(00:00:00) Hi, I'm J.G. Preston. This is portfolio with the Summer Olympic Games. Now underway in Seoul. We're going to look back at one of the greatest figures in Olympic history. Jesse Owens the track and field great who won four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics in 1936 with me to talk about Owens his life and his status as a national hero is Bill Baker professor of history at the University of Maine and author of Jesse Owens in American Life later in the program. I'll chat with Canterbury Downs track announcer / Gourmet cook / opera singer. Tony Bentley a phone number for your questions is 2276 thousand outside the Twin Cities metro. Feel free to call us collect 2276 thousand here on sport folio. What was that Jeffrey we're gonna talk to the opera singer later get that classical stuff off here for now goodness gracious on the cover of the book. It says his name is William J Baker. He writes that his name at Birth was Billy Joe, but he prefers we call him Bill Bill Bakers are guess the author of a biography of Jesse Owens that was released two years ago on the 50th anniversary of Owens Berlin heroics and has been re-released this year in paperback to coincide with the Olympic Games Bill. Thanks for being with us. I understand you're forgoing a main black Bears football game to Enlighten us here on sport (00:01:31) folio. Well, they've just started to see it's all right. I'll get there late you did (00:01:35) you get caught up by halftime, right? Well for for Meto comes from the south as you do, it sounds like you've adapted vocally to the Northeast quite (00:01:42) nicely. Well, I've been in Maine 18 years, and we've lived out of out of the states. Two years in England, so it's all sort of a mishmash. It's all (00:01:52) all thrown together into one big larynx. I might add folks that did addition to his biography of Jesse Owens. The bill Baker is also also the author of books such as Sports in the Western World, which has been out in a new addition this year and Sports in the humanities. Both of which are used as a college. Text (00:02:08) Bill Sports in the western world is it then it just came out in paperback with University of Illinois, press. Yeah, you know, I have to I have to (00:02:18) admit though. I was one of the many Americans apparently who lived in under delusions until looking at your book. I too was under the impression that at the 1936 Berlin Olympics that Hitler Would Not Shake Jesse Owens his hand, but you tell me that's a (00:02:29) myth. Well, it's a wonderful story and we all wish it had happened. It's the sort of thing that should have happened and it's just fantastically satisfying story because of its moral content. You have evil rejecting good and in the end. A good winning and beast in those games and yes, it should have happened if there was obviously a kind of sort of evil incarnate but but it didn't unfortunately no American Sports right is made up story and it was a whole string of events pertaining to that to that concoction. But I mean for four weeks Jesse said when anybody asked him, but he said look that didn't really happen. It's okay. He didn't snuff me he he didn't insult me or any of that and finally as Jesse said years later, it just got too much of a bother to to deny it and he said anyway people wanted to believe it and so it was good for us and so he went on and let people believe the start now did Hitler actually congratulate (00:03:36) Owens or did they just not have the chance to (00:03:38) because they never met and the the story briefly. Is that on the first day of the games Hitler did congratulate a future. Ones and even another nationality or to a couple of sins, but and he did that public he brought them over to his box. But you see Jesse didn't even run any finals that day. And so that night that night the Olympic Committee came to Hitler queer went to Hitler and said look, you have to either congratulate everybody or nobody and and there was some of the athletes we had in congratulating that first day and you're the you're the host of the games and publicly like this. It's got to be everybody or nobody in here or said. Well, that's ridiculous. I can't I can't bring all the athletes over and congratulate them. So henceforward I won't do a thing about it. He never again congratulate the German or anyone else and it was the next day that Jesse won his first event. But when when Hitler didn't bring him over then the American newspapers the next day plate that up Hitler insults Owens and get the rejects Jesse and that sort of thing and it built on itself. And and of course it's a wonderful story and it was what people wanted to believe and people believe it with Carl Lewis (00:04:58) being prominent in the Olympic Games again this year winning gold medals in 84 in the same events that Jesse Owens did in 1936 the hundred meter dash the 200-meter dash the the long jump and the running a leg of the 400-meter relay as a result of Louis being around again this year. Jesse Owens will be discussed at length once again, but you write how Owens in your words filled a cultural need beyond the athletic Arena that that that really has achievements far transcended to as outstanding as they were transcended his athletic performance. (00:05:28) Yes. My contention is that That had it not been for the Cold War. That is the post-war era. Jesse Owens would have been forgotten as he was already virtually forgotten by 1945 after he came back from Berlin and 36th. He he ran into trouble with the authorities that is the amateur authorities and he trying to capitalize on his Fame you went from one job to another had a very difficult time of it and part of it was Reese's and part of it was Jesse's on bungling of opportunities, but nevertheless the the media forgotten the American public for got him and frankly, he came back on the scene in the late forties and early fifties and that Cold War era when quite honestly we were definitely we were desperately in need of some black who had succeeded in American Life to display to the third world and there's a to display two people who were weighing communism and democracy or capitalism in the balance. So in a sense he he is eminently useful and the 1950s for American government for American culture and for the American dream, and it seems to me that that really resuscitates the memory of Jesse Owens in in a in a political and larger cultural way that certainly did trends in the Athletics. Yes. (00:06:57) I guess you're on sport folio is Bill Baker professor of history at the University of Maine and the biographer of Jesse Owens. The book is called Jesse Owens in American Life came out in paper and rather and hard back a couple of years ago and is now available in paperback as well two two seven six thousand is our phone number for your questions about Jesse Owens here on sport folio. If you're calling from Central Minnesota outside the Twin Cities metro area, please call us collect. The area code is 6122276 thousand our phone number here on Minnesota's new source for sport folio. I'm J.G. Preston Billy Jesse Owens (00:07:30) grew up. You can't hear the sound is very (00:07:33) low. Okay, that's because we're trying to monkey with are malfunctioning interface unit here Bill to use the technical term. It's causing. It's causing Echo when we're both talking at the same time. So we're trying to get that fixed up this any (00:07:44) better. That's much better. (00:07:45) Okay. Hey, this is going to work Jeff your Genius. Once again. Okay. Okay. We'll settle good now Bill Jesse Owens grew up is the the tenth of 10 children and a dirt-poor Alabama home what happened to him in the first part of the century to enable him to develop himself and become the the world class athlete that he was (00:08:04) well at age seven or eight his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio and they're in Cleveland. He met several or he came into contact with several very influential people mentors for for his growth. They all took to him and attended to him frankly because of his athletic ability, but a couple of teachers and then a physical education teacher who turned out to be a coach Track coach. His name was Charles Riley. These people really gave the young Jesse Owens Direction frankly in a way that is parent could not and did not do its father was never a particularly a successful man in any sense. And and of course he was illiterate and he had great difficulties finding and holding a job during the Depression especially but it was in the schools in the Cleveland schools. And and those were it was a deist Tech in Cleveland, particularly. that Jesse Owens flourished as an athlete unfortunately not as a student, but at the math Lee and he he won the attention of people who sort of molded him and guided him both develop his athletic ability and also to develop his social (00:09:24) skills. Bill and then he went on to attend Ohio State University on (00:09:29) rhombus turkey went to Ohio State I believe in 1933 and roll there. Yeah (00:09:36) what Jesse's been considered capable of doing college-level work. I mean, how did he fare (00:09:39) academically? He didn't really feel well academically at all hee hee after the first semester at Ohio State he was he was on probation every semester. And and in fact, there are there is some evidence from some letters written and that I've found in the archives that that in fact, they they got him through on the easy courses for the first two two years. They kept him eligible for track but as it turned out, he never graduated he he was unable to get his cumulative point average up and that was a great disappointment to him and a stand that was sad side of the Jesse Owens Story (00:10:20) how well known was Jesse Owens as an athlete at the time of the 1936 Olympics before the gold medals. (00:10:25) He was actually very well known but He had set some high school records. He had set several records already Ohio State it had an incredible Day in May of 1935 a 10 Arbor and setting some world records and and he was already well-known. And of course the Europeans were highly versed in Athletics track and field events, especially I mean they were they were and remain Keen Enthusiast for For track and field particularly. And so they knew of Jesse Owens his Fame preceded him to Berlin and people look to him for even greater things which in the end he (00:11:06) produced would you set up for his bill the the political surroundings going into the 1936 Berlin Olympics that put Owens is achievements in that kind of context for us. (00:11:16) Yes. Well, I love Hitler had come to power just three years earlier the and the Nazi party already within that year 1933 there. And by the way, ironically the year that Hitler came to power was the year that Jesse Owens began University and at Ohio State and there's a kind of curious parallel between the two and it comes together at Berlin and 36. But the year Hitler came to power within that year. He began already legislating highly discriminatory laws against Jews in Germany and frankly there could well have been a boycott an American boycott of the 36 games. There was a strong movement in 33 and thurley 34 for a boycott of the 36 games that failed and it failed for many different reasons primarily because there were a couple of Highly influential and powerful people who gave Germany's sort of a clean bill of health in an assessment, but there was a boycott Effort that that failed but nevertheless the situation was charged politically charged by 1936. And in fact between the Winter Olympics, which were held down in the German Southern German Alps between the Winter Olympics and the Summer Olympics that year already Hitler had made moves to to move his army back into the Rhineland and and and I wouldn't say that there there were in fact certainly there were in fact still some admirers of hipper. Lots of people give him credit for having resuscitated Germany for having brought you order and stability and prosperity to Germany. This is the second world war in out of the depression. This is a youngster waning but 36 that kind of (00:13:21) admiration in the u.s. You mean yes. Yes. And the whole business of the master race and the Aryans that had already clearly come to for the (00:13:29) for body temp is already to the fore. In fact that was in Hitler's writing sound of the 1920s. So a lot of people by then had not reduce his mind comps that was all there and it was already in his speeches often in a muted way, but nevertheless. Yes the idea of the master race and the idea of Aryan Supremacy and particularly the anti-Semitism average very Savage attitude toward and policies against Jews. These were already There and and (00:14:05) well-known. Were there any Jewish athletes on that? 36 Olympic team from (00:14:08) the you know, what to do fleets, Marty Glickman and Sam Stoller both were in the both run the relay team and the sad story is that they in fact we're not allowed to run by the American coaches and we're not sure still why probably it was some form of anti-Semitism from the American coaches. Yeah, but just on the eve of the welder actually the very morning of the preliminary vents in the relay, the coaches got the team together and said the Germans have held back these secret. They've held back these Runners and they bring them up to the for now secretly trying to beat us in the relay. And so we're going to have Jesse run one one of the legs and we're going to have Ralph Metcalfe on the other and we've he's going to replace Marty Glickman and Stoller, so there was a major rally around in the locker room, apparently and and Marty Glickman especially said coach you can't do this at first of all nobody at the international level can hide Runners and bring them out for a special event wouldn't think so. That's ridiculous. Of course. It's ridiculous and And two that the coaches snap back to Glickman. Shut up you'll do as you're told and gentium South demurred. He protested Mile in said coach at one my medals let Marty and Sam run and and they again we all on him said Jesse you'll do as you're told so shut up and run now Marty Marty Glickman still insistence, you know, he's a sports announcer some Eminence. Now, do you still insist? This was out and out and to Summit is mmm. That's some secret deal had been done behind the scenes and I dare say he may probably be right it was never about the evidence for it (00:16:01) was never presented as there are threats on your life. If you run we can't guarantee your safety in on that. (00:16:05) No, none of that sort of thing. In fact, J.G. The that sort of question is such a modern question since Munich and and 70s and 80s terrorism kind of question. It's an interesting contrast of the 36 games to the modern seventies and eighties Olympic Games in Jesse was constantly sort of being interrupted by people wandering in and out of the Olympic Village when he was training trying to get ready for his event people would come into His are they would come to his heart and and snap pictures through the window and they would leave notes and restore especially German girls civilians. No, son restore these people off the street. Oh, yeah. Yeah, and it was just open and of course there was no danger of fear like that that is different variables. (00:16:55) So Jesse Owens really was not scheduled to even have a chance at for gold medal and (00:16:58) that's right. That's right. It was only this concoction or whatever it was that allowed him to win the fourth gold medal. He was schedule originally for only three events. That's that's precisely (00:17:10) right, you know, what was that? Because they just didn't want to competing in for it's odd that that the world's fastest human was not part of that Sprint Relay Team. (00:17:18) Yeah. In fact his his teammates who's are still living tell me the Jesse was not that good at handling the Baton. In fact, if you notice he in the film's you run the first leg of the relay not the anchor link. No, right. He starts off. He handed the Baton. I believe to Ralph Metcalfe on the second leg and Metcalf just seemed that ahead of everybody. It's a dramatic moment and Olympic film history, but Jesse ran the first leg so that he wouldn't have to take the Baton. He handed it to the next guy and and part of that was that that he he did train very diligently and and constantly for the other events and it takes a great deal of training to practice handling the Baton I'm told so he was not particularly good at that the other guys were better. And that was why at that in that at that day in that time, they simply did not consider putting on the relay team until the very last (00:18:22) minute whether we're there a significant number of black athletes on the US team and 36 Bill. (00:18:27) There were about 18. (00:18:29) So it's a black Americans had been prominent in Olympic competition up until then (00:18:32) before, you know, they had not before that just prior to that there were in 32, I believe there were four black athletes and in 1936. I believe there were 16 or 18 something like that. Hmm. So there were several times more but still that's a small number compared to the total team. Certainly. Yeah (00:18:53) our guests talking about the great track and field star Jesse Owens is Bill Baker professor of history at the University of Maine. He has a biography of Owens called Jesse Owens in American life, which is now available in paperback was first released in hardback a couple of years ago on the 50th anniversary of Jesse Owens winning four gold medals at the Berlin Olympic Games 1936. I'm J.G. Preston Hills listening this portfolio here on Minnesota's news source. It's 22 minutes after 12 o'clock. And we have another 5-10 minutes to spend with Bill Baker. If you have a question about Jesse Owens or anything that's prompted by our discussion. Feel free to give us a call to to 76 thousand 2276 thousand our number here on sport folio now bill you mentioned earlier that Jesse Owens has been perhaps conveniently used by figures (00:19:35) am not hearing again. It's going low on the ferry. (00:19:38) Here we go. That sounds better right Bill (00:19:39) bring it up. Just a little more. (00:19:41) Okay now bill you mentioned earlier that Jesse Owens has been perhaps conveniently used by US Government other people over the years is as an example of the American dream and the American potentially is that really accurate. I mean, is this really a is he truly a model of what what can be right about America (00:19:59) well, He is a model. Now mind you this is in the (00:20:05) 50s. Hmm, (00:20:08) but let's face it for a moment. The the u.s. Information service. They're looking around they're confronted with a Restless third world. Old and I'm talking about here about the east as well as Africa as well as South America, but especially Africa they're looking around for someone that those people can identify with someone would have to therefore be American and black and successful. Who can they find there's Joe Louis. But Joe Louis is on the Dome side of his career. He's getting the sessions kicked out of him by the early 50s. There are several entertainers such more Armstrong Etc and wonderfully talented people, but they're not really sort of role model exemplars in a way that People could take two then there is of course Jackie Robinson's in the early fifties and a few other blacks are broken in the baseball. But to begin with baseball is American sport. It's not a universal Sport and second. Jackie Robinson is still much too outspoken other early fifties to to really be a spokesman for anything in the world. Now, you know, Jesse Owens is a wonderful possibility. First of all his his sport is a universal sport track and field in Vietnam kids run foot races in Africa people run for dresses Etc. They don't play baseball. Jesse Owens has his Sports at second. He he is a man who has already done his staff. He is already won his medals 15 years ago or 20 years ago. And so in that sense you safe and third and most importantly he is a man who really himself believes in the American dream. And he does he is a conservative kind of individual Jesse Owens in 1936. When you came back from Berlin, you stumped France (00:22:09) London and that that's mind-boggling to (00:22:12) me. Yeah. They paid him very well to do that course and incredible thumb for 1936, but but he's numb from Alf Landon and he voted this best. I can tell Republican for the rest of his life and always spoke Republican and for Republicans, he was a conservative kind of man and in political terms. And he was he was very much a patriot. With the Stars and Stripes the the flag the national anthem the method in America. Anybody can be somebody and anybody can make it to the top. Well, you saw himself as living out that nest and he he was also an articulate man. He really could not beat well and but but he was very verbal and And once you got his speech sort of sat or fixed in his mind. He was a spellbinder. There's a wonderful line from the Bangor Daily News Bangor Maine where I live a sportswriter here back in 1968. When Jesse came speaking of sports banquet. He said he was such a spellbinding speaker that you could hear a biscuit fall to the (00:23:26) floor (00:23:28) and he was that and he went all over the world speaking the state department sent him to India in 1954 believe you want President Eisenhower sent him is one of his three personal representatives to the Melbourne games in 1956. he was in the People to People program in the late fifties and Africa a lot of this kind of thing and And he was very effective. It seems (00:23:55) we have a caller on the line with the question for historian Bill Baker the biographer of the late great Jesse Owens 2276 thousand is our phone number. We have a caller in St. Paul. Hi, Jim. (00:24:06) Ah, hello. I had a couple of questions. First of all with in the 36 games. Were there only two Jewish athletes at all or just to on the tracking on the track and field team and related to that seems like it's somewhat strange that the blacks could click run to participate but not the Jews. Yeah. I've been coming closer to the present time with regard to Jesse Owens. What was his attitude and the attitude during the turmoil that developed in the among black athletes particularly at in 68 at the At Mexico City and all the things associated with that, you know on up questions fully recently in many ways to know how did he relate to that? And how did the other athletes feel about the other blacks feel about him? (00:25:12) Very good topics of discussion. (00:25:14) First of all in 36 as best. I know the the two Jews on the track and field team were the only Jews on the team. I may be slipping one there on the US team believe that's correct. Don't leave that down play with two most prominent names. Names and best I know they were the only two on the Olympic team now, I'm more certain about your second question. During the Black Power movement in the sixties well to begin with during the Civil Rights Movement to me. It's a sad fact of the story The Jesse Owens never to the best of my knowledge never once spoke in favor of civil rights publicly never address the issue. He never identified with Martin Luther King or with any even of the middle of the road civil rights Peters. He was FSA as I said earlier a conservative sort of fellow and this kind of Activity with the him be undertaken and it would be rocking a boat that had been frankly very good and useful for him and he never rock that boat for sure and the sixties he was very hostile to the black power and and and to the more aggressive black element particularly the athletes in 1968 when the black power salute was given by those two athletes on the victory Spanish Mexico City Jesse Owens. I think you almost have a Plexi he was so upset by that it was to him as an insult. It was insulted it diminish the Front of the flag and the national anthem and all that and after those athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos got came down from the victory Saint when in the dressing rooms. Seems Jesse Owens went in trying to represent the Olympic Committee with whom he's in close contact and he urged them to make an apology and to come down from that stance. They had taken and to essentially repent of this. Horrible thing that if you saw that they had done and they refused to do so, of course there was a shouting match in the dressing room. Lots of other athletes got into it and Jessie of course was called an Uncle Tom and rejected by at least that radical element of the of the black athletes group and of if I gathered black society in general, so So so black I think really do have some ambivalence. For Jesse Owens and certainly blacks who are politically conscious and by that, I mean anything especially anything from middle to left have not only ambivalence but some very harsh remarks to make about Jesse Owens about his place and black history. (00:28:30) Billy caller also went on a bit too long. They know that's quite alright, we liked we prefer to have things be too detailed and too long because that was not I can't hear you help that better. Hello? Hello. I'm here Bill. Let's see. We're going to twist the knob here. We're going to we're gonna throw this interface unit right out the window, aren't we Jeff buy a brand new one. We're going to charge it to somebody else. We're not going to pay for it. That better bill you hear us now. Hello. Hello Bill. Am I getting through to you? Hello Bill. Does any better I know Jeff? He's got his head down over low. I'm here bill that day. What Jeff once you go ahead and take him down and get get David on the phone with him off. The air there explain that our interface is busted, you know, these things happen on the radio the you know, the little gerbil that runs around in the cage in there. He's down the wheel. He just plumb died just rolled over. That's it. Jeffrey's on there. He's making contact 28 minutes before one o'clock here on Minnesota's new source. Ksjn. 1330 Minneapolis-Saint Paul K. NS R FM. 88.9 Collegeville. St. Cloud, you're listening this portfolio. I'm J.G. Preston worth we've been discussing Jesse Owens who won four gold medals at the 1936 summer Olympic Games in Berlin a hundred meter dash the 200-meter dash part of the 4 by 100 relay and also the long jump and our guest has been the biographer of Jesse Owens Bill Baker professor of Maine professor of history at the University of Maine. I this brain works pretty well. We're not using it for anything else. Anyway 2276 Housing is our phone number here on sport folio have Bill Baker with his perhaps if we get the phone to work we did this. Um, okay, we'll work on that. We'll be doing something but first we're going to say what's coming up later on when we have to worry about the phone. Good afternoon. This is Mark heisted encouraging you to stay tuned throughout the day today coming up at 1 o'clock this afternoon. It's the weekend review our weekly recap of the week's big news stories then coming up at 3 o'clock this afternoon be listening for the new American Gazette today marks the return of host Barbara Jordan to the program and her guest this week is Marian Wright Edelman then coming up at 4 o'clock this afternoon stay with us for the Saturday edition of all things considered from National Public Radio in Washington. That's the programming still to come this afternoon. So do stay with us. Set my imagination is Mark still got a cold Mark still got a cold. He's still got a cool. He's had a cold for how long now three weeks. Honey, we gotta get that guy some vitamin B12 shots or something. He's off next week. Okay didn't have to be healthy anymore because of our technical snafus. We're going to say goodbye to Bill Baker off the air and just remind you that the book is called Jesse Owens in American life. It came out this year in paperback it first came out in hardback two years ago. Jesse Owens died in 1980, by the way at the age of 67 in case you were curious about whether or not Owens was still alive or how recently he was alive born in 1913 and Alabama died in 1980 and we have just passed the Well, when the when this book first came out and 86 that was the 50th anniversary of the 1936 Berlin Olympics now coming up here in a little bit and this wacky wild unpredictable sport folio will be talking to Tony Bentley who's the track announcer at Canterbury Downs a voice well known to all who frequent the downs and also a man has got some things going on the side. They're kind of interesting. He's things a little Opera. He's got the television cooking show down in his home territory of New Orleans. He's an interesting guy. He's funny. We had them on once before we had a great time. So I'm going to have them on again because I need to laugh a little bit. You know what I mean? In the meantime feel free to call and and provoke me on something. We can just have a little round of open phone America at 2276 thousand way. This program is going is probably just as well. We're getting taken off the air after next week. Next week is our last program here on sport folio. We're going to do our best to make it very special. I'm not at Liberty to tell you who's going to Be Our Guest yet because we still have a couple of special guests hanging in the fire. We do have somebody's going to be here. I know for sure. We're trying to arrange some special opportunities for us off the year. Pardon me while I clear my throat. I felt so much better. If I were Steve Cannon, I would have done that on the air. I wouldn't have bothered with the mics which but that's okay. So anyway next week we'll celebrate and enjoy sport folio for the foreseeable future and we have a caller on the line who's going to help bail me out of this dilemma in West st. Paul got hooked up there Jeffrey. No, she didn't. Okay Margaret sit tight. We got to hook you up there button is pushed the phone is hung up. Technical Wizardry part 2. Hi Margaret. How are you? (00:32:56) Good. Thank you. I have a question. Shoot out the nothing me before you're sure started that someone had pitched a perfect game. Correct. Now, it hasn't been one since (00:33:06) 65 in the National League in a perfect game. Not a solitary person even reaches base a no-hitter can include walks. It can include guys who get on base by error hit by pitch. And in fact, sometimes pitchers give up runs when they pitch a no-hitter and I was pictures even lose no-hitters, but a perfect game means every guy who comes to the plate is out 27 up 27 down. You're welcome. It's funny that Margaret brings up Tom Browning's perfect game last night for the Cincinnati Reds against the Dodgers this the the one controversial perfect game in baseball history goes back to like 1912. I want to say it was in the early 1910s and involved the Boston Red Sox and involved that legendary baseball. Figure Babe Ruth. The guy who started for the Red Sox is particular game was a felony murder Niche or who was a fine picture of his time as I recall. No. No, I'm sorry. I'm getting this all messed up now. I think Ruth started the game. Walk the leadoff batter at least the Umpire called it a walk Ruth squawked and was thrown out of the game for protesting the the umpire's decision. And then this Ernie Shore came in who was a good picture of his own Ruth was a great picture at the time Ernie Shore came in picked the guy off first base and then retired everybody else he faced and that is usually credited in the history books as a perfect game for her Niche or even though he only faced 26 batters and even though I got on base, I thought it was interesting. We have a caller from Southeast Minneapolis Steve. How are you? (00:34:39) Pretty good. You might have discovered this last moment, but I'm wondering if anybody ever struck out 27 batters. (00:34:46) No one in a major league game has ever struck out 27. There was a case in a minor league game. This guy was just written up in Sports Illustrated a couple years ago. I mean, this was like class D ball. This was the Appalachian League back in the early 1950s. And this guy's name was Ron net guy and he struck out 27 batters in and game but there were also some other outs in a nine inning game because at least one and I think two of those strikeouts the catcher couldn't handle the third strike in the guy got on base, you know, you get this strange situation where we've had pitchers in baseball history strikeout for batters in an inning because one of them got on base from a drop third strike. So Ron nacho, this minor Leaguer is the only guy in professional ball who's ever been credited with twenty seven strikeouts in the game. Although I repeat in his case those weren't all the outs in the game and certainly wasn't a case of of 27 guys come to the plate and 27 guy strikeout. I mean there were some hits and some runs and some stuff like that. There was an interesting story if you've never read the Philip Roth's book The Great American novel. I don't know if it is the Great American novel but it's humble me. I think it's the best piece of baseball fiction I've ever read one of the protagonist is named Gilgamesh, which is pretty funny for you students of Babylonian history, but Gil was a great and talented pitcher and he was about to finish the ultimate perfect game in which he threw not only struck out. I'll 27 batters but got them all on three pitches 81 pitches 81 strikes twenty seven strikeouts perfect game and the final pitch that would have been the final pitch in the final out was called a ball and it unleashes a torrent of events. I as I recall they were kind of funny too. But that's the kind of migrated memory of the Great American novel. You might want to read that Steve. Thank you. Thanks for calling two two. Seven six thousand is our phone numbers. We backed the breeze here on sport folio. Now the twins are playing one of those god-awful 11 o'clock in the morning games, which I actually kind of used to like back in the days when I had to get up early for a living. He's got nice having something going on at my time of day 11 in the morning little baseball the players hate it but not kind of liked it and you're out of there two o'clock you can get the rest of the day and the evening to take care of go for football tonight at the Metrodome. I'll be over there making my fee as the voice of the Press Box. They're playing Miami of Ohio. The mighty Red Skins now the Gopher should by All rights Club. The Redskins tonight, but I do want to point out that the mighty Redskins have a defensive force on their line name of Andy Howard Number 96. Keep your eye on mr. Howard tonight. Mr. Howard is a graduate of Galley Academy High School in Gallipolis, Ohio, which is also the alma mater of my parents and virtually everybody else of any age in my family my hometown a Gallipolis, Ohio. So I'll be rooting for Randy Howard to get a bunch of sacks tonight. Anyway, even though it would be nice if the Gophers would win a game for a change the color from Collegeville. Gosh, it's nice to hear from people in Collegeville Cindy. How are (00:37:35) you? I'm not in Collegeville (00:37:37) David. Did you lie to me? (00:37:38) I meant same call (00:37:39) here in st. Paul Jeff Walker who I mean he doesn't get into the mushrooms too. Often says you said you were in Collegeville, but I believe you Cindy. Okay. I trust you. What's on your mind. (00:37:51) Well something that's totally unrelated to anything. You've been (00:37:53) talking. Oh, please find that's (00:37:55) good. I'm just curious to know why you're going off the air. I'm a total Sports illiterate. I'm still trying to figure out what a hat trick is and I've Totally enjoy your program. I don't get to hear it every Saturday. I really enjoy it. I get a lot out of it and just curious to know why you're calling it quits (00:38:12) believe me. I'm not quitting. I'm being fired. I have to be born about that now because I like doing this believe me. I'll I enjoy it but great program. Well that's very kind of you. I (00:38:22) agree thing I can do to write to anybody and tell them (00:38:25) that oh, you can try but I don't get the impression. It's going to do any good. I'm not here to to start any Crusades or anything like that, but it's very kind of you to say that you've enjoyed this and stuff. I like doing it and if it were my choice, I'd still be sitting here doing it. (00:38:38) Well, I'm glad to hear that. Thank you. (00:38:40) That's Maudlin enough for one day, but we try to have enough fun between the rest of this week and next week to make up for it. (00:38:46) Okay, great. (00:38:47) Thank you. Sandy. Appreciate it. No more complimentary calls, please. It's too embarrassing to 276 thousand is our phone number. We were hoping to talk to Tony Bentley here this afternoon. I know those of you have long memories and its portfolio listeners tend to have long memories. There was a time when we were going to talk to Tony Bentley earlier this year. And Tony Bing. Well, it's put this way the races at Canterbury start at 1:30 on Saturdays. Tony tends to get in there sometime between 129 and 134 the start of the card. So the first time we booked Tony for this year, I didn't talk to Tony directly and I don't know if the message was properly communicated to Tony or whatever, but don't he was never there during the time. We were trying to get hold of him. Okay, fine. We live with that this time. I did talk to Tony directly and Tony remembered all the riotous to funny had when he was on the show last year. I think it was and she said great let's do it. So Tony said I'll even get to the the track early just for you. That's a great Tony. It's really nice, but we haven't found Tony yet. So we're left here kind of foundering 2276 thousand is our phone number. If you'd like to interrupt the droning sound of my voice to 276 thousand we talk about what's on your mind about sports here on sport folio. You can cause collect if you are in Collegeville or anywhere else in central, Minnesota. I have some Old Wire copy here with some football scores on I'm not going to read it to you because I'm sure it's way out of date you wanted I counted again today. Mr. Walker. There are eight live college football games on television. If you if you subscribe to Cable there would have been 9 actually but this Alabama Texas A&M game got hurricane doubt. They rescheduled it for December as same thing was true last 8028 games live and you get I mean you get the whole gamut we've got Eastern Kentucky Marshall on tonight on fnn. We've got the Yale Brown on right now on ESPN. I think UTEP Brigham Young is on C CO2 right now for everybody in the Free World except for the city of st. Paul, which for some reason refuses to take see CO2 on their cable system. You name it you can watch it. I don't know if it's good or bad. I never watch any of it myself tell you the truth. I I can endure a college football game much more appropriate. Oh, what? Oh, pardon the response but we found Tony Bentley. That's wonderful. Let's hook him up. Let's put him on it's good. Ladies and gentlemen here on Minnesota's new source. Ksjn 1330 kns rfm 88.9 What I'm sorry? (00:41:15) Hello? (00:41:16) Okay. It is my pleasure to present. I have a big build-up going there until the engineer said no collars will screw up the phone system. If we do it is my pleasure to present the voice of Canterbury Downs. Mr. Tony (00:41:27) Bentley the late voice. My (00:41:28) apologies. Tony apologies are accepted 16 minutes of you is better than no time at all believe so nice of you to say that Tony there are questions. I've been dying to ask you so now you have to sit in that chair and answer them. Oh God do you bet on the races Tony? (00:41:44) That's a good question. And I do occasionally, (00:41:47) you're not you're not a heavy (00:41:48) player. No used to be I certainly encourage everyone else to be but I you know, I have a job to do and it could it could interfere with it really? It is hard to handicap these races and to try and win you have to work at it and I used to you know, kind of beat my brains out in between races trying to do all my figures and calculations and stuff and And let's face it if you're hooked, you know three four hundred for the day and it's the ninth race and you bet on a horse that supposed to be on the lead and he breaks eight and you have to be excited about that. It summons up all your acting skills. So now, you know, I'll bet five dollars here or five dollars. They're really just to kind of root for a trainer friend or or something like that. I have a actually I have an angle this season that I've been playing and with with four and five dollars every now and then and that's two trainers out here just had an amazing win percentage Terry done lavvy and and Rusty Arnold they're winning over 40% of the races, which is unheard of yeah, and so I kind of watching if they have a voice and I might but you know, $5 went in place, but you know, maybe for the whole year I've waited a hundred bucks (00:43:06) says I can imagine the temptation to get up there and holler run you son of a buck run over that part. What is it? (00:43:13) Happen and it almost did actually happen to me on on I was doing a daily double radio show at Delaware Park. I'll never forget they would broadcast both ends of the Daily Double but was one of those things where I didn't have to touch anything, you know, they just tapped in. Hmm. And those were in my wedding days and there was a jockey friend of mine Bobby bared. It was riding there at the time and I used to check on them every day. And he said his horse, you know in the second race had I had the winner of the first and I was asking about his horse in the second and he said I have this piece of garbage no chance rights. Well naturally at about 9:00 to 1:00. He just whistled. I mean, he just wired this field and and I did say something like that's, you know, Petty J in front and then you heard a son of a I'ma let you and then the ND quick nimble-fingered engineer apparently, but that's the closest I've ever been to like getting caught sings. I see ya (00:44:12) just then that's probably As close as you want to get to (00:44:15) absolutely absolutely. So yeah, I bet every now and then but not quite like I used to maybe it's like the bartender who eases off his (00:44:23) are there some particular horses names Tony you just dread. I mean you have trouble with him, you know, you're going to stumble on them. You see these (00:44:31) kind of I don't think he's run here this year and it's not particularly the you know, there's some off-color ones that try and there was a pheasant plucker who ran around Delaware Park who you know might be kind of difficult to (00:44:44) handle and wouldn't want to get tongue-tied on (00:44:45) that and right. There you go and big did he was running around the New York New Jersey circuit Delaware few years back, but there's a horse that his name is spaces wizard. I can hardly say it now, but the first it's SP athe s that's the first word and wizard is the second now when this horse is in I have to like bear down and concentrate but no matter how hard I do inevitably at just when I think I'm doing great and Ikes To go that's interesting duel on the lead there with between those two horses. I say Spades withered. It happens. I just can't it's like okay I should just say all right. Say it and get it over with it's a tough one. Yeah, and so there are some of those those names on there was one here the other day. I had to look at it for about a minute or two, but it was like LG LM. Um, anyway, it all came out to be legal mumbo-jumbo, (00:45:46) but because of the space limitation they had to take out somebody (00:45:48) bowels. So, you know, you're looking at you go look calm imbaba or something like that and on people named, you know horses after some creeks in their backyard in South Dakota. And so how am I supposed to you know, that it's it's Yemassee River instead of Jama see rivers or something. (00:46:07) How do you get pronunciations Tony the will somebody tend to tell you or do you have to get (00:46:10) along fine been shot? And if and if it's wrong You'll hear about hear about it. Yeah, and there was a horse the other day. I believe the spelling was PE n any lle and I pronounce the whore spinel but it was someone's daughter named penile. Yeah. So what do you think about that? Hey man, I didn't know. Mr. (00:46:35) Pennell wasn't against that either. Yeah, right, you know Tony I think anybody who's ever worked in radio who hears this will identify with the the radio announcers nightmare, which when you're literally sleeping and all of a sudden you're in the studio, you can't talk your voice won't work. You forget the call letters the the you can't find the card. So the records I mean you're on the air and disaster is happening in this dream only occurs about every three or four nights for the first six years of year in radio. Is there an equivalent for track announcer - well guys (00:47:03) all share Teen as in you know, what you do the same and and if you if you stay in this routine, basically you're fairly, you know protected but but you'll your mind will wander and sometimes and I've caught myself. It's like you'll go wait where where are the horses and you'll look and you'll see and it's deposed and you'll see three minutes to post and go. Oh thank God, but actually like during a race sometimes, you know, you're just something will shut off and it will say they turn for home and that's and that's Speedy Deedee Deedee. That's what am I doing? Why are these horses out there all going around and you just, you know, you can lose it and you just kind of kind of you know, you get better at hiding your mistakes. Mmm thickly is the way I described evolution is a race caller a great trick is you know, of course some horse moves up in the outside and it's muddy and you have no Idea who it is. So of course, we didn't develop instant Mike trouble. Now. I'm revealing a big secret here to all listening where he just turned the mic off, you know, and when you finally figure out who it is, let's say the horse's name is majestic night, you know, so you'll you'll just click the mic off and then when you figure out how it is, you'll say night on the outside third followed by Og little Wireless, but so but yeah, that's a secret that not everyone's going to go a huh. We caught him. That wasn't really Mike trouble. (00:48:36) My Engineers tell me I could use that (00:48:37) to you don't like trouble. Yeah. Let me see. What else well, it's been you know, a fun year business has been okay? Probably not great, but the Racing's been good here and we're winding down we finish on October 10th and I'm back to off to the east coast to do a few Steeplechase races, which I really love it's really country fact, the Breeders Cup Steeplechase will be on NBC Tobar 29th, I think which I'll be doing which is a (00:49:07) thrill terrific. Where is that (00:49:09) Tony that will be in Fair Hill Maryland. It's are you familiar with the Breeders Cup, which is it's the concept of its like the world series of racing and (00:49:17) they have been chip day. Yeah. Yeah (00:49:18) and well they've added after the second year of the program. They added a Steeplechase which is not held at the racetrack because the course it's held at is a is an excellent course for steeplechasing but it is very much a part of Breeders Cup and it's the week before and they'll show it I guess during Sports World as sort of A build-up for the actual Breeders Cup races. And then it's back to New Orleans for me where we open our one hundred and sixteenth year of racing at the New Orleans Fairground Thanksgiving Day (00:49:50) and that'll take you through the winter months (00:49:52) in. Yeah till the end of March and hopefully I'll get to sing in a couple offers again this year, which I love terrific and so that's about it. So pretty much now you you're a little different line of work. Finally, we're in a radio here. Yes are still doing your (00:50:08) same. Oh, I do some radio occasional TV. I do a little print. I can't keep track of what I'm doing Tony Little PR once in a (00:50:16) while. Can the IRS have to where you want them everywhere. All (00:50:19) right. Yeah as as part of my PR job. I have to put the disclaimer in here. I do work for the agency that does some public relations work for Canterbury Downs Bentley's on because he's an interesting guy though. So - you people are so honest and as part of my job. I spent some time yesterday with the bill Shoemaker who was in town to talk about the yeah the mattress he's got coming up against Julie Chrome Bills won more races than any jockey ever and Julie's won more races than any female jockey ever and they're going to go one-on-one on the 2nd of October at at the downs. But but spending some time walking around Minneapolis with Bill for one thing. I have tall friends. I know basketball players. I've seen the way people look at them, but you haven't seen people get stared at until you hang around with the guy. Who's four foot eleven. (00:51:02) Yeah. Yeah. He's it's he's an Raising many (00:51:05) man, and and I was you know, people recognized him. I mean, you know, he's around for so long. He's arguably one of the four or five (00:51:12) most, you know, I think one of the greatest was when they you know, the they did the print ad the American Express adds them are you know, so-and-so has been a member since such a debt. Well, they had Bill Shoemaker and Wilt Chamberlain. (00:51:28) It was a great picture here on a beach in California, right? I (00:51:31) all dressed in white and what was barefoot right (00:51:35) right with a great picture. In fact, we were we took him out for a bite to eat yesterday in the proprietor of the restaurant came over to shake his hand and said now I've had you both will was in here two years ago. Now you've been (00:51:45) here (00:51:49) but he's you know, he's really got got an effect on people a lot of people know who Bill Shoemaker isn't recognized him instantly and it didn't seem the least bit odd that he was walking down the streets of Minneapolis. I (00:51:57) guess I had I had a good friend who was a steward of Delaware Park Johnny Rodz, who was a very good Rider in his own, right? Jockey and he grew up in a small town in Illinois. And and he said the only the only thing people in Illinois knew about racing was was when the Kentucky Derby was and how much money Bill Shoemaker had made that you know kidding (00:52:19) Kiki. Can you tell who's riding a horse from the way they write him Tony watching through the binoculars (00:52:24) if a if a guy has a has a particular style. Yes I can and and when I was more intent on gambling actually I was more apt to be able to do that. The thing now is that you know, I don't really dig into the form that much and I don't know exactly if a horse should be on the lead or whatever. So I don't pay quite as much attention to that as I used to in the thing is if you if I can't really relax and watch a race people will say you're up there you see every race. You have the best view and I counter that with yes, but I can't watch the race because when I start to say gee, what's he doing with that horse there or or why is he do it then? I that I go into my Twilight Zone thing where I forget who's on the lead and you know, and so in fact people come up and say who won the third race and I'll go well, I don't know who was in it, you know, if you name a few horses, I might be able to give you know, you have to consider when basically 8090 horses a day five days a week you go through a lot of names and you know, the thing is you have to concentrate to make a more of individuals. But yeah, there are some jockeys and have a particular (00:53:49) style. I suppose that would certainly help you in calling at least it at that's one less number or silk. You've got to look for you've you can recognize the individual or (00:53:56) whatever. Well exactly. And for those folks who may not know who are listening. It's all done. By the way. I Work is by colors of the Jockey silks. Hmm. You can't see the numbers as the horses are you know as they're racing and so it's all done by colors, which is why during the quarter horse meat we had them use colored caps for the jockeys because you know, they're coming straight at you and it was virtually impossible to tell because Terry Wallace who did the first quarter horse meat said, it's really tough. So we used a post position coordinated caps. The one was read the to was white the three of us blue which we use for all the races in New Orleans and it's a great I think it's a great help to the public because you know, they see that orange cap on the lead and they know that it's um, you know, the number 7 (00:54:53) now you follow the races through binoculars is opposed on the monitor right tone. (00:54:56) Right right. I you I will use the monitor if the weather is because their lens gets a brighter picture actually. Really get through my binoculars. So if it's kind of bad weather dark now, we're getting into you know, latter part of September and our last couple races are under the lights. Yeah, and it's hard to it's one thing if you're all night racing you come in and you adjust to it, but when you go from Bright sunshine to then under the lights, you know, those those oranges and Pink's kind of and Vermin, you know light blue and whatnots and tend to kind of run together and (00:55:34) you're telling me mud is the worst though on Tony. (00:55:37) Yeah. Well, it's you know, it's they move to the eighth pole and here comes folks somebody. I don't know. (00:55:43) What (00:55:43) is the worst. You literally have to just really Bear Down you've literally have to bear down and like almost remember where the horses are in just in the running order and you'll say oh that's that horse. That was seventh who's making a big move and you just remember or try to remember because you Identify them (00:56:05) Tony the music behind this means it's quittin time. So I want to thank you again by Nathan ever nice visioning with you and we'll see you out at the down some very good. Take care of Tony. Tony Bentley track announcer Canterbury Downs with us here on sport folio. Thanks for listening. Bye thanks to David O'Neill our Hospitality man who's in charge of making sure all the stuff happens our associate producer in absentia Sue winking thanks to Jeff Walker who had his hands full today who Jeffrey Tuggle combat pay for this one partner. Thank you for being part of the program listening in all the calling and all that other stuff. You did is very kind of you. I'm J.G. Preston. See you again. Same time. Same place next Saturday at noon here on sport (00:56:40) folio. (00:56:56) You're listening to Minnesota's news source. Ksjn, 1330 Minneapolis-Saint Paul K. NS R FM 88.9 Collegeville. St. Cloud world and national news from the Associated Press is next in the week in review. It's one o'clock.