ETV Classics
Doug Nye’s Time Machine: Special Edition (2005)
Special | 56m 44sVideo has Closed Captions
Doug Nye’s Time Machine: Special Edition with Bobby Richardson, Art Baker & Bob Gillespie.
Taped at the SC State Fair in 2005, this special edition of Doug Nye’s Time Machine provides an opportunity for our panel of experts to reflect on the history of sports in South Carolina. Joining sports writer Doug Nye are Bobby Richardson, Art Baker, and Bob Gillespie.
ETV Classics is a local public television program presented by SCETV
Support for this program is provided by The ETV Endowment of South Carolina.
ETV Classics
Doug Nye’s Time Machine: Special Edition (2005)
Special | 56m 44sVideo has Closed Captions
Taped at the SC State Fair in 2005, this special edition of Doug Nye’s Time Machine provides an opportunity for our panel of experts to reflect on the history of sports in South Carolina. Joining sports writer Doug Nye are Bobby Richardson, Art Baker, and Bob Gillespie.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship♪♪ >> HELLO.
I'M DOUG NYE.
WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL EDITION OF OUR "TIME MACHINE," LIVE FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA STATE FAIR.
NORMALLY, WE'RE ON SUNDAY NIGHT AT 7:30, BUT TONIGHT, WE'RE EXPANDING FOR AN HOUR BECAUSE WE HAVE THREE SPECIAL GUESTS.
I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO THEM RIGHT NOW.
TO MY LEFT FORMER NEW YORK YANKEE ALL-STAR SECOND BASEMAN, MULTIPLE GOLDEN GLOVE WINNER AND AN ACCOMPLISHED COLLEGE BASEBALL COACH, BOBBY RICHARDSON.
[ APPLAUSE ] >> THANK YOU.
THANK YOU.
>> YOU HAVE FANS HERE TONIGHT.
ON HIS LEFT IS ART BAKER, WHO'S A LEGENDARY HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACH IN THIS STATE.
A LOT OF US FROM AROUND HERE REMEMBER OAK FLAIR AND WEPT TO CITADEL AND WENT AS AN ASSISTANT TO CLEMSON AND WAS RECENTLY WAS HEAD OF THE GAMECOCKS.
GOOD TO HAVE YOU.
>> GOOD TO BE HERE.
>> TO MY RIGHT IS AN OLD COLLEAGUE, A MULTIAWARD-WINNING SENIOR SPORTS WRITER FROM THE STATE NEWSPAPER, BOB GILLESPIE.
BOB, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
>> THANKS, DOUG.
IT WILL TAKE THEM LONGER TO GIVE THEIR RESUME.
>> BUT YOURS IS QUALITY NOT QUANTITY.
BOBBY, I'M GOING TO START WITH YOU.
ONE OF THE THINGS I ALWAYS WONDERED AND WE ALL KNOW THAT YOU'RE A GREAT BASEBALL PLAYER, BUT WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP IN SUMTER, HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN BASEBALL, GET HOOKED ON IT?
WERE THERE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT INSPIRED YOU ALONG THE WAY?
>> DOUG, THERE REALLY WAS.
I HAD AN OLDER FRIEND.
HE WAS ABOUT ART'S AGE.
AND HE LIVED JUST A COUPLE BLOCKS AWAY.
HE ENCOURAGED ME, HIT 100 GROUND BALLS TO ME AT A TIME.
IF I MISSED ONE, HE WOULD START OVER AGAIN.
HIS NAME WAS HARRY SOAKS AND HE ENCOURAGED ME.
MY DAD WANTED ME TO PLAY BALL.
HE WAS IN THE GIN SAW BUSINESS AND WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.
HE LOVED BASEBALL AND HE AFFORDED ME ALL THE LEVELS, LITTLE LEAGUE FROM AMERICAN LEGION.
GOOD YOU PLAYED ANOTHER SPORT.
HE PLAYED BASKETBALL.
>> I LOVED BASKETBALL.
I DID PLAY HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL AND AS A GUARD, I KNEW I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE DOWN THE ROAD, BUT AS FAR AS HIGH SCHOOL IS CONCERNED, I REALLY ENJOYED BEING A PLAY MAKER.
I WOULD GET THE BALL AND IN AND DO THE JOB.
I WAS ALLSTART.
IN THOSE DAYS, SOUTH CAROLINA ONLY HAD FIVE QUALIFICATIONS FOR ALL-STAR TEAM.
AND THEN MY BOTH JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEARS I MADE THE ALL-STAR TEAM FOR BASKETBALL.
>> WHAT ABOUT WHEN YOU FINALLY GOT SIGNED BY THE NEW YORK YANKEES, WHO SIGNED YOU?
HOW DID YOU FEEL?
WHERE DID THEY SEND YOU?
>> DURING THE TIME THAT I SIGNED, DON BUTTON WAS AN OUTSTANDING PLAYER.
HE SIGNED THE PREVIOUS YEAR WITH THE BOSTON RED SOX FOR BIG BOYS.
THAT YEAR, IF YOU GOT OVER $6,000, YOU HAD TO PLAY TWO ON THE ROSTER.
12 OF THOSE CLUBS OFFERED ME THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO SIGN.
NOW, I SAW THE FILM "PRIDE OF THE YANKEES, STORY OF LOU GEHRIG," AND I THOUGHT WHAT A GREAT ORGANIZATION.
I DIDN'T THINK IT MIGHT BE HARDER TO MAKE THAT BALL CLUB AT THAT TIME, BUT I CHOSE THE YANKEES AND IT TURNED OUT GOOD FOR ME.
>> YOU GOT TO REMEMBER THE 1959 YEAR.
I KNOW THE YANKEES DIDN'T WIN THE PENNANT THAT YEAR, BUT YOU DID SOMETHING THAT NOBODY ELSE DID ON THE YANKEE TEAM.
YOU LED THEM IN BATTING, DIDN'T YOU?
>> WELL, I TRIED.
THE ONLY YEAR THAT I DIDN'T-- THAT WE DIDN'T WIN WAS '59.
I DID.
I WAS THE ONLY GUY THAT HIT .300 THAT YEAR, WHICH MEANS WE DIDN'T DO WELL AS A HITTING BALL CLUB THAT YEAR.
IN '59 AND 'AND 7 AND 89, NO ATLANTA BRAVES BUT MAKE BRAVES.
'62, SAN FRANCISCO.
'63, THE DODGERS AND '64, THE CARDINALS.
THAT WAS A GOOD TIME TO PLAY.
>> IT WAS.
>> ONE MORE THING, YOU BECAME A BASEBALL COACH, COLLEGE BASEBALL COACH AND STARTED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND TODAY, SOUTH CAROLINA IS A NATIONAL POWER AND A LOT OF US KNOW THAT YOU LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR THAT PROGRAM, THE WAY IT IS TODAY AND TOOK IT TO NATIONAL PROMINENCE.
HOW DID YOU GET THE JOB?
WHO BROUGHT IT TO YOU?
HOW DID YOU TURN THE TEAM AROUND?
>> MY LAST YEAR WITH THE YANKEES, ONE TO PLAY AND FOUR TO DECIDE WHAT I WANTED TO DO.
PAUL WAS THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR AND HE ASKED ME TO BE A BASEBALL COACH WHEN HE SPOKE AT A BANQUET IN MY HOMETOWN.
I TOLD HIM I HAD FOUR YEARS ON MY PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT AND HE CAME BACK ONE MORE TIME AND I SAID NO AGAIN.
THIRD TIME HE CAME BACK AND HE SAID I'M NOT GOING TO ASK YOU ANYMORE, AND I SAID I WOULD LIKE TO TRY.
THE YANKEES WERE GRACIOUS TO PAY ME OFF FROM THE CONTRACT.
IF YOU WANT TO, YOU CAN BE OUR COACH, BROADCASTER, OR YOU CAN BE OUR TRIPLE-A MANAGER.
I SAID NO, THE TRAVEL IS THE REASON I'M RETIRING AND I WOULD LIKE TO TRY COACHING.
THE GENERAL MANAGER SAID WHEN YOU GET SETTLED, GIVE ME A CALL.
WE WILL BRING THE YANKEES DOWN TO PLAY YOUR BALL CLUB.
I FEEL THAT WAS THE KEY TO MY COACHING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.
THREE YEARS LATER, WE LOST OUT TO MIAMI IN THE LAST GAME OF REGIONAL PLAY, AND I CALLED LEE AND I SAID I'M READY FOR THE YANKEES, AND HE LAUGHED.
HE SAID, WELL, WE'RE TRAVELING NORTH WITH THE METS, BUT WE WILL COME DOWN TO PLAY YOUR CLUB.
WE PLAYED THREE AGAINST THE YANKEES AND THEN AGAINST THE METES AND THEY PLAYED AGAINST EACH OTHER.
IT DID PUT OUR TEAM ON THE MAP AND SHORTLY AFTER THAT, I FINISHED SECOND IN THE NATION IN THE COLLEGE WORLD SERIES.
RAY IS DOING A GREAT JOB.
I'M GLAD HE'S HERE.
>> ART, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT GROWING UP AND HOW YOU GOT INTERESTED IN SPORTS.
WAS THERE SOMEBODY THAT INSPIRED YOU?
DID YOU PLAY EVERYTHING?
>> IN SUMTER, I PLAYED FOOTBALL AND I PLAYED BASEBALL TO BEGIN WITH, AND-- HE STRUCK ME OUT THREE, FOUR TIMES.
I CAN'T REMEMBER.
[ LAUGHTER ] I TOLD THAT STORY SO MANY TIME TIMES, I'M NOT SURE IF IT WAS TRUE.
>> TELL IT AGAIN.
>> I HAD SEVERAL OPPORTUNITIES TO INTRODUCE BOBBY AS OUR MAIN SPEAKER SO I USUALLY TELL THE STORY THAT WHEN PLAYED, WE DIDN'T HAVE LITTLE LEAGUE, WE HAD YMCA LEAGUE.
I SAID BOBBY WAS ANOTHER TEAM, AND I SAID ONE DAY I STRUCK HIM OUT THREE TIMES.
I SAID, OF COURSE, I WAS 12 AND HE WAS 9.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> ART WAS A GOOD ATHLETE.
GO ON WITH YOUR STORY.
>> NO, I WAS GOING TO SAY I PLAYED BASEBALL AND FOOTBALL, AND I WAS SMALL AND I HAD SOME GOOD FRIENDS THAT BOBBY KNOWS.
JOE KURGIN WAS AN ALL-AMERICAN AND WIDEY WAS A TRACK PERFORMER AND KIRBY JACKSON WHO LETTERED IN THREE SPORTS.
YOU HAD TRYOUTS AT PC IN THOSE DAYS AND MY COACH AT SUMTER HIGH SCHOOL WAS LARRY WELDON I WASN'T ELIGIBLE BECAUSE I HAD BEEN IN THE MILITARY FOR SIX MONTHS BEFORE THEY FOUND OUT I WAS 16, AND SO I CAME BACK AND I WAS INELIGIBLE SO LARRY SAID IF YOU WOULD COACH THE D TEAM, HE SAID, AND I JUST TURNED 17, I WILL HELP YOU GET A SCHOLARSHIP TO PC.
SO I COACHED THE B TEAM AND A LOT OF GUYS THAT BOBBY KNOWS, GUS SPRINKLE AND SUGAR, WE WERE 10-0.
I SAID, MAN, THERE'S NOTHING TO THIS COACHING.
ANYWAY, I WENT TO BC BECAUSE JOE HELP NEED GET IN AND I HAD TO WORK A LOT TO GET MY WAY THROUGH.
BUT FINALLY EARNED A SCHOLARSHIP >> SO YOU ACTUALLY COACHED BEFORE YOU PLAYED FOOTBALL IN COLLEGE.
>> YEAH.
>> I ACTUALLY COACHED.
THAT WAS MY ONLY UNDEFEATED SEASON.
NOT REALLY.
I THIS THINK I HAD ONE MORE.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> WAS IT BAD OR AFTER YOU WOULD GO THROUGH PRESBYTERIAN, WHEN DID YOU DECIDE, YOU KNOW, I REALLY WANT TO BE A FOOTBALL COACH?
>> I KNEW I WANTED TO COACH IN HIGH SCHOOL.
I GUESS THAT WAS ONE OF MY BIGGEST MOTIVATIONS TO GO TO COLLEGE IS THAT I KNEW YOU HAD TO GO TO COLLEGE TO BE A COACH.
SO I WAS GOING TO FIND SOME WAY TO GO.
FORTUNATELY FOR ME, I HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE TO HELP ME.
SO EVERYTHING WORKED OUT REAL GOOD FOR ME.
>> WELL, TRYING TO DEAL WITH YOUNG MEN AND YOUNG TEENAGERS REALLY ON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAM.
THEY'VE ALL GOT DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES.
HOW DID YOU DISCIPLINE?
DID YOU HAVE CERTAIN RULES THAT THEY BETTER FOLLOW OR THEY WERE GONE?
>> I STARTED OUT COACHING, MY FIRST COACHING JOB WAS AT McCOLL WHERE I WAS I COACHED, I WAS THE COACH.
I COACHED THE LINE, THE BATS, I COACHED EVERYTHING.
I COACHED BASKETBALL.
I COACHED BASEBALL.
SO I HAD TO LEARN EVERY POSITION, AND THEN WHEN I WENT TO McCOLL, I MEAN, NEWBURY, I HAD ONE ASSISTANT COACH, AND THEN AT NEWBURY, I MET SOMEBODY WHO CHANGED MY COACHING CAREER AND CHANGED MY LIFE, TOO, HARVEY KIRKLAND, WHO TOOK ME UNDER HIS WING AND TAUGHT ME, YOU KNOW, COACH KIRKLAND SAID YOU GOT TO TAKE A SIX-INCH STEP, AND IT BETTER NOT BE FOUR.
AND IT BETTER NOT BE EIGHT, HE AND HELPED ME WITH HOW IMPORTANT FUNDAMENTALS AND TECHNIQUES WERE , STANCE AND THE BASIC THINGS AND YOU KNOW, HE ALSO TAUGHT ME THAT NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOU WERE, YOU KNOW, I TRIED TO BE GOOD.
I DIDN'T SMOKE AND DRINK AND CUSS AND TOO MANY OF THOSE THINGS, BUT HE SAID THOSE THINGS AREN'T GOING TO GET YOU TO HEAVEN.
YOU GOT TO HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS CHRIST.
I'M ENDEBTED TO COACH KIRKLAND, BUT HE HELPED ME GREATLY WITH MY COACHING CAREER AND MY OWN PERSONAL LIFE.
>> WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BOBBY FIELD BUILDING THE FOUNDATION FOR THE SOUTH CAROLINA BASEBALL PROGRAM.
FURMAN TODAY IS A DIVISION A POWER IN FOOTBALL.
I THINK IT'S EASY TO SAY THAT YOU LAID THE FOUNDATION FOR FURMAN'S FOOTBALL PROGRAM.
TELL ME HOW YOU GOT TO FURMAN.
I KNOW YOU HAD FAMILIAR COACHING STAFF THAT CAME WITH YOU.
>> AFTER I LEFT OAKLEY, I WENT TO CLEMSON WITH COACH HOWARD FOR FIVE YEARS.
THAT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE.
I WOULDN'T TAKE ANYTHING FOR THAT ONE DAY, I'M GOING TO GET BOB TO HELP ME WRITE A BOOK ON COACHING WITH COACH ALEC.
THEN I WITHENT TO OUT TO TEXAS TECH AND WITH JIM CARLEN AND HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK AND BE THE HEAD COACH AT FURMAN.
GOT THERE AND BOBBY AND I WERE TALKING.
WE WERE ABLE TO RECRUIT DAVID WHITEHURST AND SOME GOOD PLAYERS THAT FIRST YEAR, AND WE WERE ABLE TO TURN THE PROGRAM.
IN 1976, WE OPENED THE SEASON WITH NC STATE AT NC STATE, AND THAT WAS THE YEAR AFTER LOU HOLTS HAD LEFT.
SOMEBODY ASKED HIM WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE OF HIM COACHING AT THE JETS AND COACHING AT NC STATE, AND HE SAID WE DON'T HAVE FURMANS.
WE CAME BACK AND BEAT THEM 19-12 ON AN 80-YARD DRIVE, AND LATER THAT YEAR, WE PLAYED EAST CAROLINA IN GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND THEY WERE 9-0, I THINK, AND WE BEAT THEM.
SO I THINK THAT-- FROM THAT POINT ON, FURMAN REALIZED THAT THEY COULD PLAY FOOTBALL AT THAT LEVEL AND FORTUNATELY, DICK SHARATON DESERVES A GREAT DEAL OF CREDIT, JIMMY SATERFIELD AND BOBBY LAND AND BOBBY JOHNSON BEFORE THAT.
ALL OF THOSE GUYS EXCEPT BOBBY LAMB WERE ON OUR STAFF.
>> WELL, WE'RE GOING MOVE OVER TO BOB GILLESPIE.
BOB, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU THE SAME QUESTIONS THAT I ASKED ART AND BOBBY.
HOW DID YOU GET HOOKED ON SPORTS I KNOW YOU PLAYED FOOTBALL AT ORANGEBURG HIGH SCHOOL.
>> NOT VERY WELL.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> WELL, I'LL LET YOU-- IF THAT'S WHAT YOU SAY, I WILL TAKE YOUR WORD FOR IT.
TELL ME HOW YOU GOT HOOKED ON SPORTS?
>> WELL, I GUESS I'M LIKE ALL THESE GUYS.
I PLAYED A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING GROWING UP.
BUT WHEN I GOT TO HIGH SCHOOL, I PLAYED FOOTBALL.
WE WERE NOT VERY GOOD IN THOSE DAYS AT ORANGEBURG HIGH SCHOOL.
I ENJOYED WRITING AND I HAD A TEACHER, CLES DANIEL, AN ENGLISH TEACHER WHO WAS SPONSOR OF THE SCHOOL NEWSPAPER AND ONE YEAR, I DECIDED I WILL TRY TO GET ON THE NEWSPAPER STAFF.
I PUT MY NAME IN AND I GOT TURNED DOWN.
I THOUGHT, GOSH, I MIGHT NOT BE VERY GOOD.
I KIND OF FORGOT ABOUT IT AND AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, I WAS TAKING HER ENGLISH CLASS AND I DID A STORY AND WROTE ABOUT IT AND SHE KEPT ME AFTER CLASS AND SAID, YOU WRITE PRETTY WELL.
HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT WRITING FOR THE NEWSPAPER.
I SAID YOU TURNED ME DOWN.
SHE SAID THEY TURN DOWN EVERY OTHER NAME THAT COMES IN.
COME IN NEXT WEEK.
MY FIRST ASSIGNMENT WAS TO GO TO JACK MILLER, OUR HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AND INTERVIEW HIM AND ASK HIM WHY THE TEAM WAS SO BAD.
I LEARNED REAL QUICKLY ABOUT HOW TO DO A TOUGH INTERVIEW AND HE WAS VERY GRACIOUS ABOUT ALL OF IT AND EXPLAINED IT AND EVERYTHING.
THAT'S KIND OF HOW IT GOT STARTED AND WENT OFF AND DECIDED THEN THAT I WAS GOING TO GO INTO JOURNALISM AND I WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND GOT A DEGREE THERE.
>> YOU DIDN'T GO INTO NEWSPAPERS RIGHT AWAY.
>> NO.
I WENT THERE AND SAID YOU HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO TYPE AND I THOUGHT THIS BROADCASTING, I CAN DO THAT.
YOU CAN SIT IN FRONT OF A MICROPHONE AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO TYPE.
I FOUND OUT THAT YOU DID.
SO I GOT A DEGREE IN PRAKSING AND CAME BACK TO THE UNIVERSITY AND DID A COUPLE OF YEARS IN GRADUATE SCHOOL WORKING FOR THE ADVERTISING PEOPLE.
I WORKED SUMMERS IN MY HOMETOWN PAPER IN ORANGEBURG, "THE TIMES AND DEMOCRAT", AND WHEN I GOT DONE, I TOOK A JOB IN GREENVILLE DOING PUBLIC RELATIONS.
I DISCOVERED PUBLIC RELATIONS WAS NOT MY THING.
DEAN LIVINGSTON WHO WAS THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR, PUBLISHER AND ALL OF THAT BACK THEN SAID HOW DO YOU LIKE PUBLIC RELATIONS?
I SAID I HATE IT.
HE SAID COME BACK IN MY OFFICE AND WE WENT BACK THERE AND HE SAID, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME TO WORK HERE?
I SAID WHERE DO I SIGN.
I GAVE TWO WEEKS NOTICE AND WAS BACK THERE IN JANUARY AND STARTED WORKING ON THE DESK AND ONE DAY, THE SPORTS EDITOR QUIT AND WHEN THE SPORTS EDITOR QUIT, THAT WAS THE ENTIRE STAFF IN THOSE DAYS.
SO HE ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO BE SPORTS EDITOR AND I WRANGLED AROUND WITH IT AND THAT'S HOW I ENDED UP DOING IT.
>> YOU KNOW, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT TYPING, YOU KNOW I ONCE HIRED A GUY THAT COULDN'T TYPE.
I FORGOT TO ASK HIM.
[ LAUGHTER ] PROBABLY A COUPLE OF THINGS IN FOOTBALL, GEORGE ROGERS WON THE HIGHSMAN TROPHY IN 1980.
AND I GOT TO KNOW HIM WELL SINCE HE WON THE HEISMAN TROPHY AND THEN SOUTH CAROLINA WENT 10-2 AND CAME CLOSE TO PLAYING FOR A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND LOST TO NAVY IN A HEARTBREAKER WHICH YOU AND I ATTENDED ON A COLD, DREARY DAY.
IF SOMETHING WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER ON THE NATIONAL SCENE, PROBABLY BEING AT THE MASTERS IN 1986 AND WATCHING JACK NICKLAUS WIN IT ALL.
I WILL NEVER FORGET WHEN HE ROLL THAT PUTT IN AND RAISED THAT PUTTER AND I FELT CHILLS AND I SAID THIS IS SOMETHING.
>> IT WAS A GREAT FEELING.
THAT WAS A GREAT, GREAT MOMENT.
>> OF COURSE, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO CARRY YOU BACK AND FORTH TO THE MASTER'S EVERY YEAR.
[ LAUGHTER ] DO I GET TO TELL THE CHARLIE PASKELL STORY?
>> YEAH.
>> I WILL TRY TO KEEP IT CLEAN.
WE WERE OVER COMING COVERING THE MASTER'S AND DOUG WOULD WRITE HIS COLUMN AND HE WOULD FIND SOMETHING JUST A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
ONE DAY, YOU RAN INTO TENNESSEE ERNIE FORD, THE SINGER, AND YOU WROTE ABOUT THAT AND THEN YOU RAN INTO THE GATLIN BROTHERS AND NONE OF THIS HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE GOLF TOURNAMENT.
THEY WERE GOOD COLUMNS AND BACK THEN, THE RECORD DIDN'T PUBLISH ON SUNDAY.
SO WE HAD TO GO HOME ON SUNDAY AND DRIVE BACK DOWN FOR THE FINAL ROUND.
I TALKED TO CHARLIE PASQILL.
>> AND I DID ON THE SOAP OPERA STAR.
>> WE'RE GOING BACK FOR THE FINAL ROUND.
DOUG GETS IN THE CAR AND WE'RE RIDING DOWN THE INTERSTATE, AND HE SAID, DID YOU TALK TO PASQUILL AND HE SAID, YOU WANTED TO KNOW IF YOU WOULD INTERVIEW A JUGGLER TODAY [ LAUGHTER ] >> I WANTED TO TAKE A MOMENT OUT AND THIS MAY SOUND LIKE A COMMERCIAL, BUT I THINK OF IT AS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT.
I'M TALKING ABOUT NEXT WEEK'S "TIME MACHINE," AND IT'S SPORTS ON TELEVISION AND WE LOOK AT BASEBALL BUT ALSO THE SUPER BOWL AND MARCH MADNESS AND HOW OUR TELEVISION HAS AFFECTED THE WAY WE WATCH SPORTS AND THE SPECIAL GUESTS ON THAT SHOW, BOB FULTON, THE FORMER VOICE OF THE GAMECOCKS AND MY OLD FRIEND, BOBBY RICHARDSON.
I WANT TO SHOW YOU AN EXCERPT FROM THAT SHOW.
IT'S BOBBY AND I SITTING DOWN IN HIS HOME, AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MICKEY MANTLE.
LET'S TAKE A LOOK.
BOBBY, ONE OF THE MOST POIGNANT AND MEMORABLE MOMENTS I HAVE SEEN ON TELEVISION IN THE PAST 15 YEARS WAS ESPN'S COVERAGE OF THE FUNERAL MICKEY MANTEL, AND YOU WERE THE SPOKESPERSON AT THAT FUNERAL.
REALLY HAD SOME MOVING WORDS.
>> THAT WAS A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE, AND IT REALLY STARTED WITH ROGER MAD DUKS'S FUNERAL AND ROGER WENT HOME TO BE WITH THE LORD AT 51.
I HAD A PART IN ROGER'S FUNERAL REPRESENTING ALL OF THE YANKEES AND MICKEY MANTEL AND HE HAD BEEN CRYING AND DRINKING AND HE SAID I WANT YOU TO HANDLE MY FUNERAL.
I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD COME ABOUT.
SOME YEARS LATER, WAY WAS IN DALLAS AT AN ALL-STAR GAME AND THE BAT BOARD WAS MEETING THERE, MICKEY WAS A MEMBER OF THE FORD.
HE WAS TO BETTY FORD AND HAD A LIVER TRANSPLANT AND HE WAS IN CHEMOTHERAPY AND MICKEY, HEY, I'M HURTING.
I WANT YOU TO PRAY FOR ME.
WE HAD PRAYER TOGETHER AND ME AND HIS WIFE.
MICKEY REMINDED ME AS I SPENT THOSE TWO DAYS WITH HIM, YOU ARE TO HANDLE THE FUNERAL.
MAKE ALL OF THE ARRANGEMENTS.
CAGE CAME BACK TO SOUTH CAROLINA.
HE HAD TURNED FOR THE WORST.
IMMEDIATELY, BETH AND I WERE ON A PLANE AND WE SPENT THAT TIME WITH HIM IN THE HOSPITAL.
ACTUALLY, ONLY SEVEN PEOPLE COULD GET IN.
HIS THREE BOYS, WIFE, LAWYER AND BETSY AND I.
TWO POLICEMEN AT THE DOOR BECAUSE EVERYBODY WAS TRYING TO SEE HIM AT THE TIME.
MICKEY MANTLE WAS THE KIND OF BALL PLAYER THE PERSON THAT PEOPLE WERE ATTRACTED TO.
WHILE WE GRIEVE, WE HONOR MICKEY AS WE REMEMBER HIS LIFE AND THE SPECIAL WAYS AND MEMORIES THAT TOUCHED US ALL.
THE TEAMMATES THAT ARE HERE TODAY WILL ALSO KNOW THAT HE ALWAYS KEPT ALL OF US LAUGHING.
I REMEMBER THE MONGOOSE IN THE CLUBHOUSE.
I REMEMBER THE SNAKE HE PUT IN BRIDGES' UNIFORM IN CANS IS CITY BEFORE HE WAS STRETCHING THAT DAY.
[ LAUGHTER ] HE ALWAYS RAN OUT OF MONEY AND HE BORROWED MONEY FROM WHY.
OGI AND YOGI WOULD CHARGE HIM 50 CENTS-- NO.
[ LAUGHTER ] TAKE THAT BACK.
YOGI FLEW IN ON BOB HOPE'S PLANE AND HE IS FLYING OUT ON PRESIDENT FORD'S PLANE AND YOGI WAS THE MANAGER IN 1964.
THE YANKEES LOST FOUR GAMES IN A ROW IN CHICAGO.
TONY KUBACH BOUGHT HARMONICAS AND HE GAVE ONE TO PHIL LYNCH.
PHIL DIDN'T PLAY IN ANY OF THE BALL GAMES BUT ON THE BUS WITH YOGI IN THE FRONT, HE CHOSE THIS TIME TO LEARN HOW TO PLAY IN HARMONICA.
WELL, HE PLAYED FOR A WHILE AND YOGI TOOK WHAT HE COULD AND HE JUMPED UP AND SAID, PUT THAT THING IN YOUR POCKET.
HE DIDN'T USE THOSE WORDS, BUT SOMETHING TO THAT AFFECT.
[ LAUGHTER ] PHIL WAS IN THE BACK OF THE BUS AND HE DIDN'T HEAR WHAT HE SAID AND THEY SAID, WHAT DID HE SAY?
MICKEY WAS PUSHED IT BACK AND HE SAID, HE COULDN'T HEAR YOU.
PLAY IT AGAIN.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> BOBBY, ANY OTHER THOUGHTS ABOUT MICKEY MANTLE?
>> WELL, THAT WAS TEN YEARS AGO.
DURING THE TIME THAT I PLAYED, HE WAS, INDEED, THE BEST BALLPLAYER OF THAT DECADE.
HE COULD OUTRUN ANYBODY IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES, POWER FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE PLAY, GREAT DEFENSIVE BALL PLAYER AND A QUIET LEADER.
I JUST APPRECIATED HIS FRIENDSHIP.
AND HE-- HE AND I HAD A PLACE TOGETHER IN BOONE, NORTH CAROLINA.
HE DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SKI AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO SKI.
THOUGH POSED THE PICTURE IN A WAY THAT IT LOOKED LIKE WE KNEW WHAT WE WERE DOING.
HE HAD A HUMBLE HEART.
LOVED TO DO THINGS FOR PEOPLE.
RECENTLY, HBO DID A SPECIAL ON HIM AND SO DID 61, THEY DIDN'T SEE THAT SIDE.
THEY SAW A DIFFERENT SIDE.
HE WAS A WONDERFUL INDIVIDUAL.
I'M STILL IN TOUCH WITH HIS FAMILY.
JUST APPRECIATED HIM AS A TEAMMATE AND A FRIEND.
>> I ALWAYS THAT-- THOUGHT THAT MICKEY WAS ONE OF THE FIRST BASEBALL STAR.
THAT'S WHEN TELEVISION GOT INTO BASEBALL.
I KNOW YOU REALM REMEMBER MANTLE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, I WAS KIND OF YOUNG WHEN HE WAS IN HIS PRIME.
>> YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO SAY THAT.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> IT'S INTERESTING, TOO, THE OTHER DAY WE WERE AT STEVE SPUR IER'S CONFERENCE THAT HAD A SHIRT THAT SAID 61, 61 AND HE GOT IT FROM A MEMBER OF THE FAMILY.
>> ART, ANY THOUGHTS ON MICKEY?
>> I WAS OUT IN TEXAS COACHING AT TEXAS TECH IN '70 OR '71 AND I WAS INVITED TO PLAY AT A GOLF TOURNAMENT, NCAA GOLF TOURNAMENT, AND I DIDN'T PLAY GOLF, BUT I WAS GOING TO TAKE THREE OR FOUR OF OUR COACHES AT TEXAS TECH AND PLAY THERE.
MICKEY MANTLE AND ABOUT FOUR, FIVE OF THE PROs WERE THERE, AND I WILL NEVER FORGET THEY HAD A DRIVING CONTEST.
MICKEY, I DROVE HIM ABOUT 100 YARDS.
I WENT UP TO TELL HIM AND THIS IS WHEN BOBBY WAS COACHING AT SOUTH CAROLINA AND I WENT UP TO INTRODUCE MYSELF AND SPEAK TO HIM, AND I SAID, YOU LOST TWO OR THREE GAMES AND I SAID, YEAH, BOBBY'S LOST.
HE SAID LET ME TELL YOU ONE THING, HE WON'T LOSE ANY MORE.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> THAT'S GREAT.
>> HE WAS A GREAT PLAYER AND I KNOW IT MUST HAVE BEEN A THRILL FOR BOBBY TO HAVE BEEN AROUND HIM AND WATCH SUCH A GREAT ATHLETE.
>> I'M GOING TO TAKE THIS TIME TO TELL YOU ABOUT ANOTHER EVENT HERE AT THE STATE FAIR THAT'S SPONSORED BY ETV.
AND IT'S THE GUY & RALNA CONCERT.
A LOT OF YOU I'M SURE KNOW GUY AND RALNA ARE VETERANS OF THE LAWRENCE WELK SHOW.
THEY WILL BE PERFORMING AT THE GRANDSTAND AT 2:00 P.M. AND 6:00 P.M. YOU GET IN FREE AND THE GREAT THING ABOUT THAT ALSO, IT'S SENIOR CITIZENS DAY, AND IF YOU ARE OVER 55, YOU GET INTO THE STATE FAIR FREE.
BUT IF YOU'RE YOUNGER THAN 55, SORRY, YOU HAVE TO PAY TO GET INTO THE FAIR, BUT THE CONCERT IS STILL FREE F YOU MISS THE CONCERT, ETV IS GOING TO HAVE A SPECIAL VERSION OF IT NEXT SUNDAY AT 5:00 THAT YOU CAN WATCH THEN.
TUNE IN.
NOW, I WANT TO ASK ANYBODY, IF THERE'S ANYBODY IN THE AUDIENCE, THIS VAST AUDIENCE THAT WE HAVE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ASK BOBBY OR ART OR BOB GILLESPIE A QUESTION.
WE HAVE A MICROPHONE UP HERE AND YOU ARE WELCOME TO STEP UP AND IF YOU HAVE ANYTHING WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK.
I SEE BOBBY'S WIFE OUT THERE.
SHE PROBABLY GOT SOME QUESTIONS.
>> BETSY, WALK UP AND ASK ANY A QUESTION.
START IT OFF.
IT'S ALWAYS HARD TO GET THAT FIRST QUESTION.
EDIE IS BACK THERE.
WE'LL GET HER NEXT.
SAY SOMETHING.
>> WHEN WE TRAVEL, FOLKS LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT YOGI.
I THOUGHT YOU MIGHT HAVE A YOGI STORY TO TELL THEM.
>> WELL, YOGI IS 80 YEARS OF AGE.
I PLAYED IN HIS GOLF TOURNAMENT SEVERAL MONTHS AGO IN MONTCLAIRE, NEW JERSEY, AND I ASKED HIM HOW MUCH THEY PAID HIM FOR THE AFLAC COMMERCIAL, AND HE SAID I CAN'T TELL YOU.
I SAID $200,000 AND HE DID THAT LIKE AND HE SAID I WON'T TELL YOU ANY MORE.
HE DESCRIBED HOW THEY FILMED THAT COMMERCIAL.
HE SAID THEY WERE IN A BARBER SHOP.
THEY HAD THREE DUCKS AND A TRAINER.
TRAINER WOULD BLOW HIS WHISTLE AND THE DUCKS STOP ON COMMAND AND THEN HE WENT ON TO DESCRIBE THE LUNCH BREAKS AND HOW THEY FOUND IT AND HE LOOKED OVER AS SERIOUS AS HE COULD BE AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, THOSE DUCKS DON'T REALLY TALK.
I SAID YOU'RE KIDDING.
HE THOUGHT THAT I THOUGHT.
HE'S DOING WELL.
>> EDIE, WALK UP AND ASK A QUESTION AND MAKE IT FOOTBALL ORIENTED, IF YOU WOULD.
I CAN GET AWAY WITH THAT.
[ LAUGHTER ] I THINK I CAN.
[ LAUGHTER ] THIS IS ART BAKER'S WIFE, EDIE.
>> I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I AM GOING TO SAY THAT I WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT FOOTBALL, BUT I COULD WATCH THE GAME AND WATCH THE BALL, BUT ART TOLD ME, HE SAID YOU KNOW ENOUGH FOOTBALL TO ENJOY THE GAME.
THAT'S ENOUGH.
[ LAUGHTER ] I DON'T THINK HE WANTED ME TO KNOW ANY MORE, BUT I'M TRYING TO THINK OF A QUESTION.
LET'S SEE.
WHAT WOULD IT BE?
>> ONE THING ABOUT EDIE, LIKE SHE SAID, I TRIED NOT TO BRING IT HOME, BUT IT WAS REAL FUNNY.
OUR OLDEST SON BEGAN TO PLAY FOOTBALL WHEN WE WERE IN TEXAS AND I GOT TO GO TO SOME OF THE GAMES WHEN WE WERE HOME AND WHEN WE WERE ON THE ROAD, I DIDN'T GET TO GO, BUT I WENT WITH HER A COUPLE OF TIMES AND TO MY GAMES WHEN I WAS A COACH, SHE DIDN'T GET TOO EXCITED.
WHEN ARTY WAS PLAYING, SHE WAS ON THE COACH'S BACK.
SHE WAS ON THE REFEREES AND EVERYTHING ELSE BECAUSE IT WAS HER SON PLAYING.
>> IT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR SON OUT THERE PLAYING.
BUT I LOVE THE COACHING.
I ENJOYED EVERYTHING ABOUT IT THAT I NEVER REALLY KNEW.
I GUESS I HAVE ASKED YOU ALL THE QUESTIONS.
>> DOUG, IT'S HARD TO GET A QUESTION, BUT WE HAVE A GREAT SPORTSWRITER HERE AND HERE COMES ONE.
>> I CAN LOOK AT HIM AND TELL HE'S FROM ILLINOIS.
IS THAT RIGHT?
OHIO.
I WILL GIVE YOU YOUR QUARTER LATER.
>> STEROIDS AND ASSOCIATED WITH EVERYTHING THAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE LAST YEAR OR TWO, DO YOU THINK THE OUTSTANDING GREAT BASEBALL PLAYERS ARE AS GREAT AS THEY SAY THEY ARE, OR IS IT JUST THE STEROIDS TALKING?
>> YOU KNOW, I WOULD LIKE TO START OUT BY SAYING I KNOW THEY'RE STRONGER TODAY.
DURING THE TIME THAT I PLAYED, WE DID NOT WORK OUT DURING THE OFFSEASON.
THEY HAVE STRENGTH COACHES NOW AND SO I CERTAINLY RECOGNIZE PLAYERS ARE, INDEED, STRONGER, AND I THINK BATS AND EQUIPMENT ARE MADE IN SUCH A WAY THAT PERHAPS THE BALLS ARE BOUND A LITTLE TIGHTER.
SO THE BALL TRAVELS A LITTLE BETTER.
BUT I WOULD JUST SAY THAT THE INTEGRITY OF BASEBALL IS REALLY HURTING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF STEROIDS, I HAVE KNOWN PLAYERS LIKE FRANK ROBBSON THAT MANAGED THE NATIONALS THAT SAID SET ALL OF THOSE RECORDS.
ANYBODY USING STEROIDS SHOULD BE KNOCKED OUT, AND I WOULD SAY SIMPLY THAT THE INTEGRITY OF BASEBALL IS HURTING.
SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A WAY.
ART, COMMENT ON THAT BECAUSE FOOTBALL I GUESS IS SIMILAR IN A SENSE.
>> WELL, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANY QUESTION THAT I WAS COACHING DURING A PERIOD WHEN STEROID USE WAS BEGINNING TO BE USED IN FOOTBALL.
IT DIDN'T TAKE PHI BETA KAPPA TO FIGURE THAT A GUY WEIGHED 210 AND THE NEXT FALL HE WAS 260 OR 270 AND WHAT'S AMAZING, I DON'T THINK IT'S DUE TO STEROIDS, BUT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE-- CAN YOU BELIEVE HOW BIG THEY ARE?
MY ROOMMATE IN COLLEGE IN 1963 WAS A STARTING GUARD AND WEIGHED 185 POUNDS.
TODAY, 185-POUND GUY COULDN'T WALK ON AT CAROLINA OR CLEMSON AND THEY'RE ALL 300 POUNDS OR BETTER THEY CAN MOVE.
I DON'T THINK STEROIDS ARE ENTIRELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT, AND ANY YOUNG PERSON WHO USES STEROIDS IS JUST LIKE USING A DRUG OR ALCOHOL.
I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE HARMFUL TO THEIR BODIES AND THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT.
>> WAS IT STEVE COURSON AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA THAT WENT ON TO PLAY FOR PITTSBURGH AND ALMOST LOST HIS LIFE BECAUSE OF STEROIDS.
>> YEAH.
I HAD A CHANCE TO DO A COUPLE OF STORIES WITH STEVE.
THERE WAS A POINT AND I WANT TO SAY ABOUT 10 YEARS AGO PERHAPS THAT I INTERVIEWED HIM.
I READ OR HEARD THAT HE WAS IN BAD SHAPE PHYSICALLY AND AT THAT TIME, THEY THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE A HEART TRANSPLANT AND HE WAS CONVINCED THAT USING STEROIDS HAD CONTRIBUTED TO HIS CONDITION.
HE COULDN'T PROVE IT WAS A DIRECT LINK, BUT JUST THE FACT THAT HIS BODY HAD GOTTEN SO BIG AND SO MUSCULAR TO THE POINT THAT IT CAUSED STRAINS ON OTHER ORGANS INCLUDING HIS HEART.
TALKED TO HIM AGAIN, I GUESS, IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO.
HE HAS NOW BECOME A SPOKESPERSON IN A CAMPAIGN AGAINST STEROID USE ESPECIALLY IN THE YOUTH AGES BECAUSE HE BELIEVES THAT'S WHERE THE FRONTIER IS NOW.
HE'S NOT OVERLY CONCERNED ABOUT GROWN MEN IN THE SPORTS USING IT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE CYNICAL ENOUGH, HAVING DONE IT HIMSELF, THAT WILL HAPPEN GIVEN THE SALARIES AVAILABLE OUT THERE AND THE REWARDS THAT ARE THERE FOR BEING STRONGER, BETTER, FASTER AND HIS CONCERN NOW IS THE YOUTH AND HE GOES AROUND AND SPEAKS TO PEOPLE ABOUT THAT.
HE, HIMSELF, ACTUALLY STILL IS IN PRETTY GREAT SHAPE.
HE ENDED UP GOING ON A SPECIAL DIET AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
HIS HEART HAS SORT OF HEALED ITSELF BY 85 TO 90%, BUT IT'S INTERESTING.
YOU WOULD THINK IN SOUTH CAROLINA, WELL, YOU KNOW, IS STEROIDS GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT?
WE HAVE SEEN STEVE COURSEN WHO PLAYED HERE WHO ADMITS THAT HE USED STEROIDS WHEN HE WAS IN COLLEGE AND THEN, OF COURSE WITH THE STEEL PERCENT THEN IN THE LATE '80s, WE HAD THE STEROID SCANDAL WITH USC AND TOMMY CHAPIN TALKING TO "SPORTS ILLUSTRATED" AND THERE'S THE STRESS OF IT AND IT COST THE STAFF THEIR JOBS AND IT PROBABLY CHANGED A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAPPENED AT SOUTH CAROLINA AND BY EXTENSION EVERYWHERE ELSE YET HERE WE ARE 20 YEARS REMOVED FROM THAT OR 15 YEARS REMOVED FROM THAT AND IT'S STILL OUT THERE.
THAT'S IT.
THE BIG CONCERN NOW IS KIDS WHO THINK THEY'RE INVULNERABLE ARE GOING TO GET OUT THERE AND IT'S ALL ABOUT BEING BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER THANMENT OTHER GUY AND THE COACHES ARE BOTH RIGHT.
PEOPLE ARE NATURALLY BIGGER, STRONGER FASTER.
THE TECHNOLOGY IS TAKING THEM THERE.
THAT'S NOT ENOUGH.
IT'S LIKE A GIANT LOTTERY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE THE BIGGEST, STRONGEST AND THE FASTEST AND UNTIL WE EDUCATE KIDS AND YOU KNOW, THERE CAN BE LIFE ALTERING CONSEQUENCES, IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE.
>> BOBBY, DO YOU THINK THE RECORDS OUT TO BE GIVEN UP?
>> IF SOMEBODY ADMITS TO USING STEROIDS AND I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU CAN DO AWAY WITH THOSE RECORDS.
I DON'T SEE.
I REMEMBER WHEN ROGER BROKE BABE RUTH'S HOME RUN RECORD, THEY PUT AN ASTERISK BY IT AND IT DIDN'T LAST LONG.
IN '61, THE YANKEES HIT A LOT OF HOME RUNS THAT YEAR AND THEY MADE A SWEATSHIRT THAT PUT YOUR POSITION, NUMBER AND SO FORTH AND IT PUT HOW MANY HOME RUNS YOU HIT.
I WAS EMBARRASSED TO WEAR MY SWEATSHIRT BECAUSE IT WAS 3 HOME RUNS THAT YEAR.
[ LAUGHTER ] EVERYBODY ELSE WAS IN THE 50s AND 60s.
>> YOU DEFINITELY WEREN'T ON STEROIDS.
>> NO.
>> WE WERE TALKING ABOUT STEROIDS AND YOU TALK TO A YOUNG BALL PLAYER AND WHETHER TEPS COLLEGE OR PRO, AND YOU SAY, OKAY, IF YOU TAKE STEROIDS, FOR 15 YEARS, YOU'RE GOING TO BE A STAR AND YOU'RE GOING TO BREAK RECORDS, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO DIE WHEN YOU'RE AGE 50.
IF YOU DON'T TAKE STEROIDS, YOU ARE GOING TO BE A MEDIOCRE BALLPLAYER AND YOU WILL LIVE TO BE 75.
I HAVE HEARD IT SAID THAT SOME PLAYERS WOULD TAKE BEING A STAR FOR 15 YEARS AND DYING AT AGE 50.
>> THERE'S SO MUCH PRESSURE TO PLAY AND AS BOBBY SAID, AT ALL COLLEGES, PROBABLY IT'S AS IMPORTANT AS ANYBODY ON A COLLEGE FOOTBALL STAFF TODAY IS THE STRENGTH COACH, AND YOU KNOW, THEY'RE FIRED AS QUICKLY AS COACHES ARE BECAUSE THEY DON'T PRODUCE, AND YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER LOU HOLTS SAID WE HAD THE SMALLEST NECKS IN THE SEC WHEN I CAME HERE AND HE WANTED BIG NECKS AND IT'S AMAZING WHAT THEY DO IN THE WEIGHT ROOM.
THE AMOUNT OF TRAINING THAT THEY PUT FORTH IN THERE AND THEY ALL KNOW IT'S COMPETITIVE AND THAT'S GOING TO HELP THEM BE BETTER.
THERE'S ALWAYS THAT TEMPTATION TO USE STEROIDS AND JUST LIKE IT IS AND IT'S, I CAN TELL YOU THIS 6.
IF THEY KNEW WHAT I KNEW, THEY WOULD NEVER COME CLOSE TO IT.
THEY CAN DO IT NATURALLY.
>> DO YOU THINK IT'S REALISTIC TO THINK THAT YOU CAN EVER GET RID OF STEROIDS?
>> YOU ANSWER THAT.
>> I DIDN'T HEAR IT.
>> I DIDN'T EITHER.
>> DO YOU THINK IT'S REALISTIC TO FEEL LIKE YOU CAN EVER GET RID OF STEROIDS IN ATHLETICS?
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, AS LONG AS THAT TEMPTATION IS THERE, LIKE YOU SAY, THEY'RE NOT WORRYING ABOUT 30 OR 40 YEARS FROM NOW.
THEY WANT INSTANT GRATIFICATION.
THEY WANT TO BE GOOD NOW AND THE QUICKEST WAY TO BE GOOD OR BIGGER STRONGER IS THROUGH STEROIDS AND THAT TEMPTATION NOW IS AGAINST THE LAW AND THEY KNOW THAT.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE TESTED.
SO THERE'S NOT A CHANCE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, GET AWAY WITH THAT.
ALL OF THE COLLEGES IN THE COUNTRY NOW ARE TESTING FOR DRUGS, FOR ALCOHOL, FOR STEROIDS AND THEY'RE SIMPLY NOT, AND THERE'S NO WAY TO GET AROUND THAT.
THEY'RE GOING TO CAUGHT AND EVENTUALLY, THEY WILL BE DROPPED FROM THE TEAM.
EVERYBODY'S COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FOUR TIMES THAT YOU CAN BE CAUGHT AT SOUTH CAROLINA, BUT IT'S SET UP WHERE YOU WILL NEVER GET TO FOUR.
SO NOBODY NEEDS TO WORRY ABOUT FOUR TIMES.
THEY GET TO ONE AND THEY'VE GOT TO GO THROUGH REHABILITATION.
THEY GOT TO GO THROUGH COUNSEL LING.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE TESTED EVERY TIME, AND THEY TEST, YOU KNOW, THEY TEST EVERY WEEK OR SO AND THEY'RE GOING TO BE TESTED EVERY TIME THAT THE REST OF THE TEAM IS TESTED.
>> YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE STEROID PROBLEM.
WE HAVE CHEATING AND YOU KNOW, NCAA FINDS VIOLATIONS, BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TO DETER THE FANS.
THE FANS SEEM TO BE AS FANATICAL AS EVER, AND DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE FANS REALLY DON'T CARE AS LONG AS THE TEAM WINS?
I'M TALKING ABOUT A COLLEGE LEVEL NOW.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> WELL, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE IN THE LAST STORY I DID ON STEVE COURSON, ONE OF THE PEOPLE I TALKED WAS DR. CHARLES LASALIS WHO IS RECOGNIZED AS AN EXPERT ON STEROID USE AS A PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT DRUG AT PENN STATE.
HE AND COURSON ARE GREAT BUDDIES.
THEY TAKE A CYNICAL APPROACH.
THE FANS DON'T CARE AND THEY WANT TO SEE MEASURED HOME RUNS.
WE THINK BACK TO THE LATE '90s WHEN MARK McGUIRE AND SAMMY SOSA WERE HAVING THESE HOME RUN CONTESTS AND THE NUMBERS KEPT GETTING HIGHER AND HIGHER AND BASEBALL WAS NEVER MORE POPULAR AND WE LOOK OUT AND STEROID TESTING IS GETTING MORE SO AND WE SAY, GEE WHIZ, WHAT AN AMAZING CO-INCIDENT THAT THOSE HOME RUN TOTALS ARE FALLING OFF.
BUT THEY WERE CONVINCED THAT THE FANS DON'T CARE.
ESPECIALLY ON THE PRO LEVEL, THEY FIGURE, YOU KNOW, THEY WANT TO BE ENTERTAINED.
THEY WANT TO SEE ALL OF THAT STUFF.
YOU CAN MAKE A CASE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY FOLLOWED IT BEFORE AND THEY PROBABLY WILL, BUT EVERYTHING HAS BEEN RATCHETED UP BY TELEVISION, BY 24-HOUR NEWS CHANNELS, BY THE INTERNET, A LOT OF THINGS AND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT WE LIKE TO BLAME, AND THE SALARIES, ALL OF THIS SORT OF THING.
THERE'S A LOT MORE AT STAKE AND BOTH OF THESE FELLAS ARE CONVINCED THAT NOT ONLY IS IN IT PROS AND ALL OF THAT MENTALITY IS SEEPING DOWN TO THE COLLEGE LEVEL.
AGAIN, THE COLLEGE FANS, THEY WANT TO SEE WINS AND THEY WOULD LIKE TO SEE 300-POUND WINS AND TAPE MEASURE HOME RUNS AND AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T IMPACT THEIR LIVES DIRECTLY, THEN THE FANS ARE PERFECTLY CONTENT TO KIND OF BLIND THEMSELVES TO WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE.
>> I HAD A FRIEND OF MINE TELL ME AND RATHER DISTURBING, HE SAYS THAT SOUTH CAROLINA WILL NEVER REALLY WIN IN THE SEC UNTIL THEY REALIZE WHAT MOST OF THE SEC SCHOOLS ALREADY KNOW.
ATHLETICS IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN ACADEMICS AND YOU HAVE TO PUT ATHLETICS FIRST.
AS AN EXAMPLE, WHEN ALABAMA WAS BEATING SOUTH CAROLINA, HE SAID, DO YOU THINK THOSE FANS CARED WHAT THE GPR WAS OF THAT NOSE GUARD OR TACKLE OR RUNNINGBACK.
DO YOU THINK THAT'S TRUE, ART?
>> NOT ALTOGETHER.
I BELIEVE THAT THE TREND IS-- OF THE SEC SCHOOLS AND MOST OF THE SCHOOLS OF DIVISION ONE SCHOOLS IN THIS COUNTRY ARE EMPHASIZING MORE ATHLETICS AND THE REASON I SAY THAT, THERE'S SO MUCH PRESSURE TO HAVE HIGH GPAs, TO GRADUATE ON TIME.
THEY'VE GOT NCAA'S MADE ALL THE RULES WHERE THEY HAVE TO MEET CERTAIN STANDARDS BY CERTAIN YEAR IN THEIR YEAR, AND I JUST THINK THAT-- I KNOW I WAS TALKING TO ERIC HIMAN, AND HE FEELS LIKE ONE OF THE TOP PRIORITIES IN ANY DIVISION 1A SCHOOL TODAY IS TO HAVE EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE THE STUDENT ATHLETE'S ABILITY TO GRADUATE, TO DO THE WORK THAT HE HAS TO DO.
HE OR SHE HAS TO DO IN THEIR MAKER AND TO GRADUATE AND GRADUATE ON TIME.
I BELIEVE THERE'S MORE PRESSURE BEING PUT ON THAT AND OBVIOUSLY EVERYBODY WANTS TO WIN AND EVERYBODY IS HAPPY TO SEE WINNERS AND YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, VANDERBILT IS A GREAT ACADEMIC SCHOOL.
FURMAN IS A GREAT ACADEMIC SCHOOL, AND THOSE SCHOOLS WHICH HAVE PROVEN, AT LEAST FURMAN HAS, THAT YOU CAN, AT THEIR LEVEL, THAT THEY CAN HAVE GOOD STUDENTS AND STILL WIN, AND THANK GOODNESS, THEY DO AND THERE ARE OTHER SCHOOLS ALONG THAT LINE, VANDERBILT WILL BE IN THAT CATEGORY, AND I'M GLAD THAT SOUTH CAROLINA HAS THAT REPUTATION.
I WANT TO ALSO WIN FOOTBALL GAMES AND I THINK WE EVENTUALLY WITH STEVE SPURIER AND HIS STAFF >> 30, 35 YEARS AGO, I GOT A BOOK AND IT WAS TITLED "THE BOBBY RICHARDSON STORY" AND I READ IT AND BOBBY RICHARDSON HAS ALWAYS BEEN ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE HEROES AND ONE THING I REMEMBER ABOUT BOBBY RICHARDSON IN THE BOOK AND LATER ON, YOU ALWAYS STOOD FOR THE RIGHT THING I REMEMBER READING IN THE BOOK YOU ALWAYS SAID THE YANKEES WOULD HAVE PRACTICE ON SUNDAY MORNINGS, BUT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY WOULD BE IN CHURCH.
I'M NOT A YOUNG FATHER, BUT I HAVE THE FATHER OF YOUNG CHILDREN WITH A YOUNG SON IN THE ATHLETIC SYSTEM STARTING OFF IN T-BALL AND WHAT INFORMATION WOULD YOU OFFER TO KEEP HIM ON TRACK AND KEEP HIM INVOLVED IN DOING THE RIGHT THINGS?
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, THAT BOOK WAS A REAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ME.
I RETIRED IN 1966.
THE BOOK CAME OUT AT THAT TIME AND BILLY GRAHAM ON NATIONAL TELEVISION HEAD THE BOOK UP AND SAID I THINK YOU SHOULD GET A COPY, AND THE BOOK ACTUALLY SOLD 100,000 COPIES OVERNIGHT ALMOST, AND I STILL GET A RESPONSE FROM FOLKS AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT READ OR WERE GIVEN THAT BOOK.
IT'S A GREAT RESPONSIBILITY TO BE A FATHER.
I HAVE THREE BOYS NOW THAT-- I HAVE 15 GRANDCHILDREN AND SO THE LORD HAS GIVEN ME A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY JUST TO LOOK, AND YOU KNOW, I REMEMBER, ART, WE PLAYED AMERICAN LEGION BALL, AND WE USED TO STAND ON THE SIDE LINES AND THERE WERE SOME RULES THAT I THOUGHT WERE REALLY GOOD AND I THINK THEY WERE GOOD FOR THIS, AS WELL.
NUMBER ONE WAS KEEP THE RULES AND IN LIFE AND ATHLETIC CONTESTS, THERE ARE RULES YOU HAVE TO ABIDE BY.
KEEP FAITH IN YOUR TEAMMATES.
THE TEAM CONCEPT, WHETHER IT'S A FAMILY OR WHATEVER IT IS.
KEEP A SOUND SOUL, CLEAN MIND AND HEALTHY BODY AND IF I WERE TO SAY ONE THING, IT WOULD BE MORE OF A RESPONSIBILITY, IT WOULD BE TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOD CREATED YOU AND HE MAKES IT SO HE WANTS A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS SON, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE LIVING SAVIOR.
SO THANKS FOR THAT QUESTION.
I APPRECIATE IT.
>> THANKS.
>> ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A QUESTION?
>> I HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT GOING PRO STRAIGHT FROM HIGH SCHOOL, YOUTH VERSUS LONGEVITY?
>> I HAVE THAT ONE BOY AT OHIO STATE, MIKE AND HE'S NOT DOING VERY WELL NOW.
>> I THINK THAT IT GOES BACK TO THE FAMILY SITUATION.
I HAVE OFTEN HEARD RAY TANNER AND BOBBY RICHARDSON AND OTHER PEOPLE, AND I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THEY GIVE STRONG ADVICE, BUT THEY ADVISE, YOU KNOW, IF A YOUNG PERSON CAN GET A BIG BONUS , NEEDS THAT MONEY FOR HIS FAMILY AND HIS FAMILY IS NOT DOING WELL, I CAN'T FAULT THAT YOUNG PERSON, BUT IF HE HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO GET A COLLEGE EDUCATION.
WHILE I WAS AT FURMAN, THE ATLANTA FALCONS USED TO YOU USE OUR CAMPUS FOR SUMMER CAMP.
I HAVE SEEN GROWN MEN IT IS SITTING ON THE SUFFER AFTER THEY WERE CUT CRYING AND I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S WRONG?
THEY WOULD SAY, WELL, I DON'T HAVE A JOB.
I'M OUT OF FOOTBALL.
WELL, YOU GOT A COLLEGE DEGREE.
OH, NO, I NEVER FINISHED COLLEGE.
THE COLLEGE EDUCATION PREPARES YOU FOR LIFE.
A BONUS IN BASEBALL IS-- TO BE HONEST, MOST OF THOSE YOUNG GUYS SPEND THAT MONEY BEFORE THEY GET IT.
>> MY COMMENT WOULD BE AS A 17-YEAR-OLD, I DIDN'T THINK OF ANYTHING, BUT I WANTED TO PLAY PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL.
THE OPPORTUNITY WAS THERE.
THE BONUS WAS NOT LARGE, BUT I COULD BUY MY MOM A REFRIGERATOR AND DO SOME OTHER THINGS AND HAVE ENOUGH TO LIVE ON FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR.
>> BOBBY WAS AN EXCEPTION.
>> THEN I BECAME A COLLEGE COACH AND I SAT ON THE OTHER SIDE AND UNDERSTOOD THE ADVANTAGE OF A COLLEGE EDUCATION AND HOW AND ART WAS TALKING ABOUT THAT SOME OF THOSE THAT DON'T MAKE IT IN BASEBALL AND SO MANY FALL BY THE WAYSIDE, AND YOU DON'T HAVE THAT COLLEGE EDUCATION TO FALL BACK ON.
MY COMMENT WOULD BE UNLESS YOU GET A LARGE BONUS THAT WOULD BE IN THE MILLIONS, I WOULD SAY BY ALL MEANS, USE THE COLLEGE AS YOUR MINOR LEAGUE APPRENTICESHIP.
SIGN AS A JUNIOR PERHAPS BECAUSE BASEBALL WILL PAY THE REST OF YOUR COLLEGE EDUCATION.
>> BOB, DON'T YOU THINK THAT IT HAS REALLY HAD AN IMPACT ON BASKETBALL, COLLEGE AND PRO?
I THINK NEITHER ONE IS QUITE UP TO THE LEVEL IT ONCE WAS BECAUSE OF THAT?
>> NO.
OBVIOUSLY, IT'S MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THE QUALITY OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL.
I'M STILL ONE OF THOSE WHO HOLDS THAT THE COLLEGE GAME IS MUCH MORE INTERESTING TO WATCH THAN THE PROFESSIONAL GAMES JUST BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE PROFESSIONAL GAME.
THE NATURE OF THE PROFESSIONAL GAME TENDS TO BE MORE ABOUT STARS AND TENDS TO BE ABOUT THE MATCH-UPS AND THAT SORT OF THING AND THE NAB, I GUESS, EVERYBODY KNOWS NOW HAS COME THROUGH WITH A RULE WHERE THEY WILL NOT ALLOW KIDS TO COME STRAIGHT OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL.
THEY WILL HAVE TO BE OUT FOR A YEAR AND HAVE TO BE 19 YEARS OLD AND IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHAT KIND OF IMPACT THAT WILL REALLY HAVE.
THE AS THE COACH ALLUDED TO, YOU HAD THE STORIES OF GUYS, KEVIN GARNET AND GERMANE O'NEILL FROM RIGHT HERE IN COLUMBIA HAVE GONE OUT AND PEOPLE TOLD THEM YOU SHOULD GET THAT COLLEGE DEGREE OR GO TO COLLEGE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS AND THEY SAID, WE WERE WRONG AND THEY WERE RIGHT TO DO WHAT THEY DID.
THE MONEY IS HUGE.
FOR A LOT OF THESE GUYS, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S THE POINT OF GOING TO COLLEGE IS TO MAKE A LIVING, EARN ENOUGH MONEY TO SUPPORT YOUR FAMILY.
WELL, IF YOU SIGN ONE BONUS FOR A NUMBER OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, THAT'S TAKEN CARE OF WITHOUT THE FOUR YEARS OF COLLEGE OR HOW MANY YEARS YOU GO.
HAVING SAID THAT, WE ALL KNOW THE HORROR STORIES, RED McDAVID FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, A YOUNG MAN WHO DECIDED HE WAS READY TO GO TO THE NAB HE AND CAME OUT AND ALL THE ADVICE FROM COLLEGE COACHES AND NAB COACHES AND SAID, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO BE DRAFT IF YOU HAVE TREMENDOUS TALENT, YOU CAN'T AFFORD NOT TO TAKE IT FOR FEAR OF INJURY, BUT IF YOU'RE MARGINAL, PROBABLY AT LEAST A COUPLE OF YEARS, LEARN A LITTLE BIT OF REAL LIFE OUTSIDE OF HIGH SCHOOL IS A GOOD IDEA.
>> DOUG, I TRIED TO RECRUIT A YOUNG BOY FROM HARVARD HIGH SCHOOL IN WILMINGTON AND THE GAME I WATCHED HIM PLAY, AND THERE WERE 22 SCOUTS AND 3 FARM DIRECTORS AND HE TURNED DOWN WELL OVER $100,000 TO PLAY FOR HIM.
HIS NAME WAS STEVE CANE, HE AND BROKE HIS ANKLE PLAYING FOR ME HIS THIRD YEAR.
WELL, IF THAT WERE TO HAPPEN IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL SPORT.
HE'S A WONDERFUL GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY.
HE HAS A WONDERFUL COACHING OPPORTUNITY, SO I CAN SEE WHERE THAT ADVANTAGE IS CERTAINLY ONE THAT GOES ON TO COLLEGE.
>> LET ME JUMP IN REAL QUICK BECAUSE ANALOGOUS SITUATION NOW TALKING WITH RAY TANNER NOT LONG AGO, TWO OF THE KIDS HE SIGNED FOR THIS YEAR TURNED DOWN BONUSES THAT BETWEEN THEM TOTAL OVER $2 MILLION.
ART SAID THANK GOODNESS FOR THAT.
SO THERE STILL ARE KIDS OUT THERE WHO SAY, YOU KNOW, IT'S WORTH IT TO PLAY COLLEGE BALL FOR THREE YEARS AND GROW UP A LITTLE RATHER THAN GET INTO THE FARM SYSTEM EVEN WHEN YOU ARE TURNING DOWN SIX AND SEVEN-FIGURE BONUS.
>> BOB, ONE OTHER THING I HAVE NOTICED IS THAT COLLEGE BASEBALL GETS A LOT MORE COVERAGE THAN MINOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.
>> TRUE.
>> THERE'S A CHANCE, AS BOBBY AND THE QUALITY OF BASEBALL OVERALL, IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE SEC HAS A TREMENDOUSLY STRONG GROUP OF TEAMS AND SO I THINK LIKE BOBBY SAYS, THERE'S A GREAT CHANCE FOR THEM TO HAVE THEIR COLLEGE INSTEAD OF MINOR LEAGUE CAREER.
>> WELL, I THINK A LOT OF PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL, AND I DON'T FOLLOW BASEBALL AS CLOSELY AS SOME DO, BUT I THINK YOU WILL SEE A LOT MORE PROFESSIONAL TEAMS THAT WANT TO GET THOSE KIDS WHO HAVE HAD THREE YEARS OF COLLEGE AND FEEL LIKE THEY'RE MORE MATURE AND THEY MAKE THAT STEP UP TO THE MAJOR LEAGUES QUICKER.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
I'M GOING TO PLAY FAN AND WE'RE GOING TO STOP TALKING ABOUT THE BAD SIDE OF SPORTS.
STEROIDS AND EVERYTHING.
BOBBY, AND I KNOW ABOUT THE 1960 WORLD SERIES, MVP ON A LOSING TEAM, BUT OTHER THAN THAT ACCOMPLISHMENT, TELL ME A MOMENT THAT YOU REMEMBER SO VIVIDLY PLAYING WITH THE YANKEES BE IT REGULAR SEASON OR ALL-STAR MOMENT.
>> WELL, I DID HAVE ONE SPECIAL MOMENT.
IN 1962, I LED THE AMERICAN LEAGUE IN HITS.
YEAH, I DID LEAD THE AMERICAN LEAGUE IN HITS 209, AND THE NEXT YEAR, EVEN THOUGH MICKEY PLANTLE AND ROGER MERRITT HAD THE WONDERFUL CONTEST TO SEE WHO WOULD BREAK RUTH'S RECORD MICKEY MANTLE HAD NO INTENTIONAL WALKS BUT THE NEXT YEAR, I COULD BAT BETWEEN ROGER MARIS AND MICKEY MANTLE, TOP OF THE 9th INNING, YANKEES LOSING AND BASES LOADED, I CAME UP.
MICKEY MANTLE CAME UP AND SAID, SEE IF YOU CAN HIT ONE OUT.
I DON'T FEEL GOOD.
THE COUNT WENT TO 2-0, AND I WAS SURPRISED WHEN I HAD THE GRAND SLAM HOME RUN AND I CAME AROUND HOMEPLATE AND MICKEY WAS LAUGHING AND HE SAID, I DIDN'T THINK HE COULD DO IT.
BUT IT WAS SHORT LIVED BECAUSE THEY TIED IT UP IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH.
THEY LOST IN THE IN 11th INNING OR BROKEN BAT SINGLE FROM RICH ROLLINS FOR A MOMENT, THAT WAS MY BIG THRILL.
>> THE GRAND SLAM.
ART, DO YOU HAVE ONE LIKE THAT?
>> NO.
I MEAN AS A COACH, A MOMENT THAT REALLY STANDS OUT.
>> I THINK THAT IN EAUCLAIRE HIGH SCHOOL, PROBABLY A TURNING POINT FOR US IN OUR PROGRAM IS AT THAT TIME, JAKE PENDLETON, IF YOU CAN REMEMBER THAT FAR, SPORTS EDITOR, AND THEY WOULD PICK THE WINNERS ON THURSDAYS OF FRIDAY NIGHT GAMES AND MAYBE WE PLAYED ON A THURSDAY NIGHT.
WE WERE PLAYING BROOKLYN CASEY, AND THEY WERE UNDEFEATED AND E ET AUCLAIRE HAD NOT HAD MANY WINNING SEASONS AT THAT TIME, AND WE WENT OUT AND JAKE AND SOMEBODY EVEN PICKED THE SCORES.
LIKE THEY PICKED BROOKLYN-CASEY, 35-0, AND WE WON THE GAME, 35-7 AND THEY HAD A GREAT RUNNINGBACK, MIKE DERRICK, AND WE HAD A GUY, BOBBY COLE AND BUTCH WILLIAMS AND THAT BUNCH, AND THEY WERE GREAT PLAYERS AND THEY STOPPED HIM COLD THAT NIGHT.
THAT'S PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE AND THE GAME AT CAMDEN IN '63 OR '64 WHEN WE WERE BOTH RANKED ONE AND TWO AND STATE, WHEN THEY BEAT US AT CAMDEN, I NEVER SEEN SO MANY PEOPLE SITTING ON TOP OF THE FENCE AND IN TREES AND ALL AROUND AND WE LOST THAT GAME, 7-0, AND-- >> CAMDEN WENT ON AND WON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.
>> PARDEN?
>> CAMDEN WENT ON AND WON THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP THAT YEAR.
>> THEY WENT AND SCORED ON.
>> DOUG, I KNOW BOB HAS SO MANY, BUT THERE'S ONE ART AND I SHARE TOGETHER.
HE AND I HUNT TOGETHER ALL THE TIME.
WE QUAIL HUNT AND WE WERE HUNTING WITH WILLIE McCUCHEN DOWN IN KINGS TREE.
HE'S PRESIDENT OF FARMERS TELEPHONE.
I WOULD GET MOST OF THE SHOOTING THIS DAY.
THE DOG POINTED OFF TO THE LEFT AND I SAID, ART, YOU TAKE THAT ONE AND YOU PICK UP THE STORY THERE, ART.
>> THE BIRDS GOT UP AND WE HAVE TWO OR THREE WITNESSES TO THIS.
THE BIRD GOT UP AND FLEW BACK TOWARD US, RIGHT BETWEEN BOBBY AND I WERE STANDING ABOUT THIS CLOSE TOGETHER.
BOBBY REACHES UP AND CATCHES THE BIRD IN HIS HAND.
[ LAUGHTER ] AND IMMEDIATELY ONE OF THE GUYS THAT WAS HUNTING WITH US SAID, OH, THAT LOOKED LIKE THAT BALL WILLIE McCUBBY HIT.
[ LAUGHTER ] WILLIE CALLED UP THE NEXT DAY AND SAID WE'RE GOING HUNTING AGAIN AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE OUR GUNS.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> THAT IS A GREAT MOMENT.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
>> HOW ABOUT ME?
>> NOT NECESSARILY COVERING SOMETHING, BUT YOU PLAYED FOOTBALL.
>> YEAH.
>> YOU GOT MEMORIES?
>> OH, BOY, DO I?
I WAS TRYING TO REMEMBER, ART, WHEN WAS YOUR LAST SEASON COACHING AT EAUCLAIRE?
>> '64.
>> WHOEVER TOOK YOUR PLACE, ONE TIME OUR ORANGEBURG TEAM HAD TO GO UP AND PLAY EAUCLAIRE, AND WE WERE SUPPOSED TO PLAY ON FRIDAY AND THIS TREMENDOUS RAIN STORM CAME AND WE HAD TO GO BACK ON MONDAY.
WE DROFERB UP THERE ON MONDAY AND GOT OUR BRAINS BEAT OUT.
THAT WAS THE LONGEST BUS RIDE HOME I THINK I CAN EVER REMEMBER ONE THING I THOUGHT ABOUT WHEN DOUG WAS TALKING ABOUT THIS AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE ARE NOW A LOT OF THINGS THAT KIND OF TAKE A LITTLE OF THE EDGE OFF SPORTS, STEROIDS AND SCANDALS AND STUFF LIKE THAT AND YET I TRULY BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE LIKE DOUG AND I THAT GOT INTO THIS BUSINESS, WE DIDN'T GET INTO THE BUSINESS TO FIND THAT STUFF.
IT'S PART OF THE JOB AND WE HAVE TO DO IT, BUT WE'RE LIKE MOST PEOPLE.
WE GOT INTO IT BECAUSE SPORTS WAS FUN.
IT WAS EXCITING.
IT MADE YOU FEEL MORE ALIVE, I THINK, THAN JUST NORMAL DAY-TO-DAY, AND YOU MENTIONED PLAYING FOOTBALL.
I ALWAYS TELL ME, YOU KNOW, I PLAY FOR TEAMS THAT WON FOUR GAMES IN THREE YEARS.
SO OBVIOUSLY, ALL FOUR OF THOSE ARE PRETTY MEMORABLE.
WE WERE PLAYING THE OLD DENTSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL, MY SENIOR YEAR.
THEY HAD A KID NAMED NEIL LANCE, AND I THINK HE PLAYED BASKETBALL AS A CENTER POINT AND HE PLAYED QUARTERBACK.
HAD TO BE THE TALLEST QUARTERBACK IN HIGH SCHOOL.
WE WERE AHEAD, I THINK, BY 5 POINTS.
THEY HAD THE BALL.
COOLING DOWN THE FIELD, WE COULDN'T STOP THEM, AND I'M STANDING NEXT TO A FRIEND OF MINE WHO HAS PASSED AWAY AND WE'RE THINKING, OH, GOSH, WE'RE GOING TO LOSE AGAIN AND NEIL LANCE TAKES THE BALL ON AN OPTION PLAY AND HE'S RUNNING TO THE RIGHT SIDE WHICH IS TOWARD OUR SIDE AND A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, BUBBA LIMEHOUSE, WHO IS AROUND COLUMBIA SOMEWHERE, COMES UP ON DEFENSIVE END AND HE GETS INTO THE CLASSIC BREAK DOWN, READY TO MAKE THE TACKLE AND NEIL LANCE LOOKS AT HIM AND YOU CAN SEE THE WHEELS TURNING AND HE STEPS OVER OUT OF BOUNDS TO STOP THE CLOCK AND BUBBA IMMEDIATELY FALLS ON HIS FACE.
WELL, WE LOOKED UP AT THE CLOCK, AND HE STEPPED OUT OF BOUNDS ON FOURTH DOWN.
WE GET THE BALL AND WIN THE GAME.
I WILL NEVER FORGET AND I TURNED TO MY FRIEND DOUG AND THE SAME WORDS CAME OUT OF OUR MOUTHS AT THE SAME TIME, HE STEPPED OUT OF BOUNDS ON FOURTH DOWN.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> DOUG, WHEN I WAS AT EAUCLAIRE, WE PLAYED ORANGEBURG AT THE STATE FAIR, THE ORANGEBURG COUNTY FAIR.
WELL, RIGHT BEHIND THE GRAND PRESS BOX WHERE WE WOULD FILM, I HAD TWO PARENTS DOING THE FILMING AND THEY WOULD TURN AROUND AT THE HALF TIME WHERE THE HOOCHY CATCHY SHOW AND FILM THE HOOCHY CATCHY SHOW AND I WONDERED WHY WE COULDN'T GET OUR FILM BACK.
>> THEY TELL ME WE'RE GETTING RED DID TOY WIND THIS UP, AND WE GOT TO TELL THE FOLKS ABOUT UPCOMING EPISODES OF OUR SHOW.
WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING SPORTS ON TELEVISION AND AFTER THAT, WHICH WOULD BE OCTOBER THE 23rd, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A NEW SHOW ABOUT MOVIES AND TELEVISION.
NOT ONLY BEING LOCATED IN SOUTH CAROLINA BUT BEING FILMED IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND AFTER THAT, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE OUR SCIENCE FICTION EPISODE, JUST IN TIME FOR HALLOWEEN AND THE NEXT WEEK, WE HAVE A SHOW THAT I REALLY LIKE ABOUT TV WESTERNS.
WE WILL HAVE A COUPLE OF GUESTS, RODNEY AND DOUG DILLARD, AND YOU MAY NOT HAVE HEARD OF THEM, BUT ON THE ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW, THEY PLAYED PART OF THE DARLINGS, THAT MOUNTAIN MUSIC LOVING FAMILY THAT CAME DOWN TO MABRY TO HARASS ANDY, AND I HOPE YOU WILL TUNE IN TO SEE US IN THE COMING WEEKS, 7:30, SUNDAY NIGHT ON ETV.
NOW I WANT TO THANK YOU GUYS FOR BEING HERE.
IT'S BEEN TERRIFIC.
WE'RE GETTING TO WRAP THIS UP BUT I HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING TO ART.
I PLAYED AGAINST YOU MY SENIOR YEAR AT BC.
YOU HAD A GUY NAMED ROY NEVILLE THAT PLAYED CENTER.
HE LIVED BEHIND ME YEARS LATER.
WE WERE OUT TALKING AND HE WAS TALKING ABOUT PLAYING BROOKLYN CASEY AND HE SAID I PLAYED AGAINST THE DUMBEST NOSE GUARD I EVER PLAYED AGAINST.
I SAID, I WAS THAT DUMB NOSE GUARD.
[ LAUGHTER ] >> I THOUGHT WE BOYS WERE SMARTER THAN THAT.
>> WE HAVE BEEN FRIENDS EVER SINCE.
BOBBY, APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ALWAYS A PLEASURE.
>> GREAT TO SEE YOU.
>> BOB, MY FRIEND, ENJOYED IT AGAIN.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
UNTIL NEXT TIME, HAPPY MEMORIES.
ETV Classics is a local public television program presented by SCETV
Support for this program is provided by The ETV Endowment of South Carolina.