Back When There Was Baseball

Ken Frailing passed away on August 25, 2022. We re-air this podcast in honor of him.

Ken Frailing is our guest this week. Ken pitched from 1966-1978 in the Minor Leagues and the Majors. Ken was very promising out of high school as he had a 13-0 record his senior season with an unbelievable 0.17 ERA. He played for the White Sox and Cubs organizations in his tenure and shares some fascinating stories about his career in Chi-Town. Ken was also a very good hitting pitcher and unfortunately an injury curtailed his career. We hope you enjoy this interview with Ken Frailing Back When There Was Baseball.

Bart Zeller joins us this week. He was with the St. Louis Cardinals organization his entire career. Bart was a catcher and only appeared in one game with the parent club. So, you ask, why would you interview Bart Zeller? It's simple, Bart was the Cardinals insurance policy and worked with their great young staff which included the likes of Steve Carlton, Mike Torrez, Wayne Granger, and Reggie Cleveland to name a few. He played behind great Cardinal catchers Tim McCarver and Ted Simmons. Bart shares some great stories Back When There Was Baseball.

Bill Melton passed away on December 5, 2024. We are re-airing this podcast in honor of him.

Who was the American League home run leader in 1971? If you do not know the answer, maybe "It is soo hot in Chicago that the third baseman is Melton" will jog your memory. Bill Melton is our guest this week. Bill talks about his career and the many teammates he played with, including the late Dick Allen. He also shares his feelings toward Harry Caray who turned the fans against him. Bill Melton was a very good third baseman, mostly with the White Sox, and we are fortunate to have him share his story. Sit back and enjoy this interview Back When There Was Baseball.

Eddie Leon is our guest this week. He played in the Major Leagues from 1968-1975 with the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees. His longest stint was in Cleveland where he teamed up with Jack Heidemann as one of the best double play combinations that few people knew about, as there were very few fans in attendance in Cleveland Municipal Stadium in those days. Eddie played his college ball at the University of Arizona before he was drafted by the Indians. He shared time at 2nd base and shortstop during his career and learned to turn the double play well from both positions. Join us as we go Back When There Was Baseball to the late 1960s/early 1970s with Eddie Leon.

Kevin Kobel joins us this week. Kevin came out of Athol Springs, NY which is south of Buffalo on Lake Erie. This is obviously not a good weather area for baseball, but Kevin earned his way to an 11th round draft pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 1971. He had a fast track to the Majors and appeared in his first game in 1973. Kevin pitched in 1973-1974 and part of 1976 with Milwaukee. He ended up being traded to the Kansas City Royals but was subsequently traded to the New York Mets before appearing in any games. He pitched for the Mets from 1978-1980 until arm problems ended his career. Join us as we take a trip Back When There Was Baseball with our guest Kevin Kobel.

Tommy McCraw is our guest this week. Tommy, or Mac as he likes to be called, played in the Majors from 1963-1975 with the Chicago White Sox, Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, California Angels and back with the Indians to finish out his career. Mac played for Ted Williams in 1971 and credits Ted for helping him become a better hitter. He also coached 24 years in the Majors as a hitting coach. Enjoy this trip Back When There Was Baseball as Mac shares some great stories about his baseball career.

Our guest this week is Rance Mulliniks. Rance played from 1977-1992 for the California Angels, Kansas City Royals and the Toronto Blue Jays. He was traded to the Blue Jays in 1982, where he finally got a chance to play every day. He credits Cito Gaston for elevating his hitting. Rance was also an outstanding glove and for several years in the mid-1980s, was one of the top 3rd basemen in the American League. He became a designated hitter later in his career while he helped Kelly Gruber transition to the starting 3rd baseman. Rance won a World Series in his last season, 1992. Due to a back injury that hampered him early in his career, he was forced to retire after the 1992 season. Enjoy this trip Back When There Was Baseball with our guest Rance Mulliniks.

Tim Foli joins us on the podcast this week. Tim played in the Majors from 1970-1985. His statistics don't jump out at you, but he was a very good defensive shortstop and hit very well, mostly out of the 2nd spot in the batting order. Tim played for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, then the Mets again before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1979. He and the acquisition of Bill Madlock propelled the Pirates to a World Series championship in that 1979 season. He also filled in for an injured Rick Burleson in 1982 and helped the California Angels to the ALCS. Tim was a very good shortstop in the time he played. Join us when we go Back When There Was Baseball and review the career of Tim Foli.

Steve Kealey joins us this week on our look Back When There Was Baseball. Steve came out of Torrance, California in the mid-1960s where there was a boatload of talent. He was signed by the California Angels in 1966 and made his major league debut in 1968. Steve played for many years in the minors and majors with manager Chuck Tanner who he credits for giving him a chance. He played for the Angels organization until he was traded to the White Sox in March of 1971 where he played again for manager Chuck Tanner. Steve shares some great stories Back When There Was Baseball.

Our guest this week is Mike Epstein. Mike played in the Majors from 1966-1974 with various clubs and was part of the 1972 Oakland A's world championship team. He went to Cal-Berkeley on a football scholarship but ended up switching to baseball. Mike was nicknamed "Superjew" and played for quite a host of managers, which include Hank Bauer, Gil Hodges, Ted Williams and Dick Williams. Mike has some great stories, so enjoy this trip Back When There Was Baseball.