Neil A. Carousso produces NewsNation original “Kurt’s Country” – a celebration of country music and a slice of Americana with host Kurt Bardella.
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LISTEN: 2015 Hall of Fame Exclusive Coverage
By Neil A. Carousso
For the second year in a row, I covered the National Baseball Hall of Fame Weekend and induction ceremony in Cooperstown, New York. My coverage for WRHU-FM in 2015 included two talk shows: “Long Island Community Spotlight Special with Basia and Neil A. Carousso” and “WRHU’s 2nd Annual Hall of Fame Live Special with Neil A. Carousso.”
The “LICS Special,” which aired on Sunday, July 26, 2015 from 11-12 Noon EDT, was a talk show dedicated to the history of baseball, a celebration of America’s Pastime, discussions about Cooperstown, where the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is located, and the latest topics and concerns in today’s game.
The “Hall of Fame Live Special” was a live talk show on Sunday, July 26, 2015 from 12 Noon-1:30 PM EDT from the 2015 National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cooperstown, New York. Guests included Kenny Albert of Fox Sports, Bob Nightengale of USA Today and Howie Rose, the radio voice of the New York Mets. Discussions with audio ranged from the 2015 class of Craig Biggio, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez and John Smoltz to the “steroid era” and the Pete Rose gambling controversy and whether or not he should be reinstated in Major League Baseball.
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WATCH: Checking It Off the Bucket List: Baseball Fans Elated Over the Largest Hall of Fame Class of Immortal Players in 60 Years
By Neil A. Carousso
Cooperstown, NY — Roughly 50,000 fans congregated in the baseball capital of the world in upstate New York for the National Baseball Hall of Fame Weekend and the 2015 induction ceremony, according to the Hall of Fame. Events, like “Play Ball with Ozzie Smith” and the “Legends of the Game Parade” are organized in the village.
In the above video, baseball fans from around the world express excitement, energy and enthusiasm for the weekend and hold high esteems for the 2015 induction class, which includes Craig Biggio of the Houston Astros, Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks, Pedro Martinez of the Boston Red Sox, and John Smoltz of the Atlanta Braves.
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Boggs, Brett Put Randy Johnson Up with the Greats; Relieved They Don’t Have to Face Him Again
By Neil A. Carousso
Cooperstown, NY — In an era dominated by sluggers, Randy Johnson dominated the game like no other. A gifted 6’10” left-handed power pitcher from California, Johnson imposed fear on Major League and Hall of Fame batters throughout his career.
“[Johnson was] probably the most intimidating guy that I ever faced,” said Hall of Famer Wade Boggs, adding, “I’m just glad everybody wasn’t 6’10” otherwise I wouldn’t be here today.” Boggs, a member of the 3,000 hit club, is 8 inches shorter than Johnson.
Wade Boggs looks away after hitting his first tee shot on Saturday in Cooperstown. The “Big Unit” began his career in 1988 with the Montreal Expos, before primarily playing for the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks, posting a career 303-166 record with a 3.29 ERA. His 4,875 strikeouts is 2nd best all-time, behind Nolan Ryan, whom Boggs said was another pitcher who caused him stress in the batters box. Johnson is the all-time leaders in strikeouts per 9 innings with 10.6.
“His ace in the hole is that you don’t know when that ball is going to be over your head and then the next thing he does is he paints you three on the outside corner and strikes you out,” said Boggs.
The biggest criticism against Johnson when he debuted in the majors was the fact that he lacked control with his high velocity. Eventually, he developed a mastery of the strike zone and picked his spots like any finesse pitcher. Johnson also introduced a slider that would break into or out of the strike zone at a velocity of 90 mph plus.
“He learned how to throw strikes and change speeds and throw that wicked slider, said Mr. Royal, George Brett, who was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1999. “You throw a slider that breaks that much to a left-hander and you’re throwing 98, 99, 100 miles an hour, and then you throw that 92 mile[sic] an hour slider, he was almost un-hittable,” added Brett.
George Brett looks satisfied, as he walks off the first tee box. Johnson will be enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame with two other pitchers – Pedro Martinez and and John Smoltz on Sunday afternoon in Cooperstown.
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John Smoltz Gets in Two Rounds of Golf Before His Big Day in Cooperstown
By Neil A. Carousso
Cooperstown, NY — The Saturday of the annual Hall of Fame Weekend is a busy one between press conferences for that year’s Hall of Fame class, an awards presentation, recognizing excellence in baseball writing and broadcasting, and the “Parade of Legends” in which all the Hall of Famers, who made it out to Cooperstown, are driven around Main Street in the back of a pick-up truck, waving to the thousands of fans who marvel at their baseball accomplishments. However, Saturday morning is a chance for Hall of Fame players to relax and enjoy each others company on the Leatherstocking Golf Course at the Otesaga Resort Hotel, where all the Hall of Fame players and managers stay during the weekend.
“It’s a lot calmer for sure,” said Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Glavine. “This year…my wife and I show up and and ‘what time are we going to eat dinner?’ and ‘when’s our first cocktail?’ so its been pretty good.”
Tom Glavine (right) steps onto the first tee at Leatherstocking Golf Course in Cooperstown, NY. Glavine was inducted into the Hall last year, along with former Atlanta Braves teammate Greg Maddux and his former manager Bobby Cox. This year, another member of the “big 3,” John Smoltz, will be enshrined.
Smoltz, Glavine and Maddux all pitched for a dominant Braves starting rotation that contributed to a streak of 14 consecutive National League East division titles, from 1991-2005, and one World Series victory against the Cleveland Indians in 1995. Smoltz, earned his 154 career saves during their division title streak, when he converted to the bullpen in 2001, following Tommy John surgery to repair an ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury of his right elbow. “Smoltzy,” who replaced reliever John Rocker, broke the NL saves record in 2002 with 55; the previous saves record was 53. Closer Éric Gagné tied Smoltz’s record the next season, winning the NL Cy Young award with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
But with all the pressure on Smoltz and the other three players in this 2015 class, the largest class of players to be inducted by the Baseball Writer’s Association of America (BBWAA) in 60 years, the starter converted to closer, only to return as a starting pitcher for Atlanta, was able to squeeze in two rounds of golf in Cooperstown.
“I wasn’t surprised in the least when he said he had time to sneak in a round in yesterday, because that’s how John is,” said the lefty Glavine, who notched 305 wins with two NL East teams, the Braves and New York Mets. “Good for him that he’s able to do that and relax to that extent, but I’m sure when he wakes up tomorrow morning, much like I did last year, anyway, I know he’ll wake up with that feeling, almost like you had when you’re getting ready to pitch a big game…I’m sure he’ll have nerves no matter what he does.”
Tomorrow is the induction ceremony outside Cooperstown’s Clark Sports Center. All Hall of Famers tell anecdotes about their speeches, either forgetting someone important to them, or going over the allotted time.
“It’s natural when you get here. You have a lot of things on your mind, particularly your family…and then, you are inevitably are worried that you forgot somebody or somebody’s going to be mad at you, whatever the case may be, but you can’t do anything about it,” said Glavine, adding, “Once your here, all that stuff is pretty much done and there isn’t anything you can do about it other than come here, enjoy it, embrace it.”
Tom Glavine fielded questions, as a HOF inductee in 2014. Most players even make fun bets about whether an inductee will go over or under the 12 minute bench mark.
“Take the over,” said Glavine, emphatically. “Putting 40 years of your life and 20 odd years of baseball into 12 minutes is really hard to do.”
Smoltz will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday afternoon with Craig Biggio of the Houston Astros, Randy Johnson of the Arizona Diamondbacks, and Pedro Martinez of the Boston Red Sox.
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WATCH: “They’re there right now.” Mets Broadcaster Howie Rose Says the Amazins’ are 2015 Contenders; Howie Also Talks about Mike Piazza’s PED Speculation and This Year’s Hall of Fame Inductees
By Neil A. Carousso
Flushing, NY — Prior to the middle game of a three game series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and New York Mets at Citi Field on July 11, I sat down with Howie Rose, who has been in the Mets broadcast booth for 20 years on both radio and television, to discuss the 2015 Mets team and the Baseball Hall of Fame class of 2015 with that part of the interview airing during WRHU-FM’s Hall of Fame coverage in Cooperstown, New York this weekend.
“They’re there right now,” Rose said when asked if the Metropolitans can contend for a playoff bid in 2015, despite being second-to-last in runs scored, just ahead of the Chicago White Sox. “There are enough bats here so that with their pitching as good as its been, they should be able to compete,” said Rose.
The 61-year-old sports broadcaster has seen the game evolve over the years from the “steroid era,” when there was an abundance of sluggers in the game, to baseball dominated by stellar pitching with young arms like Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard of the Mets and 2015 all-star game starters Dallas Keuchel of the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers right hander Zach Greinke, to name a few.
“It’s a pitchers game right now,” remarked Rose, adding, “There are good young hitters in this game; they just need to develop a few more of them.”
On the topic of the aforementioned “steroid era,” former Mets catcher Mike Piazza came to mind, not because he is highly suspected of using performance enhancing drugs, but because he has been held out of the Hall of Fame after three years on the ballot.
“I feel there’s an inevitability to Mike Piazza going to Cooperstown,” said Rose. “He’s part of an era where everybody’s under some suspicion and I think he’s somewhat victimized by that.”
In the video above, Rose also recalls Piazza’s eighth inning home run that brought a sold-out Shea Stadium crowd to their feet on September 21, 2001, the day baseball returned to New York after the tragic terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Howie, who called the game on Fox Sports Network, remembers it as an “Americana” moment.
Meanwhile, Rose addressed the 2015 Hall of Fame class, the largest players class inducted in 60 years.
First thing that comes to mind when Rose thinks of Long Island, New York native, 20-year Astro Craig Biggio is “consistent.” Biggio is 21st all-time in hits with 3,060, along with a .281 average and 291 home runs.
He called Randy Johnson, 2nd in strikeouts all-time with 4,875 K’s, “imposing,” adding he was “as intimidating as a pitcher as perhaps there ever was in the game.” The “Big Unit” has the 22nd most wins all-time with a record of 303-166. He played 22 years with seven teams, where he threw one perfect game, as a member of the D-Backs, against the Atlanta Braves in May 2009 to become the 17th pitcher in history to throw a perfecto. Johnson also pitched 100 complete games.
Pedro Martinez, one of three pitchers in this 2015 class, pitched 18 years and dominated the game in 1999, when he went 23-4 with a 2.07 ERA for the Boston Red Sox. Pedro was also in Queens for four seasons, although injured for some of his time in blue and orange.
“I think my favorite memory of Pedro had nothing to do with performance as it did attitude,” Rose said, while he recounted a story in which the sprinklers went off in-between innings at Shea. Pedro, who was the starting pitcher that day, was the least affected by the situation, according to Rose, who points out how routine oriented and superstitious baseball players are, especially starting pitchers.
Meanwhile, John Smoltz, who’s former Atlanta Braves teammates Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine were enshrined last year, along with his manager Bobby Cox, will be inducted in Cooperstown on Sunday. Being in the National League East, Smoltz faced the Mets as both a starter and closer often.
“I kind of look at him as a pitching version of Craig Biggio,” remarked Rose. He excelled in two totally different ways just as Biggio did at two totally different positions,” Rose said continuing, “I, again, tip my cap to someone who was able to A, recover from adversity, and B, show an almost unparalleled, with the exception of [Hall of Fame pitcher] Dennis Eckersley, to an extreme in two different areas that are very very hard to do.” “[Smoltz is a] no doubt Hall of Famer in my mind.”
The Mets are two games out of first place behind the Washington Nationals, going into tonight’s head-to-head match-up in the nation’s capital. After a three-game series in Washington this week, the two NL East teams will play at Citi Field in a weekend series next week.
