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Starting from upper right clockwise: Joe Acosta, Jr., Bob
Talbot, Jim Wolford, Lupe Sanchez, Joe Hannah, Tex Clevenger,
Monte Moore. Not pictured: Thad Reece, Rance Mulliniks. –Photo
by Kim Wescott
Imagine what it would be like playing in a Rose Bowl game
with UCLA, then later in your career playing with the
Pittsburg Steelers. Or maybe you’d rather be pitching for the
New York Yankees in a World Series game? If golf is more your
style how about going a round or two in the U.S. Open?
Our
legends cover all the bases in this exclusive VPI roundtable
discussion. Who’s your favorite team: the New York Yankees,
Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Los Angeles
Angels, San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, Pittsburgh
Steelers? We cover them all!
RJ Latronico
I’ve asked Monte Moore (Major League
Broadcaster) to help officiate this discussion and to keep us
on task. Thank you, Monte, for agreeing to help out. Let’s get
started. Our roundtable participants are:
Jim Wolford
Jim was born and raised in Visalia,
California. He played about 15 years in the major leagues with
the Kansas City Royals, Milwaukee Brewers, San Francisco
Giants and Montreal Expos.
Bob Talbot
Bob Talbot is also Visalia born and raised.
He played with the Chicago Cubs and was in organized baseball
for 15 years. He played about three years in the major
leagues. He’s been back in Visalia for about 30 years.
Joe Hannah
Joe Hannah played the better part of 13 years
in professional baseball, but never in the major leagues.
“But, man, I was good enough,” he says with a chuckle. Joe
played for the Chicago Cubs organization and later with the
Los Angeles Angels (which some people say was the best minor
league team in history).
Tex Clevenger
Tex Clevenger is
from Visalia and Ivanhoe and a little place called Tarusa. He
played 10 years in baseball, which included eight years in the
big leagues. He originally went up to the majors with Boston.
He then signed with the Washington Senators. After an
expansion draft he was sent to the Los Angeles Angels. Tex
later was traded to the New York Yankees, where he played for
two years and appeared in two World Series -- 1961 and 1962.
Tex believes the 1961 Yankees organization was probably one of
the greatest clubs around.
Lupe Sanchez
Lupe Sanchez grew up in Visalia and played
college ball at UCLA. He was fortunate enough to play on two
Rose Bowl championship teams. He played five years
professionally. The first two years were on USFL teams—the
Arizona Ranglers and the Orlando Renegades. He then played
three seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers as a defensive
back.
Joe Acosta, Jr.
Joe Acosta Jr. also was raised in
Visalia. He attended Fresno State before playing ten years of
professional golf—six on the Pro Tour. He’s now back home
playing with his own team.
Monte Moore
Monty Moore lives in Porterville, where he’s
been since 1978. He moved to there to buy the local radio
station after spending twenty-five years broadcasting in the
major leagues, mostly with Kansas City and the Oakland A’s.
Monte spent five years on NBC’s Saturday afternoon Game of the
Week where he worked with Morey Wills and Wes Parker.
RJ
Latronico
Why don’t we go ahead get started? Thad Reece
will be a little late, but he will be joining us soon.
Monte Moore
All of you have been in Pro Ball and top
flight things. There had to be at one time in your career when
you decided that you might be good enough to play Pro Sports.
At what point was that? How old were you when you started
to think about that? Let’s start with Jimmy.
Jim Wolford
I’ll tell you a story about the Angels. My
dad took me to my first major league game in 1961, when I was
ten years old. He got tickets right behind the dugout. The
Yankees were my favorite team. Obviously, it was because of
Mickey Mantle. That was the same year that Mantle was going
for the record.
I sat down near the dug out and was eating
a hot dog. I leaned over to my dad and said, “I’m going to be
out there one day.” My dad shook his head and said, “Just turn
around and eat your hot dog, son.”
Right there, it grabbed
me: that’s what I wanted to do.
I wanted to play baseball.
I took baseball more serious when I was sixteen. It
started to sink in that I might have a chance. So, it was at
that first game when it just hit me –boom!
Monte Moore
Now, Bobby Talbot.
Bob Talbot
When I was in high school you either had to
play baseball or go out for track. I was good at running, so I
went out for track. I never did play baseball in high school.
In my sophomore year I played softball for the
Moose.
Pete Beiden happened to be there one night. He asked
me if I’d be interested in playing baseball. He was the one
that talked me into coming up to Fresno.
At that time Pete
was scouting for the Dodgers. The Cincinnati Reds had a league
in Hanford and the Cubs had a tryout in Visalia. I went to
both of them. I had them bargaining for my services. One team
offered me three hundred dollars; the other team offered five
hundred dollars. (Laughter).
I decided to sign with the
Cubs because then I would be able to stay closer to home in
Visalia. I was married at the time and our first-born was on
its way. My bonus that year was a paid hospital bill after the
baby was born -- about fifty or seventy five dollars. It was a
big bonus at the time. (Laughter).
I signed up to play for
a hundred and twenty five dollars a month. Then they gave me
another fifty dollars to drive the bus.
Monte Moore
Your turn, Joe.
Joe Hannah
I don’t know when I thought that I might be
good enough to play in the major leagues. According to the
group that I was playing with at the time, I was an
outstanding athlete in high school.
One summer, I went back
to Missouri to visit relatives. My uncle took me over to
Springfield where some major league players were having a
baseball school. There was Ray Cremm, Claude Passo, and Jimmy
… I forget his last name. They made a pretty big fuss over me
so I thought to myself, “Man, I’m really good.” It took me
awhile to find out that I was not all that good compared to
those other guys.
Monte Moore
A few curve balls later?
Joe Hannah
Yes. But was I ever a good catcher. I had a
real good arm. In 1956 our team, the Los Angeles Angels, won
the championship.
I also played for Toronto in 1960 and in
the little World Series. I played a lot of ball games but
didn’t make a lot of money.
Monte Moore
It looks like Thad Reece just arrived,
Thad?
Thad Reece
Hello everyone, sorry I’m late. I’m a 1977
graduate of Porterville High School. I still live there, too.
I attended the University of Hawaii for four years and then
went to the College World Series in 1980. I got beat out by
Craig Leferts in Arizona in 1980.
I signed with the
Oakland A’s in 1981. I played sevenyears with them. Then it
was two or three years with the Kansas City Royals. Later I
played three years in Italy and was on the A’s major league
roster in 1985. Mike Gallego beat me out ….
Monte Moore
… on the last day of spring
training.
Thad Reece
That’s right, Monte. I went back and played
three years in Triple A. I put in a year with Tom Gordon,
Bobby Meachum, and Paul Zavala. Mark McGuire and Jose Conseco
were actually teammates of mine when they came through Triple
A.
Monte Moore
I should mention that Thad is now a
Porterville High School baseball coach. He coached his team to
the first league championship they’ve had in years.
Tex Clevenger
As far as baseball was concerned … when I
went to grammar school the only thing we could play was
baseball, so I decided I would go out for the team at a little
place called Taruso High School. Bob Witcher was the coach.
One day he said, “Son, where are you going?” I said, “I’m
going to try out for the baseball team.” He replied, “Sorry, I
can’t use you, you’re too small.” (Chuckling).
I was four
foot eleven, weighed eighty-six pounds. (Laughter).
Hank
Beiden came into town … and rebutted, “Anybody can play that
wants to play.”
That started my life as far as baseball
goes. I had no idea which team was which. After high school I
attended Fresno State under Pete Beiden. That’s when it hit me
– from that point forward I believed that I could get
somewhere in baseball.
I always say that I had three
fathers. I had my own dad. The second dad was Mr. J. Beiden,
and the third was a fellow by the name of Lon Hannah, Joe’s
daddy. After that I went over to the Boston Red Sox. I played
two months in San Jose. We won 16, and lost 2. I was taken to
a camp in February of 1954. I made the ball club with the
Boston Red Sox and was eventually traded to the Washington
Senators.
I went in an expansion draft to the L.A. Angels
with Mr. Autry and loved it! After a month of the game I was
traded to the 1961 New York Yankees. This really was the big
break, as far as I was concerned. I played two years with the
Yankee’s … both years were World Series. We played Cincinnati
in 1961 and beat the hell out of Giants in four games in 1962.
I got too old and decided to come home. After all this time, I
never thought I would be a tire-kicker. Now I have a
Ford-Lincoln-Mercury dealership in Porterville.
Heckler
You had to get that in, didn’t you?
(Laughter).
Monte Moore
Lupe, when did you realize you were going to
be good enough to play in the Pro’s?
Lupe Sanchez
At my size, it took quite a while. I was
fortunate enough to be teammates with Don Mosebar in high
school. Don was the reason all the college scouts came out to
watch us play.
There were a lot of very talented athletes
on that high school team. After high school, I went to UCLA.
Our high school receiver, Michael Young, also went to UCLA.
Don went to USC. When we were freshman, Don and I were in the
same class, so we played against each other. We both got to
start as freshmen. His team was a little stronger than ours
with Marcus Allen and Charles White in the backfield that day.
After that game, I didn’t think I’d ever see a football field
again. It probably wasn’t until late in my junior year that I
made first team – All Pack 10.
That’s when I started to
believe that I might have the opportunity to play
professionally. I was lucky enough to play my junior and
senior year. Best part of all we won the 1983 and 1984 Rose
Bowl. We beat Michigan in 1983, and Illinois in 1984.
Monte Moore
Did they have a draft system for the Pro’s
in those days?
Lupe Sanchez
They did. The USFL was around at the time.
I got drafted in the first round by a team called the Arizona
Wranglers. George Allen was our head coach. I decided to play
in the USFL and not wait for the NFL draft.
They had a
supplemental draft for players who were already in the USFL.
The Kansas City Chiefs in the second round drafted me. When
the league folded I went back to Kansas City. They were loaded
at defensive back, so I didn’t make the team.
About three
or four weeks later, I got picked up by the Steelers. I spent
three seasons as a defensive back and kick return for the
Steelers.
Monte Moore
Thad Reece, you were a little guy,
obviously. You’re still pretty little, except wide.
Thad Reece
Thanks, Monte. (Laughter).
Monte Moore
When did you find out you were going to make
it as a Pro?
Thad Reece
A little league coach named Robin Carrillo
was my motivation to become a Pro … but not for the reasons
you think. I was twelve years old and we were at old Hayes
Field. I was on the mound pitching. It was early in the game,
second or third inning. No one is making a play behind me.
Ground balls are going through everyone’s legs. My response
was not too favorable and I showed it.
Soon after Robin
came out to the mound and used every swear word in the book.
When you’re twelve years old you don’t hear that kind of
language. I’ll never forget him saying to me, “You get your
blankety-blank off the field if you can’t take it.” If you
told that to kids today...
Monte Moore
… you’d end up in jail.
Thad Reece
Right, Monte, you’d be in jail. Or the kid
would bury himself in a hole. It just ticks me off that he
came out and said that. As a result, I had three home runs in
that game. I had a ball off the wall and I finished the game.
I struck out everybody. I was lit like a flame.
After the
game Robin walked up to me and shook my hand. He didn’t say a
word, but I knew he was smiling inside. It was a couple of
weeks later when he took me aside and said, “You know, if you
can stay away from girls, you’ll have a chance to play Pro
Ball some day.” I’m twelve years old. And I went, “Girls?”
(Laughter).
Joe Acosta
When I was thirteen my dad took me to the
1987 US Open in San Francisco. It was the first pro event I
had attended. I remember walking in there and being in awe by
the people. I just couldn’t imagine being behind the ropes. I
said to my dad, “This is something I’d like to do.” I had
known since I was little that I wanted to play professionally.
It was just one of the things I knew when I was real young. I
wasn’t sure I’d ever make it professionally. It was just
something I wanted to do.
We followed Tom Watson for two
rounds … the last two rounds. Unfortunately, he didn’t win.
However, I knew at thirteen that this was what I wanted to
do.
Ironically enough, my first U.S. Open was in 1998 at
the Olympic Club in San Francisco. I made the cut. Something
happened on the last hole that I will never forget. My dad
jumped on as my caddy because it was Father’s Day. It was the
first U.S. Open I had the opportunity to play in.
At
thirteen years old, I knew I wanted to play professional golf.
However, I had no idea I’d make it.
Monte Moore
I realized as a senior in high school that I
wanted to be a broadcaster. However, I never heard a major
league game broadcast. In my little town of Hollis, Oklahoma,
we were too far to hear any radio station broadcast.
Fortunately enough, I did hear the World Series.
Then in my
senior year of high school I came down with rheumatic fever. I
spent several months in bed, so I was listening to radio all
the time. I wanted to be around sports, but I couldn’t play.
The doctor said my playing days were probably over. I thought
to myself, “OK, then I’m going to be a broadcaster.”
My
dad bought me one of those old-fashioned wire recorders. I
would take it to the high school ball games and boxing matches
and broadcast on that tape. I went to the University of
Oklahoma with that idea in mind of becoming a sports
broadcaster. I went out for the basketball team, but I got cut
as a freshman. But I got even with the coach—a few years
later, I married his daughter. (Laughter).
While I was at
the University of Oklahoma, I had a lot of time to observe the
broadcasters across the way. One of them was Curt Gowdy. He
was broadcasting Oklahoma University football and basketball.
I would watch him and say to myself, “That’s the guy I want to
be some day.”
I was fortunate enough to get the chance to
broadcast the World Series on NBC with Curt Gowdy in 1972,
1973 and 1974.
He’s the guy that inspired me more than
anybody else because he took the time with me as a kid. When I
was a broadcaster in the big leagues, I’d go to Boston and
he’d take me out to dinner. He would start telling me about
how much money you could make if you owned a radio station. He
owned three of them. One of which he tried to sell me later.
(Laughter). Curt Gowdy was a tremendous encouragement to me.
Red Barber and Mel Allen were also influential. The first
time the Yankees came to town was in 1961. I was broadcasting
in Kansas City. It was my first year in the big leagues. Mel
Allen came by the batting cage and said, “Young man, I’m Mel
Allen. Welcome to the big leagues.”
Red Barber came over
into our booth welcoming me with a little piece of advice. He
said to me, “Well, I understand you’re going to be the
broadcaster for the Kansas City A’s. I want to give you one
little piece of advice. Young man, I’ve been doing this for
years. I found the most important thing to do is to give the
score, and give it often.
He went on, “Now I’ve been
carrying this three minute egg timer throughout my career. Now
I want to give it to you to put on your table. When you look
up and see that it’s empty, give the score and turn it over.”
(Laughter). You know, I carried that timer for fifteen or
twenty years.
Monte Moore
Now I’ll ask you to describe your first game
that you participated in as a Pro Athlete—whether it was in
the big leagues, the NFL, on the Tour—describe your first game
and your participation in the sport. Jimmy Wolford?
Jim Wolford
I’ll never forget Fenway Park. It was
September 1972 and I was called up to the major league because
Cookie Rojas had gotten injured. Fenway Park is one of the
nicest places to play. I actually caught a couple of ground
balls. I didn’t get to hit that night, but I did break into
the game. I’ll always remember how it felt to walk out into
Fenway Park.
Monte Moore
A little nervous?
Jim Wolford
Real nervous. Like you said earlier, it was
a culmination. Once you get there and you play in a game…the
lights turn on … it’s great. They call the major leagues “The
Show.” I’ve experienced that it really is.
When people ask
me, “Would you play today?” I always say, “Yes, if somebody
calls.”
Monte Moore
Bobby, how about your first game?
Bobby Talbot
My first game was in 1953 in Chicago. I was
called out to take care of centerfield between Ralph Kiner and
Hank Sauer. Ernie Banks and I joined the Cubs the same day. It
was an honor for me because Ernie was a pretty good player.
Curt Simmons was pitching against us in Wrigley Field. I hit
three for five. Boy! I was a happy camper after that game.
Monte Moore
Joe, how about your Triple A
experience?
Joe Hannah
My first experience in Triple A was for the
Los Angeles Angels. We were playing in San Diego … and my wife
was having a baby. This was before anybody had been picked to
be the catcher, so I said, “My wife’s having a baby. Can I go
home?”
(Laughter).
What can you do at home? You’re my catcher tonight.” The
only thing I remember about that game was that I got a double.
I think that was my only hit. I didn’t get to go home until
after the road trip, however I was thankful to get picked for
the team.
Tex Clevenger
I’m going back to the first time I walked
out on the mound in Fenway Park as a major league pitcher. The
bases were loaded and a guy by the name of Al Rosin was at
bat. Mickey Owens was my catcher. Mickey approached the mound
and said, “We’re not going to throw a fast ball. You can throw
a good curve ball. We’re going to throw all curve balls.”
Well, I threw eleven curve balls to Rosin. He fouled, and
fouled and fouled. Finally I struck him out. That was the
biggest thing that ever happened at Fenway Park for me.
I
threw another ball - the first one ever to go into orbit, to a
player named Gus Zernial. He hit it over left field, the wall,
the fence and clear across the street!
Heckler #1
It’s still going and going and going
….
Monte Moore
Lupe, tell us about the first time
you put your pads on.
Lupe Sanchez
The first NFL game I played in was with the
Steelers in 1986.
I had just been picked up as a free
agent. I worked out and practiced with the team for the entire
week. Tony Dungy was my defensive back coach. He says to me,
“You’ll probably play special teams. I don’t know if we’ll get
you in much as a defensive back.”
It was a Monday night
game against the Cincinnati Bengals. It was raining cats and
dogs that night. I did end up playing as defensive back the
whole game. It was quite an experience because it was an
interdivision rivalry between the Bengals and the Steelers.
The two teams did not like one another, which made it a lot of
fun.
Monte Moore
Were you conscious of the big crowds the
first time?
Lupe Sanchez
Well you know, I’d played in front of some
big crowds. Heck,
I played in a couple of Rose Bowls and
played at Michigan too.
I remember one year, being in front
106,000 people. The crowds really aren’t a big deal. The
thrill is just being on the field with a lot of very talented
football players.
Monte Moore
Thad, how about your first game?
Thad Reece
It was in 1985 … it was a spring training
game. It was the first time with all the big leaguers and the
first ball ever hit to me. Terry Kennedy, this big left-handed
hitter comes up to bat. I’m playing second base. I’m not
kidding, I felt like my feet were in cement. I was so nervous.
He hits me a two-hopper. It bounced and probably hit every
part of my body. It hit me here, there and everywhere - all
over. I’m scrambling for it. I still picked it up and managed
to throw him out. He was just walking down to first base. I’ll
never forget that because I was so nervous.
Monte Moore
Joe, it’s got to be nervous playing in your
first Pro Golf Tour.
Joe Acosta
I certainly was nervous. I was twenty-one
years old, just out of college, a rookie on the tour. The
tournament doesn’t start until Thursday. They give you the
pairing sheets on Tuesday. When I reviewed the sheets I saw
that I was playing with B.J. Singh and Lanny Wadkins.
Monte Moore
Oh, my gosh.
Joe Acosta
It was B.J.’s second year on the PGA tour -
obviously, that’s what he’s known for - the European tour.
Lanny, being a Hall of Fame legend only increased my fear. My
dad is my caddy. I tell him, “I’m not walking into the locker
room. I’m not going in there.” So guess what? I changed my
shoes in the parking lot.
(Laughter).
I’m the first guy to tee up. I couldn’t feel the club,
couldn’t feel my feet, couldn’t feel anything! (Laughter). I
just swung by habit. I honestly don’t know how I hit the ball.
I was worried about getting it airborne. I went out and played
a good round of golf.
I didn’t beat BJ, but I ended up
beating Lanny. That was my first experience. I was twenty-one
years old.
Monte Moore
What kind of support did you get in your big
league career from
your hometown?
Jim Wolford
I
had good support. Visalia always has had good support from
local folks and the newspaper. It is not like the attention
players get now. There’s more attention to sports now with
ESPN. The papers cover games almost every week, too. We’re on
TV now, also.
Monte Moore
When you came back home are you pretty big
stars here.
Jim Wolford
To tell you the truth, I
received the most attention when I signed with the Giants in
1980.
Monte Moore
Lupe, you played college ball, too. So, you
must have seen that big fish in a small pond.
Lupe Sanchez
No, not really. What I do remember was that
the support was fantastic. People were very supportive.
Playing in L.A., a lot of friends and family would come down
to watch the games. It was fantastic. Like Jim said earlier;
nowadays, you can literally turn on any game you want to watch
and be able to catch the action.
Back then it wasn’t like
that. The support here in town was fantastic.
Monte
Moore
What about Porterville, Thad?
Thad Reece
To
be honest, when you moved to Porterville, Monte, you turned
that town upside down. I don’t know how many people know that.
I wasn’t there, as far as a high school athlete, but when I
came home I was always treated really well.
I remember
that Terry Kibler was the sports editor. He always followed my
career - to Hawaii, the A’s and the Royals. Right up until he
left the area he would call me during the season and write
articles about me. Then, of course, there are your friends and
family and people who know you from high school. They’re all
good local support. Monte, when you came to town, you turned
sports upside down. We miss you.
Monte Moore
Thank you, Thad. Now for a quick one-event
deal: Describe the most memorable moment of your Pro career?
Jimmy, you start off.
Jim Wolford
There are probably two of them. Getting four
hits off Catfish Hunter and four hits off of Hall of Famer,
Jim Palmer. Those are two games I’ll always remember because
both of them are two great pitchers.
Monte Moore
I broadcasted that Catfish game and I
remember mentioning that you were from Visalia.
Jim Wolford
You saw him beat us a lot. The Oakland A’s
were the best team. They had Vida Blue, Catfish Hunter and
Rollie Fingers.
You look at the pitching staff today, you
might get five great ones. They had ten.
I remember the
bad games too. Nolan Ryan struck me out three times. I did
beat Nolan Ryan one night, two to one. I got three hits off
him. The next time I had the chance to hit a pitch thrown by
him, I thought the ball went right through me. It felt like he
threw it a hundred miles an hour!
Bob Talbot
My moment came in my first big league game
that I mentioned earlier. I was three for five. Ernie Banks
was one for four. I out-hit Ernie.
Monte Moore
That’s not bad. How about you, Joe?
Joe Hannah
There were some great moments. I hit very few
home runs, however, I did make some hits that put us in a good
position for the playoffs against Montreal. That was when I
was with Toronto.
One of my favorite memories was really
an embarrassing one. I was at bat; I swung at the ball and hit
it on the end of the bat. The handle split apart and then
slammed back on my finger. I’m telling you, I couldn’t get rid
of it – I couldn’t get rid of the bat!
I had to run to
first base with the bat in my hand. I hesitated for so long a
time that the right fielder threw me out at first base. I
would have had a base hit.
Talk about another embarrassing
moment … I have to tell you about my first experience in
baseball. After graduating from high school I went to sign my
contract at the Johnson Motel. In those days you had to wait
till after midnight to sign up.
My dad wanted to make sure
they knew about my fingers. (I had an accident with dynamite
caps and lost part of my fingertips.) The gentleman looked at
them and said, “Well, I’ll be a son of a bitch. I didn’t know
you had that!” I replied, “Well, it’s never been a problem.
You’ve seen me throw, I throw guys out all the time.” Then he
asked, “Does the ball ever sail on you?”
Well now everyone
knows what a cut fastball is…that’s when you use one short
finger and when you throw the ball it sails. It doesn’t spin
like a slider, it sails. I got to thinking, well, it does once
in awhile sail.
In my first professional game straight out
of high school I threw the ball back to the pitcher and that
ball sailed, probably because I was thinking about what was
said earlier. I threw the ball to second base and it sailed
just like a slider. Only it wasn’t spinning like a slider. I
was so nervous in that ball game and it really showed.
I
was the same way in the next game. Here I am playing in my own
hometown and the fans were after me already. I never did have
a problem with sailing after that. But it was an embarrassing
situation. Sorry, but I have a tendency to remember those
things.
Monte Moore
Now everybody is going to know about them,
Joe. Truman?
Tex Clevenger
I can remember one game. I was pitching in
Baltimore, and we were losing two to one. I had thrown a
two-hitter. Billy Goodwin had made a couple of errors and they
got ahead of us. Pitchers always remembered the errors that
the in-fielders make.
It was about the eighth inning. A guy
by the name of Don Linhart gets a base hit. I was the next
hitter. Beaudrow called me back and said, “Young man, I’m
going to send Ted Williams up to hit for you. “I wonder why?”
I thought.
After that, Ted came by and he slapped me on my
butt telling me, “Kid, I’m going to win you a game.” He went
out there and he hit two balls just foul. Then he hit a long
fly ball into right center field. Bob Nieman caught the ball.
As Ted came running back in he said, “Man, I thought I had
it!” And I replied, “I thought you did too!”
Lupe Sanchez
My most memorable game would be my first
year with the Steelers. We played the Chicago Bears, in
Chicago. I was returning kickoffs that year. I had a couple of
pretty good games as a kick return. I was the special teams
captain against the Bears, so I was the one who went out for
the coin toss. We were playing against my childhood hero,
Walter Payton.
Payton was one of their two captains—I
still have a
photo (see inset). I was at mid-field watching
the coin toss with Walter Payton and our team captains Donny
Shell, Mike Webster, and John Stalworth.
Monte Moore
How
about you, Thad?
Thad Reece
I’m a little guy, but I had a couple of walk
off homeruns in Triple A. One was in Hawaii where I played in
college. In Triple A, it was against two ex-big leaguers … I
can’t even remember their names … it was in Tacoma. We were
down by a couple runs, it was in the bottom of the ninth with
two outs. I was up to bat. They brought in this relief
pitcher. I hit the first pitch and it was gone! Later the
general manager from the club came down and gave me dinner
tickets. That day was pretty exciting.
Monte Moore
Joe?
Joe Acosta
In my rookie year I was paired with Curtis
Strange at the Greater Milwaukee Open. On Saturday, he was
named the Ryder Cup Captain. He begins preparing three weeks
before the event. I’m a rookie on the tour. I go out and
finish third in the event. The next week I’m at the Canadian
Open. I find in my locker Ryder Cup tickets along with two
plane tickets. Of course, I sent them to my dad and said to
him, “Somehow you’re going to get out of Canada because you’re
going to the Ryder Cup in New York.”
Monte Moore
My most memorable moment was
broadcasting—actually not the World Series, it was the 1972
playoffs against Detroit.
Billy Martin was managing the
Tigers. We beat Detroit and Billy two times in Oakland. In
those days you had to win three out of five to get in the
World Series. During the last game in Oakland, Campy
Campaneris had thrown a bat at Billy Martin’s starting pitcher
because Martin yelled from the dugout. Martin told the pitcher
to hit Campaneris because he stole a couple of bases on him.
Campy threw the bat.
When we got to Detroit to play the
third game, 55,000 people were in attendance. They suspended
Campaneris for that game and didn’t let him play. Charlie
Finley told Campaneris to sit in the broadcast booth with me
that day. There’s a tin roof on the booth and there was a fan
who found out that Campaneris was with us. They tried to get
in. I said, “No problem.” (Laughter).
To cap it all off,
Jimmy Piersal was my co-announcer. He had stuck his head out
the window prior to the game and yelled, “Martin, you’re a
busher! You’re always a busher! You’re a blankety-blank
busher!”(More Laughter).
We lost the ball game. I thought I
was going to a World Series for the first time. We lost the
next game, too. It’s now tied up two and two. We go to the
fifth game of the playoffs and ended up winning that game with
Gene Tenace playing second base. Where was Thad Reece when we
needed him?
Monte Moore
Actually that playoff game was the most
exciting one for me. Doing a World Series game on national TV
was my greatest thrill.
Moving right along: Tell me one
thing about the greatest star you ever played with and tell us
something about how he treated you. Jimmy Wolford?
Jimmy Wolford
I was fortunate because I got to play with
a lot of great players. I’ll say George Brett. George and I
came up into the big leagues at the same time. I was
twenty-one and he was nineteen. George Brett, Robin Yount,
Paul Splittorf - I’m sure they’re the same kind of guys that
Truman played with. These guys played for the love of the
game. Back in those days it was never about the money.
As a
young player I don’t think I realized these guys were great
players. They were Hall of Fame players. At the time you’re
playing with them you have to respect how they play. George
Brett is just George. He treated everybody great.
Bob Talbot
Ernie Banks was the greatest star I played
with. But Stan Musial was one man that I played against, who
was and will always be my idol. It was my first series at
Wrigley Field. After that we were headed to St. Louis. I was
standing at the batting cage and Stan came over and put his
hand on my shoulder. He says to me, “Young man I want to wish
you all the good luck in the world.” That meant more to me
than anything.
Later that night, he tried to stretch a
double. I threw him out at third base! (Laughter).
Monte Moore
Joe?
Joe Hannah
I didn’t play with Ernie Banks. However, I
was at spring training with the Cubs three or four times and I
always liked the way Ernie treated me. He was a lovable guy.
I was on the same team as Steve Bilko. He was always very
kind to me. I threw batting practice to him when he would do
his exhibitions. Between games on Sunday, fans always wanted
to see him hit a home run. He picked me to throw him batting
practice.
Monte Moore
Truman, you played with some great stars …
and some of the biggest.
Tex Clevenger
It’s kind of tough to say who was the
“greatest” … but the greatest hitter was one of my best
friends on the ball field. He loved to talk to pitchers. He
would tell us how to throw and where to throw. That was a guy
by the name of Ted Williams. (ad-libs of approval). When he
swung that bat it was unreal.
I’ll tell you a little thing
about Ted. He and I had a little talk once after I pitched to
him. “Where was that two and one pitch?” I asked.
“That
far outside,” he said (showing a span of one inch between his
thumb and index finger).
I said, “Oh, okay. So where was my
three and one pitch?”
“That far inside,” he again said,
motioning with his fingers.
“God dang it. You don’t have
that good of eyesight!” I said.
“Oh yes I do.” He
continued, “When are you going to throw that little kicky
slider to me?”
I said, “I don’t have to throw you that
little kicky slider. I can throw you that little ball that
backs away from you and sinks. Then my little third baseman,
little short stop or little second baseman will do a very good
job for me.”
(Laughter).
He got so mad that his neck
swelled up big around. The next day we’d go at it with
something else. I have a baseball bat at home that he gave me.
I wanted to have it signed by him, but his son would not
permit that to happen, unfortunately.
Monte Moore
Lupe?
Lupe Sanchez
I would have to say the greatest player
when I was in college, as a freshman, was Ken Easley, who was
a junior. He was a consensus All-American as a sophomore. He
was all Pack Eight as a true freshman. He was just a terrific
Safety. He and Ronnie Lott were in the same class. I really
thought he was a better Safety than Ronnie Lott, especially at
the college level.
He was a great player. Getting a chance
to play with him for two years was quite a treat. He was so
intense on the field, but as soon as you got off the field, he
was the nicest guy you’d ever want to know.
Thad Reece
I
played with some really good guys, but the best at that time
I’d have to say would be a guy most of us know, Jose Canseco.
I played in Madison, Wisconsin, when Jose first signed out
of high school. He struck out about half the time. In fact,
they sent him down to rookie ball. In a nutshell let me
explain how Jose was:
He had a brand new Camaro. He’s
driving; I’m sitting in the back seat. He keeps locking up the
brakes … and I’m getting whiplash. I say to him, “Jose, you do
that one more time I’m going to slap the teeth out of your
mouth.” So, he does it again … he slammed on those brakes
again, real hard. Well, I slapped him. Then I thought, “I’m
dead now”—because he was still pretty big and tall. I did gain
some respect from that.
Just about a month later Jose was
striking out about half the time. We were playing in Appleton,
Wisconsin. I was thinking at the time, “Why did they sign this
guy? He’s terrible. He can’t hit, he can’t field.” I wasn’t
playing that night, but all the pitchers were bundled up. All
the pitchers had these big ski gloves on.
Jose asked one of
the pitchers to give him a pair of ski gloves.
I asked,
“What are you going to do with the ski gloves?”
He said,
“I’ll hit with them. My hands are freezing.”
So he goes up
to bat with these ski gloves. He hits a rocket like you would
not believe. About 450 feet in the cold weather.
Three or
four years later we’re playing in Tacoma, Washington. There’s
a big green monster (fence) in center field. In three years, I
had never seen anybody go to the track. Jose comes up the
first day. He hits one over the monster. Canseco and McGuire
were always putting on shows. People would come to the
ballpark early just to watch those guys. Those are the guys I
would pick.
Joe Acosta
You all know him. He’s the best player in the
world—Tiger Woods. We’re two years apart.
I’ve played a
lot of amateur golf, junior golf, and one year of college
golf. Tiger had just left college. He won the U.S. Amateur.
We’re in Illinois where they have riverboats. We’re with Tim
Aaron, Carl Paulson, Dennis Paulson and Tiger. We all decide
go to TGI Fridays to eat dinner. After dinner we walk over to
this riverboat. The security guard asks for everyone’s
ID.
Everyone shows their ID except Tiger. He’s only twenty.
“I left my ID up at the hotel, ” Tiger says to the guard.
“Well I’m sorry,” the guard replied. “You have to be
twenty-one to get on the boat. It’s a casino.”
“Why don’t
you cut me a break.” Tiger then asked.
“I can’t, I could
lose my job,” the guard replies.
We’re all standing maybe
ten feet away, and Tiger is trying to sell his way onto the
boat.
Finally the guard says to Tiger, “Listen, I’ll let
you on the boat if you go back, get your ID and prove to me
you’re twenty one.”
Tiger replies, “Well, apparently you
don’t know who I am.”
The guard says, “No, I don’t because
you don’t have your ID. I don’t give a rat’s ass if you’re the
Lion King! If you don’t have your ID you’re not getting on the
boat!”
So we all ended up back at the hotel.
(Laughter).
Monte Moore
If you could offer your best advice to young
people in the Central Valley who aspire to be Pro
Athletes—what advice would you give them?
Jim Wolford
Work hard - definitely. Be prepared and work
as hard
as you can, so when you do leave the game you have
no regrets. Give a hundred percent.
Bob Talbot
Education is a real factor. You have to get
an education. It’s now getting to where your college career is
just like the minor leagues.
Joe Hannah
I would say work hard - real hard.
Tex Clevenger
Work hard. Get a good coach. When the
coach talks to you, listen to them because they’re older than
you are and they know a hell of a lot more than you do. You
have to work hard and stay with it.
Lupe Sanchez
The only other thing I could add would be
to tell you that sports has to be your passion. If you’re to
work that hard at it, it really has to be a passion for you.
Thad Reece
I see all kinds of distractions for kids
these days. Stay away from the distractions –video games and
other things that might take away your focus on what you
really want to accomplish. A lot of kids take different routes
because they’re not disciplined enough to stay focused. It’s
because of all the distractions.
Joe Acosta
I would agree with what was said by the
others. Perseverance is very important.
Monte Moore
Thank you, gentlemen. It’s been a
pleasure.
RJ Latronico
It’s been both a pleasure and an education
for me. Thank you all.
SPORTS LEGENDS BIOS
Monte
Moore (Professional Broadcaster)
- Monte graduated from the
University of Oklahoma in 1952 with a degree in radio/TV
management with an emphasis in sports broadcasting. He was
hired as announcer for Kansas City A’s major league baseball
team in 1962, he ran off a string of 3,001 consecutive games
broadcast during a 17-year span as the A’s radio/TV announcer.
It was a span that continued from Kansas City to Oakland when
the team moved. Monte broadcast World Series games for NBC in
1972 - 74 when the A’s won three world championships in a row.
After the 1977 season, Monte left the A’s to purchase radio
stations in Porterville and signed to broadcast the Saturday
“Game of the Week” for NBC-TV and the USA Network for their
Thursday night “Game of the Week.” The A’s called again and he
went back to do five more years of TV for teams that went to
three more World Series in a row, 1988 - ‘90. Moore then
retired from broadcasting baseball, but continued to manage
radio stations and does community work in Porterville. During
his years there, he received numerous awards for civic work,
including: “Man of the Year.” “ Monte served on the board of
regents of Pepperdine University and on the advisory committee
for Abilene Christian University. In retirement, he has served
as Porterville College director of information and public
relations.
Steven “Rance” Mulliniks - CA Angels, KC Royals,
Toronto Blue Jays
Born January 15, 1956 in Tulare,
California) is a former Major League Baseball player. Rance
made his major league debut in 1977 with the California
Angels. As was traded to the Kansas City Royals in 1980 and
1981. In 1982, Rance continued his career with the Toronto
Blue Jays. In 1984 he was named to Sports Illustrated’s Dream
Team as a utility infielder. Rance retired after the 1992
season and is presently the west coast color commentator for
Rogers Sportsnet’s Blue Jays coverage.
Truman Eugene “Tex” Clevenger - NY Yankees
Born July 9,
1932, in Visalia, California) is a former Major League
Baseball relief pitcher/spot starter who played for the Boston
Red Sox, Washington Senators, Los Angeles Angels and New York
Yankees from 1954-1962.
On April 18, 1954, at the age of
21, Tex made his major league debut with the Boston Red Sox.
Tex was often among the league leaders, Four times was he on
the top 10 list in saves, and also four times was he on the
top 10 list in games finished. In each of the categories, he
appeared on the top 10 lists every year from 1957-1960.
Statistically, Clevenger has often been compared to former
pitcher Jumbo Brown.
On September 30, 1962, Clevenger
played in his final major league game. Tex currently owns
Clevenger Ford Lincoln Mercury in Porterville, California.
Bob Talbot - Chicago Cubs
Bobby was born June 6, 1927,
in Visalia, California. He began playing baseball his
sophomore year of high school. Bobby was twenty-six years old
when be broke into the big leagues with the Chicago Cubs.
After retiring from the major leagues, Bobby retired in
Visalia, California with his wife and children.
Joe Hannah - Toronto Blue Jays, Chicago Cubs
Family,
church, baseball, football and music describe Joe Hannah. He
played professional baseball for 13 years after high school
with a 2-year interval in the army from 1952-1954 with 11
months in Korea. After baseball in 1963, Joe went back to
school and became a teacher. He retired from teaching in 1992
to pursue a cowboy-singing career with his brother Jack and
oldest son Lon. The Son of the San Joaquin has 12 CDs and are
still going.
Lupe Sanchez – Pittsburgh Steelers
Lupe
graduated in 1979 from Mt. Whitney High School in Visalia,
California. He went on to play defensive back and kick return
at UCLA from 1979 – 1983. Lupe played in two Rose Bowl
Championships and was drafted to the Arizona Wranglers in
1984. In 1985, he was traded to the Orlando Renegades. Lupe’s
NFL career began in 1986, when he was signed by the Pittsburgh
Steelers. He played defensive back and kick return with the
Steelers from 1986 – 1988. Lupe, his wife and two children now
reside back in Visalia where Lupe works as a stock broker with
Morgan Stanley.
Thad Reece – Oakland A’s
Thad was born and raised in
Porterville, California where he attended Porterville High
School. In 1977, Thad went on to college at the University of
Hawaii-Manoa and the College of World Series in 1980. He was
signed by the Oakland A’s in 1981 and played seven years with
the team. Thad currently lives back in Porterville where he
coaches baseball at Porterville High School.
Joe
Acosta, Jr. - PGA
Joe Acosta, Jr., the youngest of our
“legends” started playing golf at age five. He was eight years
old when he played in his first tournament. He continued
playing golf at Redwood High School and then at Fresno State
University. At age twenty-one, received an invitation to the
PGA qualifying school. He spent six years on the PGA circuit
competing against other professionals such as Tiger Woods. In
addition to the PGA, Joe also spent four years on the
Nationwide circuit. Joe has semi-retired in Visalia,
California to take time out to spend with his wife and two
year old daughter. Joe is presently a loan officer for CTX
Mortgage.
Jimmy Wolford – KC Royals,
Milwaukee Brewers, S.F.
Giants
Jim Wolford was born and raised in Visalia,
California. He played baseball at Mt. Whitney High School. In
1970, only after one year at College of the Sequoias, Jim was
signed to the Kansas City Royals. He played with the Royals
from 1970 – 1976 and was then traded to the Milwaukee Brewers.
After three seasons with the Brewers, Jim spent the seasons of
1979 - 1983 with the San Francisco Giants. Jim’s baseball
career rounded out with the Montreal Expos from 1983 – 1986.
In 1987, Jim retired from baseball and returned to the Central
Valley where he began his career in investment banking. Jim,
his wife and two children settled in Woodlake. Jim has been
with AG Edwards in Visalia for sixteen years.
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