In the brief three-month summer window of June-July-August, from 1964 to 1967, we packed in countless hours of playing baseball on the neighborhood vacant lot just down the street. The value -- and the values -- we took away from that all-too-brief experience still resonate with me, and I hope with the kids who came from all around to play the only game we really loved, because baseball was in our DNA -- we were hard-wired to play it. We learned to compete fiercely and fairly, and we honed...

In my effort to cover content that is All About Baseball, this is a personal account of a tragedy that occurred in a tournament game that involved my high-school team in 1974. Briefly, someone died and I saw it happen right in front of me. I would like to say that this surreal moment transformed me into a better person, but the suddenness and severity of the event was too much for a 17-year-old kid to process, and they way it was handled, though considered "normal" for the era, was still...

On June 2, 2010, Detroit Tiger pitcher Armando Gallarraga retired 28 consecutive Cleveland Guardians (Then known as the Indians.) It just so happened that the 27th batter, Jason Donald, was called safe by veteran umpire Jim Joyce. As a result, this game stands in relief in comparison to all the other 238,000 + games that have been played by Major League baseball since 1869, because it serves as a lasting example of humility, compassion, empathy, and forgiveness -- reminding us all that...

I believe that with a proper mindset of anticipation, expectation, and pro-activity, outfielders gain precious milli-seconds of reaction time that can affect the outcome of a play. This is a personal account of the mindset I developed and refined as an outfielder from the age of 14 until I when I stopped playing organized baseball at age 19. I hope that this is also a universal story about patience, persistence, tenacity, and humility. To tell it, I have to delve into the details of...

53 years ago today, I attended the 42nd MLB All-Star Game at Tiger Stadium in Detroit. This is my account of my experience there, and I close with an anecdote that occurred two years earlier that involved two participants who were played in that game. Thank you, as always, for listening. 1971 All-Star Game Box Score: https://www.baseball-reference.com/allstar/1971-allstar-game.shtml Reggie Jackson's 1971 All-Star Game Home Run:...

In this podcast, I present the five things that I do in every game I call to help ensure that I represent the game of baseball to the best of my ability. These are things that any umpire can and should do from their initial to their final game. I think these are indicative of umpires who respect the game, the coaches, and players -- and that places them in the best possible position to succeed. As always, thank you for listening. Email: [email protected] Music:...

It was a moment that I had been anticipating, along with the rest of the baseball word, for three years prior to April 8, 1974. And even though I witnessed it on television -- I missed it -- and then realized it much later in life. And it had nothing to do with the actual home run. [email protected] ps. (apologies for the occasional bird noises and the occasional audio pops, which I fixed to the best of my ability. I hope that the content compensates for...

Willie Mays (May 6, 1931 - June 18, 2024) was the last five-tool player of my youth to pass away. The other five players being, in my opinion, Mickey Mantle, Frank Robinson, Al Kaline, Roberto Clemente, and Hank Aaron. I believe that Mays was the best of all of them, because of his elite base running skills. In this podcast, I reflect on Mays's approach to base running, offer an anecdote on how he influenced the way that I ran the bases, and offer several tactics that I used to apply that I...

What does a called strike look like from the perspective of the one person on the field who sees it most clearly: the home plate umpire? That's what this podcast explores in detail. We'll define the strike zone, how an umpire sees it best, why there is often disagreement about the location of a "questionable" pitch, and what I believe is the best approach to call the fairest, most objective game from behind the plate from first pitch to final out. As always, thank you for listening and feel...

Sometimes baseball is the main character, sometimes it plays a supporting role, sometimes it's a supporting role. The topics are vast and varied. In this opening episode, called "Warmup" I introduce myself and the reason why I am initiating this podcast -- to connect with people who are as passionate about the game of baseball as I am.