Back When There Was Baseball

Former Major League pitcher Randy McGilberry joins us this week. Randy was drafted by the Kansas City Royals in 1975 out of Louisiana Tech University. He made it up to the Big Leagues in 1977-1978 as a relief pitcher. This was in the middle of the Royals' 3-year playoff run facing the New York Yankees in the A.L. Championship series (1976-1978). He was taken off the roster in the 1978 playoffs for Steve Busby. He knew his arm wouldn't hold up and his final year in baseball was 1980. Randy shares some great stories as we go Back When There Was Baseball.

Former Major League manager Jack McKeon joins us this week. Jack signed his first contract in 1949 and played several years in the Minor Leagues but never made it to the Majors as a player. He started his managing career in the Minor Leagues in the 1950s and what a career it was. He is the only manager that won 1,000 games in both the Major and Minor Leagues. Jack built the Kansas City Royals, which won the AL West in 1976-1978 (managed by Whitey Herzog). He went to the San Diego Padres and built them into a World Series team in 1984 as their General Manager. Jack won a World Series in 2003 with the Marlins. He was also manager of the year in 1999 (Reds) and 2003 (Marlins). Jack is in the Padres and Marlins Halls of Fame. Enjoy this interview with Jack McKeon as we go Back When There Was Baseball.

Our guest this week is the 1965 National League Rookie of the Year. His name is Jim Lefebvre and he played with the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1965-1972 then continued his career in Japan for four more years. Jim also managed the Mariners, Cubs and Brewers as well as the Chinese National Team. He has some great insight into his playing and managing days both in the states and Far East, and the comparisons between the game when he played it compared with today.

Jim York joins us on the podcast this week. Jim had a storied road to his signing with the Kansas City Royals. He started his college career at Cerritos Junior College and the team went 40-0. He then migrated to UCLA before he was drafted by the Royals in 1969. He played in the Big Leagues from 1969-1976. He had a good year with Kansas City in 1971, then was traded to the Houston Astros and Jim did not care for his time in Houston. He finished up with the New York Yankees organization in 1976, which was the year when the Yankees lost to the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series. Enjoy this trip Back When There Was Baseball to the 1970s with our guest, Jim York.

Willie Lozado joins us on the podcast this week. Willie played his high school baseball in Brooklyn, NY, then migrated to Miami Dade College. He was signed as a non-drafted free agent by the Milwaukee Brewers on December 3, 1978. Willie talks extensively about coming up through the Minor Leagues. The Brewers had a solid infield with Cecil Cooper at 1B, Jim Gantner at 2B, Robin Yount at SS and Paul Molitor at 3B. Willie was called up in 1984 after Paul Molitor was injured and he played well. However, he was stuck behind the starters and ended up selected in the Rule 5 draft by the Cardinals in 1985. He hung on for a couple more years before retiring from the game. Willie shares some great memories from his playing days as we go Back When There Was Baseball to the early 1980s.

Pete LaCock joins us this week on the podcast. Pete went to William Howard Taft Charter High School in Woodland Hills, CA surrounded by Hollywood stars as his father, Peter Marshall, was the host of the legendary game show Hollywood Squares. He was drafted in the 1st round of the 1970 MLB January Draft by the Chicago Cubs. Pete debuted with the Cubs in 1972 and played for them through the 1976 season. He was traded to the Kansas City Royals in December of 1976 and played with them through the 1980 season. Pete had some nice seasons with the Royals and played in the 1980 World Series. He played in Japan for the 1981 season which was his last. We go Back When There Was Baseball to the 1970s through the early 1980s with our guest Pete LaCock.

We are blessed to have one of the greatest pitching coaches of all time with us this week. Leo Mazzone joins us to talk about his career as a pitching coach and how he was able to keep the Atlanta Braves in contention each year with his stable of pitchers. In the 1990s it was Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz along with a 4th pitcher throughout the decade. He talks about not only the top three, but also how he was able to consistently have a 4th starter. Leo also talks about what he learned from Johnny Sain Back When There Was Baseball.

Do you remember the Disco Demolition Night in 1979? If so, the crew chief of that event is our guest this week. His name is Dave Phillips and he was an umpire in the American League from 1971-2002. Dave recalls that event in Comiskey Park along with his ejection of Gaylord Perry for throwing an illegal pitch and other events in a long umpiring career. Sit back and enjoy Dave talk about the stories from Back When There Was Baseball.

Don Money joins us on the podcast this week. Don played in the Majors from 1968-1983. He started out in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization but got his break when he was traded to the Phillies. He was a shortstop in the organization but later moved to 3rd Base to make room for Larry Bowa. Don was traded at the end of the 1972 season to the Milwaukee Brewers where he finished his career. Don was able to play all the infield positions along with DH. He was part of that great Brewers team in 1982 that lost to the Cardinals in the World Series in 7 games. Enjoy Don revisit his career when we go Back When There Was Baseball.

We are pleased to host one of the best relief pitchers in MLB history. Jim Kern joins us this week. He won the American League Rolaids Relief Man Award in 1979 and was one of the best relief pitchers in the history of the game until he suffered an arm injury. He was not highly touted out of high school but signed with Cleveland in 1968. He entered the Marine Corps in 1969, and we would like to thank him for his service. Jim progressed as a hard throwing reliever which culminated in his best season in 1979 with the Texas Rangers. His nickname was "Emu" and he appeared in 3 consecutive All-Star games from 1977-1979. Jim's stats in a 4-year span rank him as one of the best in MLB history. We hope you enjoy this interview with Jim Kern as we go Back When There Was Baseball.