Welcome to Guardians Weekly on the Cleveland Guardians Radio Network. Guardians Weekly is brought
to you by Progressive helping Guardians fans save hundreds on car insurance. Hi,
everyone, welcome to Guardians Weekly. Jim rosen House along with you from Progressive
Field in downtown Cleveland. Great day with us for baseball talk on the radio
as the Guardians continue their weekend series on Saturday afternoon against the San Francisco Giants
at Progressive Field with a four to ten first pitch, and they wrap up
the homestand Sunday afternoon at one forty against the Giants coming up a little bit
later on. On this week's show, it's another edition of at the Ballpark
with Bobby d Senior Vice President Bob de Biasio. We'll also hear from pitchers
Sam Henches, currently in the Guardian's bullpen, and Matt Boyd, who was
signed to a contract earlier this week. He's coming back from Tommy John surgery,
but could be a veteran armed to put into that rotation later on this
season. And we'll also check in with Carlos Carrasco, who's been on a
real nice stretch on the mound for the Guardians as well. But first our
weekend review. After an off day Monday Tuesday, the Guardians started the homestand
with a win over the White Sox. Chicago did take an early lead in
the first inning on a solo home run from Andrew Vaughan, and they would
more in the second if not for the throwing arm of Andre Semenez. One
nothing socks second inning runner on one out. The pitch swung and drill to
the gamp and right center on the runners free and it gets down, takes
a bounce up against the wall. De Young hits third. He'll try to
score. Here comes the relay, throat of the plate and the slide tag.
He's on the play. Another great throw from shallow center, this time
Andre Semenez, a one hot throw of the plate and the hedges with the
catch and the tag on the sliding the Young on another bang bank play at
the plate. Andre Semenez might be the best in baseball when it comes to
making that throws the cutoff man from the outfield a home plate. My goodness,
it stays one nothing sucks in the middle of ending number two man.
Then the Guardians offense got going in the third with a man on and Daniel
Schneeman at the plate. So the league has adjusted to Daniel Schneman, and
now he is three for his last seventeen. So that's time for his adjustment,
which is what the Angel Leagues is all about. Constant game of adjustments.
The one two swung in and ripped to deep right down the line,
fair ball and a home run. Sometimes you make that adjustment. One pitch
later, a two run shot just inside the foul polling right and Daniel Schneeman,
with his third major league home run, has given Cleveland a two to
one lead here in the third inning, and that just might jolt this Cleveland
offense. In the fifth, Tyler Freeman, it started with a leadoff single,
moved up to second on a bock, and then Brian Rochio came through.
Here's Brian Rochio, switch hitter, left side. The pitch to him,
he swings and loops it to shallow right. That gets down for a
base hit. They're gonna wave Freeman. Here comes the throw from Sheets,
not in time. Freeman scores and the Guardians had a run. It's now
three to one Cleveland. No hesitation from ruglis Odor, the third base coach,
sending Freeman, and he scored easily on that soft single to right off
the bat of Brian Rocchio, and here's Rochio's fifteenth RBI on the season.
The White Sox responded to the sixth of the game time two run home run
from Luis Robert, but the Guardians came right back in the bottom of the
inning with a double from Josh Naylor, and that brought David Fry to the
plate. Down the two to two, Fry hits a chopper to short.
De Young will throw the third, hit Snailer in the back with a throw
cruise in the fall of ground. He's coming home to score. Thrown the
second Fry in sliding and the Guardians take the lead on what was a base
running mistake by Josh Snayler, a routine chopperd to short. He would have
been out by thirty feet except Paul de Young hit him in the back with
a throw. Oh what a break for Cleveland. Two batters later, Tyler
Freeman got into one. The next delivery swung on Yate to deep left down
the line. It goes it is gone. How about that one White Suck
mistake. Three Cleveland runs and a backbreaking two run home run down the left
field line onto the home run ports for Tyler Freeman his seventh home run,
and the Guardians have a six to three lead here in the sixth, and
they do make the White Sox pay the ultimate price. But the White Sox
wouldn't go away easily, as they scored two more in the seventh to tie
the game at six. It stayed that way until the ninth. Andre Si
Menez let things off with a single, moved up on a ground out,
and he was at second base and advanced a third on a wild pitch,
and that brought bon Naylor to the plate as a pinch hitter with one out,
winning run at third and a folk count with one down. In the
ninth, the payoff pitch a swing in a high fly, medium deep center.
This will be interesting. Robert makes the catch, tagging him and his
the throat of the plate nowhere near in time. Bowl game is over a
game winning sacrifice fly. As bone Naylor walks up the White Sox twice.
Louise Robert took a strange approach to that fly ball to medium deep center.
He drifted back on it, he never went back, then charged it with
his momentum, taking him to home plate and the Guardians get a bizarre win
tonight on a sack fly by Bow Nailer and beat the White Sacks seven to
six, And the following day we had a chance to catch up with Bow
and he talked about the game winner and how he was able to stay ready
for a late game pinch hitting assignment like Tuesday nights. You know, I
really think it just comes down to, you know, every game, those
who aren't, you know, starting, we're always getting ready around like those
four fifth sixth inning just in case where we're we're needed in any spot.
So you know, it just really starts with that, getting your swings in
the cage, getting a feel and then understanding the spot that you might come
in and the picture that you might be facing, so you know, kind
of just factoring all those things and really just understanding the role that you're gonna
be put in in that game. Who are you gonna face and how to
attack them. Is it different for you because you're a catcher and then you
might be needed defensively before you you have a chance to pinch it. Yeah,
I guess a little bit. You know. You know, it's definitely
a position that requires a lot, so you know, being able to understand,
you know, how to attack the hitters as well on the defensive side
going in there is definitely something that you got to consider and be aware of.
So yeah, I mean, I guess, you know, taking care
of both sides and just being locked into the game from start to the point
that you might get in things really important. Great approach to a hard game
and paid off last night. I know that was fun. Thanks a lot
for coming back. I appreciate it. Thank you. The Socks bounce back
with a win on Wednesday, eight to two over the Guardians, so that's
set up the rubber match Thursday afternoon. On July fourth, the Guardians got
the scoring started in the first inning after singles from both Steven Kuan and on
Hell Martinez. Josh Naylor drove in the game's first run. Schuster checks the
runners. The two pitch a swing and a smash in to right. There's
a base hit hitting third coming home as Martinez over running the ball and right
as fam that'll be an air that enables Ramirez to go to third. One
nothing Cleveland and Josh Naylor does it again to the White Sox, an RBI
single to right, giving him sixty two RBIs Chicago tied it with a run
in the second, but leading off the bottom of the third, Stephen Kwan's
power surge continued. Now the two to two swung on hit high, deep
to right. It's got a change go on. Steven Kwan has hit his
eighth and every time he hits a home run, hits a new high water
mark, a towering home run to right by the all star left fielder and
Stephen Kwan leading Major League Baseball and hitting. And also remember one other thing
about Stephen Kwan, folks, he has a nine to thirty eight ops on
Hell Martinez followed up with a double, and then his hustle resulted in another
run, and Naylor hits a tamper to first, coming home Martinez throat of
the plate not in time, head first slide. Martine's got a great break
on that chopper to first and scores Naylor with a fielder's choice. RBI is
second RBI today, sixty three on the year. But Josh Naylor's got to
give credit for that RBI to on Hell Martinez, Oh my goodness, did
he get a great read and a great break from third and scored even with
the infield in still in the third inning, the Guardians loaded the bases for
Bo Naylor looking for a big two out hit, and the Guardians catcher sends
a liner toward the gamp and right center on the runners Robert It drops of
acid. This will score two runs. As the Guardians get the four run
inning, Naylor and Noel scored. He Menez ends up at third and a
good at bad for Naylor, did not trying to do too much and got
a two out, two run single to right center and the Guardians get that
mana hit they've been needing and it forces another White Sox pitching change. In
the fifth, Andre Semenez his RBI groundout made it six to one Cleveland,
and then once again the Guardians loaded the bases with Stephen Kuan standing in and
the three to one pitch up Hie ball four. He walked him and that'll
force in a run as he Menez comes down the line from third and the
bases loaded, walk for Stephen Kuan makes it seven to one Cleveland. Chicago
cut the lead to seven to three with two runs in the top of the
sixth, but the Guardians got one of those back in the bottom of the
inning thanks to some more heads up base running, this time from Jose Ramirez.
Now the pitch runner goes pitch swung on grounded to first. Up with
it is sheets to second, one throw to first, not in time.
Hoosey keeps running and scores from second. How about that Sheets started what he
thought was an inning ending twin killer and he threw the second and the throwback
to first made the play close, but Jose Ramirez, when they hesitated it
first to potentially argue the call, just kept coming and scored and the Guardians
steal a run thanks to Jose Ramirez and late at eight to three, the
White Sox picked up a solo home run in the ninth from Lenning Sosa to
make it eight to four and that would be enough as Nick Sandlins off the
il was on the mound to finish the job. Payoff pitch. That's strike
three bulge and the Guardians win the series, beating up the Socks today eight
to four. So the Guardians took two out of three from the White Sox
and then they opened up their series with the Giants this weekend with a Friday
night four to two defeat to San Francisco. Heading into the weekend, now
the Guardian's needing to win two to take another series before heading out on the
road. Stay with us when we come back. We'll hear from Guardians pitcher
Carlos Carrasco. That's next as we continue with Guardians Weekly on the Cleveland Clinic
Guardians Radio Network. Home Ownership Progressive. We know it's part of the American
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Welcome back to Guardians Weekly. Jim rosen House back with you from Progressive Field
in downtown Cleveland. The Guardians hosting the Giants this weekend and on the Mound
later on in the weekend. It will be Carlos Carrasco, who's been in
a real nice groove of late, in fact, really since returning from a
stint on the injured list with a sore neck. Didn't keep him out long,
but during that time he figured some things out and has been really sharp
since returning. And when we caught up with them earlier this week, we
asked him what's clicked in and has them looking like the Carrasco of old.
Listen, I just gonna start first with all my teammates. They've been doing
a great job. Whoever's catching behind home plate, they've been doing a great
job, especially Joy Tory and a Car. They've been working with everyone,
but especially they've been working with me just getting back to my mechanics. They
know what they're doing and all that kind of stuff. I love to do
that, and I think everything that I've been doing for the last three again,
I think is ten for to Car and Enjoy Tory, because we'll be
working so hard so pretty much they find the little detail what I need to
fix on my mechanics, and I'm really happy for so. I've been feeling
really good right now because of those two guys that have been helped me a
lot. Nobody likes to miss time, but you did for just a little
bit. Did that turn out to be helpful kind of taking a step back
and then getting back to it and having a chance to work on some things.
Yes, yes, it was really good to take the tying off a
little bit, just getting back to possibly a couple a couple of years ago
and all that kind of stuff. But you know, at the enda,
it feel really good, and I think everything's doing well right now, and
the thing has been supporting a lot. Every time when we go in there,
I always say, is the energy what we have right now is the
same energy we had in twenty sixteen. I was gonna ask you, is
there some similarities from some past teams that you've been on that have been really
good here? Yeah, listen, it's different players, But the energy I
think is the main part of the game. And even when we win in
or losing, we still have that energy and that's the more important right now.
You're thirty seven. Now, are you enjoying us as much as you
ever did? This season? Listen? Yes, yes, you know.
To be honest with you, so many people said from thirty five pluses onthing
YouTube of for Baseball, But listen, I feel really good. I feel
good. Then I can prove them from the last three star that I've been
getting my bilow he's getting he's getting there. But I've been joining a lot.
It's a joint team here, so I learned from them then learning from
me. There's a lot of guys in there. They ask me some question
and I go there answer questions. So this is about family here. Were
just here to learning and that's the whole process. Teams had a wonderful first
half of the season. All Star breaks coming up. What's the key to
keeping it going? Having been through this before for teams that finished strong,
what's the keep for this club to keep it going? I think the kids
never go back down, never go back, just continue energy, just continue
to play hard. Because the hard month of the season is when you start
in April and Leyaugul in September. I think that's the more harder. But
I think we need to play hard the same way we'll be doing right now
and never thinking about going back, nothing about that. We're just keeping just
keeping right there. Carlos, great to see it throwing well. Thanks for
coming back all right. Thank you. Always fun to visit with. Carlos.
Carrasco has a great outlook on things in this his age thirty seventh season
on the major League. Now stay with us when we come back, we'll
hear from relievers Sam Henches. That's next on the Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio Network.
Welcome back to Guardians Weekly. Jim Rosenhouse along with you from Progressive Field
in downtown Cleveland. Sam Henches has been a big key for the Guardians bullpen
in the past several seasons, and this year no different. He's been on
a roll of late, along with most of the bullpen, which has been
best in Major League Baseball for most of the season. We caught up with
Henches earlier this week and he talked to us about how he's been able to
be so consistent each time his number has been called. The biggest thing is
attacking the strike zone. Usually when you're on a good stretch, you're not
giving up many free passes, and I think that's the biggest thing for me.
But yeah, I mean, it's nice to be on a roll,
and it's nice to see kind of the rest of the pen on a roll
as well. And you do it after missing most of spring training and I
know you've been down that road before. What's the challenge and what made you
maybe more effective this time and in terms of coming back and being ready to
go when you were able to pitch again. Well, like you said,
I think it's kind of going through it that first time and learning what needed
to be done on that rehab assignment or while I was rehabbing to make sure
I was ready to go once I activated me. And I think this year,
working with the training staff and the strength staff, they did a good
job of communicating a lot with me, so I was ready to go when
they needed me to be. What was that frustration level though, in spring,
when you're gearing up for a new season and you have to slow it
down for a little bit. Yeah, it was definitely. I mean,
it's kind of a fluky fluky thing with a finger, and they were I
think the training staff was a little bit more concerned about it than I was,
which made it probably that much more frustrating for me. But it was.
I mean, it was good. I think hindsight, I'll be thankful
that they kind of gave me a little a little break there at the beginning
of the year. But yeah, I mean, anytime you're not out there
playing with you guys, it's it's very frustrating talking about coming back after missing
some time in spring training. You came back for a little bit and then
then you're off again, but for great reason. You're welcome a new baby.
End of the world. And what's that been like for you as you
transition into that. It's been very fun, very exciting. A lot of
work, but it's been a lot of fun. It's it's really cool to
to have that, to see my wife care form, have her turned into
a mother, and and now now me as a father. It's definitely something
you can't really prepare for, but it's been super exciting. I mean the
first few days when I when I did come back to the field, I
didn't really want to be here that bad. But now we've kind of gotten
into a little bit of a rhythm and it's it's a lot of fun seeing
him grow. And former Cleveland outfielder Michael Branley said on occasion when he would
come back from from the paternity listed it's a daddy's strength that helped him have
some success. Do you notice that at all? Not really. I was
expecting to have a little bit more velo right away. That didn't happen,
but hopefully it's it's coming in there. I think it's just kind of a
joke that everybody throws around that Dad strength hopefully holds it has some coming up
here soon. What a start to the season, and you touched on it
with the bullpen wanting to be a part of what has been a real strength
for this team. Overall. Team wise, it's been terrific. And did
you see this coming in the spring where there's some indicators to you that that
this could be a real special club. I mean, every spring training,
everybody's super optimistic and you're positive no matter what the previous season was, So
I don't think anybody's really caught off guard by this. We were a group
that we like to show up and we try to win each each in every
game that we play, and we play really hard. You kind of see
it on the base pass especially and on defense with these guys, they they
work really hard as well as the pitching staff. Everybody just shows up and
we're trying to win each each game, and so far we've been doing a
pretty good job of that, and the unit down and the bullpen seems to
have gelled real nice and it seems in terms of roles outside of a manual
class A, you'll move around a little bit to different points in the game.
And do you enjoy that part of it? Definitely? I think it's
it just shows kind of the strength of the bullpen, guys pitching in a
bunch of different situations. Everybody's versatile down there, except for like you said,
class he only he knows when he's going in the game. But yeah,
just kind of everybody's always ready to go. Everybody's kind of chomping at
the bit down there to get out there. And when that phone rings,
it kind of could be anybody's anybody's name that's called. It's been tremendous so
far, and Sam is always thanks for coming back. Thank you, Hat's
relief pitcher Sam Henches a big to the best bullpen in all of baseball over
the first half of the Major league season. Now, the Guardians, they
have been in a constant search mode for pitching depth, especially starting pitching,
and it's going to be difficult to make any type of deal for starting pitching.
At the trade deadline. They went out and signed Matthew Boyd, who's
a veteran starting pitcher many seasons with the Detroit Tigers. He's coming back from
Tommy John surgery, so he's not quite ready to go yet. But when
we caught up with him on Friday, he talked about how he's feeling and
how the rehab process has gone. Yeah, I'm feeling great. I'm so
honored and a grateful deep part of this organization, in this ball club.
It's just full of so many special people, so many amazing people, high
character people, and you can see why they're having the success they've had this
year. So to get to be part of this is amazing. I feel
blessed beyond really beyond words that I get to walk into this situation and I'm
feeling great. I've thrown two live vps. They've both gone great. We've
gone two winnings already, we have one scheduled for tomorrow here at the ball
Ballpark. So things are going well. Things are going, you know,
just in an amazing, amazing direction and uh man, just you know,
making the most out of every you know, opportunity that's presented itself so far,
and hopefully, you know, sooner than later, I'll be helping this
ball club. You've been in this game long enough to experience a lot some
great times, some challenging times. Throwing a bullpen for a group of major
league teams on your way back from from Tommy John surgery. What was Describe
what that was like for you and how difficult that may have been with with
no fans, nothing like that, not a game situation. Well, there's
nothing against throwing a bullpen at my alma Matery psych Catholic High school, you
know, to a a local catcher with with a local pigeon coach with eyes
on me. But that's not to degrade any of their talents or abilities.
But getting to throw, you know, down in the Heaton, California in
front of a lot of scouts was a welcome change to get the heart going
a little bit, you know, And it was it was exciting and it
just felt like another milestone, if you will. It was like, hey,
this is Tommy John surgery and the rehab is a long path. So
anytime you get to do something that's out of the norm as that was,
was was exciting. And yeah, it was. It was. It was
a fun, fun experience, something something that hopefully I don't have to experience
again, but you know, if I have to, it will be welcomed.
Matt Boyd is joining us. He's on his way back from Tommy John
surgery, veteran pitcher. You work out for eighteen clubs and it's the Guardians
that are are the place that you end up. How much did you know
about this organization and before you signed and and what have you found in the
brief time you've been here so far? Man, I'm uh. I've watched
a lot of games from the other dugout and always washed with a lot of
uh, usually frustration and UH and envy because you know, it's a I
think I've smelled Champagne to be a poored on the other clubhouse, whether it's
here the other side many times over the years too. So anytime we got
to play Cleveland, it was a welcome challenge because they're always the cream of
the crop in the division. And getting the opportunity to join this ball club
is something that uh was was when when that was presented, it was something
that really excited me. So I'm so thankful to be here, so many
good people. Top down, I'm so excited to continue to work with uh,
you know, carl And and Joe and Brad and the pitching side,
and again just I can't speak to how amazing that people are here. It's
really really cool. Probably first time in a long time you did not go
to spring training with a team. What was that like at this stage of
your career. Yeah, well it was It was special because I got to
coach the Samamish Little League Giants for my son Isaiah, and assistant coach the
six U Samamish, a Little League otter softball team. So it's a humbling
experience and it's something that was awesome. I hope to play ten more years.
I believe my best is ahead of me, so I don't know if
I'll be awarded that opportunity a getting to coach my kids teams. But it
was so special, so much fun seeing the game, uh be uh just
seeing the game that brought me so much joy, bring my daughter and my
oldest daughter, my oldest son so much joy. Was so much fun.
So yeah, I missed spring training, and uh yeah, I missed a
lot of good things that come with that, but I wouldn't trade it for
anything. I'm gonna guess those teams were happy that you were around and had
that opportunity to Hey, Matt, great Tomtya, and best of luck.
On the way back. Thank you, Joe. That is Matt Boyd who
could be a big key to this ball club down the stretch once he gets
healthy. And he's not that far away from appearing in major league games.
So we'll follow that for you as time goes back, stay with us.
We're back with a final segment of Guardians Weekly after this time out on the
Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio Network. With Progressives, name your Price tool, you
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New States. Welcome back to Guardians Weekly. Jim Rosenhouse back with you
from Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland, where the Guardians are hosting the Giants this
weekend. Four to ten starts Saturday and a one forty start on Sunday to
wrap up the homestand for Cleveland. And before we go this week, let's
check in with Guardians Senior Vice President Bob D Biassio. It is another edition
of At the Ballpark with Bobby D. The perfectly manicured field, the unmistakable
aroma of a ballpark hot dog, and the electricity celebrating another victory. This
is at the Ballpark with Bobby D. The ballpark is home to many stories,
many memory mos, and colorful personalities. Joining me now at the Ballpark
is one of my dear friends, Larry Dobie Junior, his father breaking the
color barrier in the American League July fifth, nineteen forty seven when he went
to the plate as a pinch hitter in Comiski Park in Chicago. Larry,
it's always awesome to have you back in Cleveland. It's always good to be
back here. Robert, thanks for having me. Let's talk a little bit
about your dad. I know You've done so many interviews. One of the
coolest things that I've heard you say over the many years that you and I
have connected is the fact that your father said he never got booed in Cleveland,
that this city truly embraced him. Yeah, exactly. He wasn't much
for telling the stories. Bobby and I would try to get him to when
he wouldn't, And then one day we were sitting around and he made that
statement, and I thought he was crazy because I grew up in New York
and New Jersey they bowed Mickey Mantle and he said, they never bowed me
there, and that meant so much to me, because that meant to me
that he was theirs. He was their guy, and whether he struck out
or got a hit, they were going to support him. And he never
forgot that. You know. Another story that you shared was there'd be people
come to your home and stars of all pro sports, and your dad was
a fan of all sports, being a four sports star at Patterson High School
in New Jersey, terrific football player, basketball player, and also a member
of the US Navy, which we cannot forget his service to our country.
Tell us and share some of the names that as a kid, you were
walking around the house and all of a sudden, at the dinner table,
there's some pretty special people. Yeah, but you got to remember, Bobby,
they were just my dad's friends. They weren't special people to me.
So he'd say, you know, come home early, maybe you want to
meet these guys, and it would be Bill Russell, Sam Jones, Willy
Knowles, Willie Mays, don Nukeomb And you know, I was just like,
Okay, nice to meet you, sir. You know my pleasure.
Can I go back and play dad? And he's like, yeah, sure,
of course. In hindsight, which we all know is twenty twenty,
I wish I would have stayed there and kind of soaked in some of the
knowledge that they were, you know, putting out. But you know,
you just when you're a kid, all you want to do is play when
you get the chance. So that's what happened. And you and I have
chatted about this, and I don't think we've ever shared this with the public.
So to me, it's a remarkable story that you were both a football
and baseball player and you were trying to identify a college in which you might
be able to go and play both sports. Tell us the story about how
you identified the school that you did. The story behind Paul Harvey. Remember
Paul Harvey and the rest of the story, well, to me, this
is an incredibly interesting rest of the story. When you sat with your father
and decided to tell him where you were going to go to college. So
I got a bunch of offers and letters and stuff from different schools. And
one of the things was that I definitely knew I wanted to play two sports,
being football and baseball. And some schools automatically were like, well,
the money's coming from football, this is your priority, and so forth and
song. And my goal was to go to the best school that I could
go to and if possibly a warm weather thing. So I went to visit
Duke University of North Carolina in February. It was seventy degrees. I was
sold. Then all the initial contact came from the football office and coach Mike
McGee. And after we had met and sat down and talked, and you
know, he said, Okay, I understand you know, baseball is pretty
important to you. He decided to sort of funnel my interest towards the baseball
team because he figured, I think that he could get two athletes for the
price of one. Because id I was on baseball scholarship. Then I was
going to play football. He knew that, so that's what he did,
which was pretty shrewd on his part. So it turns out that the recruiting
process had gone pretty far. I hadn't even asked or known who the baseball
coach was when it kind of took the direction towards baseball. I found out
the baseball coach was Enis Slaughter. As people probably know, he was one
of the guys who wasn't happy when Jackie Robinson signed and put his name on
a petition that they weren't going to play and so forth and so on.
And my father had always taught me when I was younger to treat people the
way that they treat you, not what you hear about them, not what
you think, you know, give him a chance. And he said,
even if I'm not friendly with them and they're friendly with you, that's okay.
So, needless to say, this was a chance to put those lessons
to, you know, a true test. Yeah. And the best thing
I'll say, Bobby, is that I think the true measure of a man
is not where he begins the race, it's where he finishes it. And
I have to say that coach Slaughter, you know, finished it on the
right side. He was brought up and born into a segregated society. That
was part of his life. But by the time I got to him,
you know, he was a good guy. I loved playing for him.
You know, I wouldn't have traded the experience for the world. My father,
on the other hand, you know, would always joke with me.
They'd see each other that old timers game, and he go, I saw
your coach, you know, and stuff like that. So I think he
had forgiven, but he didn't forget, and they had it, you know,
me in common. So I think they became a little bit more friendly
over the years. So that was part of the situation. I'm glad that
I could have helped them get a little closer. So let's get specific.
On the football field, what position did you play? I played strong safety,
and I could hit and I could run a little bit, so yeah,
I did. I did almost to the point where the coach said,
you don't have to let him catch it to tackle him. You can block
the ball, not hit him. But yeah, that's kind of what I
learned. So yeah, and that in baseball, what position did you play?
Were you a center fielder like your dad? I played center field like
him. Yeah, in a right handed hitter, switch hitter. Yep.
I've always found that story to be so remarkable. Again for those who want
to check the history books. Yeah, Ina Slaughter allegedly was the ringleader of
even wanting the boycott baseball for integration at that time. But you said,
you know, a man comes from a certain place and he has a chance
to change, and did you integrate Dukes baseball team? Believe it or not,
Bobby, I found out long after I had graduated that I was the
first black player there. I didn't know that, and I think ironically I
was the second black player in the Atlantic Coast Conference. But you know what,
I was a freshman. Those guys, you know, it was a
lot of upperclassmen. They never made me feel different. I had no idea.
Now we were going to places and play like Valdosta, Georgia and places
like that where it was a little crazy, but you know, I felt
like I was part of the team, and you know, didn't have to
go through the stuff my father did with not eating in the same restaurants at
the hotel. So you know, we were all together, and you know,
I'm thankful for that experience. Well, we're thankful that you're willing to
share that. We're thankful. I'm personally thankful we have this deep, long
relationship that we have. I was one of the few that are still here
that blessed to know your father and your mother, Helen, and what wonderful,
gracious people they were. And hoping that you out there all enjoyed today's
at the Ballpark story. We look forward to sharing more at the Ballpark on
the Cleveland Guardians Radio Network. Always fun to hear from Senior Vice President bobbi
Biassio, and that puts a kapper on this week's show. We'll check in
with you next week from Saint Petersburg, Florida, our last show before the
All Star break, as the Guardians will be taking on the Rays next weekend.
Until that, as always, thanks to Brian Matse for putting together our
show each and every week until next week. This is Jim rosen House reminding
you that you've been listening to Guardians Weekly. I'm a Cleveland Clinic Guardians Radio
Network. Guardians Weekly has been brought to you by Progressive helping Guardians fans save
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