An Evening of Baseball with Rob Goldman and Bobby Grich

[AngelsWin.com]

Who: Our own Rob Goldman and Angels great Bobby Grich

What: Talking Angels baseball

Where: The Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum located here

When: August 4th, at 7:00 PM

RSVP for this event by emailing nixon@nara.gov

View the full article

[Dave Saltzer]

Here is a taste of one of the stories you're likely to hear about at this event. This photo caused the Secret Service to get quite upset! Who hasn't wanted to do that to a President? 

 

Edited August 1, 2015 by Dave Saltzer

[Dick B Back]

A highlight for me! Screw the Secret Service, don't they know I make my own rules?

Edited August 1, 2015 by Dick B Back

[Dave Saltzer]

Howdy all,

 

I cannot make this. I have a family conflict, and cannot get out of it. I am, however, willing to let someone borrow my video camera and tripod to record this. If anyone is going, and is willing to record this, please let me know. I would appreciate it.

 

Thanks!

[ten ocho recon scout]

Like an idiot i totally spaced on this and meant to make it. If nyone went please share some stories

[Tank]

well, i was able to go and it was fantastic. Grich spoke first and told some good stories. One of them was about signing his original contract with the Orioles - it was for 35k plus 7500 put into a trust fund for college (he went to UCLA). Took them about a month to negotiate because his dad was pretty tough. He signed on July 3 and they had him on a red eye flight that night to west virginia, where he started at short the next night. The first person he met was Don Baylor, who was drafted in the second round by the O's (Grich was drafted in the first round, the two became best friends). Rob Goldman mentioned that he wants to include a chapter about Grich and Baylor in his next book.

 

Grich talked about a teammate they had who was married and didn't do a lot of joking around. His name was Ron, and he'd sit on the bus and write while all the guys were laughing and telling jokes and stories. Grich asked him to join them and put the pen away, but Ron said he was too busy writing down the jokes and one-liners. He never made it to the majors, but he ended up being a writer and director, and his biggest hit was Bull Durham - the teammate was Ron Shelton. A lot of the stories that made their way into the movie came from Shelton's experiences with that particular minor league team. Grich did not identify anyone who may have worn a garter.

 

Grich also talked about facing Nolan Ryan for the first time as a rookie. Grich hit the first pitch down the right field line foul, just barely missing the line. He dug back in and the next pitch was about 105 mph right at his head. He hit the dirt hard. While bending over and dusting himself off, he quietly said to the ump Ron Luciano "Aren't you going to give a warning?" At that, Luciano took off his mask and said "you want me to give a warning? Okay, the next time he throws a pitch like that, get out of the way! There's your warning!". 

 

Ryan's fourth no-no was against the O's. The final batter? Grich. He said Ryan only threw two changeups the whole game, including the final pitch for a called third strike. Bobby still maintains the pitch was about 8 inches outside, but what are you gonna do?

Edited August 5, 2015 by Tank

[Tank]

After Bobby was done talking, Rob Goldman came out and talked some about the history of the team and their connection to Nixon. Some good stories, many short. Said Nixon really was an educated baseball fan, and would usually stay until the end of the game. David posted a picture above of Grich dousing Nixon in the lockerroom during the '79 celebration. They had run out of champagne right before Nixon and Autry came down to join the celebration, which Nixon greatly enjoyed. Bobby grabbed a Bud and ran over to the Prez, dumping it on him and saying "This Bud's for you!" Nixon enjoyed it tremendously, and several years later in New York, Nixon visited the Angels lockerroom again. He called for Grich to come over immediately. Bobby was scared until Nixon told him that one single picture, which appeared on front pages around the country, was the single best piece of PR he could have had, better than anything his press secretary could do.

 

Rob told several stories of him and Ryan, including how they first met and that Ryan had a relative that fought and died at the Alamo (Issac Ryan). Rob also spent a summer working at Ryan's ranch in Texas. Tough, tough work for a Jewish kid from LA, he said. He learned one particular lesson the tough way with an ornery horse. Ryan never brought it up again, knowing that the lesson had been learned the hard way. 

 

I got to speak to both Bobby and Rob afterwards. Rob is a great guy, and if you haven't met him or read his books, you're in for a great treat. His books are terrific (I got his new book on Ryan tonight), but even moreso, Rob is just a real nice, down to earth guy who you'll greatly enjoy talking to. I've met him only a few times, but feel like we've been friends for much, much longer. It's a nice feeling to know that he considers me the same. Got to take a picture with Grich. Told him I wanted to have a mustache like his when i was younger. He said he missed it but it was just too gray anymore.

 

What a fun night. Glad I was able to go.

[Tank]

Forgot to mention the best story of all. Grich was talking about being at a golf tournament up in Montana or somewhere, and there was a dinner afterwards. He was seated on the dais with Gaylord Perry. While they were eating, he casually asked Perry how he avoided being caught throwing a spit ball for all 22 years. Perry laughed and said he was always one step ahead of the umps. He never hid the juice on his arm, cap, jersey, etc, as those were the places the umps always checked. Perry told him that as he released a pitch, he knew everyone would be looking at the ball and the batter, so in his follow through he would grab right under his crotch. That's where he hid the KY jelly, knowing full well that there wasn't an ump in the league that was going to check or touch there. Between innings he would change his pants so he had a fresh pair every time he went back out to the mound. Got away with it his whole career, and no one was the wiser.

[Dave Saltzer]

Thanks for sharing Tank. I wish I could have been there. Was anyone able to record it?

[Tank]

hey david. i didn't see anyone recording it. i took a couple of notes on my phone, but that was all i saw. there was a crowd of about 50, and most of them were older than Bruce. 

 

what was most surprising to me was afterwards when only about 20 people waited in line to buy a book or say hello. most everyone seemed eager to leave. i didn't understand that at all.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

hey david. i didn't see anyone recording it. i took a couple of notes on my phone, but that was all i saw. there was a crowd of about 50, and most of them were older than Bruce.

what was most surprising to me was afterwards when only about 20 people waited in line to buy a book or say hello. most everyone seemed eager to leave. i didn't understand that at all.

Probably given free tickets or were library supporters over baseball fans.

Tank, what you left out, and what we are all dying to know is what vegetarian meal did you have at or before the event.

I didn't see a "what to do in Yorba Linda" thread prior.

[LBHalos17]

That's awesome; thx Tank!

I've only met Ron at Spring Training, and spoke to him for a minute while he was signing for me.  I'm hoping to see him again this year, if I can remember he has a new book for me to get (Things tend to get a little hazy during our ST week).

[ten ocho recon scout]

Nice write up tank, kicking myself for getting it. Have always been a huge grich fan, and i have i think all of goldmans books. Sounds like a cool event

[Tank]

Probably given free tickets or were library supporters over baseball fans.

Tank, what you left out, and what we are all dying to know is what vegetarian meal did you have at or before the event.

I didn't see a "what to do in Yorba Linda" thread prior.

 

my timeline in yorba linda was tight, so i passed on a "help wanted" thread. 

 

ate at taco bell before the event. two bean burritos with lettuce and tomato added, a freeze, and finished with a caramel apple empanada. ate in the car in parking space 19, facing south with a gentle breeze coming up from the south at roughly 4-6 mph. nary a cloud in the sky. parked in spot 7 with no one on either side of me. ascended the small steps up the entrance at 6:19 and went directly to the theater.

[ten ocho recon scout]

So gaylord perry kept ky jelly in his crotch?

(Channeling my inner calscuf)

[Tank]

So gaylord perry kept ky jelly in his crotch?

(Channeling my inner calscuf)

 

apparently only on the outside of his pants. as for what he did under the uniform, there was no mention of that (thank goodness).