REIGNITING THE YANKEES-ROYALS RIVALRY

Few rivalries in baseball history have sizzled quite like the Yankees vs. Royals showdown of the late '70s and early '80s. This wasn’t just some friendly competition over who could grab more beer sales at the stadium; it was a full-blown, bad-blooded feud that had more drama than a soap opera and more punches thrown than a heavyweight boxing match. For five straight years, these two teams clashed in the postseason, and trust me, if you were a fan back then, you didn’t need fireworks on the 4th of July—this rivalry lit up the skies on its own.

Let’s rewind to 1976. The Kansas City Royals, a bunch of scrappy up-and-comers, made their first playoff appearance, only to find themselves staring down the barrel of the Yankees—who were fresh off an 11-year World Series drought. Talk about bad luck. The Royals were the new kids on the block, thinking they could hang with the big boys, while the Yankees were ready to prove their Bronx swagger was still alive and kicking. And boy, did it all go down in Game 5 of the ALCS at Yankee Stadium. George Brett—yes, that George Brett, who’d go on to terrorize New Yorkers for years—launched a towering three-run homer to tie the game in the 8th. 

But the Yankees were like, “Nah, not today, junior.” Chris Chambliss stepped up in the bottom of the 9th and smacked a walk-off bomb, barreling through a sea of lunatic fans who stormed the field. Classic New York: wild, chaotic, and straight to the World Series.

That game didn’t just crank up the heat; it dropped the match into a powder keg. The Royals were furious, and the Yankees? Well, they were just getting started. Fast forward to 1977. The Royals, still salty, held a 2-1 lead in the ALCS, thinking they finally had the Yankees right where they wanted them. But in typical New York fashion, the Yankees snatched victory out of their hands, breaking hearts and beer bottles all over Kansas City. 1978? Same deal. Brett gave it everything he had—three homers in Game 3 at Yankee Stadium, practically trying to carry the Royals on his back. But Captain Thurman Munson, playing with a bum shoulder, said, "Not on my watch," and blasted a two-run, go-ahead homer. Once again, the Yankees sent the Royals packing.

By this point, the tension between the two teams was hotter than a New York sidewalk in July. The Royals were tired of being the Yankees’ punching bag, and George Brett was turning into a one-man wrecking crew, determined to settle the score. 

And in 1980, he finally got his shot. Facing Goose Gossage—who made hitters wet their pants just looking at him—Brett smashed a three-run bomb into the upper deck of Yankee Stadium in Game 3, sending the Royals to the World Series with a sweep. It was sweet revenge for Kansas City, and Brett probably still has dreams about it. As for the Yankees? Let’s just say the champagne stayed on ice that year, and manager Dick Howser was unceremoniously booted from the Bronx despite leading the team to a 103-59 record. How’s that for gratitude? He wound up in Kansas City, where he led the Royals to their first World Series title in 1985. Oof.

And then... the Pine Tar Game. If you don’t know about this one, are you even a baseball fan? It’s 1983, and Brett, already a nightmare for Yankees fans, steps up and smashes what looks like a go-ahead homer. But hold up—Yankees manager Billy Martin, always the crafty one, noticed something fishy. Brett’s bat had more pine tar on it than a lumberjack convention. Martin waited, patient as ever, for Brett’s homer to hurt the Yankees before pouncing with the protest. The umps sided with Billy, calling Brett out, which sent George into one of the most iconic meltdowns in sports history. The man lost it—charging out of the dugout like a madman, fists flying, eyes bugging out like someone told him the Royals were moving to New Jersey. The clip is pure gold. Of course, the call was eventually overturned, and the Royals were awarded the win when the game was resumed. But by then, Brett's freak-out had earned him a permanent spot in the Yankees-Royals Hall of Infamy.

Sure, the rivalry fizzled after 1980 when the Yankees stopped bothering with Kansas City in October. But those few years? They were electric. Punches were thrown (literally—thanks, Brett), homers flew, and Yankees fans saw their team rise above the scrappy Royals time and time again. Whether it was Chambliss knocking out fans like bowling pins, or Brett’s infamous pine tar tantrum, the Yankees-Royals rivalry will forever be one of baseball’s greatest—and most hilariously heated—chapters.

The Yankees and Royals are back at it in the playoffs, and the rivalry is officially reignited. Sure, legends like Chambliss, Thurman Munson, Hal McRae, and George Brett are long gone, but this ALDS is about to explode with stars like Bobby Witt Jr., Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, Seth Lugo, and Salvador Perez. For all the old-school baseball fans out there, let’s hope the Royals can at least keep it interesting—because the Yankees are about to remind everyone who really owns October. Get ready for fireworks, because this one's going to have all the drama and dominance of the glory days!

In New York, we don’t just win; we do it with flair, fireworks, and a little controversy for good measure. 

Royals fans? Thanks for playing.

--Alvin Izzo

BYB Yankee History Contributor

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE "CHASING DONNIE BASEBALL" GUY

Well, it's here. With the Yankees consistently winning and every night breaking the consecutive home run record I have decided to step away from that world for a moment and talk about that card collecting dude on YouTube. We got the interview!

If you don't know what I'm talking about, you need to first check out:
I LOVE THIS DUDE'S BASEBALL CARD YOUTUBE CHANNEL! 

After that we snagged an interview and here we are. Love this one very much, I think you will too.  Here he is, a very opened conversation with my man Mikey from the YouTube channel, Chasing Donnie Baseball.

BYB: When did you start collecting baseball cards?

Mikey: My earliest memory goes back to 1977. I had an older brother who collected all the 1977 Yankees cards: Thurman Munson, Chris Chambliss, Graig Nettles, Bucky Dent, Rob Guidry, Don Gullett, Ken Clay, etc - he has them all and so did I. 

I can still see those cards as clear as day in my mind. I was only 6 years old.

2. Obviously this is passion of yours. I collect too, but my collection is unique to me. I don't go looking for perfect cards, but rather cards for my own collection. What are some of the more interesting cards you have in your collection?

Mikey: I collect too, but my collection is unique to me. I don't go looking for perfect cards, but rather cards for my own collection. What are some of the more interesting cards you have in your collection? I really love this question because, as you said, many of my favorite and most interesting cards have zero monetary value to me no matter what Beckett's has it listed at. Well, for starters, I am obviously a Don Mattingly card and since I have over 1,500 of his cards I will leave them out of this answer. 

From my older collection cards like my 1956 Jackie Robinson and Hank Aaron are both in terrible condition but I don't care. I love pulling them out often and just looking at them. Especially the Robinson card because he is a historical figure. The late 1970s and early to mid-1980's are the bulk of my collection. So my Topps Ron Guidry rookie from 1977 is a prized possession. I love my two 1979 Topps Danny Ainge "error" cards (see pic). Again very little value but they were so cool to own back then. 

I was a huge Dale Murphy and love his 1977 Topps Rookie Card. Whenever I see a Gorman Thomas or Cecil Cooper card from early 80' with the Brewers I have to buy them. Sometimes at a flea market when I asked "how much" the person usually just says, "you can have them for free". Lol. I don't know why, but those two cards just remind me of my childhood years of card collecting. My 1981 Topps Rookie card of Fernando Venezuela is another one that brings back great memories. It was the card EVERYONE wanted in 1981. Fernando-Mania was everywhere. Now they are worth maybe 25-cents but I always buy it when I see it.

3. This idea is brilliant and I love this idea of breaking open packs on YouTube. Why did you come up with this idea?

Mikey: I cannot take any of the credit for the idea. About 8 months ago I happen to click on a video on YouTube from a channel called "Jabs Family". 5 minutes into the video I was hooked. Here was this guy, all you see is his hands and the cards, and you hear him just talking about the cards he was opening on camera. It was a live stream so people were interacting, He was so great. Really easy to listen to and was very interactive. It was fascinating to me and seemed like so much fun. So after that night, I started to do some research on how I could start my own channel and 8 months later, "Chasing Donnie Baseball" was born. There are now many others on YouTube doing the same thing but each with their own spin. But the biggest difference we all bring to our channels is one thing: Ourselves. People will either like to hear you talk as you open packs or they won't. I'm hoping people enjoy listening to me an I share my own memories of card collecting as I open packs. I have a lot to learn but in the meantime, I am having a blast! 

4. Obviously your favorite player is Don Mattingly. With Donnie as your first top player, give me your top 9 after Mattingly.

Mikey: #9 Cody Bellinger
#8 Christian Yelich 
#7 Curtis Granderson 
#6 Freddie Freeman 
#5 Bernie Williams 
#4 Rickey Henderson 

#3 Jim Abbott 
#2 Dale Murphy

5. You mentioned in one of your videos that you had Muscular Dystrophy. Why do you want people to know this about you?

Mikey: Wait! I do?! LOL, kidding :) 

So when you watch my videos after a few minutes you will quickly realize there is something off with the way my hands move; the way I grab the box and cards; very little hand strength. Plus I am much slower than the guys on the other channel and it's not by choice. So I just wanted to be real with my viewers. Look, I never have been one to shy away from my disability. When people meet me they are usually very comfortable asking about my disability because they can see I am very comfortable discussing it. So why not be that open and honest with the viewers on my channel? I tell them I'm not letting them know as some excuse, but to just make them aware as to why I may be struggling or going a bit slower than most. The other reason s I hope maybe someone will see one of my videos and hear me mention my disability and just maybe it motivates him or her. Perhaps someone is feeling sorry for themselves and sees my video and it inspires them to get going, move forward. If you are motivated and enjoy doing something, NOTHING should ever prevent you from pursuing it. 

6. What's the one thing you want people to take away from these card videos?

Mikey: Card collecting should always be about having fun. I am NOT doing this for monetary gain (their isn't any, lol!) - I am doing this because collecting cards brings me joy. Plain and simple Sure I mention the prices of cards and we are always looking for the big "hits, however, in the end, my viewers and I have to be having fun. The day it stops being fun I will turn the lights off on the channel.

7. Side track. Big Yankee fan? What do you think about the Yankees this season?

Mikey: Love the question cause I'm always ready to talk Yankees baseball. The obvious equation for them to hold onto this high level of play is to get their studs back, it's that plain and simple. However. what these young men have done filling the shoes of Judge, Stant, Didi, etc is beyond remarkable. I don't know if it happens like magic when you put on a Yankees uniform but this crops of players EXPECT to win, not just compete and I love that! But, I think unless we get 90%-100% healthy this ride with this group of incredible players may end come October baseball. Just my opinion.

8. Final question, do you ever read BYB? Did you ever hear about us before we did that surprise post for you?

Mikey: I have read BYB for years, and I'm not just saying that because you did a write up on Chasing Donnie Baseball or because you are interviewing me now. In fact, if you watch the quick video I made on my channel after I discovered your article you will hear me explain how surprised, humbled and honored I was to get recognized by such a reputable site. I absolutely love what you stand for, like a family. 




That is exactly what I am hoping attracts subscribers to Chasing Donnie Baseball. BYB is absolutely my go-to site for Yankees news and analysis. want to personally thank you, Robert Casey, for giving Chasing Donnie Baseball such a large platform to share who I am and what we are all about. Maybe we can flip a few piles of some old 1982 Topps I have laying around?

I had a lot of fun with Mikey and this interview.  You can always see Chasing Donnie Baseball on YouTube, here's Mikey's page. Subscribe. It's a really clever concept and I personally love and endorse it.  CHASING DONNIE BASEBALL.

I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I did.  Happy Tuesday... stay dry if you're living in the Tri-State.  Hey... go look through your old baseball cards. Maybe you'll find a few gems!

RED SOX VS. YANKEES: A TEST OF WILLS

Source: Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

It's like a game of cat and mouse, a ping-pong match, and a hold-your-breath test of wills.  It's about endurance.  It's about game play.  And it's happening, right here in the Bronx as we near the end of the 2017 season in an all out foot race for the Division.

Source: Associated Press

2017 finds the Yankees leading the Red Sox 10 games to 8 in our head-to-head competitions for the season.  It's been a back and forth kind of season, since we lost our lead on the Sox before the All Star Break. This is the final series of the rivals, so however it ends after Sunday, in wins and losses against one another, both teams will have to succumb their fate to other teams who play them respectively.

 Source: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America

The Sox and Yankees are closely matched this season.  Some may say the Sox have better pitching.  I don't know.  Perhaps on paper, but not necessarily in action.  Others may say that the Yankees' lineup is not reaching its potential.  I would have to agree with that insight.  We should be producing more hits and more runs.

Source: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America

Saturday's performance seemed to cast a spotlight on the Yankees' offense of the past, prior to the All Star Break, led by slugger Matt Holliday. "Holliday made a smashing return to the Yankees' lineup after being sidelined a month, launching a three-run homer that led Masahiro Tanaka and New York over the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox 5-1 Saturday," according to the Boston Herald.  But, Friday, it was a different story as the Yanks lost to the Sox 4-1.  And Thursday, we dominated the Sox 6-2.

Source: Rich Schultz/Getty Images North America

Whatever happens in the final game of the series, the Yankees have a lot of games to gain and a lot of rebuilding to do with regards to the chemistry of the team, who have spent the season in and out of the DL.  Now that we appear to be healthy, let's see if we can create more consistency on the field when it comes to hitting and supporting our average pitching staff.  “We’re certainly not focused on anything but trying to win the division,’’ said Chase Headley, who has been hitting well, including having a multi-hit game in Saturday's win against the Sox, reported Newsday.

As I think about this notion of supporting our pitching staff with some extra runs from the lineup, I am reminded of the days of Ron Guidry, who took on a leadership role with his team in the late 1970s.  Guys like Thurman Munson, Chris Chambliss and Reggie Jackson used to ask Guidry how many runs he needed to win.  He would flat out tell them.  "I need four from you today...I need five from you today..."  We need that kind of banter again.  If we are going to win, we need to talk like winners and play like winners.  It is a test of wills and the team with the most endurance, wins.

--Suzie Pinstripe

BYB Managing Editor
Follow me on Twitter: @suzieprof

SO WHAT IF I WATCHED A RE-RUN OF THE CHAMBLISS WALK-OFF...

Okay...I will admit it.  I don't like to lose.  In fact, I don't like to receive anything lower than a B for effort.  Actually, I will really only accept an A.  There, I said it.  Perhaps that is why I am so impatient with Brian Cashman, Joe Girardi and the recent New York Yankee teams since 2009.  I would never last as a New York Met fan (nor would I want to) and I certainly could never root for a team like the Milwaukee Brewers or San Diego Padres or Cleveland Indians.  They never win.  They never get anywhere.  It is what it is.  So when the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Men's Basketball team lost to Syracuse the other evening, I angrily grabbed the remote and flipped to the YES Network.  The scene was set for deja vu all over again kind of evening with me, my mother and Chris Chambliss.

I should tell you that my mother taunted me the entire evening during the Notre Dame-Syracuse game.  Then, she harassed me with a phone call after the disaster on the court.  I told her to turn on the YES Network and relive an night to remember in the Bronx with me.  You see, she and I and my Dad watched the game live back in 1976.  You know the game...the one where Chambliss planted one out in right field to beat the Kansas City Royals, win the American League Championship and head to the World Series against the Cincinnati Reds.  

It was incredibly interesting to watch the game that evening, as Thurman Munson crouched behind the plate helmetless, no throat guard and a chest protector that looked like the lining of my Northface winter coat more than something that would protect him from a swirling fast ball.   As a matter of fact, he got hit in the throat with a foul ball and he struggled to swallow for a good several minutes. It was pretty scary, actually. 

Then there were the fans throwing debris and bottles at the Royals' outfielders.  It got so bad that public address announcer Bob Sheppard had to administer a warning to fans to essentially, "knock it off."  Howard Cosell was one of the announcers in the box, which also added to the ambiance of the game.  Chambliss stepped up to the plate in the midst of the chaos of angry fans and delay of game as umpires ran around clearing debris.  He was fixed on the pitcher and the job he had as a hitter batting at the bottom of the ninth.  

When Chambliss made contact, no one really knew if that ball had enough legs to climb over the right field fence, but when it eventually did, pandemonium ensued as fans launched themselves on the field and ran towards Chambliss who could barely see his way to home plate.  

Experiencing this game with my mom the other evening, almost forty years after it originally aired was an incredible opportunity to relive something special.  You see guys like Chris Chambliss represent a team of rutty young men who earned an A for their grit and determination every night, despite the "primitive" equipment and overall simpler times when guys didn't need nearly as much as they seem to need to today in order to perform at an A level.  And re-experiencing this exciting rise to the Series after a 12-year absence as an adult with her mom made it extra special.  This is the rise we need to experience again and I feel rejuvenated and hopeful that we can get there.  I just needed a gentle reminder that anything can happen.

--Suzie Pinstripe, BYB Senior Staff Writer
BYB Hot Stove Columnist
Twitter: @suzieprof




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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: FRITZ PETERSON

It's always an honor for me to meet and interview members of the Yankees family. It's especially great when it's an accomplished pitcher like Fritz Peterson. Fritz Peterson was a starting pitcher for the Yankees during a mediocre time in Yankees history, from 1966 to 1974, before being traded to the Cleveland Indians. He holds the distinction of having the lowest career ERA pitching at the old Yankees Stadium (2.52), and he pitched the final game there before renovations began.

Bleeding Yankee Blue had a chance to sit down and talk to him on his recent trip to New York. We proudly present our exclusive interview with Fritz Peterson. 

BYB: We want to thank you for taking the time to talk to us. Tell us about your book “When the Yankees Were on the Fritz: Revisiting the Horace Clarke Years.” What is it about, what do you hope to accomplish through it, and what do you want to share?

Fritz Peterson: Sure. In my first book, I wanted to get some stuff cleared up about our “situation” [quotes mine]. I touched on a bunch of players that I really thought a lot about. I made it “Mickey Mantle Is Going to Heaven”. But it wasn’t a serious book. It was just to get it out there in case I died of prostate cancer which I was on the verge of doing at the time. At least I said some things that I wanted off my chest. But I wanted to do a serious book. I talk about my years with the Yankees, each one of them. One through nine - I call them innings, every year. Doing it [that way] brought back a whole bunch of memories about players that I remembered through those days. They taught me a lesson in that I didn’t know how baseball worked, I didn’t know that baseball was a real business - I thought it was a game. I found out when my first best friend there got released.

Then I go into a little bit about my family stuff, got through all those things, then had to transition through the marriage situation in 1972. The last chapter has to do with all the players that I played with, that I remember seeing in uniform in 1974. It has a lot of personal things in it, it has a lot of things that people have been commenting that they didn’t know that this was what happened in baseball.

BYB: You touched on your nine “innings”, but then in 1974 you were traded to the Cleveland Indians. What was that like and what do you remember most about changing clubs?

Fritz Peterson: I knew it was coming, but I didn’t know it was to Cleveland. But because that year I was the fifth starter, and I was starting to develop some arm problems, and at the beginning of the season you don’t play as many games. I wasn’t in the starting rotation at the start. I knew I was going somewhere. So I asked [Yankees General Manager] Gabe Paul. I said, “Gabe, I know you’re trying to trade me, but I just want you to know two things. I don’t mind because that’s baseball. But I won’t go to the Philadelphia Phillies or the Cleveland Indians.” He patted me on the back and said “Don’t worry, young man. We wouldn’t do that to you”. So two weeks later I’m on a plane with three other teammates and we’re heading to Cleveland. Bill Virdon had called us into his office and told the four of us [Peterson, Fred Beene, Tom Buskey and Steve Kline] that there’s been a trade. They were pissed. We were four people that they liked. That’s 40% of our pitching staff going for guys that they didn’t really pay much attention to. It turned to be a really good trade for the Yankees [ed. note: the Yankees got Chris Chambliss, Dick Tidrow, and Cecil Upshaw]. I remember us looking at each other on the plane going from LaGuardia to Cleveland, the four of us at about 8 o’clock in the morning, wondering what happened. We get there to Cleveland and there’s our old buddy John Ellis, one of my favorites from the Yankees, waiting for us to pick us up and bring us to the hotel. Cleveland was an odd feeling, but Cleveland was fun for a while.

BYB: You mentioned some of your teammates. Who was your favorite teammate and why?

Fritz Peterson: My favorite at the beginning was Jim Bouton. He roomed with me and he actually gave me a chance to make that team in Spring Training in 1966. When I heard that, I’m thinking that here’s a big leaguer who’s been there and he’s saying “you have a chance to make this team.” I planned on going to the minors a few more years and when he said that, I really believed it. So we roomed together and we had a lot of really good times together. Crazy guy, good guy, you know. When he wrote the book, I purposely didn’t read it because I had friends on both sides. I didn’t want to take sides. I got it at home ready to bring to the nursing home when I go. Then obviously Mike Kekich was my best friend from 1969 to 1972 when our situation was going on. Mel Stottlemyre overall was the best, most consistent friend I had.

BYB: Do you ever keep in touch with the old players?

Fritz Peterson: No, no. The only one I keep in touch with is Mel Stottlemyre. But with his sickness now, he’s not well. I’m afraid to even see the newspapers because if I see his name I’m gonna think “Oh no.” We were there at the [Old Timer's] game, but we didn’t go in. I didn’t wanna go in. I didn’t want to see Mel like that.

BYB: In 1970 you went 20-11 - a 20-game winner - with a 2.90 ERA, you made the All-Star team, the team finished second in the American League. What was your greatest memory from that season with that team?

Fritz Peterson: I suppose it would have to be winning the 20th game on the last day of the season in Boston. They pushed me up one game ahead of Stan Bahnsen because I did have a chance to win the 20th game and it was the last day of the season. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have pitched. If it had rained, that game would have never been played because Boston and the Yankees were in the place they were going to be in the standings. We checked in to our hotel in Boston on the Friday of that weekend. The room that I was supposed to take was room 1912. Our traveling secretary had everything laying on the table, and I looked at that and I said there’s something wrong with that. If I had lost that game, that’s the record I would have had. Oddly enough, I said, “Bruce [Henry, 1970 Yankees traveling secretary], you gotta change that.” He said, “Why?” Then he looked and said “I know why”. So he did, and oddly enough, he got me 2011. Here I had 19 games and I didn’t know if I’d ever get to 20. I'm glad I figured that because I never did do that.

BYB: Every pitcher has one hitter they just hate facing. Who was that person for you?

Fritz Peterson: Those people were, in order fear, was Frank Howard. He was six feet nine inches, 300 pounds, and could fill a toilet in one sitting. I saw him hit a ball one time off Mel Stottlemyre, Mel threw him a sinker to keep it away from him. Frank hit it and it nearly hit his cap. It started going up, and up and up. It went out for a home run in center field. That was scary. It went up like a golf ball. So we learned that when we threw the ball to Frank, extra quick get your glove up for self-defense. Dick Allen later, was the second as far as scary. I’ve seen him hit some monsters. The best hitter I faced over my career was Al Kaline. That's because he never gave up. It could be 8-1 they’re losing and he still trying to get on base and start a big inning. I gotta tell you one little sidelight of that. When Duke Sims got traded to the Yankees, Al Kaline was about the end of his line. Duke had played with Al Kaline for a while and got to know him. Duke told me if you get a chance, could you let Al get a hit, like a bunt down third. Because if he gets on, it’s a base hit and they’ll take him right out of the game because that would make him an even .300 hitter. So I did and he did. They didn’t take him out for two more years. 

He got better there for a while because of the DH. The funny thing about that was Denny McLain, of course, was on Detroit, he had done the same thing for Mickey Mantle in grooving that home run pitch for him in 1968. So I thought, they did him a favor to Mickey, I’ll do Al a favor.

BYB: Baseball today is a lot different today than it was when you played. In what ways do you think the game got better and in what ways worse?

Fritz Peterson: I think it got worse lately because of the speed gun. All pitchers want to be dominant, macho strong men. They think now, when the emphasis on that is so much, even when they’re signing rookie pitchers, because lefties have to throw at least 93 and righties have to throw 96 before they’ll even sign them for anything. But when they get there finally, they know that they have relief pitchers we never had before. So they can let it all out. But they’re also letting it out looking at the scoreboard. What did I get? Did I get up to 97? In our day, they signed pitchers that were pitchers even then. They had good sinkers, they had good control, two or three pitches maybe. Now it’s completely different, it’s a power game. So, if you can throw hard, you can work off that. But I think there’s an over-emphasis on that, and I’m not sure it’s gonna last forever. These guys are dropping out with Tommy John surgery.

BYB: What do you think of pitch counts?

Fritz Peterson: I don’t like them. They’re so conditional. In the day, if we were going well and running a smooth ballgame, it didn’t really matter. We had a guy over there with the clicker, Jim Turner, but we never paid any attention to it. He was just doing a job. It didn’t matter. Now it matters a lot. It takes a little of the managerial stuff out of managing. When managers say “How are we doing?”. [pitchers say] “I wanna pitch, I wanna stay in.” Some of these guys are out of there before they knew [sic] what happened. All of a sudden, there’s an inning produced and they’re not in there. I think we should at least give a guy an out per inning. If he can’t get the first guy out, then bring in the relief pitcher. Not take him out because he threw too many pitches.

BYB: Tell me about Ralph Houk. He was a legendary manager. What was it like playing for him?

Fritz Peterson: It was wonderful. It was just like my own dad being there. Once you won a position with Ralph, you didn’t have to look over your shoulder or worry that if you made an error you were gonna lose your position. You could be yourself, throw good stuff because you were there and you knew you had a friend behind you. Being a major in the Army, he got people’s attention. I saw him grab a writer one time and raise him up on the wall because he wrote an article intimating the Yankees were having trouble. Ralph didn’t like that, so he grabbed him. It was Maury Allen. He had to set the record straight. The guys knew [Ralph] was right behind them, on their side.

BYB: You mentioned earlier about prostate cancer. It’s a big issue for men. Guys like Bob Watson are big advocates for early testing. My own father is a prostate cancer survivor. What would you like to say to that issue?

Fritz Peterson: Yes. There’s a movement going on now to do away with the testing, including the PSA, saying that even if you do treat, it’s about the same results as if you didn’t even know about it. For myself personally, I’m glad I did. I was one of those that if I didn’t have it taken care of, I would have been dead. I had that thought back in 2006 when they found it again. I envisioned what it would be like to not have another Christmas. It was a little peaceful, in a way, but when I found that I could make it again, I was happy again. It was almost a relief.

BYB: We are glad you are as well as you are, and we hope your treatments continue to work.

You mentioned about your “situation” a number of times during this interview. Is there anything you’d like to say, in general, about that.

Fritz Peterson: Sure. When Mike was traded to our team in 1969, he was Jim Bouten’s replacement for me. He was a fun guy. Mike and I were best friends, we roomed together on the road. Our families were the same age. He had 2 daughters, aged 5 and 2. I had 2 sons 5 and 2. We spent a lot of time,  just innocent times always, until the last part there. Then, getting to know the others’ spouse, I personally was never thinking of leaving mine. I wouldn’t do it, I wouldn’t consider it. But I thought he sure had it nice. His wife would let him stay at the ballpark, sign autographs. Mine, I had to come home the second the game was over, to be under her watch. He saw something in my wife, somebody pretty, who like to read and had college degrees. So something inside of us was building slowly. Until a night at Maury Allen’s house, in 1972, which was July 15. We were at a party at Maury’s, drinking beer and having hot dogs and hamburgers and stuff. Maybe we had a little too much drink, I’m not sure. It was sure fun. Mike’s wife Susan was sitting across from me, and he was sitting across from my wife Marilyn. I happened to touch Susan’s foot under the table. It didn’t bother her, but a little while later, I think she touched mine. After that, we touched each other’s foot more and more and we were drinking and stuff like that. After we were done at Maury’s, we decided to go home. On the way walking from the party to our cars,  I said to my wife Marilyn, why don’t you ride home with Mike, back to the Fort Lee Diner where we had both parked and met. I said to Mike, your wife Susan can come with me. We can just meet there. So we did and it was so much fun, at least in my instance talking to Susan, knowing that I didn’t have to be careful of what I said. She was such an easy-going, wonderful wife. With my wife, I had to say everything perfectly with her. Mike felt the same way about my wife as I did about his.

We got home and we met at the ballpark the next day. It was Sunday, and I said to Mike we should do that again, and he agreed. So we decided to do it again a couple of nights later, and this time we went to a steak and ale in Fort Lee, NJ. We met at the steak and ale and we all had a couple of drinks. Marilyn and Mike took off and then Susan and I just stayed there and ate and drank. We had a ball, an absolute blast. We all wanted to do it again, so we did it again the next available time. Then it became like, let’s do this all the time, so we did. It just became, wow, can this work? Mike was the first one to tell his wife that he loved Marilyn, my wife. I didn’t say that because I didn’t know yet, I was just one of the team. But we started then dating all the time.

At the end of the season, we didn’t want each other to leave. Mike and Susan were going to go off to Missoula, Montana. Marilyn and I were gonna go back to live and stay in New Jersey where we just built a house. It was tough to do. I was working in New Jersey, I was with John Sterling, who was with the New York Raiders hockey team. John was the play-by-play man, I was the color man. There was one night when we were going from Philadelphia to Boston, where my plane was so bad, it was one of those white-knucklers. I’m thinking you know what, I don’t even care if I die. Because Susan is gone, and I didn’t want to back to my wife, because I wanted to be with Susan. So when I got to Boston, I called Mike and I said Mike, you still wanna do this thing we’ve been talking about, switching families? He said yes. I said you arrange for Susan and your kids to come East to New Jersey, and I’ll send Marilyn and my boys out to you. That was it. Shortly after, my wife Marilyn called me and she said, I wanna come back. The poetry from Mike wore off, and she found out he didn’t have any degrees in college, and he was in debt and she wanted me back and I said I can’t come back. I’m gonna go be with Susan. It’s been her and I now for 41 years. They never did get married. They were both bull heads. I was hoping it would work out.

BYB: I am surprised by your response. I didn’t want to go there because I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable. You have a great history with the Yankees, as a player, and that’s what we were going to focus on. I am a little surprised that you’re as comfortable as you are, but we appreciate your candor.

Fritz Peterson: I appreciate you not wanting to do that. But I don’t care. I’ll tell anything now. The older I get, the more I don’t care.

BYB: How do you feel about social media?

Fritz Peterson: I’m just starting to get into that. I don’t really have much time, because mine is getting so extensive, my Facebook stuff. I almost have a full-time job doing that, and I feel like I gotta do that before I do anything. I’m not an English major, so there’s mistakes in it sometimes. I’m finding it fun and I’m practicing before I get Alzheimer’s, so I can remember everything [laughing]. I’m gonna start putting the word out [that] I would like to do commercials for nursing homes, because I wrote about that in the second book, and it was fun writing. I plan on pulling pranks on the people in the wheelchairs. They’re gonna have a hard time, but I’m going down hard!

BYB: Is there anything else you would like to say?

Fritz Peterson: Yeah. What do I have to do to get to the Old Timer’s Game? They don’t get to me quite often. Last time was 2006. I’d love to go to the Old Timer’s Game. I don’t even want you to make them look bad. I’d just love to go to that, and I just wish I went to more.

Again, we want to thank Fritz for sitting down and speaking with us. Fritz, you're a great conversationalist and a fun guy to be around. We wish you all the success in the world, great health, and that you accomplish all you set out to do.

--Ike Dimitriadis, BYB Senior Staff Writer
Twitter: @KingAgamemnon
My blog is: Shots from Murderer's Row

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MEET THE BYB FAMILY: INTERVIEW WITH STEVE SKINNER

We're continuing our series now with a guy that has been apart of BYB for a while, Steve Skinner.  We continue the MEET THE FAMILY Series with him, a great writer and a good friend.  Over the next month we will be interviewing all of the Bleeding Yankee Blue writers, a way to bring some realness and life to the people that present to you on a daily basis here on BYB.  If you haven't read them already, be sure to also check out:

MEET THE BYB FAMILY: INTERVIEW WITH JEANA BELLEZZA
MEET THE BYB FAMILY: INTERVIEW WITH ERICA MORALES

We pick it up now with BYB writer Steve Skinner...

BYB: Steve, when did you become a Yankee fan? What year and what player or team sucked you in?

Steve Skinner: As far back as I can remember I have been a Yankee fan.  I think it is mainly due to the fact that my dad was always a fan.   Over the course of my life I’ve noticed that Yankee fans cross family generations – probably like any other baseball organization – and we were no different.  

However, I’d have to say that Thurman Munson sealed the deal.  His grit and talent only confirmed to me that I was following the right team!

BYB: Throughout all the Yankee moments you witnessed... what stands out as your favorite? Where were you when it happened?

Steve Skinner: I’ve been fortunate enough to have lived through some of the great moments in our team’s history.  Many jump into my mind when asked to remember the special ones.  Right off the bat I remember Chris Chambliss hitting the home run that won the 1976 ALCS and put us into the World Series for the first time in 12 years.  I was just 12 years old then, so it was the first time I ever saw the Yankees reach that level of success.  I saw that on TV and remember being in awe of what my Yankees had accomplished.  

As I said, there are a lot of great moments, from Reggie’s homers in the World Series, to Mattingly’s consecutive home run streak, to Jeter’s “flip” play.   All special to me in their own way.

BYB: Tell the audience what it's like to work at BYB.  I mean, we're not like other websites... we're more like a family.  Explain...

Steve Skinner: I think “family” best describes what it has been like for me to work at BYB.  The writers/contributors all share a common passion – the Yankees.  Sometimes we disagree about our team, but in the end we all want the same thing: another World Championship.  I think what makes BYB so unique is that in spite of differing opinions, we all really support each other.  There’s a lot of respect and encouragement.   You, Casey, are the common bond within BYB.  Your willingness to allow each of us to express ourselves, even when it might be an unpopular take about the Yankees, sets BYB above other sites I’ve contributed to.  You always have our backs, and it is that kind of support that will always make BYB a special family.

BYB: OK. Scenario. The BYB crew is out for beers. You have the ability to invite 3 Yankees all-time for a round of drinks. Who would they be and what is 1 question you'd ask each of them.

Steve Skinner: Well, first and foremost, I’d have Thurman Munson join us.  I’d ask him what he really felt about his peers – Johnny Bench and Carlton Fisk.  Much had been written about him and Fisk and I’d like to know his real feelings – especially given the fact that both Bench and Fisk are in the Hall of Fame but he is not.

Second, I’d want Babe Ruth to join us.  As the greatest player to ever play the game, I’d ask him what he felt about the PED issue in baseball, and in particular, how he’d feel about someone like Alex Rodriguez coming back to the Yankees.

Finally, I’d want Billy Martin to join us.  He’s my all-time favorite manager and I’d ask him how he’d handle the current Yankees.  What changes in the lineup would he, or wouldn’t he make.?

BYB: We met at Yankee Stadium briefly because I had to bring my kid to his baseball game.  Tell the audience about that meeting and why we're friends.

Steve Skinner: I considered us friends even before we met.  Through our correspondences, and through writing at BYB, I knew right away that we shared common opinions and thoughts on the Yankees and on life in general.  I remember the day well.  My daughter Sarah (who’s also a big Yankees fan) and I were lucky enough to get spots on a bus excursion to the stadium on that day.  You and I kept in touch via texts and managed to coordinate a quick meeting.  It was Mo’s last season and the game was a Yankees win with a save from Rivera.  

We met and you were kind enough to present us with BYB wrist bands, which only added to the special day.  I knew then that we’d be lifelong friends.  The genuine enthusiasm you and your son had for the Yankees, and baseball in general, was evident and that just convinced me I was writing for the right guy!

BYB: You interviewed Ron Blomberg (HERE) early on in your BYB career, and now you've managed to have the Prospect beat.  Ian Clarkin (HERE). Michael O'Neill (HERE).  Tell the BYB audience about that 1 prospect that we didn't get and what the reasoning was behind it. Bad timing... remember?

Steve Skinner: Yes, I remember.  I was about to do an Aaron Judge interview.  He was among the leaders in several categories in Charleston.  We were prepping for it and the next day, we got word he was promoted. Like that, he slipped through our fingers!  I still want to interview the kid.  He’s on the fast track and will be in the Bronx soon.

BYB: And to follow up on that. Tell the BYB audience who's next for Steve Skinner? Who do you want to interview next for our audience?

(In Photo: Eric Jagielo)
Steve Skinner: I’d love to be able to interview Tyler Austin, even though you did one already with he and his mom Kim. I'd love to talk to Eric Jagielo, and whomever we draft in 2015.  One interview I’ve conducted already, but haven’t written up yet is with Byron Cogle – Slade Heathcott’s grandfather.   I’d really love to interview Heathcott so that I could put the two together in one piece.   There’s a special story there.

BYB: Why do you like writing for BYB?  What makes it fun, exciting and worthwhile. Be specific.

Steve Skinner: At the risk of repeating what I said earlier, I love the flexibility in what I write about.  Not everything about being a Yankees fan is rosy.  BYB allows me to write whatever is on my mind about the  team I love.  Deadlines have been flexible – which is important when you have a job outside of writing.  There’s never a dull moment with the Yankees, so there is always something to write about.  Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be able to interview people like Blomberg or Paul O’Neill’s nephew, and BYB has given me that chance.  When guys like Clarkin or O’Neill make it to the Yankees (and they will), I’ll be able to say that I talked to them at the start of their MLB journey.

BYB: Our BYB Source is convinced a Troy Tulowitzki deal is in the works. What's your take?

Steve Skinner: I have no doubt that Tulowitzki would do well in pinstripes, but I’m a big proponent of building from within.  We have some guys who I truly feel we should bring up – Pirela and Refsnyder – and give them their shot.  

(In Photo: Jose Pirela)
They’ve earned it.  I recently wrote a piece saying how the Yankees need to start grooming their talent, rather than trading it off for aging vets.  We really need to look at the two teams that competed in this season’s World Series – especially the Royals – and learn from them.  They developed most of their talent from within their organization.   

Many probably don’t realize that Salvador Perez is just 24-years-old and the Royals had six (I think that’s what I counted) players 25-years-old and younger.   I’d much rather see us give our young guys a shot than trade them away for a few expensive years with Tulowitzki.   Developing talent ensures long-term success.  Trading for veterans in an attempt to reach immediate success is a short-term solution that has only worked once in the past 14 years.

BYB: I try to be fair with my writers because I know how tricky it is to balance family,  well as work and BYB.  How am I doing as the chief?

Steve Skinner: You are the best I’ve come across, so yeah, you’re doing GREAT!   There’s no one else I’d rather write for.

BYB: Final question; Think back. What was the 1 article you read from Bleeding Yankee Blue that made you think "Hey, I like these guys. I'd like to write for them."

Steve Skinner: At the time I had been writing for Bleacher Report, which was fun, but its structure was pretty much about garnering the most reader hits, rather than writing what was on your mind.  I’m not sure I could pinpoint just one article that was a deciding factor for me.  Instead, it was a series of articles, by different writers, that told me this was the place I should be writing.  I remember contacting you about doing an article and once I began, I couldn’t stop.  There was a learning curve for me, as I wasn’t a journalism major (I have a degree in Math), and I specifically remember some rather strict mentoring from you that told me “this guy really cares about BYB”.   From there, I was hooked, and continue to learn to this day.

I do remember... damn! I can't believe YOU remember!

Anyway... Thank you Steve! You're a huge part of the BYB Team and we appreciate you with us!

Thanks for being great, a great writer and a great friend!

Who's next? Stay tuned....

You've made BYB the fastest growing Yankees fan site in history. Now shop at the Bleeding Yankee Blue store!  Follow me on Twitter @BleednYankeeBlu and LIKE Bleeding Yankee Blue on Facebook!