Hardball Podcast

It's with a heavy heart that baseball fans have lost another legend. Frank Howard was different. His career was fascinating. And his post baseball career more so. 19 years coaching..he loved the game..and maybe more so..loved it's players. It was never Me or I..he spread the word of others. I hope you enjoy this look back to the last sit down that Frank Howard did..,2 yrs ago and as sharp as it gets. Enjoy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you asked...players...managers...announcers and fans...ones that had watched enough baseball over a long enough period of time...   If that time included the heyday of Willie Mays...take a seat and be enthralled of the stories of the most talented player they had ever seen.     Winner of everything you can win in The Game...The Honor of having The World Series MVP Trophy named after him...Roberto Clemente Award Winner...and the very proud recipient of The Presidential Medal of Freedom   Here is my conversation with Willie...2001...on the 50th Anniversary of his debut in the Major Leagues.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's with a heavy heart that I present my conversation with Brooks Robinson. When I heard of his passing, my mind went immediately to my very first baseball memory: the 1969 World Series and as a now bonafide 6 year old fan, I had a chance to start to appreciate great players. The 1970 World Series...THE BROOKS ROBINSON WORLD SERIES...was an incredible jump off point for a lifelong love of The Game outside of my NY Bubble. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Pete Rose is...." Start with those 3 words and watch what happens. Everyone has an opinion - or 6 - about him. I wanted to be one of the few people who did the "Baseball Conversation" with Pete. Here it is...Joe DiMaggio...Hank..Willie...his All-Time Teammate team (just wait)...the games and at bats... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hardball with Chris Dimino is a podcast almost 20 years in the making. Sportscasting icon Chris Dimino is the most insightful baseball interviewer you've ever heard and his rapport with professional athletes is unmatched. Tune in each week for conversations — not “interviews” — with some of the greatest players and others who have been a part of some of the biggest moments in baseball history like legends Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, Stan Musial, Whitey Ford, Duke Snider and Vin Scully… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Silver Fox...The Duke of Flatbush...2 time world series champion with The Brooklyn/LA Dodgers...1 of the 3 great NY centerfielders of the his era.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DAVE "THE COBRA" PARKER A 2X World Series Champion..A 7X All-Star..2X L Batting Champion..3X GG Winner.. and the 1978 MVP...and a man whose life has taken a turn..a turn that has led him to a life of teaching and service..See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the 75th Anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball was celebrated..it also became time to think about the 50th Anniversary of his passing. Kostya Kennedy has written an EXCELLENT book.. TRUE: The Four Seasons of Jackie Robinson. An original way to look back at Jackie's life and career..and the impact of both. Here's my conversation with the author. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"Gator" "Louisiana Lightning" A true fan favorite..2X World Champion..A Yankee Captain who is immortalized in Monument Park along with the All-Time Franchise Greats. Humble. Grateful. I hope you enjoy my conversation with one of the guys I grew up watching. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

DOMINIC PAUL DIMAGGIO "THE LITTLE PROFESSOR" It's hard to be underrated when you are a 7 time All-Star..or you accumulate both the numbers and respect that led Ted Williams to claim the man should be in the Hall of Fame..but the entirety of Dominic DiMaggios career and more importantly life is exemplary. Here he tells some of his story See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we celebrate Jackie Robinson Day..it's an honor to offer up this conversation from the early 2000's. The Public and Private side of the most important moment in baseball history..April 15 1947..and its impact on the Robinson family..The Game..and Society. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Allen "Davey" Johnson To give you an idea of what 50+ years in Major League Baseball can include if you're lucky..Davey will talk about his relationships with some of the best to ever play & manage The Game. Ted. Hank. Sandy. Earl. The Robinsons. World Series wins and losses and a Bear Bryant story as well. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Two conversations..20 years apart..make up this Episode of HARDBALL. Frank Howard is beloved in the Baseball world..not just for his abilities on the field..but for who he was and continues to be off of it. 84 years young..and he offers insight to some of the best he played with and against... Dare you not to smile after this one is done. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greg Maddux was so good that he becomes one of those guys that you tell people 30 years after his retirement "I saw that guy. And nobody was better" Greg and I talk about where it started..and what his numbers and career mean to him. With a whole bunch in between. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BRUCE DOUGLAS BOCHY "BOCH" Straight shooter. And a touch and feel that only comes when you both respect and love your players and the game. 3 Titles..and perhaps (Buster Posey) never managing a Hall of Fame player in those runs. Here's his story.. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

HARDBALL PODCAST EPISODE #28 Willie Horton A sandlot star in the shadow of Tiger Stadium..Willie Horton became not only the player the Tigers wanted.but the man the city of Detroit needed. Beloved World Champion..you'll hear Willie talk about the 1967 riots and '68 World Series Title..and so much more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hank Aaron Interview with Chris Dimino from 2001 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lawrence Eugene "Larry" Doby Episode 28 Being "2nd" was for too long what Larry Doby was known for. I think you will hear today as Larry recounts his life on and off the field that he's been shortchanged by that narrative. The HOFer lived an incredible one. Baseball AND Social History lesson in 3...2... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Peter. Edward. Rose Charlie Hustle The Hit King Part One Pete Rose played one way..for 24 seasons. And he has no apologies..and doesn't care what you think of him..as long as you include "Winner" somewhere in your description of who he was as a player. This is Pete talking about BASEBALL. His career. His teammates. And how he views all of it. And that hopefully makes this different. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How did a guy from a small town in Indiana find himself adopted by the fans of Brooklyn..and spend an incredible 11+ years being on and around one of Baseballs All-Time Most Beloved Teams. His walk through MLB History.. "Oisk"..tells his story..   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Special Episode this week as we will hear from 3 men involved in some of The Games most Historic HR Moments. The Firsthand Accounts of Roger Maris' 61, Bill Mazeroski's Game 7 WS Walk-off,  and Ted Williams Last AB ever home run by the men who gave them up. Wait until you hear the stories. There's a LOT in here, but you won't want to stop listening.

Kirby Puckett A Chicago kid..whose baseball path to the Draft and Minor League baseball was as far from a straight line as you can get. A final Major League AB that we will talk about..and it's role in shortening the then 12 year career. This conversation from 2001 was after his HOF Election..but before serious off field allegations had surfaced. I will explain why I included this conversation in our series in light of that.

This Episode of HARDBALL is different. And timely. The "fight" between players and owners..based on "distrust" and now decades of acrimony..had a beginning. My conversation from 2001 with MLBPA's first Executive Director..and how baseball and sports..all of sports..were never the same after his election.

You can't burst onto the scene any bigger than Fred Lynn did. The spotlight of a big market team..the hope of perhaps breaking the 57 year World Series drought in Boston..and the 1975 Rookie of the Year AND MVP leading his team into a Game 7 to cap off what would have been called one of the Greatest seasons ever for a young player in the Games history.. He'll talk about that and so much here..

When you are as good as anyone in the game for a decade plus..3 Cy Young Awards and more wins than any pitcher of the 1970's..186..good..you will have your Sunday in Cooperstown. Jim will tell the story of before all of that here. How life changing moments..starting at his adoption at 2 days old through a car accident at 17 that could have derailed it all. Hope you enjoy Hall of Famer Jim Palmer.

Ron Santo was a better All-Around player than you know. Some thought he was in the Hall of Fame before he actually was. Others don't even know he is enshrined. That's a strange combination in this game. And he is here to tell his story..one that could have ended before it even got started because of a medical examine....

You may not know his name..but you need to know his story..and the stories he's about to tell. A man who won 130 games..and could have played in the NFL. Oh. And he pitched to both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Here he is..from our 2001 conversation..Elden Auker

Tony "Mr. Padre" Gwynn  There has never been an athlete more associated with his city than Tony Gwynn. The Pride of San Diego in every way..and a better guy than hitter. And he was the best pure hitter the game had seen in over 50 years. 

You don't have to be a Hall of Famer to be a "Legend" in New York Yankee History. Bobby proved that. Because he was a big part..some would say "The Glue"..of World Series Teams and a keeper of the stories that make the Yankees different than every other franchise in history.

Joe Morgan has seen a lot in his lifetime. From the integration on baseball to being a part of broadcast history. And in between he built a sure shot Hall of Fame career..and more importantly to him..the career of a winner. We talk about that and more..including how the game has REALLY changed.

Cal Ripken Jr Never has something more needed in the world of sports delivered the way that Cal Ripken did in 1995. After a strike shortened/no World Series year of 1994..to say Cal Ripken saved the game is not hyperbole. His quest to 2131 was handled both on and off the field with class/grace and highlight moments at every turn. Cal opens up to talk about that and so much more...

Lynn Nolan Ryan Jr The Ryan Express Nolan Ryan pitched in the Major Leagues for 27 seasons. He struck out more..walked more..hit more batters than any pitcher in history. And it wasn't even close. He did things that were beyond unprecedented..at his age or any other. And if you wanted to know what baseball fans thought of him..he got more votes than ANY pitcher who ever played the game in the 1999 All-Century Team poll. Oh..and 98% of the writers vote in his 1st year of eligibility for The Hall of Fame

HARDBALL PODCAST Episode 12 Johnny Roseboro You know the name..you know "the brawl"..but John Roseboro's career and life was so much more. We talked months before his passing in 2002.. and we hit it all. Campy/Sandy..and of course his once complicated relationship with Juan Marachial..and how John's rethinking of that incident helped push Juan into his warranted place in Cooperstown. 6X All Star..Multi Gold Glove Winner..and 3X World Series Winner John "Johnny" Junior Roseboro

The story of the 1969 Mets can not be told without going back to the beginning. The 120 loss record breaking inaugural season of 1962. We will do that and so much more with our TWO guests this week. Ed Kranepool & Ron Swoboda. 50+ years later..this team resonates as much an ANY in the history of The Game.

So great he had three nicknames. Whitey. Slick..it's a Casey Stengel "whiskey" thing. And of course..The Chairman of the Board. Because no one has ever been more in charge than when the 5'9" lefty was on the mound. We will go through it all..from open tryout to HOF career...with some amazing storytelling to fill in the blanks.

Al Kaline still works for the Detroit Tigers..which means he has spent 8 decades with the team that has proudly worn the Old English D since 1904.His talent surpassed only by his grace. And class.An All American tale of the boy who dreamed it..then lived it.

When you talk about trying to put together an All-Time All-Time starting 9 in Baseball History..the debate can be both entertaining and anger inducing. And when you think about the men who can even be considered for such an honor..you are talking about the 1% of the 1% of the 1%. While you can say George or Brooks or I can say Chipper..we might all really be keeping the seat warm for today's guest on HARDBALL. For your consideration..at 3B.. Michael Jack Schmidt

HARDBALL PODCAST #7 It's easy sometimes to "look the part" It's much more difficult to "play the part" It's even more difficult when everything looks easy. When "touched by God" is the easiest way to explain what you are seeing..knowing you really have never seen it before. It's hard to have everything end perfectly..with a bow after the lights come up.  It's hardest of all to walk away with grace when it doesn't. This is some of the Bo Jackson story

Monte Irvin has one of the most unique stories in Baseballs history. Get ready to hear firsthand accounts of his time pre World War II..and what his time served did to his career. And..the not widely known story of how HE could have been the face of integration.

Today's Episode of HARDBALL is my conversation with HOFer Carlton Fisk. The centerpiece of one of the most iconic moments in sports history..but his 22 year career that was so much more. His stories of rivalries..brawls..and an injury that could have ended it all before it ever got started.

Episode 4 takes us to Kansas City for lifetime Royal and Hall of Famer George Brett. A 20+ year career that spanned three decades and saw an accumulation of numbers that puts him in the Elite of the Elite company of the games greatest. A conversation from the early 2000's that finds him at ease in all aspects of his professional life past and personal life present.

HARDBALL Episode 3..Hall of Famer and true Broadcast Legend VIN Scully.  From his childhood NY roots..to his first broadcasting break (a football game!) thru some of his memorable days and nights at ballparks across America.  The greatest painter of baseballs canvases will share..with the ultimate humility..a life well lived.

Episode 2 is a sit down I did with HOFer and Yankee Legend Phil Rizzuto back in 2001. Easily one of the most beloved Yankees of All-Time..a playing career that started in the 1930's..and a broadcast career that lasted until 1996. That would mean in his 7 DECADES of Yankeedom he saw firsthand more Yankee history than anyone else. He will tell some of those stories..and you will hear the names Ruth/Gehrig/Joe D/Mickey/Whitey/Billy/Roger/Reggie and more. Easily on of my TOP 5 All-Time Guests.. HARDBALL Presents Phil Rizzuto

Chris Dimino in conversation with Stan "The Man" Musial