A bunch of Orioles fans showed up at Camden Yards to honor the 30th Anniversary of the miraculous Cal Ripken Iron Man streak and witnessed several more baseball miracles and memories on Saturday night against Yamamoto and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Is it a Top 5 all-time night at The Yard? Luke Jones and Nestor give it the full Baltimore baseball history treatment.
Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discussed the significance of the Orioles’ 2131 night, honoring Cal Ripken’s record, and the emotional impact of Davey Johnson’s death. They highlighted the presence of notable figures like Ken Griffey Jr. and John Miller. Jones reflected on the therapeutic nature of the event and the importance of creating new memories for the current team. They also touched on the challenges faced by the Orioles, including fan disengagement and the need for meaningful experiences. Aparicio shared personal anecdotes about Davey Johnson and the broader implications of his departure from the team. Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones reminisce about the impact of Davey Johnson on Baltimore sports, highlighting his accountability and influence on local journalists. They discuss Johnson’s significant contributions as a manager, including winning Manager of the Year and leading the 1986 Mets. Aparicio emphasizes Johnson’s importance in baseball history and suggests he deserves Hall of Fame recognition. They also touch on the recent positive moments in Orioles baseball, such as walk-off wins and the 2131 Anniversary night Dodgers win, and briefly mention the Ravens’ loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Orioles Magic and Memories of Cal Ripken
- Nestor Aparicio and Luke Jones discuss the intersection of Orioles and Ravens football, reminiscing about the 75 Colts and the connection between Ray Lewis and Cal Ripken.
- Nestor mentions the 30th anniversary of Cal Ripken’s 2131 consecutive games played and the excitement around the event.
- Nestor shares his conversations with Alan McCallum and Leonard Raskin about the game and the impact of Davey Johnson’s death.
- Luke Jones reflects on the celebration at Camden Yards, highlighting the presence of Ken Griffey Jr. and John Miller.
Therapeutic and Memorable Moments at Camden Yards
- Luke Jones describes the celebration as very good, with significant individuals returning to the ballpark.
- Luke mentions the emotional impact of John Miller’s return to the Orioles broadcast booth for an inning.
- The game itself is discussed, with Luke noting the frustration fans have experienced this year and the ongoing issues with Birdland memberships and new ownership.
- Nestor shares his thoughts on the game, mentioning the win probability and the excitement of the Dodgers game.
Reflecting on Past Glories and Current Challenges
- Luke Jones compares the recent game to the Robert Andino game against the Red Sox in 2011, hoping for similar success in the future.
- Nestor and Luke discuss the significant changes in the Orioles roster since the 2023 Division Series, with many key players now gone.
- Luke emphasizes the importance of the young team learning from the experience and the need for new memories to be created.
- Nestor reflects on the lack of meaningful experiences and players in recent years, contrasting with the past glory days of Brooks Robinson and Johnny Unitas.
Davey Johnson’s Legacy and Impact on Orioles History
- Nestor and Luke discuss the significance of Davey Johnson’s role in Orioles history, including his impact on Cal Ripken’s career.
- Nestor shares personal anecdotes about Davey Johnson, including his interactions with Cal Ripken and the challenges he faced with Peter Angelos.
- Luke reflects on Davey Johnson’s management style and the impact of his departure on the Orioles.
- Nestor recounts a story about seeing Cal Ripken and Eddie Murray together in a Hooters in Cleveland, highlighting their enduring friendship.
Personal Reflections and Memories of Orioles Legends
- Nestor shares a story about Eddie Murray’s kindness to young players during spring training, showcasing his love for the game.
- Luke and Nestor discuss the importance of honoring past players and the challenges of creating new memories for the current team.
- Nestor reflects on the impact of Davey Johnson’s death and the significance of his contributions to Orioles history.
- Luke and Nestor discuss the need for the Orioles to create new meaningful experiences for fans, beyond just honoring past achievements.
The Emotional Impact of Cal Ripken’s 2131 Night
- Nestor and Luke discuss the emotional impact of Cal Ripken’s 2131 night, including the presence of significant figures like Ken Griffey Jr. and John Miller.
- Nestor shares his personal experience of watching the game on TV and the regret of not attending the event in person.
- Luke reflects on the importance of the night for the current team and the hope that it will inspire them to create new memories.
- Nestor and Luke discuss the challenges of covering the game and the importance of capturing the moment for their listeners.
The Role of Media and Personal Connections in Sports
- Nestor and Luke discuss the role of media in covering sports events and the importance of personal connections with players and coaches.
- Nestor shares a story about Davey Johnson’s support during a difficult time, highlighting the importance of relationships in sports journalism.
- Luke reflects on the challenges of covering the Orioles and the need for honest and insightful reporting.
- Nestor and Luke discuss the impact of social media and the changing landscape of sports journalism on their work.
The Future of Orioles and the Importance of Community
- Nestor and Luke discuss the future of the Orioles and the importance of creating a strong connection with the community.
- Luke emphasizes the need for the team to make new memories and create a sense of belonging for fans.
- Nestor reflects on the challenges of covering the team and the importance of staying true to their values.
- Luke and Nestor discuss the potential for the team to achieve success and the importance of community support in their journey.
The Legacy of Davey Johnson and Its Impact on Orioles Fans
- Nestor and Luke discuss the lasting impact of Davey Johnson on Orioles fans and the importance of his legacy.
- Luke reflects on the significance of Davey Johnson’s contributions to the team and the challenges he faced with Peter Angelos.
- Nestor shares personal anecdotes about Davey Johnson’s interactions with players and the importance of his leadership.
- Luke and Nestor discuss the need for the team to honor Davey Johnson’s memory and continue his legacy.
The Importance of Honoring Past Achievements and Creating New Memories
- Nestor and Luke discuss the importance of honoring past achievements while creating new memories for the current team.
- Luke emphasizes the need for the team to make new memories and create a sense of excitement for fans.
- Nestor reflects on the challenges of covering the team and the importance of staying true to their values.
- Luke and Nestor discuss the potential for the team to achieve success and the importance of community support in their journey.
Davey Johnson’s Impact on Baltimore Sports
- Nestor Aparicio recalls a memorable conversation with Davey Johnson, highlighting Johnson’s magnanimity and his significant impact on Baltimore sports.
- Nestor expresses frustration that current baseball figures are not as accountable and open to criticism as Johnson was.
- Luke Jones agrees, noting that Johnson’s contributions to the Orioles and baseball as a whole are undeniable.
- Nestor emphasizes Johnson’s importance in the history of baseball, mentioning his role in the 1986 Mets’ success.
Reflecting on Baltimore Baseball Legends
- Nestor and Luke discuss other significant figures in Baltimore baseball, including Cal Ripken, Eddie Murray, and Jim Palmer.
- Nestor mentions the importance of recognizing lesser-known figures like Yamamoto and Manuel Rivera for their contributions.
- Luke reflects on the excitement of the recent walk-off wins by the Orioles, which provided rare moments of joy for fans.
- The conversation touches on the lack of fun nights at the ballpark this year, making recent victories even more special.
Transition to Ravens Football
- Nestor briefly mentions the Ravens’ recent loss to the Buffalo Bills, indicating a shift in focus to football.
- Luke suggests that their discussions on Orioles baseball will continue on a weekly basis.
- Nestor humorously references the importance of the Ravens, mentioning David Rubenstein and Michael Ray.
- The segment ends with Nestor reiterating his love for talking about baseball, despite the challenges faced by the Orioles.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
Orioles Magic, Cal Ripken, Davey Johnson, 2131 Anniversary, Dodgers win, Birdland memberships, new ownership, Ken Griffey Jr, John Miller, Eddie Murray, Brooks Robinson, Ravens collapse, no hitter, baseball history, fan experience., Davey Johnson, Baltimore sports, Orioles history, accountability, Hall of Fame, 1986 Mets, Cal Ripken, Eddie Murray, John Miller, Yamamoto, walk-off win, Ravens game, Michael Ray, Nestor Aparicio, Luke Jones
SPEAKERS
Speaker 1, Luke Jones, Nestor Aparicio
Nestor Aparicio 00:01
Welcome home. We are W, N, S, T am 15 70,000 Baltimore. We are Baltimore positive. And as much as it’s always a football week around here, this time of year, we talked a lot of ravens football. Luke Jones and I are going to be talking to baseball in this segment. If you want football, you can go find it at Baltimore, positive, hopefully you’re listening at am 1570 we can only, can’t do two things at once, but we’re going to try. And certainly this time of the year, we like to have problems where the Orioles and the Ravens intersect. And I go back to my old colts fandom as the 75 colts come to town this week. And I think about Burton Lydell and Hey diddle, diddle and all of that stuff. There was a point where Brooks and Johnny intersected and Ray Lewis and Cal Ripken intersected. I’d like to think that the oils won’t be last place every September, but when they are, they can at least make it this interesting for the 30th anniversary of 2131 Luke was at the ballpark on Saturday. I have chatted with Leonard Raskin, who was at the game on Saturday night. I’ve chatted at length with Alan McCallum, who made his way down to the ballpark on Saturday. Sort of a rare appearance for him. He doesn’t go. He I thought he was a 13 game season ticket. It was a 29 game season ticket, older for the better part of 25 years, but a lot of folks made their way down. Luke, you and I have not said a word. We’ve talked for hours about football. I don’t think we said it much, even in the aftermath of you almost witnessing a no hitter, and me, you know, going going through all my crazy David cone and Bud Smith and Mike Messina and all the near no hitters of history. But Saturday night in the aftermath, Allen reached to me. I reached to him because Davey Johnson had died on Saturday, and I think you knew I knew Davey pretty well from just the two years he was here. And of course, my cousin playing with him back in the 60s. Alan was you Allen covered Davey Johnson in 96 and 97 almost every game. I mean, Allen was a really, really committed ballpark reporter during that period of his life, and so his time was really the primary part of his time, Johnny Oates or Regan, Davey Johnson, and then Mike Hargrove and some things that came after that. But Davey was a legend, so I reached to Alan before the game on Saturday. Said, You got to come on, talk some Davey Johnson with me. He’s like, when do you want me on? I’m like, I don’t know, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, whenever after and then the game breaks out, Saturday night. He’s like, I gotta come on. We gotta talk about this Sunday morning. I’m like, I don’t like pre game football that much. Let’s do it. Um, I’ve had a lot of thoughts. I mean, one thought I thought I had is, I wish I were there a, I think it was a top, I guess three, if not five, Camden Yards, night. Moment ever in 3233 years of having the stadium. Now, unless you’re into the Pope, or into Bruce Springsteen or Billy Joel, you know, I don’t know, Delman young, 2131 and then this thing kind of sort of in some weird way,
Luke Jones 03:05
yeah. I mean, I the celebration itself was very good. I mean, it, how could it not be when you consider some of the individuals who came back? I mean, Ken Griffey Jr was there for me. I mean, the one that really meant a lot to me as someone who grew up in the late 80s and the 90s, John Miller being back at the ballpark, and even John Miller being in an Orioles broadcast booth for an inning on Saturday night. I mean, I I fired up MLB TV on my laptop and I listened to that because that’s how much that meant to me, to hear John Miller talking about the Orioles being part of a broadcast, albeit only for one inning. But I mean the game itself. When you consider how frustrating, how how much anger fans have had this year with what’s happened on the field, we’ve talked a lot about the missteps off the field, the Birdland memberships, which will continue to be talked about, the new ownership group, all of that. We’ll continue to talk about that, right? Because Saturday didn’t fix anything in that regard.
Nestor Aparicio 04:05
By the way, I have two words for you from my source, my deep throat, my orange Deep Throat. My two words are ready. Michael aragetti, that’s all I’m gonna say. All right, yeah.
Luke Jones 04:20
But I think the word that comes to mind is, I think it was therapeutic in a lot of ways. I It was fun. I mean, it was a fun, unbelievable moment, and unbelievable, you know, with the ceremony itself, I thought the the mid game recreation of Bobby Bonilla and Rafael Palmeiro pushing cow out out of the dugout. He goes over and hugs the B, you know, who was their first base coach that year, Al Bumbry, and to, you know, feign that he’s going to jog around. And everyone knew he wasn’t going to, of course, but that was fun, but it’s funny, in the aftermath of this ravens collapse, that. You and I have spent so much time talking about and we’ll continue to, I mean, even as we’re talking about the Cleveland and even as we’re getting deeper into the season, we will reference this, because how can you not when that that takes place? But so much talk about wind probability. The Dodgers had a 99.6% win probability with two outs in the ninth inning. I mean, you and I’ve talked about and you alluded to it, I’ve never seen a no hitter in person. That’s one thing that and I’m at a point now where, considering all the games I went to growing up and as a teenager and as a young adult, and now, having done this for a living as as my livelihood, and covering, I don’t know, in any given year, 55 to 70 games a year, you know, somewhere in that neighborhood, probably never seen a no hitter in person. Yamamoto was fantastic. I mean, I don’t know how many people watched the game itself. If you weren’t there yet, maybe you tuned in late. He was so good. There were only a couple instances of of hard contact, where the Orioles had a shot to get a hit. So I’m thinking in those terms, and then Jackson holiday does what he does, and you’re thinking, okay, missed out on that at least the Orioles saved their save themselves from the embarrassment of being no hit, and then
Nestor Aparicio 06:17
broke the record. Yeah, right, so, you know, hey, still got the chant, Eddie, Eddie, right?
Luke Jones 06:25
All of that, but then that win, and, you know what? And again, we’ll, we’ll stick more to the, you know, just the fun and the pomp and circumstance. But you know what game it reminded me of that I’m hoping for the sake of this current iteration of the Orioles and what 2026 and beyond is going to be. You know what game came to mind for me, the Robert and Dino game against the Red Sox in 2011 where it knocked them out. The Orioles were not good that year, but it they finished the season with something to feel really good.
Nestor Aparicio 06:53
I attended that game. That was a fun night that
Luke Jones 06:56
I mean, you talked to Adam Jones, you talked to Nick marcas. You talk to that, the buck era, Orioles, they all point to that and say something happened that night. You know, that was different. And I think it sounds kind of silly saying that, because, I mean, okay, this team won 101 games two years ago. They were in the playoffs last year, right? It’s not as though they haven’t tasted any of that, but Nestor, we’ve talked about it a little bit, but you go back and look at the 2023 Division Series roster, and I’m just going to read it off to you really quick. You know, we got two minutes to do this. You’re talking about the Arlington series. Yeah, yeah. Okay. You realize how many of those guys are gone, like that that? Okay, I get it, gunner and rotchman and westburg. I get it, but a lot of those guys are gone. So Brian Baker gone, Kyle Bradish back, but it’s been gone the last calendar year. Right? Yen your Cano, a shell of what he was two years ago. Maybe he can get back to that. Maybe not. Jack Flaherty gone, Kyle Gibson gone, Dean Kramer still here. Grayson Rodriguez, technically still here, but doesn’t feel like it, because he’s barely pitched in the last 14 months, or hasn’t pitched in the last 14 months. Jacob Webb gone, Tyler, Wells had been gone, he’s back, right? I mean, same thing for him, hopefully, can stay on the field. Coulomb gone, DL Hall gone, CNL, Perez, you know, off the 40 man roster. James McCann gone. Adley rochman still here. Adam Frazier gone. Gunner Henderson still here. Jorge Mateo still here. Mount Castle still here. For now, you know, Mateo mount Castle, very decent chance they’re both gone after this year. Oh, earn gone. Areas gone, westburg still here. Hayes gone, Hicks gone krstad. Who knows? Right? I mean, we’ve talked about that in passing. Such a mystery. Mullins gone. Santander are gone. It’s a lot of gones there. So this is a different team than it was a couple of years ago. And you just hope that experience which is just fun again, just as a one off, I joked, and, you know, I put the little post up on social media saying, this is exhibit number 3,473,247,346
Luke Jones 09:08
of why baseball is the best because it’s just one of those sports where there’s a lot of stuff that happens that’s not necessarily memorable, and you forget about it, and it’s a long season, and they play every night, and you you can’t Even, couldn’t even tell anyone what happened last Tuesday, let alone what happened two months ago, but people remember that game. I mean, that was absolutely wild. So I hope, for the sake of this young team that has a lot of work to do, and there’s a certainly a ton of work to do for Mike Elias to do with this roster and with this coaching staff, you’re hoping they can take something away from that experience and the fact that they did that in front of a big crowd, and you hope for the crowd’s sake, because of what we’ve talked about, you know, that was something the Orioles gave people a reason to want to come back the next time, right which the Adam Jones Orioles Hall of Fame Game? Back in August, you know, with a bobblehead night. That, if you remember, that was a pretty listless, dead performance that they turned out, you know, turned in with a good crowd on
Nestor Aparicio 10:10
hand. Even the Palmer night, they gave
Luke Jones 10:12
him five runs in the first Yeah, yeah. So, you know, it that was good to see. I think it was very therapeutic. You’re hoping that it has something that this young group can take away, you know, because you can taste some success, and you did that against the mighty Dodgers, right?
Nestor Aparicio 10:28
Well, they’ve honored Palmer, they’ve honored Cal they’ve honored Adam Jones. They’re out of honorings. They’ve honored their owner with a bobblehead already, who hasn’t shown up. So that’s why I keep saying Michael aragetti, because I’m hearing he’s sort of like running things sort of important, as he looked in his blue, resplendent in his Dodgers blue in the dugout in the middle of an Oriole game of 2131 admiring Cal Ripken from ownership stands points and like that. I mean, you know, we’re an authentic community. Be an authentic guy, come in do something more than put yourself on a bar and take pictures with people. But like, everybody showed up, the owner showed up. They’re down in the dugout. They’re doing the cow thing, like they’ve been here a million years. You know, it was a night where people came out and Luke, I was going to speak to this a little bit because I had Howard Sherrill, my buddy that owns duck doctors, who was my first ballpark reporter, along with Tom cap, 3233 years before Alan came, they were my ballpark reporters, and he’s a Birdland membership guy, and, um, my other I have other friends who’ve admitted to me that they have Birdland money left. I thought like, Saturday night would not you just go piss it away? Saturday night would be the night you go down whatever your Birdland insider club ticket thing is money you’re going to lose. You’ve given them 1000 bucks. Go do it on, you know, spend something if you didn’t, if you didn’t use it. I thought Saturday night would have felt a little worthwhile to me. Jen and I talked about going down the Fed. That kept me from going a couple things. I didn’t have a press credential, so, like, I wasn’t going to go down there if I couldn’t talk to Messina and John Miller and Eddie Murray and the people that I should have access to to invite onto my radio program, people who would look me in the eye and know my name and say How you been all of those. Even Paul marrow was always even after he chased me with the bat, he and I made fun, you know, fine. I mean, he came back and played here. He even said to me, I’ll come on your show. Help your ratings. Man, you know. So, um, and Palmera looked great. I mean, Palmera looked healthy. And yeah, Brady, was there being Brady. So I, like, I was thinking about going the weather and just the general fact that, like, Sunday was gonna be a football day. And I told Leonard this, I didn’t want to be nasty. Nestor Saturday night. I did not feel like being at the ballpark and what? Well, I didn’t just, I didn’t feel like being out. I just didn’t feel like being social, because I knew I had a lot of this to do in the aftermath of the game, or the football game, not the baseball game. I didn’t realize you’d be talking baseball today, right? If I did, I would have gone to the game Saturday night, but I didn’t go because of the way. I just thought, like, ceremony, and it’s going to be hokey and it’s going to be rainy, and Otani pitch last night, and my wife sort of had a request that if we didn’t go Friday night and like, so I’m like, Yeah, I’ll sit it out. And I’m like, You know what the television broadcast all whoever they bring in, they’re all going to, like, sit in on it. So, like, to me and seeing the television broadcast where I would get close ups on all the this and that and whatever. And I don’t know, I just felt like I wanted to watch it on TV, and I did, but I don’t know, dude, I I should have gone Saturday night, even though should have been one of those things where, like, I didn’t feel like being there, but I should have gone anyway, and would have been my first night of camp, the yards I didn’t feel like being there, where I was actually there, but it, I don’t know. I regret it. Can I say that out loud, that I I have never said that to you, that I regret not going to an Oriole game. I regret the way they treat me like garbage and threw me out of a couple you already mentioned, Arlington. I don’t regret going down there. I regret how I was treated. So people ask me why I don’t go. I don’t go because I’m not welcome guys with my skin color and my tone and my journalism card and my radio station and my background and my report, we’re not I’m not invited, so I don’t go because I don’t feel welcome. So that’s for my audience. That’s not for you, and that’s just the truth. Truth Truth is, I don’t go. When it really comes down to I’m like, they don’t want me there. They don’t want my money. They, you know, like, Nah, that’s why, you know, I was watching on TV. I told you have to figure out how expensive it’s going to be in TV in the future. But, you know, for people go down there and have their Birdland money, this, to me, it was a great draw, and it was the night people would go, and it wasn’t full, and there were a lot of Dodgers fans down there, but I felt like the people that were there are the right people. They’re the people that were there 30 years ago. And I flippantly, kind of said to my wife, I’m like, you do know I went to the real one? Right? Like, so, like, that’s kind of good. And. For me, and I spent part of my afternoon. This is when my wife came after me. She saw me rummaging through my rummagings. I mean, my boxes of press credentials that I would show to Sasha brown or a Chad steel if they deny my media credential. But mean, I have hundreds of pounds of boxes of credentials, and I have them in bags and the Ripken 2131 came with a spa. It was a special paper pass with a neck thing with a clubhouse badge, like the one that they tried to deny you in Arlington a year and a half ago. They gave those plastic badges out back in the 90s. Literally, it’s a clubhouse badge. And I had tickets. I had two tickets for the game, but all of it was under glass at the radio station for 25 years, like it went under glass in 1995 and stayed under glass until five years ago when the glass broke and my wife took all of it apart and was all kind of glued together a little bit, and I couldn’t find it, and I’m looking everywhere for my 2131 badge, and people were sharing all their memories of that night, and I was looking for it. She’s like, this is important to you. We really should go to the ballpark. I’m like, Ah, get off my lawn. It’s gonna rain. I’m not giving those bastards money. F them. F Michael aragheti, he was an arrogant prick to me. So these are the things I’m saying at five o’clock on Saturday. And you know when it all happened, and she’s in here, and I’m in air, and we’re watching the game on TV, and it’s all happened, and I’m like, Well, this seems like fun, and I don’t have enough fun in my life, and certainly not enough fun with this baseball team that it would have been fun to be there on Saturday night, and that was even after the no hitter. And I was busting your chops about the no hitter at eight and eight and two thirds. Where are you on that? Like, would it have changed your life today to be talking about having attended a no hitter on Saturday
Luke Jones 16:48
night? I mean, changed my life? I mean, I’m at a point my life where, don’t get me wrong, I love baseball, but it’s not my life. So would it have changed my life? No, but it’s still on my list of things that I’d want to see at some point. I mean, I’d much prefer to be covering an Oriole throwing a no hitter. I mean, John means did it in Seattle four years ago, which, as you know, was first time there’s been a solo one since Palmer, you know, back in 69 so
Nestor Aparicio 17:14
what’s just a hard thing, I got text Mark Sunday morning and said, Did you ever attend a no hitter? He’s like, No, but my brother? I’m like, Yeah, I know about your brother, but like, did you? And then I thought, did your brother ever attend a no hitter? Did you? Was your brother ever on and I’m thinking the Yankees never got no hit. And I’m thinking, was he a part of the Williamson Olsen, you know that thing that happened in the roster? Yet he might have been, I don’t know. I asked him. I don’t know the answer that, but like I’m thinking, here’s a Hall of Famer that played in New York and Baltimore. Played 20 years of the almost through several, you know, took a couple of seven, eight for sure, and the Alomar one, and then the one that I witnessed, which was literally the bud Smith weekend. I talked to you about bud Smith and walking out of that no hitter the night before. I was interviewing Tony Gwynn, and we stopped the interview. We stopped the tape to watch Messina deal at Fenway Park. He was throwing the von no hitter on Sunday Night Baseball on the night before Labor Day in 2001 September 3 week before September 11, the week before that. So like that time in my life, but I’m thinking to myself, like my kids saw the no mo, no hitter, so um Messina was gone by then, I think so I’m just thinking how hard it is to even be in a major league uniform. 162 games like Cal Ripken probably participated in one in his career, maybe, I don’t know. I mean, I’m thinking out loud, it’s really, really hard to see a no hitter, and it’s random and it’s and I’ve sat through a couple of seven and eight innings, and I’ve but like, you had eight and two thirds, and he was dealing like, I thought tonight was the Oh, you would be able to have your night. That did I want you to have and you didn’t have it. Yeah, a
Luke Jones 19:03
couple things while you were talking, Messina made his debut about a month after that, combined no hitter in Oakland. You know where it was. So he missed that one. Yeah, he missed that David. What? David cone threw a perfect game two years before Messina arrived in New York.
Nestor Aparicio 19:18
That’s the one I was supposed to go to and I didn’t go to, yeah, yes. So you met was against Montreal, I believe, yeah,
Luke Jones 19:24
the X mentioned, you mentioned Cal, obviously, the combined no hitter. But remember what Juan niebus
Nestor Aparicio 19:30
I was at that game, so I walked in on the gal was definitely there that night.
Luke Jones 19:34
And, well, I mean, that was during the streak, so yeah, Wilson Alvarez at the last year at Memorial Stadium and Nomo, you know, that was Cal’s last the what, night two or night three of his last season? You know, 2001 So, but, yeah, I mean, it’s, it’s funny because, you know, again, just speaking personally, you know, it’s not like I was going to run over to the Dodgers clubhouse, you know, necessary. Earlier, right about Yamamoto, but as a baseball fan, yeah, there. There’s a sense of when it’s three nothing. It’s just like, well, it would be really cool to see this. I would have told
Nestor Aparicio 20:10
you to run to the Dodgers clubhouse. I would have made it, man, maybe as your friend, because I was at Nia versus locker that night by I drove out there in the sixth inning. I when it was a no hitter. I drove to Memorial Stadium that night. I did. I was in the locker room when the AVA stood the no hitter, but I didn’t. I wasn’t there at the national anthem. It was cold as hell too. It was April, but I was I mean, I have all of these touches with no hitters, which is what makes it such a special thing for me that the cone no hitter. I was supposed to go to Bruce Springsteen played Brendan Byrne that night. Scotty Pete, we were going, and we didn’t go. And he threw a no hitter. And the Messina no hitter, the near no hitter. Here, I did my show at Hooters. I was supposed to go with it on a date, and we detoured to go on a date. We went to restaurant instead. So I’ve had all of these no the kid, the left hander that was throwing a no hitter in the eighth inning against the Minnesota Twins in 1987 left handed pitcher, my God, I have to go look at his name. He’s before he’s off your radar. But there was a no enter being thrown at the Metrodome. Seven and two thirds like that. Seven and third like a nice, chunky one back in my child night, 1819, years old, and it stopped my night, and I stopped the date, and I moved around and got in front of a television so no hitters are had to find my life. You know what I mean, literally as a
Luke Jones 21:33
baseball Yeah, and it’s funny, because what it was a couple years back, where was it the twins or someone came really close to having a combined one against the Orioles at Camden Yards. And I remember texting with you at that time, and I said, Look, man, a combined no hitter that doesn’t do it for me. Like, don’t get me wrong, that’s a good team accomplishment, but there’s nothing special, truly special about that. But when Yamamoto went out to the ninth, went out for the ninth, and he was at, what 104 pitches, I think he was. I’m just like, here we go. I’m gonna, I’m gonna get a shot to see this. I mean, everyone that’s in this ballpark is gonna get a shot
Nestor Aparicio 22:09
to see this. Eric Bell, Eric Bell, May 6, 1987 I was on a date at the rusty stopper. He carried a no hitter into the ninth inning, broken up on a bloop single. Steve lombardozzi, there you go. So see, I mean, you know, 39 years ago, I can’t remember what I ate, the peach cake a 39 minutes ago.
Luke Jones 22:29
Yeah, but, but so, so I had those thoughts. Then holiday hits the home run, and I say, All right, well, the Orioles spared themselves the embarrassment of being no hit on 2131 night. But at that point, the game had gone long, and I’m just thinking, gosh, I just want to go home now. I just want to be I want to be home. I want to watch the end of the college late night college football games.
Nestor Aparicio 22:49
I don’t need to see Yamamoto drink soccer tonight. You know, I got a football game tomorrow in Buffalo.
Luke Jones 22:55
I mean, if I from the moment that ball cleared the right center, you know, hit the ground, crew shed, if I could have just snapped my fingers had been on my car and heading up the JFX to head home, I would have done it at that point, right? But then the Orioles string together these at bats, and it’s just like, there’s no way how
Nestor Aparicio 23:14
many people walked out when the ball hit. The ratio ball aligned.
Luke Jones 23:19
I mean, it wasn’t a mass exodus, but certainly you noticed, but, but at that point it’s three to two or three to one, and you’re saying, Okay, well, you know, I’m not going to beat traffic at this point, so I might as well just hang in there. And to your point, there were quite a few Dodgers fans there. You know it, you know the Orioles and acid is a sell out. There are definitely empty seats, but you know,
Nestor Aparicio 23:39
they just continue to lie. It’s okay. It’s just a lot.
Luke Jones 23:43
No, I I hear you. I’m agreeing with you. It’s just but, but it was just then it turned into something that was wow. You know, again, this team’s in last you know, they’re we all understand where they are right now. This isn’t meaningful as far as wins and losses for this season, but that’s why, to me, the Robert Andino thing just jogged my memory, just seeing the euphoria, seeing what the clubhouse was like afterwards, the fact that you had 41,000 people there, or whatever it was, and they were sent home happy with pleasant experience beyond just the cow ceremony. You know, it’s funny, you mentioned how you were feeling as far as why you decided not to go. I’ll be totally honest with you, man, I going into like I was going. I was always going to go. Although it was funny when I saw that Kershaw was pitching on Sunday, I kind of almost forced myself to go. But I thought, Nah, it’s better, from a content standpoint, for me to watch all the NFL games. I know what happened week one all that, but that was Clayton Kershaw’s first time pitching at Camden Yards, and he’s been one of my you know,
Nestor Aparicio 24:49
to see Otani pitch Friday night. Well, I’ve seen Otani. I’ve seen him do that at least. So I haven’t seen Otani play.
24:57
So yeah, but I was.
Luke Jones 25:00
You know, I felt a certain way about the Cal thing, and I hate feeling this way, and it comes across as jaded sports guy, you know, as jaded sports media guy. And it’s not, but it’s, you get to a point. And again, I say this from personal experience, right? I’ve cited it many times. I was two weeks old when the Orioles last won the World Series. I’m going to turn 42 in less than a month. I mean, that’s how long it’s been for this franchise. And when you’re talking about my generation, and I was, I was even talking to someone in the press box, uh, someone in their mid 20s, and he made a comment, I’m not going to use his name, and didn’t say anything controversial or flippant or disrespectful, but he kind of made the comment that while he respects Cal Ripken doesn’t resonate with him. I mean, he’s 25 he wasn’t even born yet when 2131 occurred, let alone any memory of what the Orioles were in. You know, through the mid
Nestor Aparicio 25:55
80s, you tell these little snots with press passes, while I don’t have one, that I’ll come and educate them if they need that. But it’s not about that,
Luke Jones 26:02
right? I mean, for me and noted, and
Nestor Aparicio 26:06
that’s not this, I wasn’t somebody’s gonna play the enemy Steadman role. It’s me now, I wasn’t, I wasn’t
Luke Jones 26:11
talking about his knowledge. I’m just talking, you know, he was just talking about his mojo, growing up as a baseball as to what, whether, why, it’s important to him, right? And it’s just not like it’s important to him, because it’s important to his father. In the way that
Nestor Aparicio 26:24
Lenny Moore was important him is important to me because of my dad. Right, correct.
Luke Jones 26:28
Same with me. Like, look, I had the privilege of meeting Brooks a couple times over the years. I even once thanked him because of how much he meant to my dad. I mean, it’s the first, first time I really met Brooks Robinson. I it was kind of a fanboy thing to do that I probably wouldn’t do 15 years later as a media guy, but I was, you know, 27 and I just thought, hey, I don’t know if I’ll get a chance to do and, you know, I remember Brooks pat me on the arm. And, you know, in the way that Brooks was everyone’s next door neighbor or their favorite grandpa, right? I mean, so I
Nestor Aparicio 26:58
think of Brooks and not smile the best,
Luke Jones 27:00
right? He was the best, right? But I never saw Brooks play. I mean, I My mom was a couple months away from giving birth to me, and was up at Cooperstown for his induction. But Brooks wasn’t my guy. He was my dad’s guy. He was my grandfather’s guy. He was, you know, my my aunt and my grandmom and my mom, like he was their
Nestor Aparicio 27:20
guy. So I they named their children after him. Yeah, I leave. I loved him for that. But anyway, you know, I’m getting off track a little bit. But you think about everyone that’s younger than me, you know, anyone who’s say 35 and younger cow is what that is. You know, cow is that to them what Brooks and Johnny Unitas was to me, and you think about that in those terms, that’s why, or what the cults even mean to this city at this point. Don’t get me wrong, and don’t get don’t get me wrong. The Orioles should absolutely honor their past. This is not me saying that that would be the worst thing would be to stop doing that. However, when you look at the lack of truly, you know, the not lack but shortage of truly meaningful teams, truly meaningful experiences, truly meaningful players. There have been some, but not nearly enough over the last 40 years, and say, more specifically, the last 30 years, since 2131 you know, part of me was just like, this is another example of like, going out to an Orioles game, and they’re selling you on something that happened a really long time ago. And, you know, you see what the team is now, and you know, we’re going to see what happens. We’ll see if they can have the kind of off season they need to have and all that. But, you know, there was part of me that was a little bit jaded, you know, going into that, I thought it was hokey. I mean, like when it started on TV, I’m like, this is and it was hokey for Cal first time around, was kind of sort of hokey, but it was not, it just happened. It wasn’t staged in any way. This thing felt a little more stage. But to me, it was the old timer. It was the old timers part, for me, the fact that surhoff showed up when I know it hasn’t been the easiest feelings with him in the franchise, and the fact that Bill Ripken was missing, and we’re now 30 minutes into this, and people brought it up everywhere but me, and the fact that Cal’s married to somebody different now, his daughter wasn’t there, his brother wasn’t there. He got emotional. Cal got emotional. Um, Eddie was a supporting role, the John Miller thing, dude, I’m watching on TV, and
Luke Jones 29:22
that was my favorite part of the night, and I was listening to it the best I could, just on my earbuds in the press conference or in the press box, because, and I say this with no disrespect to chuck Thompson, but Chuck Thompson wasn’t mine. You know that he wasn’t my era. Chuck Thompson, at that point was, you know, the guy who did Sunday games when John Miller was doing Sunday Night Baseball with Joe Morgan, right? I mean, and I don’t get me wrong, I loved it. I got to listen to chuck Thompson and experience that. But John Miller was my generation’s Chuck Thompson. And considering how unceremonious that departure was and how ugly that was, I mean. I, I said for years that was absolutely close to the top of the list, as far as the things that bothered me about where this franchise started going after, you know, from 1997 all John Miller sat in my studio and sobbed, yeah, I, I’m sure I’ve told you this, I can recall my This was probably 9192 somewhere around there. So this was a few years before John Miller’s departure. We my family and I, we were at the Hunt Valley Mall. We were at one of the toy stores at the Hunt Valley Mall, and John Miller was there, you know, one of his kids and my dad struck up a conversation. And I, I, I don’t remember his son. I don’t even know if it was his son or his daughter or whatever. Like we were kids, like I was seven years old, something like that, just in a toy store. And I remember we kind of went off and we’re looking at Toys and all that. My dad had a conversation with John Miller. It had to have been 15 minutes that they talked, you know, just and just, I assume, talked to Oreos like I was more, more, uh, infatuated by being at a toy store and looking around. But I just think about that. And I always thought about that when, you know, from the time that Peter Angelos made his comments about John Miller doesn’t bleed, bleed orange and black and all that. And I thought about that like John Miller was there with his, you know, with it was with his kid at a mall, and he struck up a conversation with a random Orioles fan for 15 minutes talking baseball and and did that every day of his life. Yeah, they got rid of that guy. So, so that meant so much to me. It was great seeing Eddie. I thought it was Ken Griffey Jr. Got quite the pop as well. You know? I mean, it’s Ken Griffey Jr again, this goes back to my generation, like, okay, he wasn’t an Oriole, but he hit the warehouse at the 93 All Star game. And he was the epitome of cool for a kid, a base, a 19, you know, a 10 year old baseball fan in 1993 it didn’t, didn’t get cooler.
Nestor Aparicio 31:55
You know, he was the epitome of cool for the 25 year old, uh, contemporary who sat with him that morning that he hit the warehouse on that Monday. That Monday morning he flew in, he sat down with me in the Orioles clubhouse right by the front door. He put his bag down. He just got off, and overnight, I told Leonard Raskin this story in the air this week. I said he sat there for 20 minutes talking to me, and he said, Hey, dude, stay here and talk to me so nobody else bothers me. Yeah, so nobody bothers me because he was unpacking his bag. And I knew him a little bit, yeah, just a little bit, but he was such a great guy. I mean, Ken Griffey was just a great, you know, he’s part of the good part of the game that I love, the Tony Gwynn, those relationships that I talk about with those players of that era and and seeing that, John Miller took the mic, and he got people to chant Eddie, because that’s it was a little selfish in his own way. His story was meandering. And I’m like, Is John okay? You know, he’s like, but he was just trying to get some Eddie Murray chance going. And I thought he knows how close call in anyway he was there for us, perfect, you know.
Luke Jones 32:56
And I would also say my favorite part. And Cal had perfectly fine words to say. My favorite part of Cal speech was acknowledging. It was also the 29th anniversary of Eddie hitting his 500th and and look, we just, you know you and I just talked about Brooks for 30 seconds, and we both smiled, right? Everyone smiles talking about Brooks and Cal it’s a it’s miraculous that cow or anyone even came in the same stratosphere as far as what Brooks meant to this franchise, this city. But, you know, cows always been more careful. We all understand that, right? And I don’t say that to be critical, it’s just, it’s just truth, right? I mean, Cal’s just was always a little more careful and guarded. But I say that as an 11 year old kid who got his autograph in late July of 1995 after a White Sox game and waited I was gonna say the most incredible thing Cal Ripken ever did was signing autographs for everybody. And I witnessed it every night. I mean, Cal was my all time favorite, but my favorite part of his speech was acknowledging Eddie. And my favorite part about Cal Ripken all these years later, and Eddie, you know, both Hall of Famers, right? I mean, you know, we all know their credentials, their friendship is still one of my absolute favorite things. You know, when Cal flat out reflected on the streak, and he said I was basically just following the advice of my dad, you know, the instructions of my dad and Eddie Murray’s example. I mean, yeah, that tugs at you a little bit when you think about those days. And I just, you know, it’s crazy. I mean, you know, we’ve all seen the commercial and TV Cal talking about Medicare and being 65 now, and juniors, I’m
Nestor Aparicio 34:35
thinking of the picture of them and at the vet holding that bottle of champagne,
Luke Jones 34:39
like, so, you know, that was a long time ago, but like, just, just to still have that experience Saturday night, even if it some of it was hokey, it’s great, and that’s where, but it also goes back to my point about, man, I want this franchise to make new memories, because I want to have things to talk about with, you know, my nieces, or, you know, if I have kids one day, still. Or whatever, or just younger people, you know. I mean, you want to have special things to talk about. And, yeah, you can pass on the stories of your parents or your grandparents. And I’ve certainly done that when I’ve had people that cared to listen about that era. I mean, as someone who didn’t live it, I’m pretty knowledgeable about it, you know, just because I was a nerdy, you know, sports fan growing up, and heard those stories from, you know, from my elders, but I also, you know, when you’re talking about this franchise, you know whether we’re talking about the Ravens or the Orioles, but especially the Orioles, because the Ravens have at least been to the top of the mountain a couple times, and have been a model franchise in terms of wins and losses and success on the field. Man, you want some new stuff to be able to talk about. And no, you’re never going to have another Brooks Robinson. And no, you’re never going to have another Cal Ripken. And at this and at this point, Nestor, I even question whether you’re whether you’re going to have another Adam Jones. I mean, and that’s not just the commentary on the Orioles, but it’s very much a commentary on what professional sports continues to become. Right? It’s much more of a you know, your guys are distanced from the community in a way that they weren’t even 15 or 20 years ago, let alone 40 Well,
Nestor Aparicio 36:13
their distance from accountability, their distance from media, their distance from fans, their distance from their own city, they’re oh
Luke Jones 36:20
and in fairness, and in fairness to these guys, they also deal with a lot of scary stuff on social media that they hear from so called fans, right? Not to mention the gambling part, right? So I’m not, you know, I’m not even trying to, I’m not trying to completely, you know what on that either. It’s just the reality of where we are in 2025 but, man, I want this franchise to have something 30 years from now, that’s the 30th anniversary. That’s something that’s really special, right? I mean, we’re getting to the point now where, and you know, you and I talked about this 10 years ago, when they were in the midst of it, you’re seeing a lot of fans that are younger. They have so much reverence for the buck Showalter era. And look, they didn’t even have a pennant. But when you consider what most of the last 40 years have been, 2012
Nestor Aparicio 37:03
through 16 was really fun, right? I mean, well, we’re honoring the 75 colts this week, and that doesn’t mean anything to you, but anybody that was around at 75 with the Colts, especially my, you know, I didn’t have Johnny, you? I came in on
Speaker 1 37:16
that. Remember 1958 like 78 Yeah,
Nestor Aparicio 37:20
Bert Jones. I mean, ask Clark judge about Bert Jones. I have him on the air this week. I mean, Bert Jones was just this incredibly swashbuckling figure in the history of Baltimore sports that is long since forgot it was 50 years ago.
Luke Jones 37:35
Yeah, well, and, I mean, Bert and Bert Jones, you know, obviously had the injury, and, you know, didn’t, didn’t get to have a long career. And obviously
Nestor Aparicio 37:43
Burt was everything Lamar was for a little bit of time. You know, as far as being like a guy you believe you can win with, and a guy that was young and talented and all that at that point in the game, you believe Bert can win. I gotta ask you this, because we are tying 70s together. Luke Jones is here at Baltimore, Luke, you can follow him. You can be on our tech service brought to you by Cole roofing and Gordon and Gordian energy. You’ll get it all first, just a little bit of a break from football and purple therapy and losing to the bills and Joe Flacco and all of that on the baseball thing. All of this started with Davey Johnson. And I guess you and I be doing a piece if 2131 just happened and the game was a normal seven to one, dodgers victory. And everybody went home, and we talked, maybe Cal and Eddie and tell a story or two, but the Davey Johnson thing that started the beginning of the day. And I think about people touching Oriole baseball and realizing he like, I’m like, I have that picture on the wall of Louis and Davey Johnson and Brooks and Boog, you know, 6667 and then that picture also exists with Blanchard later on, more famously, kind of easier to find the one with Blanchard than it is to find the one with Aparicio in 6970 71 and that era of Oriole baseball, Davey was like, he wasn’t Frank, he wasn’t Brooks, he wasn’t boo he wasn’t Louie. Wasn’t Palmer one McNally, you know, I mean even not Paul Blair. I mean guys that were stars or perceived as such, during that he was in that trade for Earl the big cat, Williams. And I should tell you this, because it’s weird, but on Saturday morning, my wife saw me rooting through all my 2131 stuff. We started talking about Cal Ripken. I started looking at the weather, and I’m like, the weather, the weather. I’m not going. I’m not going. I don’t go to ballparks in the rain. You know this? I just, it’s like, this dumb I don’t do it. I just, I just don’t like being stuck there when it’s raining, there’s nothing going on. Reminds me about the bad parts of my childhood. But the antique shop on Harford Road, across from the barn, Bowery antiques was going out of business. It’s their last day. Like antiques, I never, I’ve never walked in that store in my life. It had a huge, huge sports portal, like of all sorts of cards this that skipjack programs from 1984 like. Just crazy stuff in there. And I saw baseball cards, and I touched Earl the big cat Williams card, and I Davey had been dead five hours. I had said to my wife, Davey Johnson, she’s like, Dave Johnson, the pitch. I’m like, No, Davey John. She’s like, Who’s he? Because she’s from Boston, and she wasn’t around here, and she didn’t see him play and get dealt for early big cat, Williams, 1973 the way I did so I started telling her about Davey, and I told a few of these stories to Alan, but Alan was a part of it. Alan was my ballpark reporter when Phil Regan was here and Davey, they didn’t get the job the first time. And the Peter principles, chapter 456, 2131 happened right around, you know, Davey Johnson was hired a couple weeks later, you know, so like all of this happened, and Davey was in the middle of all of this, and Davey’s relationship, even with Cal senior, and Davey’s relationship to the Mets, and having won a championship, and Gooden and strawberry and night and all of that went on with the Mets Carter that he’s famous for that. But man, what a huge part of Oriole baseball and even of your childhood to say it was never the same around here after John Miller left, and it was never same around here after Davey Johnson left, and Cal would say that Davey had accountability. I mean, Al and I talked about like Davey could have ended Cal street because the streak was like over, over, he had already passed Garrick and Davey was a hard ass and a smart ass and a smart guy and all that was reverent to Cal but not so reverent that he wasn’t in control of the lineup. And it’s no accident that that 1996 and 97 I’m lucky enough that I remember 73 and 79 and 83 you know, good teams, but like per kid your age, Luke, if there was no buck and there was no Delmon young, the only thing that really was was Davey Johnson in those two years in the history of Camden Yards and Davies passings just, you know, sort of a monumental thing, if you were around and know that John Miller was important as a broadcaster, and know what happened when they didn’t hire Davey Johnson when they did, and then when the goof that owned this team and destroyed it for 30 years went to war with his manager?
Luke Jones 42:13
Yeah, I mean Davey Johnson, generally speaking, I mean a giant in the sense that a pretty good, really nice career as a player, won a World Series in New York. Certainly was a personality that could rub people the wrong way, as multiple stops showed that, but he won, and it’s funny, I think about the juxtaposition, you know, the timing of that, you know, coinciding with the anniversary of the streak. And of course, as you mentioned, Davey wasn’t hired into wasn’t hired until right after that season. But I almost seem to recall, and you might have a better memory of this, because I’m just remembering this as a 13, you know, 12 going on, 13 year old kid. I almost remember when, when the Orioles hired Davey. I seem to remember, in passing, he made a comment about, oh, I’ll probably be the one that ends Cal streak, or something like that, which, you know, whether he said it in jest or whether it was, hey, this guy’s 36 years old. And I
Nestor Aparicio 43:10
think Davey was like, I can be the bad guy. I have no problem wearing a black hat. So that happened,
Luke Jones 43:15
he, if you recall, famously or infamously, considering he got picked off right after it happened. Pinch ran Cal for Manny Alexander in a close game, Manny Alexander got picked off, and cow was out of the game for a game that went extra innings. Believe it was against the Yankees, right? That was the phone calls the next day, that day Lucas, I did that was a really big deal. Well, I mean, at that point, I mean, this was Cal, okay, I get it. He was 35 going on 36 whatever. And cow was pissed. Oh, cow was I was in the locker room that cow was pissed. I remember, I can’t remember if that was an HTS or, uh, this is
Nestor Aparicio 43:50
why Messina would be a good guest and stuff. Mike Messina, like the people that were around during that era, remember all of
Luke Jones 43:57
this, they just stared into the abyss for four innings, or whatever it was that they played without him. And then, of course, you know, that summer there, there was the temporary moving cow to third base. And then, of course, after the season, they got Mike bordick, because Manny Alexander wasn’t worthy of being a starting shortstop. And then the rest was history. They moved out of third but it I thought about all that, but Davey Johnson, great baseball man, very much, you know. I mean, we always, Earl was always credited for being, you know, the guy that used analytics before anyone knew what Analytics, you know, before it was called that. But Davey was very, very much cut from the same cloth in that way, very, I mean, let’s not bury the fact that. Look at the lineups he used against Randy Johnson, right? I mean the craziest thing like benching Palmeiro, Chris hoyles, Robbie Alomar. I mean, Jerome Walton played first base, who barely played that entire year. He was hurt. I was at that game in Seattle, dude. But hey, Chris. Spoils owned Randy Johnson and Jeff rebella hits the home
Nestor Aparicio 45:03
run. By the way, I found my press pass from that game. I can’t find my Cal Ripken, 2131 press,
Luke Jones 45:09
but I just, you know, I thought about those things. And you know those examples with Cal. I mean, it speaks to the fact that Davey wanted to run things the way he wanted to run them. And obviously that’s something that rubbed Peter the wrong way. And, you know, don’t need to belabor that too much. But I mean, Davey just, I mean, he had his conviction. There’s no doubt about that night. You know, I can’t speak as anyone who got to know him or meet him, or anything like that, but I certainly admired him as a manager. And as I said to you a few minutes ago, talking about John Miller. I mean letting Davey Johnson go, and obviously i mean i Everyone felt the same way about that. You know, that was another one of those unforgivable things to do, and until Buck Showalter came along 13 years later. I mean, man, and that’s no disrespect to Mike Hargrove or any of the managers they had over that time, because the rosters weren’t any good either. But man, that talk about a misstep, I mean, so you know, definitely sad to hear the news about Davey Johnson. But yeah, the timing of that man, it just brought back memories of 96 and 97 and, you know, seeing surhoff, seeing Brady Anderson, seeing Paul marrow, Eddie Murray, who, you know, one of my favorite parts of my Orioles fandom growing up was when Pat Gillick brought or Eddie Murray back to the Orioles at the trade deadline in 96 and Eddie got to hit his 500th in Baltimore and but yeah, you know, Davey Johnson, there’s only been one Orioles team in my lifetime, in my lifetime, that I had full conviction was going to win the World Series. No doubt, in my mind, I remember being a 13 year old kid. I had a, I had a cassette, a queen cassette tape with, we are the champions on it. And there, there would be times I’d go to bed at night, you know, playing that cassette tape, and, you know, I’d like to Queen whatever, but I’d hear that song, and I would just daydream about that year’s team winning the World Series in October, because I was just so convinced that 97 team, I was so convinced, so I was so heartbroken when Tony Fernandez hits it over the out of town scoreboard Off Armando Benitez, and
Nestor Aparicio 47:21
so was the guy that threw the cup of water in my face at Hooters an hour after that game that
Luke Jones 47:26
Yeah. So, yeah. So, I mean, just but, but those two teams, those two years, as fleeting as it was with Davey Johnson, it’s a shame it wasn’t a longer marriage, but man, what a great career he had, and certainly someone who was worthy of receiving some flowers from us as we’re trying to talk about something more pleasant than what happened to the Ravens on Sunday night.
Nestor Aparicio 47:47
You know, everybody’s in UNK now, I guess I if I reached UNK status in your life, I think I have right. I mean, all these years, I got a couple of UNK stories for you to because you love Cal and Eddie so much. I’m in Cleveland when Eddie’s playing for the Indians, I guess it was 95 and, um, think it was 95 would have been 94 or 95 it was 90 it was 95 because Jacobs field was open, and I’m out there and I’m in the flats, and this is like when the basements rock and the flats didn’t look like it does now. It was more bar dish, more like, more like a Fells Point kind of there was one side of the flats and those side of the flats, but, and I walked through, and it was literally a Monday night. So I think it was a series out there where they were playing Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or something like that. So it was nobody out on the town, but I was out looking for girls, because that’s what I did when I was 2827 whatever, out drinking beer. I’m in Cleveland. I’m excited to be there. And we went out to bar. There’s nobody out, walking around, walk through the flats. See a Hooters. Stick my nose. There’s Monday Night Football. That’s why I remember about it, because let I was out kind of watching Monday Night Football. And we didn’t have the Ravens yet. It was 95 Yeah, the Ravens did not exist. The Browns did. Okay, so I stick my nose in the Hooters, and there’s nobody in the Hooters at all, but there’s one booth and sitting in the back, staring down at french fries and wings and couple cold beer bottles up on the thing, Eddie and Cal. So like I look in and Eddie and Cal are just sitting in there in the Hooters in Cleveland on a Monday night, there’s nobody in there, nobody and, you know, and watch Monday Night Football, drinking beer, sticky fingers, you know, and he walked by, and you’re like, leave him alone. I’ll see Cal at the ballpark tomorrow. So that’s my Cal and Eddie fun story for you. And the other part is, I think I’ve told you this before about Eddie. I just want to tell one Eddie story, because Eddie’s never come on the show. I’d love to talk to Eddie Murray, if somebody made it happen. Great. He’s always sort of reclusive, or whatever he might have at this
Luke Jones 49:52
point. I loved how demonstrative he was when he was announced on Saturday night. I mean, we all think of Eddie as just, you know, being stoic. And, you know. Know, not, didn’t want to talk to the media all that.
Nestor Aparicio 50:02
Which selfie with me at the Miami Super Bowl 15 years ago. I ran into him, and he was but I don’t know Eddie, but Eddie was around when I covered the team. Eddie, Eddie was ambassador this. And here’s what I know about Eddie. And this probably was the Flanagan era, so this is probably Oh, 456, that sort of era I’m down at Spring Training, was definitely not six. It was 4345, early spring training. You know how we would go down and do the shows down there, live at six in the morning in Fort Lauderdale, all these pictures of all of that stuff, right? Or a weaver would come by. We were like, legitimate back then, like promoting the baseball team, Katie, so you could sell tickets. So I’m down there early. I mean, I’m talking seven in the morning, and it’s when I, like, I had a crew broadcasting, so I was sort of like, off the air at that point. It was going to do the afternoon show, whatever it was, but I’m walking around at seven in the morning, and we’re doing live radio, but I’m not the host, right? So I’m just sort of supervising, making sure everything works. And Eddie Murray walks out with a stack of like Dominican, Venezuelan looking kids. They’re all kids. They’re small, they don’t have major league bodies, they don’t look like they shave. They’re all wearing number 84 right? And Eddie’s walking to the back, back fields in Fort Lauderdale, back by the airport that the Angelos just used to come in on because they like things hot down there Fort Lauderdale. And Eddie’s walking out with a fun go bat and a cup of coffee hitting fun goes to a bunch of kids at 715 in the morning in February. And it was cold. It was like 58 degrees, little sweatshirt weather, and I’m thinking, man, he loves baseball. You know what I mean? Like, that was the moment for me. Like, I haven’t talked to Eddie Murray twice in my life. I talked to Eddie Murray once, to take a selfie with him, because he was sort of notoriously, if I say I’m a media guy, he’s not gonna like that. And I think I, you know, I did interact with him. It was never good, bad or ugly. It was just sort of like I left Eddie alone because he bit back when he was a player. And I think sitting and talking to him now would be magical, like, not to steal that phrase, but like for any of these people who have these stories to tell, my show is a format to tell them, and I am a storyteller who lived it through all of it to be able to tell it. So it’s special for me. But the Davey Johnson thing, when he died on Saturday morning, I’m trying to express to my wife like who he is and what he does. I went to the stats told him he was on the field when Hank Aaron hit the home run, because the Orioles dealt him to Atlanta, right? I said, and then the Mets, and just, you know, all of that, the Reds after that, and then the Orioles and Angelos. And I said, No one went to war with Peter angelos, like, I’m famous for it, right? Like, the day he died, people are calling me for quotes, right? Like I didn’t want to hate Peter Angelos. Peter Angelos hated everything and everybody and abused everything he could. And that’s 30 years of track record on that. That’s just the way it was. I wrote a book about it, but Davey Johnson was caught up in all of that, personally and the faxing. Please go read the Peter principles. If you’re listening. I worked really hard on it. I wrote it for Adam Jones. I hope he reads it one day. Lots of you have read it. Anytime people read it, they’re like, Hey, you’re not a bad writer. You might know something. Ai didn’t write it. I wrote it, trust me. And the Davey Johnson thing, from a team standpoint, they made a mistake not hiring him. Davey said some flipping thing that I read in my own book the other day about, I thought they wanted somebody with experience. I guess they didn’t. Dave You always had a plug for, you know, like a like a hot plate for everybody, especially after being in New York for seven years and winning World Series and then not winning World Series and like all that, like he didn’t suffer fools, as Alan McAllen said that, he said Davey didn’t suffer fools. And when Davey came in, he played with my cousin. So I never it never registered to me whether he liked me or didn’t like me. He was sort of irascible with everybody, but I think he really liked me, but I didn’t know it at the time. He did separate me and Palmeiro. The time Paul Mayra chased me with the bat, so he got in the middle of that. So Davey’s here the whole time, the Jeffrey Mayer thing, all of that. But I never really realized how much he admired me about angelos, even then, that I would go on the air and be a hard ass on all of them, whether it was Palmeiro, whether it was him, whether it was Pat Gillick, whether it was Cal Ripken, I was nasty. Astro. It was 1995 I took phone calls. I did it live. I said what I thought I still do 30 years later, then it was welcomed by real men, not Chad stealing these people to throw you out, people that did not have a problem with questions after games, because he managed the New York Mets, and he worked next to Earl Weaver, and he had no problem with accountability, which goes back to Mark Andrews and Mike with sticks in my crawl with that, but Davey gets the gig, and this is the way Davey was with me. So this is a funny Davey story I do my show live at the. Double tree hotel in Cypress Creek in Fort Lauderdale, right by 95 it was live. It was an evening. Budweiser sports forum, 1996 97 ravens barely exist. The Orioles are everything. Spring Training is a big deal. Robbie Alomar over here. Sir offs over there. Jimmy key, Messina, Elrod Scott. Kaminicky, think about Alan Mills, all you’re doing my show. Rick down, they’re all doing my show, and I’m in the lobby, and I’ve been setting it up all day. I’ve been at the ballpark getting bumpers. Hey, you’re my 515 I’m taking my girlfriend to dinner tonight. Stop by 630 Hey, you in the lobby. I’ll do tomorrow night, you know. So I’m making a list like you and I have done at Super Bowls for 30 years of when people are going people are gonna but I’m live so I gotta pee. I got traffic reports with Kim Knight. I’m doing all this stuff and I and I was on maybe four to seven then by then, like live in the afternoon in the hotel lobby for a week, all the equipment was a pain in the ass. It was expensive. It’s just a whole deal. I’m young. The girls are pretty The beer’s cold, the strip’s over there, the beach. I’m distracted by everything, but I’m trying to do a great show, so one day I can employ somebody like you for 20 years and do this thing. And Davey comes down in the elevator and has a beer, and he comes over and I’m doing a live show, and I’m like, Dave, you want to come on? And he’s like, I got my own show, man, I’m on Bao. I’m all sit and watch you do your show. So Davey would sit six feet from me and drink beer and entertain all the girls and all the Frank produce there watching my show takes tough man to make tender chicken. So Frank Purdue did my show. So like all these people were doing a show, and Davey’s there drinking a beer, laughing at me, rolling his eyes at what I’m saying. Like, I like you watching you do your show, man, you do your show. And he would always poke at me, but he never did my show. And in two years he did have his own show on Bal. You know he’s like, I got my show with whoever it was when Joe Angel, John Miller was there the first, first year, then he got thrown out. Um, did too much. Didn’t bleed enough, but all the BS that went on during all that, Davey, I never disliked Davey. I never called him names. I’m in his office every night. A lot of times I’d be in the visiting I’d rather go sit with Sparky Anderson than Davey Johnson at that point in my life, you know, let Alan go sit with him, you know, I’ll do the visiting locker room. I’ll get to know Ken Griffey. You know what I mean. So, so for me in that point in my life, trying to be a reporter and all that, it pissed me off. It rubbed me, you know, funny, but it was just Davey being Davey. So Davey gets into it with Peter on the fax machines and the Washington but you don’t read about it, Peter Principle, it’s all up there. How crazy Peter Angelos was. What a man, what a demented man he was about all of this about leadership, about accountability, about the things he said, very Trumpian, by the way, in the words, but so Davey gets whatever can quit depends who you ask. Peter didn’t want to pay him. Davey left. Davey wanted to be paid. Davey didn’t care. Davey went up getting Dodger money the next year, or whatever. But 1998 he sat out that year. You can look at his record. And that year, the All Star game was in Colorado at Coors Field. And boy did I piss off the foot licking pinker family that week, when I called it pissy water stadium, all week, when I was bud sponsored, and Bob footlich said, Son, we can’t have you calling our beer pissy water. We’re going to need to work out a sponsorship. So I got a sponsorship, of course, out of that for years that Rob long later took but so 1998 I’m at Coors Field in Denver. I’m with Tomcat, and I’m after covering the all star game. It’s probably my sixth All Star game at that point. Yeah, 93 four in Pittsburgh. You know, like all the ones that happened, right? 94 didn’t happen. The 94 happened Pittsburgh. 95 was Texas. 96 was Cleveland. So 96 was Philly, 97 was Cleveland, so I’m like six all star games in. So I know the routine. I know what I’m doing. I’m in lodo. It’s brand new franchise, brand new stadium, brand new everything and and like celebrities are at it’s a little bit like Cooperstown guys signing autographs, doing pictures, fan fast, you know, all of that. And Coors Light had hired Davey to like,
Nestor Aparicio 59:23
sign pictures and autographs, take pictures for two hours at a bar in lodo on that Monday. And I don’t have Davey’s number at that time. I had Johnny oats number, but I have Davey number and I’m like, I’m gonna go see Davey. And Tom always loved Davey. Tom cap loved Davey Johnson for because he was such a irascible fellow, you know, just he liked that give and take. Davey liked the give and take. I showed up at the bar, and Davey’s there, and Davey sees me, and it was like I was a long lost brother. He bought me two beers. He sat for 45 minutes, told me everything that was effed up about Angelo’s. Gave me the entire. Background of everything that went on that I probably should have taken notes would have made the book better. I probably forgotten half of what he told me that day. It just reaffirmed everything that was screwed up about Angelo’s but he could not have been more pleased to tell me how effed up Peter Angelos was. Then took the Dodger job and whatever. I only saw Davey maybe three more times in my life, and the last time I saw Davey alive was at Dodger Stadium in 2009 I was on the field. It was the night after bashati threatened me to stay away from the Harbaugh family at the Dana Point owners meetings, the World Baseball Classic. The first one was happening dice K on the back end of your Yamamoto was pitching for Japan. Ichiro was playing in that game. Roy Oswalt started the game at Dodger Stadium. Jeremy Guthrie was involved. Brian Roberts was involved. And I had a press credential, and I was on the field at Dodger Stadium for the World Baseball Classic, because I was there for the owners meetings. And I went on the field. Davey was there, and I said to my wife, I’m like, I don’t know. You know, Davey would always refuse to come on with me. I wonder if he’ll come on with me. And I went over with him, and I said, Davey, my wife, Jen, oh, look at you. You got pretty wife. You know, like, Davey hadn’t seen me in years. You know, he had been running the Nationals, or was about to run the Nationals at that time. He’s out of baseball. And because I asked him, like, if you thought about coming back? And he said, Well, my kids are born in Baltimore. He gave me all that, but I have a video of he and I on YouTube at the end, you know, of my media, baseball media career at Dodger Stadium. On the field, he’s about to manage the World Baseball Classic. I was talking about a memorable baseball game, dude, 50,000 Japanese people in their bangers yelling for each row eating noodles and Dodger Stadium. I mean, it was on, it was a great experience to be there that night. But I guess what I remember was Davey Johnson talking to me that night, like, on the record, and I got to talk to him a little bit about Baltimore, and he was incredibly magnanimous with me. So like, play with my cousin. He’s a special guy. I tried to tell my wife all this stuff on Saturday morning didn’t mean much. Or I’m like, I’m gonna invite Alan on and we’re gonna tell Davey Johnson stories. Because I gotta tell Davey, because he’s just such an important part of the history of Baltimore and Baltimore sports and and even shaping me in some way to be able to deal with an accountable, honest, you know, front facing leader, successful at everything he did, and having that part of my life taken away from me as a journalist, it’s it’s a disgrace, John our ball is a disgrace for not wanting to take questions from me after Davey Johnson did 30 years ago and never had a problem with it. And in the modern era, for anybody listening, none of these real men of that era had any problem with accountability, with criticism, with answering legitimate criticism, with explaining the fans how things worked, with wanting to teach their craft, even if they had a chip on their shoulder. And Davey had three of them, you know. But I love Davey so, you know. And I just wanted to say that because I don’t think I’ve said a word. Said a word. I think you and I have ever discussed Davey Johnson in 20
Luke Jones 1:03:05
years, have we probably not. I mean, maybe sometime in passing, if the Orioles were playing the Nationals when he was managing there. But I mean, probably not. And Yeah, huge
Nestor Aparicio 1:03:15
part of Orio baseball, man rings
Luke Jones 1:03:17
all air as a manager, Manager of the Year, all star. I mean, he had a one heck of a baseball life. There’s no question about that, and certainly should and will be remembered.
Nestor Aparicio 1:03:29
He is Luke Jones, you know, if I were Hall of Fame voter, you know, I I could make a case for Davey Johnson being you can’t tell the history of baseball without telling Davey Johnson, because they’re the 86 Mets were special, you know, and in that way, and, and I think that that remains so. Honor to Davey Johnson, honor to Cal Ripken, honor to Eddie Murray, honor to John Miller, we have we missed anybody? Did we? Did we? I mean, I Yamamoto, even for his greatness out with Jackson, holiday for breaking the damn no hitter up. How about that Manuel Rivera
Luke Jones 1:04:03
with the walk off two run single, right? I mean, it was a great night. It really was. I’m glad I went it. I’m glad that there was something tangible with the current baseball team that fans could take away to feel good about. It was just it was a fun night. There haven’t been nearly enough fun nights at the ballpark this year, but Saturday night certainly, and Friday night Messiah, with the walk off. We didn’t even mention that, so get that in there as well. That was good to see. I look at
Nestor Aparicio 1:04:27
your watch and you tell me the next time we’re going to talk Oriole baseball. Now that the ravens are pissed away a game to the Buffalo Bills in the last seconds,
Luke Jones 1:04:36
some we’ll do something over the next week. But you know, it kind of becomes like a weekly thing rather than a I’m
Nestor Aparicio 1:04:42
going to continue to whisper the only two words that matter, and they’re not. David Rubenstein, you ready? Michael array, I’m Nestor. We are wnst am 1570 Towson, Baltimore, I still love talking about baseball, even if they hate me. You.
