Driving ‘em In with Jim Campanis Jr & Eric Lenaburg

We welcome our Special Guest--Mark Littell, former MLB pitcher, Coach, the inventor of the Nutty Buddy, and Author of two books joins Campy and Lenny for a rip-roaring show of great stories and laughs.  What a blast!  Hear some of his minor league stories, big-league accomplishments, and the invention that has saved many a baseball player's most precious jewels.  

Big thanks to our special guest, Jim “The Rookie” Morris, for joining us for an interesting episode on a very unusual career. In case you missed it, Jim wrote an autobiography about his baseball career that was turned in to a Feature Film by Disney starring Dennis Quaid. Lenny and Campy discussed his “first” career, his teaching and coaching career, and then his “second career” coming back after nearly 10 years off to make it to the majors. Jim discusses his past and details his current career as a Motivational Speaker working with some of the top companies in the world. If you love a great come-back story, and who doesn’t then be sure to check out this episode of “Driving ‘Em In”.

Kirk Shrider, High School Head Coach, College Coach, High-Level Collegiate Summer Ball Manager, MLB Scout and a WEALTH of baseball knowledge discusses the importance of Summer ball at this WEIRD time.  Plus the conversation gets into speculation on where the 2020 season will go at levels of the game.  What about the HS Seniors? What about the College Juniors who had a shot get drafted?  What about the draft itself? So many unanswered questions but Kirk helps put everything into perspective with his vast experience and insider baseball information.  This show is must-listen for young players, their parents and baseball fans who love hearing the inside scoop.

Desi Relaford was a former teammate with Campy when they both played AA in Jacksonville, FL which is Desi's home town.  They've remained friends ever since.  Desi has more years in the game as anyone else we could think of so what a perfect guest to discuss the baseball topic of this episode--Spring Training!  Desi has 16 of them under his belt with many teams and in many venues.  He talks about the good, bad and ugly of Spring Training from the player's point of view.  What's better as a player--Florida or Arizona Spring Training?  Plus, he discusses his newest adventure--returning to pro baseball in France and getting into shape at 48 for Spring Training.  You'll enjoy this inside take on the kick-off to the season.  

What a blast Campy and Lenny had interviewing the talented and very funny Seth Swirsky, who is a top-selling baseball author, and also a Grammy-nominated songwriter.  Plus, he is a WORLD CLASS baseball collector who has owned some very interesting items like the ball that squeaked through Boston Red Sox Bill Buckner's legs.  Listen to his fantastic stories from the music business like getting schmoozed by a Beatle, writing songs for legendary singers and making a documentary about the Beatles, but his love for baseball shines through this fun interview.

 Angel's Legend, Bobby Grich, is one of Campy and Lenny's favorites.  He was a tough player that played the game with grit and determination throughout his 17 year MLB career but also liked to have a good time.  Listen to his AWESOME story about pouring a beer over the head of former President, Richard Nixon!  Plus, he details his role as the President of the Association of Professional Baseball Players of America also known as the APBPA including their upcoming fundraising dinner on Saturday, November 9th at the Diamond Club in Anaheim Stadium.  Tickets are still on sale at APBPA.org for just $80 and ANYONE can attend.  You don't need to be a former player or coach.  Join the fun and meet dozens of former players, scouts, and coaches telling the best baseball stories anywhere.   The APBPA helps former players, not on pensions, who are going through tough times.  Currently, 36 players are on a monthly stipend to help them through.  If you can't make the dinner, become an honorary member at APBPA.org and help the cause.

Jon Huizinga, AKA Coach Zinger, believes in a holistic approach to baseball training. That means nutrition, mechanics/technique, approach, preparation, physical conditioning, mental conditioning, are all equally important for the athlete. Nutrition is where it all starts. Without the proper fuel, it would be silly to think you will have peak performance.  Listen as Jon talks about details of his training and how his approach is helping players get to the next level including a first-round pick from 2018.

Perry Barber, Woman Umpire, who umpired at every level of baseball, PLUS, shared the stage with Rock Music legends shares her awesome stories.  Listen to her passionately describe how she calls balls and strikes and keeps the game moving.  Then she describes her time as a singer/songwriter sharing the stage with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar and more!  Very interesting interview from a Trailblazer!

Author, Ian Kahanowitz, talks about his new book, "Baseball Gods in Scandal" .  

On September 25, 1919, a seemingly meaningless game was played between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians, a game that should have faded to a tiny line item on MLB’s historical ledger.

But Herbert "Dutch" Leonard had other ideas, and nearly seven years later the at-times brilliant and always irratic left-hand pitcher presented letters written by Ty Cobb and Smoky Joe Wood to baseball's powers that be, implicating the Baseball Gods in the fixing of and wagering on that game. Leonard's actions set off a chain of accusations, denials, resignations, player transactions, and a power struggle at the top of baseball’s power hierarchy that would change the game forever.

Baseball Gods in Scandal is three stories in one, and author Ian Kahanowitz tells them all with the art of a storyteller and the precision of an historian:

Capping off Baseball Gods in Scandal is a never-before-published interview with Smoky Joe Wood (told to Lawrence Ritter for The Glory of Their Times) in which Wood recounts a very different version of the affair from his original testimony.

It is safe to say that had Wood's original testimony been consistent with his revised account, the fates of Baseball Gods Ty Cobb and Tris Speaker may have turned out very differently.

https://www.summergamebooks.com/titles/upcoming/baseball-gods-in-scandal-ty-cobb,-tris-speaker,-and-the-dutch-leonard-affair-detail 

Lenny and Campy had a blast discussing how Author, Eric Gray, got the idea for his new book, "Bases to Bleachers", featuring stories written by baseball fans he met all over the world.  Listen as he tells us the process and then reads a number of these short stories ranging from their favorite games to watching baseball in another country to his own family's experiences going to SF Giants games over the years.  Awesome stories!!

Here's a book description from the site:  BasesToBleachers.com

One day during an afternoon at the ball park, author Eric Gray asked his wife, daughter, and friend to identify their favorite game that they had been to.  Little did he know, that simple question would soon take on a life of its own. As the question made its way to family members, friends, friends of friends, strangers and beyond, it gave way to a surprising collection of incredibly diverse stories and perspectives. Thus, Bases to Bleachers was born.

Much more than your average baseball book, the many special and unique stories shared with readers here, whether they’re about watching or playing, either at the Major League level or Little League, represent a wide gamut of experiences. Some entail meeting the stars or attending famous games—and some offered are personal, intimate moments involving family connections and the importance of baseball in people’s lives.

Unlike most baseball books, this is not a biography, or a discussion of a team, or analysis of a season. Baseball here is a setting in which both astounding feats and some of the most beautifully touching moments in peoples’ lives have happened. Whether it’s the first game, falling in love at the park, or even a beloved baseball glove that survived World War II, these stories are about more than just baseball. They reflect the joys, triumphs, and disappointments of the human condition, and often illustrate what’s truly important in life—those things we hold most dear in our hearts.