6 minutes past 11 empty hours Main Street radio coverage of oral issues is supported by the blandin foundation strengthening rural communities and Environmental Education through the school nature project. And good morning everybody. This is midday coming to you on Minnesota Public Radio special baseball edition of midday today. Stephanie. Curtis is join me here in the studio and boy good show of support so far during our membership Drive coming up this hour Stephanie will be talking with Howard Sinker about the mark mcgwire's appearance here in Minnesota baseball fever breaking out all over we'll ever report out of Fargo where the folks are watching closely to see if their Hometown hero Rodger Maris will have his home run record broken over the noon hour cardio will be along right now though an opportunity for people to call in show their support for Minnesota Public Radio and maybe win some Twins tickets to a special deal for people who call in at the $120 level. You can get a pair of tickets for the game so you can see Mark McGwire go up against the Twins and be part. That history people heart of maybe Mark McGwire breaking Rodger maris's record. We got tickets at the $120 level was also have herb carneal Memoirs. Hi, everybody herb carneal fans find out what he has to say what his life has been like meth at the $66 level, but we got a heck of a deal at $150. I can get them both the book and the tickets for Sunday's game. 227-2811 is the number to call as you join us this morning to 27208. 11:50 members is the goal for this hour and that's the number of members. We need to stay on track. We're hoping to wrap up this membership drive on a successful note Tuesday night midnight is the end of our fiscal year. And what we need to do here is to make sure that our membership base remains Broad and strong and that's where you come in some folks who've been members in the past won't be able to renew. So we're urging you if you've not be coming if you're not been a member Step Up The play here and then take their place if it is time to renew and you can renew we certainly need your continued support. If you're already a member and can do a little bit extra additional contribution is most most welcome important thing is that we get everybody in the house by June 30th Tuesday night and what better time to call in right now while you're thinking about it and while you can pick up some tickets to the big guy baseball game this weekend and pick up a copy of the book show your support for Minnesota Public Radio, 22728 11 if you're calling from outside the Twin Cities one 800-227-2811 to callers on the line right now. And actually we have 60 60 members Downey never been a member before you just want to try it out. See what it feels like he just moved here. And you know, I've got some extra money now that you never had you can always join at the $45 entry level and we do have some special gift for you at the $45 level. You can get a great water bottle or you can get a visor and then you also get an MVR membership card. And with that you can get two-for-one tickets to some shows around town a good deal is a heck of a deal $45 for you new members plus we are asking right now that people get the end of the fiscal year is coming up or trying to get all the money gathered together the quickest easiest way to buy credit card. So if you want to bring your Visa Mastercard American Express to stop Discover card to the phone if mine up the $45 or the $66 level you can get that herb carneal book or the $120 level you can get those Twins tickets if they Sunday game won the tickets will be waiting for you at the will-call area. So won't be any hassle at all. You just walk right in the Metrodome pick up your tickets in the reserved seats on the first base line. That was a good seat. So you're not going to be Way out there in the deep is the deepest part of the Outfield peering down good reserved seats along the first base line lower and upper decks. So give us a call. If you like a pair of Twins tickets that's available at the $120 level herb carneal will be here over the noon hour and we're offering as a special premium at the $66 level of copy of his book. Hi everybody the course that's his that's his patented the way of starting his broadcasts and hopefully we'll get him to say that other the words over the noon hour today at 2 to 72811 is the number to call to callers on the line waiting to hear from all of you, you know, a lot of you have heard us these last couple of days and simply didn't get a chance to call probably plan to call this weekend when you have a little more time, but you know, what's going to happen. You're going to be busy this weekend. Maybe you'll be out of town and then Monday will come and then you'll be busy again, and then you won't ever call and will be hurt. Will be heard it was good. I make the midday crew look good call in now and tell whoever's on the phone that you're doing it just for Midday. Maybe you tune in every day. You get great local politics you get foreign policy and then you get some fun to baseball shows whether shows that is stuck car racer that was talking couple weeks ago on the Press Club. The noon Press Club is a great listening if you're relaxing during lunch and want to take a break from work or you're at home and you want to sit back right speeches at noon on midday and great Collins at 11. They're really wonderful. If you want to keep them going just calling it to to 72811 and show your support for Gary and the midday crew lot of good programming here on Minnesota Public Radio, and we sure hope they had to those of you who listened to the programs will help support it as you know, there aren't any commercials here. No commercials. What we do instead is ask those of you who listen to become members you. Have to go to meetings or anything of the sort. You just send in your membership check. We send you out a nice thank-you gift. Maybe those Twins tickets for example, and that's it. And then you can sit back and listen to good radio all year long knowing that you've done your part. The odds are very very good that all of your fellow listeners are many of them are going to going to call in and become members. It's always tell when you add your membership contribution to all the other contributions really works out 85,000 people is the goal for this year. That's what we need by June 30th midnight and that's just a few days away. Give us a call get signed up to 27208 11227 2811 outside the Twin Cities one. 800-227-2811 is the number to call and if you use your MasterCard Visa American Express or discover you get a free MVR decal know this is really cool Gary because bumper stickers, you know, you change cars you can Move them they might get away. Maybe you don't like him the NPR decal you can put in the window of your car windows your house or you can move it around. You can move some car to car when you go from your old car to a new one. It's it's pretty neat 022-728-1180 near the first time the word Nido has been expressed on the midday broadcast. We had that Balderdash and pimple and other words like that I bendito is so it's a first congratulation Stephanie. Thank you very much 11 and you can join at the Neato $45 entry level become a new member and get that MVR water bottle or sun visor and you will be automatically entered also into our drawing the REM dream bike giveaway. You can go into REI through the winter and you can choose any two bikes. You can get a man's bike a woman's bike a kid's bike. You can get them for your family. It's real. Great, you get it a whole selection and you might be wondering. You know, what do you need with two bikes? You can bring a friend along can bring your spouse or kid great deal Gary and everyone is automatically entered just by calling in give us a call 227-2811 or one 800-227-2811. And again, we should mention a special very special premium available during our midday program today. You can pick up a pair of Twins tickets for the game this Sunday Mark McGwire in town and presumably will hit a home run or two maybe during the Sunday game as he tries to break Rodger Maris home run record. You join us at that you $120 level we will have two tickets for you. If you'd like pick him up at the will-call window on Sunday and Away you go good seats reserved seats, first base line lower and upper deck. Give us a call at $20 level the important thing. At whatever level you join is that you become a member and step over to 27208 11. And you can maybe get those tickets to the Twins game $120 level and see a part of history of Mark McGwire goes for that record and tried to break Rodger maris's record that have been there since 1961, and maybe you want to come down to him. If you are a real Rodger Maris fan two to 72811 is number to call we have five callers on the line the golden showers 60 members. We have 12 in house. How about you if you've not yet given us a call Deuce. All right now 227-2811 is the number to call in the Twin Cities outside the Twin Cities one 800-227-2811 What major league baseball certainly has had more than its share of problems lately, especially here in Minnesota where the twins to World Championships seem like a distant memory too many of us team has been threatening to leave town of course attendance has been down interest lagging but not this weekend. The Big Mac attack is in town and even casual fans are genuinely excited as we've been saying Mark McGwire who plays for the St. Louis Cardinals is in town this weekend to continue his pursuit of the most closely followed record in all of sports the record for most home runs hit in a single season Rodger Maris holds the record 61 was set in 1961. But McGuire at this point is on a pace to hit 74 home runs. Fans been turning out in droves to see McGuire take batting practice for Pete's sakes nevermind to watch him during the games twins are expecting 90,000 people to turn out this weekend for the three games against the Cardinals. It genuinely seems to have excited people in large part because when you think about it there really is nothing quite like a homerun. Turner Field Atlanta course is Hall of Fame twins broadcaster herb carneal call of Kent Hrbek is Grand Slam during the 1987 World Series one of those Unforgettable moments in twins history today with Mark McGwire and John we're going to talk baseball and the Art of the home-run NPR Sports commentator Howard Singer who spends the rest of his life overseeing state news coverage for the Star Tribune is here this morning and over the noon hour will be joined by herb carneal himself. We also invite you to join our conversation this morning. If you got a question or comment for Howard about baseball specifically about home run hitters in the leg give us a call or call in number now is to 276 thousand. This is different than the pledge number to 276 thousand out side the Twin Cities 1 800 to +422-828-227-6001 802 422-8228. How are things coming in? It's really great to be here that list. The tape of the herb at Grand Slam. I remember just so much about that moment. Ken Daly was pitching it just came out of the bullpen people were cringing that the Cardinals are just brought in left leg was going to eat up her back and I just remember the ball sailing into the center-field bleachers everything about that and it's it's just it's just one of those really exciting moments and it it's just that you just bring back the kind of memories that you wish that Minnesota Baseball fans had on him or routine basis. Now, I recall actually rising out of the car off the couch with the with the ball as it was heading out of the park. It's it was home runs are just specially something like that. You know, it's just a fantastic experience Mark McGwire now has 35 you only need 27 more we aren't even into July yet. They play July August September she going to do it. I really don't know. I mean, that's I know that's the ugly. Add waffling answer but the thing about baseball is that pace means nothing just because he has 35 home runs. It is on Pace to hit 74 doesn't mean he's going to do it. They fall is an asymmetrical game. It will get the pictures will treat him more carefully as a season gets on people are not going to want to give up home runs 57 58 59 60 and so on managers will find ways to pitch around him and it's just going to get more nerve-racking for McGuire himself. Plus they're really ugly variable is this is a guy who is routinely injured and you just have to hope he stays healthy just so that the spirit of the chase is pure I mean, this is a guy's head foot problems over the years. He's in the reason he's kind of kicked from in and around the reason he was made available to the Cardinals it he just wasn't that durable a guy and that's really been the knock on him. That's kept him from hitting Mammoth amounts of Home Run season after season after season, Wonderful. Wonderful Chase. It's a great thing that he's in town this weekend to prop up the lowly local professional baseball team. We like to have our record Setters be good. People besides go to athlete is McGuire a good guy or is he a jerk or what? What's he like one of the things is when he was traded to the Cardinals last year. He thought he was just going to go there to play out the season and then go on with his life and go somewhere else sign a long-term contract and all that but he got the st. Louis and found that he was in a baseball town where people appreciated the things he did and he said I want to play baseball here and that's really anything that doesn't happen very often. That's what her back did. That's what can't herb acted when he signed his long-term contract with the twin. He could have made more money going somewhere else, you know, one of the things Kirby Puckett was proud of us was it he played his entire career here McGuire found a baseball City and after spending the first your 10-12 years of his career in Oakland where Baseball is a fad and often times ignored. I think he was just thrilled to be in one of the really pure baseball town now. He is not the only player right now who buy at least of statistically seems to have a shot at the Mariners record. Does Sammy Sosa who plays for Chicago? He he's right behind Maguire's understand it and then Ken Griffey for Seattle. He's also in a situation where he could break. The record are either one of those fellows as likely are more likely than McGuire to to break the record baseball not really being a game where if you've done this up to this point you necessarily going to do that. So so is on Pace to 866 home run Griffey is on Pace to hit 62 right now. So so he's going to have to play his September Games at Wrigley Field. It could be 43° outside. The weather could be rotting Griffey plays home games at the Kingdome. He could get hot, you know, they're there is playing for Phone woefully out of contention. He's really the only reason people have to 2 to go to their games right now, you know, he might get those fat pictures because there's really not people aren't really cute Indian people are keyed into Sosa and in Griffey the way they are to McGuire and in fact as the attention paid to McGuire grows and grows. It may be easier for one of those two guys to be the one of his 62 or 63 home runs Rodger Maris, of course broke the whole Mantra home run records set in 1927 by Babe Ruth and Mara supporters say to this day. He never received the credit he deserved because sportswriters didn't like him and because he broke the record of a true American Legend Marys though is a hero in his hometown of Fargo. There is Rodger Maris Drive the Rodger Maris Museum the 15th. Annual Rodger Maris Celebrity Golf Tournament is being held this weekend and raises money for the Rodger Maris Cancer Center Ameris died of cancer in 1985 on Saturday tomorrow the Fargo-Moorhead Redhawks. Retire the number Maris wore when he played for the FM twins of the old Northern League Main Street radios, Dan Gunderson reports. Highlights of a 1961 record-setting Susan play endlessly at the Mariners Museum in West Acres Mall in Fargo Jim McLaughlin help raise money and organize the museum. He says that first Maris was reluctant to allow a museum and his name finally he agreed at the Museum would be a public place with no admission charge. Jim McLaughlin says marriage gave nearly all of his Awards and memorabilia to the museum or thousands of people see them every year I've been asked for a lot of people are we going to keep the museum? If somebody breaks the record will certainly we are Babe Ruth had the record for 34 years Rogers had it for 37. He's a HomeTown boy, we're proud of the museum will keep across town in a quiet residential neighborhood. There's another more private Shrine to Rodger Maris caster for 20 years eve vividly remembers ordering and dinner and spending the evening watching the Western Union ticker in The Newsroom as it slowly relay the details of each Yankee game in 1961 come down with me and we sit and watch and I don't suppose there's Western Union tickers today like those days, but it would tick tick tick and we'll go HR home run. NY, New York Then we have to wait a few seconds then going to come in the a.m. And then will come the a now we sit there that matter Maris. Which one is it deliver first new Rodger Maris as a star high school football player in Fargo nearest once returned for kickoffs in a row for touchdowns a national record that still stands early on Maris exhibited his independent no-nonsense personality. He was recruited to play football at the University of Oklahoma when he arrived in Oklahoma City on a bus and found no one from the University there to greet him. He turned around and went back to Fargo when he showed up in New York to join the Yankees. He was dressed in blue jeans and a sport shirt told to get a better wardrobe. He snaps if they don't like how I dress, I'll go back where I came from. That curmudgeonly side of Rodger Maris cause reporters to vilify him when he played for the Yankees the Yanks were Mickey Mantle's team. The sportswriters called Maris aloof rude and the hick Believers temper still flares when he recalls those days. I just don't understand that some of the reporters back then could turn against the but I can see he could be Sharp. I will tell you this if marriage didn't like somebody just get out of his way. That's all but you people don't really understand at night after night getting the same questions. Are you going to hit 61 home runs? He doesn't know if he's going to hit 61 home run the same question your hair is falling out. Is that the reason because it's in this room Run Race and all these goofy question. Now, you moved to another town three days later and here they all come again 3 Days Later here. They come to drive anybody to lose their hair Weaver. Remember nearest being unrepentant after an incident in which he slighted Hall of Fame second. Baseman Rogers Hornsby Hornsby had derided Marys as a single hitter when he later asked marriage to pose for a picture with him. Where is refused? Your dad was trying to try to him about that hungry story. And Rogers spoke up and he said Dad. I can't pick my relatives, but I can pick my friends and when I pick a friend, he's going to be a friend for Lifetime Bill Weaver remembers the Rodger Maris who got him tickets to a World Series and then without saying a word pay the airfare and hotel bill as well. Give me a call Z'Mariks who ask friends to keep this charity work secret to this day. We were refuses to tell those stories the race to set a home run record in 1961 had Marist neck-and-neck with roommate Mickey Mantle until mantle was injured late in the year Mill Weaver says reporters fabricated stories about fights between mantle and Maris Rodger would tell him he'd say, Here I am Nicki sitting there reading the paper and he caught across the Rajan said hayrides you and I are fighting again and they laughed it off who was the person that was a pallbearer at Rodger maris's funeral Mickey Mantle who is the person in that Pew that I sat across from it cried is iced out for 1 hour at Rogers funeral. It was Mickey Mantle these clothes close friend for Bill Weaver and other Rodger Maris fans. The final most painful slight was the failure of sports writers to vote Marist into the Baseball Hall of Fame this season Rodger Maris may lose the place. He's held in the record book for 37 years, but in Fargo his hometown hero status will be undiminished. I'm Dan Gunderson, Minnesota Public Radio Minneapolis native Johnny Blanchard had a ringside seat for the famous 1961 home run dual between Rodger Maris and Mickey Mantle is Blanchard was a backup catcher on that Yankees team and actually It's one of the better home run hitters in baseball in his own right he joined just now running Sir. Mark McGwire is going to be able to handle the pressure that he is likely to face having seen what happened to Maris and mantle Find out that even batting practice. There's a lot of pressure connected to batting practice. I'll tell you. He can't he can't he can't let any of that the next 27 home runs, but when I get home run you don't know what pressure is if he thinks batting practice now, there's a lot of pressure connected to it. He wants to be left alone. Hey buddy, when you gets up to 58 when you get to 58 E mobile to go any place. He won't be able to you can't call his life is on he has to go through the nerve-wracking tension that goes along with it and it's going to mount believe me. Obviously most of us have never played baseball at any kind of serious level you did of course and you are very good. I think you would have been an All-Star if you would have managed to somehow get out from under that. Hit a homerun. Well, do you know as soon as the ball hits the band that sang you've got a home run watch Griffey and bonds. And as soon as they swing and make contact you can tell by the how they act when they walk out of the box. They're not running they're walking cuz they know the balls out of the park. Yeah, you know about 90% once in awhile. You'll hit a ball maybe a little Thai Town off the Pfister off the label and that's debatable whether it'll make it or not, you know. $3. Just besides McGuire this kid salsa out of Chicago with the Cubs right now and please show us in Chicago and Wrigley Field is got the best ballpark to hit in the home run in and being of a shot at another I think it would be broken by at least two guys. I said originally it would be McGuire and Griffey but now sources in the picture so I wouldn't I would say at the rate he's going he'll be leaving break the record. I think she'll be too and will be broken and and twice do you think it will remain will it stay on the books for a while then or will we start seeing this record fall on a regular basis? What you got you got 30 teams and you've got some I know the guys don't like me to hear me say that but you got water down pitching. There's there's no question about it and a lot of times when I do Jerry as I try to tell the young people in their know anybody that asked me I said, aren't you got 30 ball clubs back when Maris hit it. He had the 18. Now you got 12 extra block plugs. If you take the best ball players off of the 12 teams. I don't care pick any 12 take the best ball players out of those 12 teams and put them on the 18 teams. Why you got to be you got to be just you know, it's as good as there's no contest that mean it's going to be a better baseball better players on the 18 if you took all the best time to 12 What is watered-down but? Hey, look it's goes to the territory. It's baseball in 1998. And what else can you say? Let me ask you one more inside or question is Blanchard and I'll let you go. Is it true that some of these players the elite players can actually will themselves to hit a homerun you get this answer example at Kirby Puckett 6 game of the World Series in 1991 was determined to hit a homerun then they do that cuz I have it all our just love no way that that guy's never been born you might if your timing is good in your bat is real quick. And then you see the ball good you might have the confidence. But you're not going to say is now this is a homerun. Hey Gary, I'm out here at Holly Dale Golf Club, and the guys are on my back II will let you go a good luck with your game. And thanks for calling you very much. Talk with you played for the 19. Wyle played several years the Major Leagues play the 1961 New York Yankees the team that the Maris and mantle played on that was the year that the Rodger Maris hit the homerun record. It is unfortunate Howard that mr. Blanchard was marooned as the third string catcher on that teeny hit I believe 20-some home runs as a third-stringer. He was saying he would he was a hitter. He was a hitter. I'd like to see how he just hit the drive over at Holly. Right. Now while we have a callers on the line and if you'd like to join them hard Sinker is our guest this hour we're talking about baseball specifically the art of the home. Mark McGwire is in town. If you got a question or comment for Howard about the baseball and home runs to 276 thousand or one 800-242-2828. By the way before we get to our callers. Do you know how McGuire has done at the Dome? Of course, he played for Oakland for a blood 11 years here. And so we've seen a lot of him. Did he is he really lit up the Dome very well here. He would say he has seven the longest measured home run that was ever that was ever hit here. I believe he hit it off Frank Rodriguez a few years ago and he's a guy who do routinely tested left in left-center field where I'm sure they will sell a lot of seats over the weekend. And in the Quest for souvenirs, we should point out that day the national weather service has just issued a severe thunderstorm warning now until 12:30 this afternoon for Martin County in South Central Minnesota, and that would include Fairman to Salon Wilbert. Fairmont being a largest city in that area severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 12:30 this afternoon looks like a wild and wooly day on the weather front. So stay alert North the question, please. I'm sorry North now we got you on the are glad place even before the All-Star Game right before July 4th, but the comments been made the several times about the fact that there is played in I think it was one or two more ball games and roofed it which I suppose should be taken our accountant obviously in a lot of record books. There's that famous asterisk after Rogers name might be interested also and I haven't really thought about it until this morning. I haven't taken time to do it be interesting also see the number of at-bats. in the percentage of Aunt bats when they did hit a homerun and then I carried a bit further sometime would be interesting to actually look at the pitching quality. If you will or at least the one lost records of the pictures against whom they did in fact it home runs hit against other picture. So being kind of a math not that I just thought I would throw that baseball is for math nuts. I don't know if we know much about the quality or the pitchers records that the mark mcgwire's been facing but we do know about his homerun to at-bat ratio. Do we not how she was one of the best ever and I guess I can't give you specific numbers because I am not a man's nuts, but he said large one to 11.8 at bats. I think one of the things that happens with McGuire now, that's a really good one to seven though this season 21 to 7 and end it's hard to do that when Eminem and think of all the walks you getting any people just don't want to pitch to the guy and in terms of pitching remember 1961 one of the other things Maris was chided for his that was an expansion year in baseball to and the argument was made that the pitching was watered down in Waterdown in Waterdown, you know, you can host variables one of the things that's happening this year. You have a pitching in baseball is not great. But because of interleague play to make the schedule is a lot more travel because teams are playing a lot more to game series. There's much more media attention and like it or not. That's an incredible distraction and that's going back to what I said before that's worth Sosa and Griffey may have an advantage because they're like they're they're drafting off of McGuire's fumes right now. Are they in your mind genuine home run hitters though, or are they just just good hitters? Who else who hit home runs and then Henry, Aaron is not a home run hitter. He's a good hitter who hit more homeruns anybody in history. But McGuire is the pure home run hitter of the three probably followed by Sousa Griffey can do it. Everyone is Griffey wanted a hit for 10 by every now and then hitting the bottle Westfield he could do that. But I mean it's a beautiful swing. He's a big guy. He's a strong guy and it's just fun to watch him. It's like watching a computer-generated image of the ultimate home-run hitter and the twins to their credit have the good sense to be issuing a hard hats for left field bleachers second fans. I hope the people aren't expecting to take one of these off their head and survived. I mean unless their liability way was a really nice thing is that the twins are opening the gates earlier than normal so you can actually partake of one of those baseball Traditions that we always were meant going out to watch the visitors take batting practice write Dave your comment place. Yes. I've heard all I want to start off by disagreeing in the store Blanchard. I think that there are certain players Odd as it may seem that can Will themselves hit a homerun in a situation. Jackson was one of them McGuire. Maybe not Kirby Puckett. I think yeah, I think there's a certain places where he knows. He's going to go look for him to look for a pitch to drive and if he can get it out and get it out, but he's he's looking for something that he can jack, you know end of the seats and there are certain players that can do that. I want to say something. Pitching. I think that you know, we talked about teaching evolution and and a low-quality but I think that you know, we talked about baseball 1998 vs baseball in 1927. You're talkin about pictures in 1998 who are so much better condition for it to even mediocre pictures have repertoire that the pictures in 1927 did not have and I think that I think is a no-per over-simplification of that particular element and I think that maybe possibly even harder in some ways than easier to hit home runs hit in 1927. If you were a picture you expect to be out there for 9 minutes and I I want to think about how many mistakes were made and you know 7th 8th and 9th and it was a ball games by pitchers who would throwing you know how to get 1570 pictures. So I don't think that we should you know, the little or put a source of a Kind next to somebody like McGuire Hue McGuire's. I mean if you look at his his his his homerun personal, I don't expect anybody in the lower deck to get one of his balls, you know, most of the most of the homeruns I seen have been a second third decan and several of them have actually tried to leave Ballpark and it usually hits on instructions. So I think that you know, some of the some of that many of the players now because of the physical conditioning and the training techniques could easily have been just tremendous All Stars at in the so-called golden age and you know that I'm I'm tempted to put an asterisk next anything posted before 1947 anyway. But there a lot of consideration to going to hitting home runs, but I think that it's one of those kinds of that Muhammad is almost mystical type of thing. I watched ready Jackson's three home runs in in that World Series and I called everyone and it was really very strange. I was in a very strange it was on where you know, I said this picture is going to be right here and it's gone and that it happened and they're just certain situations like that like with it with it with her back grand slam and curve. He's home run where you kind of look at the situation and I was a Cardinals fan at that end in that situation. I I I really love the St. Louis Cardinals and but I I had a bad feeling that that her back was going to do exactly what he did. Well if I understand what you just told us that pitching is mechanical and hitting his then Right, you just willed people hitters can Will themselves to hit home runs and fishing is all mechanics Dave. Is that a fair as but I think that there are there a lot of things that go into pitching that we're not looking at as far as yes. Sure. This is there's a dilution. I think that I think that it's hard to be. I think it's more difficult to be a Hall of Fame pitcher. That is to be a holler at me now don't want the standard measurements for pitching Excellence. Did he win 300 games? Did he pitched 300 innings? Did he strike out 300 batters in a season those don't exist anymore because nobody's going to play the game for that what you know, and and I think that we have to adjust our standards of excellence, which is I think what we're doing in the whole McGuire vs. Marist vs Ruth debate and the beauty of baseball is you can have those debates and on any given day anyone can make a reason Eloquent argument and get awfully long-winded about it Howard Sankar is with us. If you'd like to join our conversation. We're Talkin Baseball specifically the art of the home run this our herb carneal will be joining us over the noon hour to 276 thousand or one 800-242-2828 is the number to call Howard. Ultimately ultimately can any player rival Babe Ruth for his impact on the game. Classically know but in terms of impact on the game Andre Aaron not only for what he did on the field not only for breaking the Home Run Record through the career home run records, but for what he did afterwards, I think he's I think he has an impact. I think nobody had a bigger impact on the game and it's entirely than Jackie Robinson. Just not only for what he did for being the first African American to play blah blah blah, but for the way he handled things, you know, that that's too just to say that Babe Ruth is unparalleled in that regards. It is kind of to get sucked into the media hype of you know, the Roaring Twenties. I mean, he was an awfully good player and they built the stadium so he could blast 350 foot home runs into right field in addition to the Munsters one and he was the classic bad boy. You know, he's a he's Albert Belle and white face in a way. I mean not quite as rude and crude in his Public Image, but he did a lot of stuff that would get him treated like like Dennis Rodman today. Scott you're a commonplace. I do believe that you can get into a Groove. I mean you say it happen all sports maybe a little less in baseball because of all the variables involved in the game. I think the complexity of baseball is nowadays a lot more than what it used to be. So maybe that negates some of that getting in the groove but every once in a while you see somebody step up to the plate and they have a look in there. I like this one's going home and don't it's there. And what do you think about that back to the question? I asked Johnny Blanchard. Do you think that athletes can will all these things to happen? I think in some sports they can I think it's more an individual sports when you watch a tennis player football after ball in the corner and kick up chalk. And what it is is its repetition. I mean the thing that works against that in baseball as you get your at that and then you sitting down and you don't get another one for 40 minutes. So the Zone comes and goes but when you watch a golfer put ball after ball exactly where she or he wants it when you watch when you want, I think tennis is the best example of that. I mean you just see a player in his own and then she can do anything baseball. I die. I think I think when baseball probably happens more often with pitching because that's the that's the repetitive part of the game. You see a picture and on certain days Mike Morgan of the twins has has had a couple of games this year where he could put the ball right on any dime that you placed behind home plate. But hitters are I'm a little more skeptical that Jim your next good place comments on the dilution of talent in the game. And then maybe take issue with myself. You've got got more people playing baseball and got a larger number of people that are drawn up to the big league, but you're doing those from a much larger population base as well. So you've got more talent coming up but a larger pool to draw that Talent from I'm wondering if anybody knows whether the percentage of professional baseball players is actually a higher percentage of the population now than it was in whatever people want to call the glory years second comment. I guess is that if you want to argue for the dilution of talent in the game, you almost have to argue that unfortunately for baseball friends some of the better Talent today is choosing to go into other professional sports and if there's dilution Because the favorite sport is being changed Talent is being drawn into different sports and not because there more people playing the game comments. Am I off base here greccio question is an interesting one because while they were only 16 major league teams back, then there were many more minor league franchises per team teams routinely had six to eight Class A franchises and you had Minor League Baseball all the way down to class D. And the other points you make this good as there wasn't competition for the best athletes right now, you know among Suburban youth as many kids. If not more playing soccer the baseball kids don't play Sandlot baseball kids. Don't grow up playing baseball the way they once did so it is it's a wonderful. I mean, it's it's something you could quantify pretty easily, but I just don't have those numbers one more question Howard. Then we're going to do it take a break or before we get to that we should remind everybody again severe weather warning severe thunderstorm warning in this case severe thunderstorm warning is in effect until 12:30 for Martin County in South Central Minnesota that includes Fairmont Minnesota severe thunderstorm warning until 12:30 this afternoon for Martin County in South Central Minnesota. One last question Howard before we take a break here. And of course you'll be back over the noon hour heart herb carneal will be here and I'm just going to shut up and let Is in the house Howard keeps quiet fundamental of basic question with McGuire coming to town and so many others threatening the Rodger Maris record. Why are so many home runs being at this year small stadiums? What's going on? It's the things. I think the ball is a little bit livelier. The pitching is a little bit worse and they're poor people just concentrating on hitting home runs. Some of the newer stadiums are hitter-friendly. I mean Coors Field is an example of that the new stadium in and at the Tampa Bay team plays in the Metrodome is a hitters park. I mean, it's a gets the big old ugly. Send some of the big old ugly stadiums like St. Louis in Oakland, they've been reconfigured to make the more hitter-friendly cuz we like our home run. We sure do the art of the home run our subject this hour and Howard Sinker are gas to get over the noon hour herb carneal the twins Legendary broadcaster play-by-play man will be joining us here in the studio. Stephanie Curtis who is not a play-by-play announcer but is a movie buff best baseball movie. I think it has to be bold room or I know you're going to stop the Bad News Bears great baseball movies great sports baseball, we have business to conduct and we have tickets to give away Stephanie. That's right where you can get a pair of tickets to this Sunday's game the Twins and you can go see Mark McGwire and see if he hit any home runs to get closer to that record you call in and join at the $120 level you will get those tickets and if you call in and you're not ready to make the $120 level but you're still a big baseball fan $66. You can get herb carneal book. Hi everybody and the $66 per month so you can go Great book, and if you want the book and the tickets, both of them $150 level you'll get those pair of tickets to the game on Sunday. And he's are good seats there on the first base line. Just going to have to stroll into the Metrodome go to the will call Window pick up the tickets in the reserved for you. You have a great time Sunday afternoon. We have lots of business to conduct here friends. If you've been listening this hour or maybe you just tuned in. Here's the deal. We needed to enroll 60 members this hour to stay on track. So that we can end this fiscal year on June 30th next Tuesday right where we should be 39 people have called so far 39 people or I'm sorry. We've had we have 39 to go 39 to go. So we're going to need to hear from a good many of you. If you've not yet had a chance to call us during our membership Drive give us a call now take advantage of the special offers those of you who enjoy baseball great opportunity. Even if you're just a casual fan, that should be a lot of fun. We have been missing. That electricity around here those of us who enjoy baseball for years and years but with mr. Maguire in town its back and should be a fun time at the game on Sunday. If you'd like a couple of tickets to the game on Sunday, give us a call when under $20 at the pledge $10 a month to to 72811 Twin City area number to to 72811 outside of the Twin Cities one 800-227-2811 one caller on the line 38 more of you and will be on track but we've got just seven minutes to go and we sure hope to hear from you. We've got 60 tickets to that game. You can go and cheer Mark McGwire on or if you want Rodger maris's record to be protective. You can boom and try to distract him and keep him from hitting some home runs. We are looking for people to join and if you weren't comfortable the $66 level 120 dollar level. Maybe you just move here. You want to try on a membership want to try NPR $45 levels of perfect level for you. You can get a gift you can go. The NPR water bottle that says your mind is thirsty too or a sun visor and you will automatically be entered into the drawing for a dream bikes at REI. You can go to REI choose any two bikes. You can choose mountain bike a mountain bike something at 2 for racing into children's adult. Whatever you go in there and you choose your bike your dream bikes. So if you call now you will automatically be entered into that drawing about a what level you join at, you know, if your home run fan think about it think about it. Let Mansion first the Twins win these games all three games against the Cardinals, but imagine if Maguire launch of the spoon for 5 this weekend in a three-game series something to talk to the kids about down the road, then I'll never believe you. They won't think you were actually there but you'll have been there. Maybe he'll hold on to this record. As long as Rodger Maris has since 1961. You can brag about it for a long long time. So go to your phone you can use your MasterCard Visa American discover or Express. American Express or discover and when you use a credit card to automatically get an MVR decal that you can stick in the window of your car and the great thing about the decals that you can move it around. It doesn't stay in one spot like a bumper sticker so you can put in your car window your house window wherever you want and that you get that automatically when you use a credit card Wild and Woolly weather in case you're just tuning in a reminder that is severe thunderstorm warning remains in effect until 12:30 this afternoon for Martin County in South Central Minnesota. That's the Fairmont area and cities and communities around Fairmont 12:30 this afternoon severe thunderstorm warning 5 minutes to go hear Stephanie and we have a good long ways to our goal still $37 37 callers those of you who listen to mid-day. Here's the deal, you know, a lot of people a lot of you do listen over the noon hour 11 the noon hour and we know that and a good deal good reason. Now you listen is because what you hear is not usually available elsewhere it's hard to find for example coverage of a national Press Club broadcast full hour long speech just don't hear it on other station documentaries Holland programs and if you like that kind of programming we really do need to hear from you at this time, we make a membership pledges we come to the end of our fiscal year here. We have lots of volunteers. You're not going to get hung up in a long call. It takes just two minutes at the most take advantage of the special offers. If you'd like to join at the $120 level and you're like a couple of Twins tickets for the game on Sunday. This is the time to call 227-2811 or one 800-227-2811. Just looking for people at the $120 level. We're looking for people who just want to try out becoming a member. So if you haven't joined before, I'm come on go to your phone's right now. You can join us a 45. Down a level you get a water bottle you get a visor you get to enter the drawing you get to make sure that mid-day stays on the air and that you'll be able to tune in over your lunch hour take a break from work and listen to a call in or a documentary or a great Press Club who got four colors on the line. Now, we've got 35 more people that we need to have sign up if you call now so you can get the limited offer of the pair of Twins tickets for the game. This Sunday is at the $120 level. But whatever you want to join it, whatever you feel comfortable at we'd love to hear from you 22728 11th and one 800-227-2811. If you live outside the Twin Cities about 30 more members to go in 3 minutes hear what we need Stephen. They are a number of singles hitters members of single hitter members and a couple of Home Run hitters as well. Those of you who see yourself is the mark mcgwire's membership now is the time to call give us a buzz. 22728 11 or one 800-227-2811 midday listeners. We really do need to hear from you 34 officially to go now and just 2 and 1/2 minutes. We really need to make the goal. We got four people on the line right now to to 72811 call in and support Gary and the midday crew you got to hear all kinds of stuff you get here. I'm calling about foreign policy local politics gubernatorial candidates. What's on the just a couple weeks ago? They had a stock car racer on the wide variety. You'll never be bored tuning you can rely on it and we need to hear from you to make sure that we can continue going so go to card right now for your MasterCard Visa American Express or discover and you can get the free mprd. Can you help us make our goal the end of the fiscal year is coming up and we need to get 8500 members of the Gary. We've got four people on the line. I wish I could add a zero to that and say it's 40 but we've got thirty three more people that we want to hear from before the top of the hour to 72811 out an emergency call. Now, we need some pinch-hitters here pinch-hitters. 72811 can hear the lows are the volunteers the thousands of volunteers taking your calls. Actually we've got about 50 and no Busy Signal's you'll be able to get right through herb carneal coming up over the noon hour. Why not give us a call right now get signed up and get your questions ready for her to 27208 11 or one 800-227-2811. We don't have to take you just have to give us a little bit of information will be on that phone and off again and you'll have contributed to NPR and midday and the programming that you depend on the time is running out and we got it. Those members signed up so join us now at the $45 level at the $66 level. You'll get the herb carneal book. Hi, everybody at that level where the $120 level you can get the limited offer of the pair of points tickets for the game this Sunday at 1 and they really easy just stroll into metronome pick up your tickets at the will-call window and go and enjoy a great game. You're not going to be out in the nosebleeds good reserved seats along the first base line both lower and upper deck seats available kind of a first-come-first-serve at 2 to 7:20 at 11 or one 802-2728 11:32 members left to go and we are well, let's see will extend it for one more minute here. We really need to hear from you 227 20111 800-227-2811. Thanks to all of you who've already called in those of you who've been members right along your the folks that make the programming possible on this station if you have not yet had a answers to call keep the phone's ringing 227-2811 Don't miss a special 2-hour sound money this week with travel tips from Rick Steves and financial advice from Chris Farrell and Erica Whitley her child body Saturday morning beginning at 9. Again Sunday afternoon at 5 on Minnesota Public Radio channel W FM 91.1. You're listening to Minnesota Public Radio. We have a sunny Sky. It's up to 80 degrees at care W FM 91.1 Minneapolis. And st. Paul Sunny warm and humid all afternoon. It could hit 90° you have today for third 20% chance for a thunderstorm tonight with a low around 70 and showers and thunder showers are possible in the Twin Cities tomorrow.