Former HTS voice of Orioles Michael Reghi comes home from Cleveland to discuss his time with Cal Ripken, Davey Johnson and some Camden Yards lore of winning baseball in Baltimore. Oh, and some Browns and Joe Flacco, too!
Nestor Aparicio and Michael Reghi discuss the history of the Baltimore Orioles and the impact of key figures like Davey Johnson and Cal Ripken. Reghi, who now calls college football for ESPN, reflects on his time with the Orioles, including the 1997 season and the 2022 celebration of Ripken’s 30th anniversary. They also touch on the current state of college sports, particularly the challenges posed by the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) policy. Reghi shares personal anecdotes about his career and the significance of sports in his life, emphasizing the lasting impact of memorable moments in sports history.
- [ ] @Nestor Aparicio – Reach out to Bert Jones, Roger Carr, and other members of the 1975 Baltimore Colts team to discuss their legacy.
- [ ] @Nestor Aparicio – Follow up with Munch Bishop, Bernard Bickerstaff, and other members of Nestor’s “Cleveland mafia” next time he is in the area for a visit and coffee.
Michael Reghi’s Return to Baltimore
- Nestor Aparicio welcomes Michael Reghi to WNST AM 1570, mentioning the Maryland crab cake tour and the Maryland lottery.
- Nestor explains the context of inviting Michael, highlighting the rivalry between the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens.
- Michael shares his current work, calling college football games for ESPN and enjoying college hoops.
- Nestor reminisces about Michael’s role in Orioles history, mentioning the celebration for Cal Ripken and the loss of Davey Johnson.
Reflecting on Orioles History
- Michael expresses his gratitude for being part of the Orioles tradition, especially during the 1996 and 1997 seasons.
- Nestor and Michael discuss the impact of Davey Johnson, his management style, and the veteran players on the team.
- Michael recalls the 1997 season, the ALCS, and the potential for a World Series win, despite the loss to Manny Alexander.
- Nestor and Michael talk about the magic of Davey Johnson’s management and the impact of his departure on the team.
Cal Ripken’s Legacy and Recent Events
- Nestor and Michael discuss the recent celebration for Cal Ripken’s 30th anniversary and the walk-off win by Yamamoto.
- Michael shares his memories of big moments at Oriole Park at Camden Yards and the significance of Cal Ripken’s achievements.
- Nestor and Michael reflect on the special moments in baseball history, including the Hideo Nomo no-hitter.
- Michael expresses his respect and admiration for Cal Ripken and the opportunity to interact with him regularly.
Personal Memories and Sports History
- Nestor and Michael share personal memories of attending and calling no-hitters, including the Bud Smith and Avis no-hitters.
- Michael recalls his early memories of the Detroit Lions and the significance of rooting for a local team.
- Nestor and Michael discuss the impact of legendary players like Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath, and the 1975 Baltimore Colts.
- Michael reminisces about playing against Glenn Dowdy in high school and the lasting impact of those memories.
College Sports and NIL Impact
- Nestor and Michael discuss the changes in college sports, particularly the impact of the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals.
- Michael expresses concerns about the unintended consequences of NIL deals on college sports and the challenges faced by coaches.
- Nestor and Michael talk about the shift in fan interest and the challenges of maintaining interest in college sports.
- Michael emphasizes the importance of supporting college athletes and the need for a balanced approach to NIL deals.
Final Thoughts and Future Plans
- Nestor and Michael reflect on the legacy of Jim Palmer and Mike Flanagan in Orioles history.
- Michael shares his ongoing work with ESPN, calling college football and basketball games across various conferences.
- Nestor and Michael discuss the future of sports broadcasting and the importance of staying connected with the industry.
- Nestor expresses his appreciation for Michael’s contributions to sports broadcasting and looks forward to future conversations.
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
Michael Reghi, Baltimore Orioles, Davey Johnson, Cal Ripken, Camden Yards, Cleveland Browns, ESPN, college football, baseball history, Oriole tradition, no hitter, Baltimore Ravens, sports broadcasting, NIL impact, college athletics.
SPEAKERS
Speaker 1, Michael Reghi, Nestor Aparicio, Speaker 2
8
Nestor Aparicio 00:01
Welcome home. We are W, N, S T, am 1570 Towson, Baltimore. We are Baltimore, positive, positively doing the Maryland crab cake tour. We back out at the Beaumont in Catonsville next Tuesday the 16th. It’s all brought to you by the Maryland lottery, uh, millions and billions of dollars being given away this week in Powerball. We had some million dollar winners around here. I’ll be checking in. We’re also doing the Responsible Gambling thing this month because, like, it’s football season, which allows me to invite old baseball friends on. Strangely enough, the Cleveland Browns are taking on the Baltimore Ravens. It’s a rivalry. You can kind of look it up. This guy was part, I was kind of like a throw in in a package deal. You know, we got the ravens and some broadcasters to be announced later. Michael reggae was one of those guys back in 1997 that came from the land of Cleve after the Ravens came here in 1996 if you know your home team sports history, you know your Orioles history, you know why I’m inviting Michael reggae on a the ravens are playing the Browns this week. But Michael reggae, we had a celebration for Cal Ripken the other night. We had the loss of Davey Johnson the other day, and when I started putting together the tentacles of 1996 and 1997 and Davey Johnson, well, there’s only few of us left around here, 30 years later that can do this. Mike, So how you been still calling college football out there in the believe land?
Michael Reghi 01:25
Yeah, yeah, call college football for ESPN. I got a call about three different conferences. Call a game each week. Enjoy that college hoops too. And you know, still, still getting it done, Nestor, to the best of my
Nestor Aparicio 01:38
ability. Well, there was that point where the Browns came here, and you came here, and you were perceived as a Cleveland guy, although you’ll tell me you’re a Detroit guy. You know through all of this, but you know quite some history, and you touched a really tender point in oral history. John Miller came back here last week and did an inning on Bal and you were a part of the whole Angelo’s upheaval at that period of time when he left and came in and really Mel proctor as well and became the voice of the Orioles at a time where, like baseball was different. Here I try to explain that to people that see more of an empty stadium. It was not sold out for Cal the other night, which was a little bit shocking. The weather was a little bit iffy in the Dodgers weren’t down. But that point in Oriole baseball, and what Davey represented, and where Cal was, Boy, you sure came in at an interesting point in Oriole baseball history.
Michael Reghi 02:31
8Yeah, I felt very fortunate to be able to be a part of the tremendous Oriole tradition at that time. Nestor, as you know, again, I mean, they’re coming off that 96 season, getting the playoffs, and my first year was 97 and of course, that, you know, they went wire to wire. And I really enjoyed Davey Johnson so much in just very saddened to hear of his his passing. The other day. I thought, Davey, you know, and he’s had the oral tradition, yes, but I just thought he was a hell of a good baseball manager. Nestor, consummate baseball guy. Damn good manager, of course, like ever, like all of us, you know. Did he have some detractors? Yeah, but overall, I think Davey was the right guy, you know, a veteran guy for that particular Oriole team back then. I mean, you remember, you know, lot of veterans on that team. You know, you think of the pitching staff with, you know, Jimmy key and Scott Erickson and Mike Messina, of course, leading it and so, I mean, I thought Davey was, was the right guy for that spot. And of course, the 97 season was, was fantastic until it got to the ALCS, which I think it’ll always be one that I think many Oriole fans always felt. I know I did that. You know, that certainly was all set up to potentially be a World Series participant, if not champion, that year.
Nestor Aparicio 04:08
Well, Cleveland gotten away. I’ll tell you that Manny Alexander got in the way.
04:12
Yeah, they did. You’re right. Well,
Nestor Aparicio 04:15
the thing with Davey is it was never the same around here after he was jettisoned, and and there was some magic tonic, and we saw it here with Buck Showalter too, where um managing important, and I don’t know baseball, the analytics, and I know the managers don’t do as much managing as, let’s say, Earl Weaver did back in his day. But there was something about Davey, and I was storytelling, a little bit about his level of confidence, about the way he came from the Mets, about all of that good and strawberry Mets, 86 juice he had. But he also was a real Oriole who was a part of Frank Robinson played shortstop, played second base, my cousin played shortstop. Brooks, all of that Earl Weaver, all that tradition like that was just that was a magical, magical time for baseball. Here. Baltimore, as was Cal Ripken, and bringing that back in the 30th anniversary that, I mean, the Baltimore baseball traditions we saw kind of all come to life this weekend, all in one little snapshot. And then Yamamoto goes out, goes eight and two thirds, and then the Orioles have a walk off win. So, I mean, it was, it was like a Disney World night down there Saturday.
8Michael Reghi 05:19
Mike, yeah, I enjoyed taking a look at that. I didn’t see the whole game, but as you know, started to unfold, and I saw we potentially got some, some real big time stuff happening here. So I got into it in the seventh inning. And yeah, it was one of those. It brought back a lot of great memories for me, Nestor, because there was nothing better than a big moment at Oriole Park, at Camden yard. I love that. I think about it often. I’ll believe me, I pull out my, you know, my my score cards from all the games that particular season, and I have great remembrances of some of the magical moments that was all a part of that season. And then, as you said, you know, Cal with 2131 that too became a just, just an amazing part of that particular timeline of of birds, baseball. And again, I mean, I was just so happy. I had so much respect. And, you know, felt so fortunate to, you know, think about it. I’m preparing to call a game every day, and Nestor and I get to talk to Cal Ripken before the game, I mean, and just his insights. And I think we all know this. I won’t, I won’t go on. It’s all, everything all of you know that has been all a part of Cal’s legacy. But felt very, very fortunate to be able to, you know, be able to be associated with and have a small hand in, and, like I said, more importantly me, just to be able to interact with Cal on an everyday basis was, was phenomenal. Yeah, I was
Nestor Aparicio 07:14
doing the math on this with the amoto no hitter last week, about how old guys like you and me have been around you called professionally, a million baseball games in, you know, across the Orioles and other places. Did you ever attend the no hitter baseball game? You ever call one or attend one? Were you at the ballpark? Is I have gone my whole life. I walked out of one the bud Smith no hitter and San Diego, I had a plane. I had a red eye, and left the game in the third inning and landed found out I left a no hitter. I walked into a no hitter when won the Avis through one in the sixth inning. I got my car back in the late 80s and ran out Memorial Stadium. I was working at the paper at the time and did a little post game locker room with him. But I never I You’re probably calling the Messina no hitter on that Friday night back in the day. Were you
Michael Reghi 08:00
not seen a no hitter. Yes, remember Hideo Nomo,
Nestor Aparicio 08:03
8as you called the Nomo no
Speaker 1 08:04
hitter? Yeah, for ball, when he was with Boston against,
Nestor Aparicio 08:07
Oh, that’s right, you were the Orioles announcer. Then,
Speaker 2 08:09
yes, yes. So you have, so that’s a magic moment, right?
8Michael Reghi 08:14
Yeah, yeah. I mean, again, it’s when you look at it that way. I mean, to have an opportunity to be a part of those just magical, special moments in in baseball history. Sure. I mean, that’s something that that stays with you for a long time. It’ll always stay with me, and you know, as will all that 2131 in the ride up to that with Cal just phenomenal, you know, phenomenal moments in Major League Baseball that I, I hope all fans you know, take to heart and understand how special they are.
Nestor Aparicio 08:49
Michael right guy of Detroit, of Cleveland, of home team sports and of the Baltimore Orioles. He was the voice of the Orioles at the turn of the century. Always great to visit with. Mike. He’s at calling college football games. He’s wearing his ESPN hat. And you know, these talents take on life. And you know, I’m I’ll be 57 next month, Mike. And so all these years with Baltimore going back to 83 with the Orioles, really the legend of what Johnny Unitas did, and what Joe Namath did to us, and what the Mets did us in 69 and all of those pieces. And I had you on and your son right after, Cleveland finally won, and LeBron James, that was the big Cleveland victory. It finally happened for Cleveland. Here. We’re waiting on Lamar right and now, after the debacle the other night in Buffalo, speaking of Buffalo, I’m buffalo. They’ve never won. Cleveland finally won because of LeBron, but still trying to get over to hunt with the Indians and the browns. Your town in Detroit had titles of different kinds, with hockey, basketball and and waiting on the lions, and we got them next week here. By the way Lions
Michael Reghi 09:52
go, I do remember when I was a kid. Now I’ll give you I was only, let’s see the first four years old, but I do. Remember it because my dad had lions season tickets at old Tiger Stadium. And honestly, I do recall at four years old, some of those moments when the lions, you know what Bobby Lane was, the quarterback then and they through the 50s, the lions, I mean, you could make a case, were the top team in the NFL through the 1950s and so I’m a kid growing up there at that time, and very, very young, but do have a few remembrances of it. And so you know the team you root for and the place you grow up, Nestor, I think you’d agree. I mean, that’s always so meaningful and special to you when you have an opportunity to be a part of that. I mean, what about for you with the Colts in 64
Nestor Aparicio 10:55
8See, Osborne is 68 right? So the Colts were, you know, several three and then five, they won with the Brian kick, right? I was, I have no memories of Super Bowl three or five. My first Super Bowl memories about seven or eight, you know, just literally came Bob greasy, Mercury Morris, those teams, I remember those teams, Fran Tarkenton and stall back and, you know the Charlie Brown, Billy Kilmer Redskins. I remember that that was Bert Jones. And this is an interesting by the way. Michael red guy is here the one time. Voice, Michael, this week, the Browns are in town on Sunday, on Saturday. And this might not, this will mean a lot to you, because you’re a real you’re a real sportsman. The 75 Baltimore Colts are being honored here now. Now they didn’t win a champion, but this was the Bert Jones team that won nine games in a row after starting one and four, you know, wound up going on a little bit of a run where they lost the Steelers twice and goes to the post happening 77 but the Bert Jones, Lydell, Mitchell, Ted, marcher, Broda teams of 75 is getting honored here this week at university, I’m trying to get Burt Jones on. Roger Carr Glendale, you know, the the heroes of all that, I want to talk to you a little bit. It’s the Browns are in town this week. What’s the temperature in a place like Cleveland, where, you know, I’ve been out there for Indians games in recent years. I’ve been a Browns game about four years since they took my press credential, but I went for 25 years out there for Browns games. It is. It’s one thing in Baltimore to have Angelo’s and not really have a lot of years where you really believe you can win. Baseball, that’s more common. Football, it’s kind of uncommon to not believe in your team ever because the salary cap and, you know, we’ve seen every team can win in the NFL, but boy, the Browns have a snake bite on them. And our guy, Joe Flacco, and I’m wondering how they’re going to dig out in the stadium circumstance, because you’re there, and I know there’d be nothing in Cleveland quite like a brown Super Bowl parade. There’d be nothing like that.
Michael Reghi 12:58
No, I mean, it would be phenomenal. And, you know, I think, absolutely, one of the best things that ever happened here. And of course, you know the years in the 80s when they had the the AFC Championship Game failures with Bernie Kosar. And by the way, because I know, you know, Bernie, health wise, is not doing well at all right now. So we hear that. I know we all send our heartfelt prayers out to him in his battle to try to get back healthy and so he can continue. Because, you know, there’s a guy like you’ve had with so many of the former cults,
Nestor Aparicio 13:41
right, like Bert Jones. He was the Bert Jones, Cleveland, for sure.
Michael Reghi 13:45
Yeah, stayed in Baltimore. Did I ever tell you that I played Glenn dowdy and I were played against each other in high school, shake and bake, baby. Shake and Bake. Love. Glen dowdy, man, oh, he was so good. God, he was so good. Yeah, Pershing high. Glen dowdy, I went to Cass and we were rivals back in I love hearing
8Nestor Aparicio 14:05
that. I love hearing that. Michael, I I, you know how much I rooted for dowdy and Roger Carr and, yeah, like, like, love those teams. Man, love
Speaker 1 14:15
those Sure you did. I mean, how could you not? I mean, Glenn, like, I’m seven
Nestor Aparicio 14:19
year old boy grow up East Point mall, and Joe Erman is over at the JC Penney signing autographs on a Monday night at, you know. And I went over and I met Joe Herman, Joe and I tell Joe the minister, Joe Erman and I, you know, I’ve told him that my whole life. I said, Joe, you were the first football player I ever met. You shook my hand. My parents were so impressed by you. And my father loved taking me to cold skates. I mean, I attended, like you, with the lions at four years of age. I have memories of my dad taking me to see Joe Namath play in 1973 at my ticket stub I was five years old. Football’s in the blood around here, you know, of
Michael Reghi 14:58
8course, it is. And I you know. I mean, I, I think that we again. I don’t know, as you know, the years continue to pile up. Nestor, honestly that we’re talking, I find myself just, it’s almost seems like every day I start to go back on something football related. Like I said, it might be playing against Glenn dowdy in high school, him at Pershing high, and me at Cass and it, it’s, you know, it’s something I don’t know we, we’ve discussed a lot. I know baseball has those kind of things too, but I gotta be honest with you, as the years are going on for me, the football memories. I’m finding myself really, really honing in and locking in on those even more so because, I mean, you know, right now, you know, I mean the game itself is especially the NFL. I mean, there’s nothing that could come close to that in American sports. So, yeah, it’s always going to have a a phenomenal place in our hearts.
Nestor Aparicio 16:07
What do you call in these days? What games you calling? I know you’re you’re out every weekend and yeah, kids are still playing a lot of football after you call a lot of basketball as well. You’ve always done that.
Michael Reghi 16:17
I do. Yeah, it’s more college football and basketball right now for ESPN and I, thank you for the for the plug. Nestor, yeah, I, you know, I call about three different conferences, the Mid American Conference, the American Athletic Conference, and I even I’ve got a couple of ACC games later in the year, in November. So it’s just a joy for me to be able to continue. Because, you know, I mean, it’s, it’s a young person’s business now, and they see, I mean, I just had one said to me, Hey, Reg, I one of the suits at ESPN. I saw something that is, this your 50th year in broadcasting. I said, Yes sir, it is the only job I’ve ever had. You know, out of college, only job I’ve ever had.
Nestor Aparicio 17:06
That’s what I keep saying to people. I don’t know what else I could do. I don’t know what I’m qualified to do. All these
8Michael Reghi 17:11
years for me, I, you know, nothing. There’s nothing else that I could do even remotely well. So it’s, that’s why I feel about, you know, feel so humbled and feel so wonderful about having all these opportunities down through the years, you know. So, I mean, again, you you, you gotta go after it and make the most of em. And I feel I’ve done that. I’ve given a lot to the our industry. Nestor, and you know, I again, I’m proud to say that I’ve treated the industry well. The industry’s treated me well. So I’ve got no complaints, buddy, none.
Nestor Aparicio 17:50
25 years later, I still call you, and you even treat me well. Michael red guy is here. He is in the land of Cleve yo, last thing your con college sports, the N i l thing at that level. And I talked to the Towson people. I do a lot of business with cop in here. We promote cop and state. I talk about them. They don’t have a football program, but basketball, the state of college sports has just changed dramatically. I know you’re calling the games left to right on the radio dial in the TV dial and, you know, and getting the plays and but boy for the coaches and for the administrators and for the parents and for just all of it. It is been a very, very massive and very, very rapid overhaul.
Michael Reghi 18:30
Oh my god, and Nestor, I won’t attach any names to it, because that wouldn’t be fair of me. But you know, again, I’m so fortunate to have phenomenal relationships with all these coaches down through the years and Nestor some of the conversations we have now, and some of the things that I mean again, I feel honored that they’re willing to share it with me because they know it’s not going to go any further, but I tell you what some of The things that they have to deal with now, with n, i L, and now paying their players and everything that goes along with that. I tell you, I wouldn’t want to do it. I would not want to do it because it, you know, I’m not a big fan of it. I’m not favor of it. I know that that’s sounding like, you know, the ultimate old guy that you gotta. I know you gotta do that. Now it’s way it is. You gotta pay these kids to play for you in college, but I’m still not a fan of it. I you know, to me, you gotta, you’re getting, most of them getting a full ride to get a college education. And back in the day Nestor, that was enough, right? I mean, it was like we thought, Oh, the luckiest guys going in the world to be able to have that opportunity. But boy, has it changed now, and a lot of the coaches are just beside themselves trying to keep up with the times and those they have to deal with, with all of that.
Nestor Aparicio 19:59
8You. Know so well the unintended consequences of leaving every year, generating local revenue, selling out to businesses, kids saying to coaches, you’re not really in charge. I’m in charge. It’s a whole different level of power, and, and, and I think this, and I’ll leave it at this and, and we’ll set sail on a better note, but I I’m worried about who stays interested in it when you can’t follow. You mentioned ACC. You said those three letters here, ACC, to me will always be Duke, Maryland, North Carolina, 18. You know college basketball, Lefty drizzle, knowing the players attaching to them for 234, years. And that’s what made me a fan of it, that that didn’t get Buck Williams paid at Maryland, right? Or, you know, or Herman veal, but it in the modern era, getting people interested in it outside of Ohio State or Penn State, or wherever that the big money is, especially with college football this time of year, it has definitely made me change my interest level in and and I don’t know what’s going to change that, and that’s what concerns me. Because, I mean, these young people go out and play, they want people to be there to support them too, right? There’s part of cheering that, you know, the kids like when they’re they’re on campus.
Michael Reghi 21:12
So, yep, it’s a conundrum, buddy. And you know, I’m at the point now because I love college athletics so much that I just now, just every time something comes up, I just hope for the best, hope for the best for the the kids, the players, the coaches and that they’re able to get through all of this without too much carnage along the way.
Nestor Aparicio 21:37
Right listen, if I own the Orioles, I would have invited you back for the old timer celebration last week, right there with Rafael Palmero and Bobby bow. Bobby Bo came back this week. Griffey. Bobby Bo, Rafael Palmeiro, DJ surhoff, you know Ben McDonald calls the games, and I know Ben was probably a little bit before your time. He’s probably gone by the time you got her. Ben was Ben is a fantastic baseball announcer. Has turned into that 30 years later. So we still have cakes. One of your cohorts
Michael Reghi 22:07
here, the legend, talk to cakes all the time. He’s He’s an American treasure. I honestly say I I love that man. I loved him when, you know, we worked together, and it was such a delight to be with them every day, and the late Mike Flanagan, too. For me, those two will always have a special place in my heart, because to me, you know, there’s two guys right there. Now, that’s Orioles baseball, right? Yeah, yeah, it’s Orioles baseball.
8Nestor Aparicio 22:38
You’re not kidding. And you know what? Because you’re the senior here, I’m gonna let you drop the mic on that, because that’s a pretty good mic drop there. That’s Oriole baseball. Mike Flanagan and Jim Palmer. Michael red guy was a home team sports and Oriole baseball at the turn of the century. I reached to him this week, not just because he lives in Cleveland and we’re playing Joe Flacco and the Browns this week, but because I like Mike, and it’s always pleasure to visit with you. Hey, man, maybe they’ll be in. Yeah, guardians. I almost said the T word or the I word, guardians and Orioles match up to to crow about at some point next summer. And I hope when I get in that you know, when I when I find Munch Bishop, when I find Bernard bikini, when I find my old Cleveland mafia, next time I’m at there for a blossom concert in the greater Cuyahoga area, I will find you for a cup of coffee. I’d love that.
Michael Reghi 23:26
Of course. You know that’s that’s a given. Buddy Always a pleasure joining you and stay well, my man, all
Nestor Aparicio 23:31
my Cleveland mafia will be in this week is Joe Flacco comes and tries to steal John our balls lunch bunny ravens lost on Sunday night to the bills. It’s been an ugly week around here. But the good news, well, the bad news, we got to talk about Cleveland. The good news is, I like all these Cleveland people, so you’re going to have some Cleveland people this week. We’ll get you look at the browns and get you ready for football. Luke’s out at Owings Mills. Any breaking news happens first on the W, N, S, T, tech service. That is all brought to you by our friends at Coal roofing and Gordian energy. Don’t forget, my tastiness is up. We’re counting down the days to number one. That’s next week. It’s all brought to you by friends of curio wellness. The GBMC hotline is alive and well with great guests from believe land in Cleveland, as we get ready for some football here on Sunday, I am Nestor, and we are W, N, S T, am 1570 Towson, Baltimore, and we never stop talking Baltimore. Positive. You.
