
Good, good, honest, clean, fun, you know.

00:15:48.879 --> 00:15:52.480
Um, everyone on their phones are thinking of thinking of goofy stuff to do.

00:15:52.720 --> 00:15:55.919
So uh yeah, the good old days.

00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:56.799
They were fun.

00:15:57.200 --> 00:16:04.799
Now, were there any players uh opponents, I guess, that you're like, well, this guy is just he's different.

00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:07.120
He's he's not all there.

00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:11.919
Um Yeah, but I can't who was a weirdo?

00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:14.000
There are probably a lot of them.

00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:16.159
There's some some whack jobs out there for sure.

00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:22.320
I'm just trying to think who who would be uh who I'd who I'd classify as that.

00:16:22.480 --> 00:16:30.720
I don't even know if I would offhand, but I mean you you'd see uh I can't I can't think of one offhand, but there's there's plenty of characters out there.

00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:36.240
Believe there's there's every personality under this, under the sun on a baseball field or anywhere for that matter.

00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:40.639
You know, everybody has their own little little characters that are to do their thing.

00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:45.120
So yeah, it's it's uh there there's some there's some beauties out there for sure.

00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:48.799
Now, did you ever play against Ricky Henderson?

00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:51.360
I played I lockered next to Ricky.

00:16:51.759 --> 00:16:52.639
I'll tell you something.

00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:53.279
Oh, right.

00:16:53.919 --> 00:16:56.159
Yeah, Ricky was my yeah, he lockered next to me.

00:16:56.240 --> 00:16:56.879
He would not know me.

00:16:57.120 --> 00:17:00.080
He he didn't know me then, and I lockered next to him for three months.

00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:01.840
He would have no idea what my name was.

00:17:02.159 --> 00:17:07.440
But I mean Ricky like I was I was the day there the day he set the record.

00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:10.720
So um he walked.

00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:11.599
I believe he won.

00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:12.240
He did walk.

00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:14.640
He walked, and he had to call time.

00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:16.960
That was a day game, he had to call timeout.

00:17:17.920 --> 00:17:21.759
And the reason was he didn't have his Oakley glasses.

00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:29.279
Well, he wasn't hitting an Oakley's that day, so he needed his Oakley, so he called the bat called Timeout and had the bat boy run his Oakley's out.

00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:34.559
So Oakley, that's when Oakley, that's when Oakley's were just this was like their first year, second year.

00:17:34.640 --> 00:17:39.519
They're just they're giving all the players to to advertise when they just came out.

00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:46.160
And it it was rumored that he had like a hundred thousand dollar deal if he broke the record in the glasses.

00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:50.079
So he had to stop the game specifically to get the glasses.

00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:54.559
And he obviously broke the record and and uh got his whatever, hundred grand, whatever.

00:17:54.640 --> 00:18:00.720
It might have been more, it might have been a million bucks for all I know, but they paid him big money to break the break the record in those glasses.

00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:05.039
And then so he had his speech, you know, I'm the greatest of all time, which he was.

00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:06.880
He was freaking what an athlete.

00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:18.640
And then I was I, you know, I was inside after the game, and uh he was sitting there and all these reporters were there, and I'm just kind of minding my own business, kind of taking it in, you know, it's pretty cool.

00:18:18.720 --> 00:18:28.559
And and uh one of the reporters asked the Haases who owned Levi Strauss, they gave him a 9-11 Porsche to when he set the record.

00:18:28.640 --> 00:18:29.759
They drove it out on the field.

00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:31.680
There's your new car, you know, Ricky.

00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:35.839
And at the time, I don't know what a probably 80 grand back then, you know, that's a lot of money.

00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:38.559
And one of the reporters said, Oh man, Ricky, that's so nice.

00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:43.920
The Haases gave you this beautiful 9-11, and he's like, Ricky don't like Porsche.

00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:45.519
Ricky like Mercedes.

00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:46.720
And that was it.

00:18:48.559 --> 00:18:50.319
I mean, why didn't Ray mine mean?

00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:50.799
I'm Ricky.

00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:51.680
What are you saying, man?

00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:52.880
If you don't want it, I'll take it.

00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:58.880
But but uh I just thought it was so funny, you know, how he and you know, I would never say that.

00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:00.240
You just take it with a grain of salt.

00:19:00.319 --> 00:19:05.359
I give an 80,000, go sell and buy a Mercedes, you know, buy two Mercedes, whatever you gotta do.

00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:07.200
But but uh yeah, he was something else.

00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:12.079
Yeah, he always talked in the third person, and and uh he was everything, but he wanted what a town, man.

00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:13.119
He was unbelievable.

00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:18.400
And and you'd locker beside him and and he didn't know you're gonna be able to do it.

00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:24.400
Oh no, I mean, I don't there were stories out, like he when he was in New York, he you know, Raghetti.

00:19:25.200 --> 00:19:30.720
He would say, or Dave would say, like when they're maybe maybe he was coaching later, maybe playing.

00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:33.119
He said, Ricky, what's my name?

00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:35.200
He said, You rags, man.

00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:36.880
No, Ricky, that's my nickname.

00:19:36.960 --> 00:19:37.519
What's my name?

00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:39.599
He said, You you're rags, you're rags.

00:19:39.839 --> 00:19:41.599
They called Raggetty Rags.

00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:44.640
And um, yeah, he couldn't tell him what his name was.

00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:51.359
He just called by which I get, you know, why nicknames are so prevalent in the major leagues that every, you know, you call him so much.

00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:53.279
I mean, but he he was serious.

00:19:53.359 --> 00:20:00.160
He didn't know, you know, I might black out and I'd call you carp, but I really know your name's Ken, you know, and um, which everybody probably calls you carp.

00:20:00.240 --> 00:20:02.880
I mean, that's a standard you're a you're a carp, you know.

00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:05.839
Every every carp here's a carp, you know, at least in baseball.

00:20:06.240 --> 00:20:11.279
And uh, you know, he he was rags, and that's all he knew him as is rags, you know.

00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:12.640
So he was he was a trip.

00:20:12.720 --> 00:20:14.400
He was but what a talent, man.

00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:15.039
He was something else.

00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:15.680
He was a good guy.

00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:17.440
I didn't I could never say anything bad.

00:20:17.519 --> 00:20:20.480
I was it's just he was a good old boy.

00:20:21.200 --> 00:20:21.839
Yeah.

00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:41.119
Was there a a road trip or a game or a spring training game that a story that you remember that for anybody out there they'd say that there's no way that happened, but it's it's like one of those stories that's absolutely true, and you know, you just look back at it and go, I cannot believe that happened.

00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:44.400
We had some good fighting stories, you know, with the Braves.

00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:48.000
We had the the San Diego fight, the classic back in '84.

00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:50.400
I said someone was played it the other day, you know.

00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:54.880
That was that was someone like, man, this thing's on why this thing escalated like it did.

00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:58.240
It just kept going on and on and on and all through the night.

00:20:58.319 --> 00:21:00.079
And it just, it was just something.

00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:06.240
I mean, it's like, you know, some of that, I mean, I mean, you almost got to go, you almost got to go step by step.

00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:12.240
It's been so long about, you know, trying Pasquale Press and Alan Wiggins, and then Wiggins wanted to fight him, but not really.

00:21:12.319 --> 00:21:16.960
It's probably a probably a cocaine deal going bad, because I was big back then.

00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:22.799
It was probably some kind of drug deal that went bad, you know, and and uh, but he didn't go get him, you know.

00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:31.279
So then I think Leffers maybe was pitching and drilled him or tried to drill him and gets thrown out and just it went on and on, just pitcher after pitcher.

00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:36.400
Pasquel was like, he was like a high strung, you know, I don't know how to, you know, fast.

00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:41.200
He's just kind of those one of those bodies that's like high strung energy, whatever.

00:21:41.359 --> 00:21:42.720
It's like he's so skinny too.

00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:43.519
You couldn't hit him, man.

00:21:43.599 --> 00:21:45.440
It was like the dude was virtually impossible to hit.

00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:47.440
He was so skinny and he was on the lookout.

00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:49.759
He's freaking like he's on speed or something.

00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:52.319
You know, he's probably on code probably back then.

00:21:52.480 --> 00:21:59.599
But um, you know, and they finally got him, but they they threw three of their managers out, and we we cleared the benches, I don't know, two.

00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.960
Or three times, four times, like one right after another.

00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:11.119
And finally, by the end of the game, they just sent everybody up to the up to the clubhouse and said, Hey, if you're pinch hitting, you can come down, or if you're coming in the game, you can come down.

00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:20.960
But they they basically kicked everybody out of the st out of the stadium except the people playing, you know, and we you couldn't go, why you'd be up in the clubhouse?

00:22:21.039 --> 00:22:28.720
It was it was just, I'm like, this is this is like ridiculous, you know, how I just kept going on and on and on, and no one could bury the hatchet on this.

00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:29.839
Is that a game?

00:22:29.920 --> 00:22:32.960
Is was was Ed Woodson playing, was he a pitcher?

00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:34.319
Oh, yeah, that's yeah.

00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:36.079
He was the actually he was the starter.

00:22:36.160 --> 00:22:36.880
That's who was starting.

00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:37.839
Then Leffords got him.

00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:39.519
Yeah, Whitson, he was the guy.

00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:41.279
That's yeah, good old boy, man.

00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:41.920
I love Ed.

00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:45.519
And um, yeah, we talked about it too.

00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:47.680
He uh, you know, he got thrown out of it.

00:22:47.759 --> 00:22:54.880
He was the first guy, I guess, got thrown out, then maybe Leffords after him, and and uh it was just yeah, it was it was good stuff.

00:22:55.119 --> 00:22:58.160
You probably talked to him about it, and he's probably said the same thing.

00:22:58.480 --> 00:23:03.599
If I think if I recall it right, I think there's video where like he's like in the dugout and he doesn't have his shirt on.

00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:05.200
With his shirt off, he did, yeah.

00:23:05.279 --> 00:23:08.799
He sure was, you know, kind of all all fluffed up like a rooster up there, you know.

00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:12.000
And and there were some weird Bob Horger came out with his cast on.

00:23:12.079 --> 00:23:17.599
He was not playing, he had a broken hand, and and he came out on a cast and was getting in a fight.

00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:19.200
Fans got in on it.

00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:25.279
You know, there were a couple fans that got on the field and got their ass beat, and people throwing beer, and you name it.

00:23:25.359 --> 00:23:30.559
It was like, it was like it was it was the maybe one of the best, or maybe the best of all time, maybe.

00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:31.279
It's right up there.

00:23:31.359 --> 00:23:32.799
If it's not, it's it's debatable.

00:23:32.880 --> 00:23:34.799
It was it was good stuff.

00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:43.519
Well, when they're when there that stuff happens in a game, and you know, you see brawls that you know, the bench is clear and the bullpen comes running in.

00:23:43.680 --> 00:23:44.079
Right.

00:23:44.319 --> 00:23:50.400
We're guys that are like, they're just gonna go out there and fight, and other guys are like, man, I'm just trying not to get injured.

00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:52.960
I think you know, I'm gonna get out of here, but I don't really want to.

00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:55.279
I'd say more people, yeah.

00:23:55.359 --> 00:24:03.440
There's a few of those guys that like to fight, but most uh I think most of the guys are like, hey, you gotta go out because you gotta go out, but you don't hurt something.

00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:14.480
I don't want to hurt another player for no, you know, if maybe if someone drills me, maybe, and you know, we have something going on, but someone else, I mean, most people don't want to hurt them or anything, you know.

00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:22.640
It's just it just but there's no there's always those those people, you know, that that want to get in the fight, you know, and that's that's the way you get in.

00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:27.519
They jump right on in and maybe maybe make them last longer than they should, you know.

00:24:27.839 --> 00:24:29.119
Yeah, definitely.

00:24:29.519 --> 00:24:30.480
Yeah, that's for sure.

00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:49.279
Well, as a minor league manager, you know, you've probably had your share of arguments with umpires, and you know, you've had some probably managers throughout your career and the minors and at the professional level with the the big major league teams.

00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:59.119
Is there uh is there a thing where you uh you enjoy watching a manager go out there and argue?

00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:00.880
You're like, wow, this is gonna be fun.

00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:01.759
He's he's gonna make it.

00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:05.119
Yeah, good, especially in the minor leagues.

00:25:05.200 --> 00:25:06.720
There's some really good arguments, you know.

00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:12.160
There's some good, you know, and they anything goes, it's like an it's like an act, you know, pretty much.

00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:15.920
You know, you're pissed, but sometimes it escalates for no reason.

00:25:16.079 --> 00:25:23.359
Like the one guy, um Wellman who throws the grenades and different guys throw grenades and steel bases and and and stuff like that.

00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:25.119
So it's it's fun to watch.

00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:36.400
I mean, and people used to like me do it, watch like me doing it, and I used to like to watch those guys get thrown out and see what everybody's trying to one up themselves, I think, or certain guys are anyway, you know.

00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:39.039
So um that's five fun, you know.

00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:46.000
And I I don't know how they look at it now, you know, if the way the game's changed so much, but it would like the players.

00:25:46.319 --> 00:25:52.559
I I think the players, number one, like you going out and trying to protect them or you know, get thrown out for them, you know.

00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:56.720
I I think there's there's something to be said for that, that knowing you got their back.

00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:59.680
And I think in the long run the guys do appreciate that.

00:25:59.759 --> 00:26:05.359
And I think see a little bit of a show on top of that, it's even better yet, you know, if something something good or fun happens.

00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:10.160
And like I would never shut the gates when I left, and I would always tell my bullpen, do not touch this gate.

00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:11.519
I'd always make the umpire do it.

00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:12.559
And they they would never do it.

00:26:12.640 --> 00:26:15.200
They'd send the bad boy after about 10 minutes and do it.

00:26:15.279 --> 00:26:17.039
But the fire was really prone.

00:26:17.440 --> 00:26:20.160
And they'd always tell bullpen, go shut the gate.

00:26:20.240 --> 00:26:22.799
And I'm like, I'm on the other side, do not shut this gate.

00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:24.400
Do not shut this gate.

00:26:24.720 --> 00:26:26.319
I would make them not do it for whatever.

00:26:26.400 --> 00:26:34.240
It's no just stupid why I did it, but they just they wouldn't, my guys would never do it, you know, like they'd look at the umpire like, uh, they'd shrug their shoulders, I'm not shutting that gate.

00:26:34.319 --> 00:26:34.880
Sorry, dude.

00:26:35.119 --> 00:26:39.440
Find someone else, and they'd always get a bat boy or something to run down there and close it up.

00:26:39.599 --> 00:26:42.000
But but uh yeah, they're fun.

00:26:42.240 --> 00:26:43.279
They're fun to do sometimes.

00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:44.240
Sometimes.

00:26:44.559 --> 00:26:45.039
Yeah.

00:26:45.279 --> 00:26:48.880
Was there a favorite place that you like to play in the in the major leagues?

00:26:48.960 --> 00:26:55.759
And was there also a place where you're like, wow, the fans are just brutal to opposing players?

00:26:56.079 --> 00:26:57.440
Rig Rigley, they were horrible.

00:26:57.839 --> 00:27:02.319
Wrigley, the fans, uh being an outfielder out in the out with all the drunks out in the outfield.

00:27:02.960 --> 00:27:05.359
So yeah, they would always Oh yeah, Wrigley was horrible.

00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:07.359
They would just rag the shit out of you those drunks.

00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:14.480
They'd all be lit up in all day games, and they're lit up at two in the afternoon, just drunk out of their minds.

00:27:14.799 --> 00:27:20.400
You know, and they would be freaking just hooting on you and hollering, and you know, they they would channel me.

00:27:20.480 --> 00:27:21.519
I mean, it's probably everybody too.

00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:28.799
They probably threw everybody's name in there, but it'd be fee-fi, faux fum, comments gives a fucking bum, and they'd all of them would be yelling at every one of their friends.

00:27:31.119 --> 00:27:34.640
They all went in fucking chanting at you, freaking inning after inning.

00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:40.319
And I'm sure they still do it, or maybe they didn't pass it on, but but um they were there, they were a rough crowd.

00:27:40.480 --> 00:27:40.880
Good crowd.

00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:43.519
I mean, it's great place, great place to play Wrigley.

00:27:43.599 --> 00:27:48.640
I like the old, the old bar ballparks, Wrigley, I like you know, Fenway, old Yankee Stadium.

00:27:48.880 --> 00:27:50.240
I really like the old parks.

00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:55.519
I was in the time with all the cookie cutters, you know, but there weren't the new stadiums like there are now.

00:27:55.680 --> 00:28:02.799
Um so you had the riverfront and three rivers and Philly, they're all the same for the most part, you know.

00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:10.319
Um you know Bush Stadium was the same, just and it was so hot that turf, that turf was brutal back in the day.

00:28:10.480 --> 00:28:11.759
You know, you go to St.

00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:16.880
Louis, it was like 110 outside, the turf would be 170, 180 degrees.

00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:19.359

Cal Ripken Jr. Wrestling Before Games? MLB Stories You Won’t Believe