March 5, 2025 • 35 mins
Baseball is in Buddy Bell’s blood. Growing up, he spent his days at Crosley Field watching his dad, Gus Bell, play for the Reds and later roamed County Stadium when Gus was traded to the Milwaukee Braves. In this episode, Buddy shares stories of his childhood in the game, the special way his dad let him know he made a great play, a life-changing moment in the parking lot at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, his first All-Star Game in 1973, and the unforgettable highlight of his career when he finally put on a Reds uniform in 1985.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Mike Koser (00:00):
I am Mike Koser and welcome to Lost Ballparks.
Our guest on this month'spodcast is Buddy Bell.
Buddy Bell was born into it,raised on the hum of the crowd,
the crack of the bat, the smellof hot dogs, and damp infield
dirt.
His dad Gus was a ball player,a four-time off-star.
So Buddy spent his childhoodrunning the ramps at Crosley
(00:22):
field, watching his dad hit andhustle in that thick Cincinnati
summer air.
Then it was Milwaukee when Gusgot traded to the Brewers.
Buddy, a white-eyed kid soakingin the game the way only a kid
can, wandering through theGrandstand at County Stadium.
He's got stories of the secretsignal his dad gave him when he
made a great play.
(00:43):
Of a moment early in his careerin the parking lot at Cleveland
Municipal Stadium that changedhow he played forever.
Of stepping onto the field forhis first All-Star game in 73,
Royals Stadium, under the Julysky.
And then at 85, when he finallypulled on that Reds uniform,
just like his father before him.
It was a moment, a single,perfect moment, that became the
(01:07):
highlight of his career.
His talented, family, the ghostof ballparks gone, but not
forgotten.
It's all here with Buddy Bellon this month's episode of the
Lost Ballparks Podcast.
Buddy Bell finished his careerwith 2,514 hits, 201 home runs,
(02:10):
a lifetime .279 batting average,silver slugger, five-time
All-Star, won six straight goldgloves, and is a member of the
Texas Rangers Hall of Fame andpart of a three-generation Major
League Baseball family, one ofonly five in baseball history.
Buddy Bell.
Buddy Bell (02:25):
Hey Mike, how are you?
Mike Koser (02:26):
I'm doing great.
How are you?
Buddy Bell (02:28):
Good, thank you.
Mike Koser (02:29):
Hey, thanks for doing this.
I appreciate it.
So we'll start here.
When you were born in 1951,your dad, Gus Bell, was a member
of the Pittsburgh Piratesplaying his home games at Forbes
Field.
But by the time you were two,he was traded to the Reds.
So was your first Major LeagueBaseball game, the first one you
ever attended, was that atCrosley Field in Cincinnati?
Buddy Bell (02:48):
I don't think so.
I think the first, I don'tremember this, obviously, but
I'm sure it was Forbes Field.
The first ballpark I canremember is Crosley, though.
Mike Koser (02:57):
What do you remember uh about that?
Because your dad would haveplayed it at Crosley until I
think you were 10 or so.
So you you probably would havehad, I'm guessing, the run of
the ballpark a little bit.
Buddy Bell (03:07):
Yeah, well, I I mean, I have fond memories of
Crosley for sure.
It's my most favorite parkever.
And a lot of it was justbecause I spent a lot of time
there with my father and youknow, when he was playing with
the Reds.
Announcer (03:18):
Crosley Field is now the favorite cool spot in the
summertime for a night game.
Spectators are comfortable inthe only air-cooled stands in
baseball, cooled by 54 huge jetair fans.
Buddy Bell (03:31):
Unfortunately, back in those days, we weren't in the
allowed in the clubhouse orlocker room or the field.
So, you know, we I would go tothe ballpark with my dad, and I
would just sit in the stands andwatch batting practice and
things like that.
It was more just going to thegame and waiting in the game.
I used to keep score of everygame as well.
So that gave me something to dowhile I was preparing for the
(03:51):
game to get uh started.
Mike Koser (03:53):
But was there a uh favorite place you like to sit
uh at Crosley?
Buddy Bell (03:58):
I always sat uh behind third base, uh behind the
Reds dugout.
It gave me an opportunity tosee my dad run run on and off
the field.
And of course, you know, I hada lot of other you know favorite
players as well.
So I mean I I didn't go toevery game.
I mean, obviously it was it wastough going to school,
especially the beginning of theyear.
(04:18):
But once the summer hit, I wasI was down there quite a bit and
you know got to know all thepeople in the the the best part
of or not the not the best partof of the ballparks, the
ballparks that that I played inor have been in has always been
sort of the ambiance of it all,you know, the the character of
it.
But the thing that really madethe the ballparks extra special
(04:42):
was the people that that reallyworked around the ballpark, the
ushers, the cops, people thatwork in the concession stands,
the the the few people thatworked in the front offices at
the time.
So there was just so much goingon in the ballpark, and of
course these days, I meanthere's just so many people that
are involved in the theoperations of a stadium or or of
(05:03):
a ballpark.
You don't get to to know all ofthem, but back in the day when
my dad and when I first startedplaying, there wasn't that many
people.
So we were we were able to havepretty much relationships with
just about everybody that workedat the ballpark.
So that was the cool thing forme more than more than the
actual sight of the of theballpark, even though the the
(05:23):
smell of the ballpark, everyballpark had its own little
smell to it.
I can't really explain it toyou, but it it was kind of weird
when you you know, the more youhung around, the more you sort
of understood that.
Mike Koser (05:35):
And then of course the the sounds I think of uh at
Crosley Field in particular,Ronnie Dale playing uh playing
the organ before, and thenpeople sometimes would sit at
Crosley and you know for 20 or30 minutes after a game and just
kind of sit there while Ronnieplayed.
Buddy Bell (05:51):
Yeah, I was crazy.
You know, back in the day, youknow, everybody had an organist,
Ronnie Dale, the the lady theyhad with the the White Sox.
I can't remember her name.
Oh Nancy, yeah, Nancy Faust.
Nancy Faust was there forever.
I think she was the first onethat sort of um kind of played
with our names a little bit.
And in mine being Bell, I mean,there's a lot of you know,
(06:12):
everybody had the you know, theyhave their walk-up songs now,
but when you went into you know,at Comiskey, you know, Nancy
always had something for all ofus.
She was a really nice lady aswell.
Mike Koser (06:22):
Your dad played for the Milwaukee Braves
in '62, '63, and '64.
From your adolescent eyes atthat point, what did you think
of uh of county stadium?
Buddy Bell (06:31):
Well, I loved county stadium.
county stadium was the firstballpark after Crosley that I
can ever remember.
Ernie Harwell (06:38):
The sun shines bright on the county stadium in
Milwaukee in the heart ofAmerica's dairy land.
Buddy Bell (06:43):
I love playing in County Stadium as well, after I
signed and became a pro player.
So county stadium was awesome.
All these uh these cool parkshave all been pretty much put on
the same lot.
You know, even Cincinnati, theyyou know, the new park park
they have, which is my leastfavorite ballpark.
Mike Koser (07:01):
Some of the ones that like you're talking about
feel a little industrial, whereas you go back and you look at
County Stadium and uh andCrosley Field, these care these
ballparks had character andcharacters who worked at them.
Buddy Bell (07:12):
And I think it's all still a part of that.
The the you know, the the lureof it of of the the stadiums,
but I I think it's the ballparksnowadays are so geared to
entertainment, which is great.
It seems like there's somethingat every ballpark for
everybody.
Um, and I think that's sort oftaken away from from some of the
lure of it.
Mike Koser (07:32):
Well, yeah, I think back to I I'll just take San
Diego, where I live, and you goto Petco Park, and while the
energy is electric a lot oftimes, the the the games are
sold out, it does feel a littlebit like a wall of sound
throughout the entire game.
And so I grew up going to uhCleveland Municipal Stadium to
watch the Indians play with mydad.
(07:52):
And I can remember just havingthree or four hours of like his
undivided attention, and wewould be talking about baseball
and life and all kinds of otherthings.
And now it's I mean, it's it'sdifficult to have that
conversation uh when you're at aball game because it's so loud.
I don't want to sound like oldguy, you know, get off my lawn,
but it's a totally differentexperience.
Buddy Bell (08:13):
Yeah, it it it is, and it you know, there's a lot
of music, which is great.
I'm not I I love me, I'm amusic fan, but I mean there's
just something going on, youknow.
In between innings, there'sthey they have gimmicks going on
all the time.
So, you know, they need to dothat just just because they they
need the resources.
Um, it it it brings, you know,a certain group of people into
(08:35):
the ballpark.
You talk about municipalstadium.
I mean, I when people used tohammer that stadium...
I loved it.
And aside from Crosley Field,that was my favorite ballpark.
Just mainly it was the firsthome ballpark I had as a major
league player, and I loved it.
Herb Score (08:51):
Well, we had a light shower just before the well,
right after the Indians tookbatting practice, but now the
skies have cleared, we havepatches of blue, it's a
delightful evening, 75 degreeshere at the stadium, and really
pleasant.
Buddy Bell (09:04):
I just like the and I liked it when it got really
cold.
But it it was a beautifulballpark in the summer.
Was that wasn't a greatballpark to hit in by any
stretch of the imagination, butI love Municipal Stadium.
And and you know, one of thefunny things, I mean, you know,
back in those days, we weren'tvery successful as a team.
So there, you know, the we geta crowd every once in a while of
(09:26):
70,000.
The Yankees were in town oropening day.
Opening day was always huge.
Mike Koser (09:32):
Or July 4th, but I mean, most of the time there
there were small crowds.
Buddy Bell (09:36):
Yeah, so you could basically hear everyone talking,
it seemed like.
And if you made a bad play orsomething like that, you could
obviously obviously hear theloudest voice in the whole
stadium because it just, youknow, it was cavernous and it,
you know, it echoed from fromevery corner, it seemed like.
And I didn't really pay a wholelot of attention to it, but
(09:57):
those are the kind of thingsthat when you grow up you you
remember, and I loved Municipal,I really did.
Mike Koser (10:03):
For 30 games in '62, your dad played for the
expansion New York Mets.
In fact, he started in rightfield their inaugural game on
April 11th, 1962 at uh at BuschStadium.
But he also played at the PoloGrounds.
Were were you back home, or didyou make it to any of the games
at the Polo Grounds?
Buddy Bell (10:20):
No, I I never was at the Polo Grounds.
Okay.
He was only there for like a month, I think, month
or two.
Announcer (10:28):
The first regular season game in the history of
the New York Mets.
Buddy Bell (10:31):
I think he actually had the first Mets hit ever.
Yeah, so I mean he he was onlythere, and then he and then uh
he was traded in Milwaukee, andof course he then he got hurt,
and then that was his career.
But we were never really ableto go to away ballparks back in
(10:56):
those days.
They didn't uh condone familiesgoing anywhere, quite frankly.
And they didn't they didn'tlike him going to spring
training, they didn't like himto go on the road, and now all
that is really different for thebetter, for sure.
You know what?
I we were in Milwaukee, dad wasplaying in Milwaukee.
I do remember coming back hereto Cincinnati.
Of course, we had a home stillback then here, so it was it
(11:17):
made it easier, it was morefinancially efficient for my
parents, and yeah, back in thosedays they didn't really make a
ton.
So I did come back toCincinnati, but that's really
the only trip I can everremember.
So I wasn't really reallywasn't able to attend uh any of
those the other greaterballparks, like the pola grounds
or Shibe uh field.
Mike Koser (11:37):
Oh, yeah, shibe park in Philadelphia, right?
Buddy Bel (11:39):
(Later called) Connie Mack.
You know, I'm sure I was atForbes and don't remember.
It was just a magnificent,magnificent ballpark.
Yeah, and you know, it'sunfortunate because they're all
built pretty sturdy.
You know, I meant my firstmanagerial job was in Tiger
Stadium, which is is a beautifulplace.
I mean, I love Tiger Stadium.
Ernie Harwell (11:58):
Wind is blowing in from the outfield toward the
plate.
There's a line shot foul downthe third base side, bouncing up
into the seats.
And a gentleman from Royal Oakcaught that on on one hop.
Buddy Bell (12:09):
They have a specific smell to that ballpark, too.
And maybe just because I wasthere longer than I mean, I
didn't I wasn't, I didn't plan alot of different cities, but
the ones that I do, I justcertainly remember, you know, I
can close my eyes and I know I'mI can tell you where I'm at at
that at that particular time.
You know, it's kind of crazy,but um
Mike Koser (12:30):
Yeah, You think about Tiger Stadium and the fans
right on top of you.
Buddy Bell (12:34):
Yeah, you know, one of my most favorite things to do
at Tiger Stadium was first ofall, my office in the clubhouse
in Tiger Stadium was right offof the concourse.
So you would actually open mydoor to the manager's office.
You know, talking about SparkyAnderson's office was there,
Billy Martin was there, some ofthe great uh Mayo Smith, I mean
(12:56):
some of the greater uh managersthat you know were in that
office and and just have thedoor, you open the door, and
there's like people buying hotdogs and popcorn.
Like, you know, this is crazy.
But at that particular time, itit was still sort of old.
There wasn't much much newcoming back, and we we were all
kind of stagnant at thatparticular time when I was first
(13:18):
growing up, so everythingpretty much stayed the same.
So we didn't really pay muchattention to the door being
opened up into the concourse,you know.
Mike Koser (13:26):
Yeah, when you look back now, you're like, that was
kind of crazy.
Buddy Bell (13:29):
Yeah, I mean, it was nuts.
You know, people would, youknow, outside my office, wait
for me to come out and saywhatever they want to me, and
just try to wait as long as Icould before I left, but yeah,
but you had to go out that way.
Yeah, but one of the myfavorite things to do was we
would park our cars out in leftfield.
I would walk out of my officeinto the concourse, and I would
(13:52):
walk right up the ramp back intothe field.
There was nobody in the in theballpark, the lights were still
dim, and I would walk to my carthrough the stadium.
Everybody else would go throughthe concourse.
I would go through the stadiumbecause I just felt it was such
a cool feeling that just what 45minutes to an hour before that
(14:13):
was screaming fans and yeah, youknow, yelling and screaming and
you know, home runs andstrikeouts, and and then I
walked an hour later and there'snobody in.
It was so surreal, and it justkind of I don't know, it puts
things in in perspective for mea little bit, which I which you
always need as a baseballplayer, I think.
Mike Koser (14:34):
Growing up, uh occasionally, and tell me if I
have the story right.
Your dad would watch you playsometimes from his parked car,
watch you play baseball, and hehad a special way of letting you
know that you made a good playor a bad play.
Yeah, how would he let youknow?
Buddy Bell (14:47):
Well, dad, no matter if I was playing basketball,
football, or or baseball, dadwould never sit in the stands.
I think there were a couple oftimes he went and he couldn't
actually watch the game.
People were talking to him andyou know about baseball or about
sports, and he couldn't watchbecause he was a public figure
in Cincinnati, and you know, dadwas a really cordial and very
(15:09):
nice to people, could talk toanybody.
So when he went to the games,he felt like he couldn't watch,
so he ended up just sitting asfar away as he could and still
see the game.
And there were often times Ididn't know where he was at
until I heard the horn becausehe would honk the horn if I made
a good play.
If I made a bad play, he'd honkit twice.
Uh just like good fathers willdo.
(15:31):
Yeah, but of course, sir.
You know, when he got out ofthe game, like a lot of guys now
making so much money that youyou really don't have to work
anymore.
Dad was never in that position,so he he ended up you know
working nights a lot of times,because work through the day and
into the night.
So he wasn't really able to goto all my games.
He made him through as many ashe could for sure.
(15:52):
Yeah.
Mike Koser (15:53):
After graduating from high school, June 5th,
1969, you were selected in the16th round by the Indians at um
at 20 years old.
You played your first bigleague game for the Indians
opening day, April 15th, 1972.
Um municipal stadium.
And I just tell I know wetalked a little bit about the
ballpark, but tell me about thatfirst experience walking
through the tunnel, out onto thefield, and at 20, man, 20 years
(16:17):
old, you're thinking what?
Buddy Bell (16:19):
Well, this is weird because there's a a little bit
of a prelude here that we hadleft Tucson.
I had found out I made the teammaybe a couple days before we
broke camp.
I I was going to Wichita forsure, I'm pretty sure.
I or maybe we were in Portlandat that time in AAA, but I was
pretty sure that's where I wasgoing back to because I was only
20.
(16:39):
We had some injuries, so theyput me in the outfield.
I had never played the outfieldbefore.
So we played a game in Tucsonand left right after there.
We went to New Orleans to butuh we were barnstorming, played
the Cubs in a in an old footballstadium.
I can't even I have no idea howthey even set it up the way it
was supposed to, but we ended upplaying.
(17:00):
But after the game, we foundout that we the players had gone
on strike.
Me and my roommate, uh uh myroommate was Jack Brohammer, a
really good player, playedprobably I think maybe 10, 8, 9,
10 years, really had a nicecareer, but we had no money, we
had zero money, and we were inNew Orleans, and we went on
(17:20):
strike, which meant we hadnowhere to go.
We had to get our own ridesback to Cleveland or Tucson or
wherever we were supposed to go.
And we just so crazy.
Yeah, we ended up uh Hammer'sdad actually drove to New
Orleans and he drove us toCincinnati where we stayed until
the the the strike was over,and the strike lasted I think
(17:43):
maybe a week to ten days orsomething like that.
We had no idea what was goingon.
We we had no vote.
I mean, we just made the club.
We wish we were miserable.
You know, we don't know what todo, you know.
Nobody's nobody wants to tellus anything.
But we finally, yeah, we openedup.
I think it was the Brewers.
I think it was Bill Parsons whowas the who started that day.
(18:04):
It was a really good pitcher.
And I remember it being reallyfoggy out.
There had been fog that came infrom the lake and yeah, from
Lake Erie, sure.
It might as well have been 80degrees and sunny out for me.
You know, it was it was such agreat day.
And I don't even know if I gota hit.
I don't even I don't even thinkI don't think I got a hit that
(18:24):
day.
But and back then, that wasreally the only days that we
really had a bunch of people atthe ballpark.
So even that that was great,because we probably had 60 to
70,000 people in the stands thatday, which is for me was just
crazy because I had never playedbefore a crowd like that, or
even even thought about it.
I my main goal is just to playbaseball.
(18:46):
I I didn't think about playingin front of people or where I
played or or anything.
It was more I just likeplaying.
But then I got a taste of this,and I'm like, whoa, this is
like much better than I everanticipated.
Mike Koser (19:01):
Now, do you remember this?
The clubhouse at MunicipalStadium was small, tiny, just
like many other ballparks thatwere built in the 1930s and
earlier.
So small, in fact, the Indianshad two dressing rooms.
Most of the team would be onthe main floor.
But if you were on the disabledlist, may or maybe a rookie
like yourself, or someone justarrived in a trade, you might
find yourself at another muchsmaller room upstairs.
(19:22):
Is that right?
Buddy Bell (19:23):
Yeah, it was yeah, it was upstairs.
It was uh they used it like inemergencies or something like
that.
And I as as time went on, theyas the um the staffs grew in
number that they would have toto move some of the staff
members upstairs.
I don't remember any of theplayers having to go unless,
like you said, they were on thedisabled list or they're in
(19:44):
rehab or whatever.
But um, you know, I actually,you know, Mike, the clubhouse or
the locker room in Clevelandwas I loved it.
And and the reason I loved it,they had the the greatest
lockers ever.
They were big, you know, theyhad all kind of compartments
that you could put things in.
And plus we had we had the bestor one of the best uh clubhouse
(20:07):
men in Cy Buynak who uh
Mike Koser (20:09):
oh right, yeah.
Legendary.
Buddy Bell (20:10):
To this day, we're we're still very, very close.
So yeah, it was very big, ofcourse.
I think the the training roomand the training rooms now they
have are golly, they're like2,000 square feet.
The training room in andmunicipal was maybe 10 by 10.
Mike Koser (20:28):
The size of a closet.
Buddy Bell (20:29):
Yeah, it was brutal, you know, and they had the
whirlpool.
And if you got the whirlpool,it was half of it was was in the
training room and half of itwas out in the hallway.
So I it was like you know, backin those days we didn't eat
anything either, and you know,had the refrigerator that was in
a closet, and the door wouldclose, you couldn't see the the
(20:50):
closet, but then when you wentto make a sandwich, you know,
your ass is hanging out in thehallway, and you're yeah, I mean
it's just like uh but you knowwhat it's when we get together
now, and the guys that I'mclosest to are my Cleveland
teammates, it seems like,anyway.
And those are the guys that Ithat I grew up with, more or
less.
I mean, we sit around and wejust marvel at what's going on
(21:13):
now and what we had to dealwith, but I don't think any of
us, at least I haven't heardanybody say that they would
prefer a different time.
I mean, I I wouldn't trade anyany experience I had in baseball
for anything, and some of itwas not great, most of it's not
great baseball, it seems like,just because there's so much
failure, but I wouldn't trade athing.
(21:34):
You know, I wasn't able to playin the World Series or anything
like that.
And even then, I wouldn't tradeWorld Series bid for anything
that I did uh in my career.
Mike Koser (21:44):
So many unique experiences, and one of them at
21, you played in your firstAll-Star game.
The 1973 Midsummer Classic wasplayed in Kansas City at brand
new at the time, Royals Stadium.
Announcer (21:55):
Baseball is America's national pastime, and 1973 it
provides a significant milestonewith the 40th year of all-star
game competition.
Brand new Royals Stadium inKansas City's Harry S.
Truman Sports Complex is theattractive setting for this
year's game.
Mike Koser (22:11):
Your teammates are Brooks Robinson, Carl
Yastrzemski .
Uh you're playing against HankAaron and Willie Mays.
It had to be that had to be apinch me moment, right?
Buddy Bell (22:20):
Yeah, I mean, they had bench, they rose, they had
pressed.
One of my favorite pictures isa is a picture at at uh Kaufman
or Royals Stadium at the time,was us, you know, the American
League and National League onthe lines, and the guys that are
on in that in those lines isincredible.
My locker, and again, I wasonly 21.
I had really didn't knowanybody.
(22:42):
Really, I I was I just shut up,I didn't say much.
But my locker was in betweenBrooks and Thurman Munson.
And you know, I I was like,okay, now what do I do?
You know, I I yeah, where do Igo from here?
Like, you know what you'redoing, but you really don't, it
makes it worse.
So, but these guys were sogracious to me.
(23:05):
And Thurman and I became reallygood friends uh because of
that.
I I had known Brooks, andBrooks was tremendous to me as
well, being a third baseman andhis help, you know, in my
development and just talking tohim was was awesome.
But my relationship withThurman was developed because
he's more of a he was a catcher,so you know you could never get
(23:25):
away from him, you know, and hewould talk all the time, you
know.
He'd you know, try to distractyou the the best the best he
could.
So yeah, that's a that'sanother another sad story and
the way things kind of happen.
But the you know, those are thethe memories I have.
I my dad, my dad told me long,long, long time ago.
(23:46):
He said, But you're not you'renot gonna you're not gonna
remember any of the home runs orthe strikeouts or the great
plays or the any of that whenyou retire, but you will
remember the people that you hadrelationships with and who mean
a lot to you, and you willnever forget those.
Mike Koser (24:02):
One of the guys you had a uh great relationship with
was your high school coach, TimRose, who occasionally would
make his way up to Cleveland towatch you play.
Uh the wind at MunicipalStadium could be wicked and
unpredictable.
One night with your high schoolcoach, Coach Rose in
attendance, you hit a ball downthe line that under any other
circumstance would have beenfoul.
(24:23):
Uh but the wind pulls it back.
Can you uh can you tell thatstory?
Because it's one of the best.
Buddy Bell (24:28):
Yeah, it's it's you know, Tim was one of the best
coaches I've ever had.
And they just kind of trickedhim into being the baseball
coach here at Moeller um highschool.
He's always been a footballcoach, football coach in Miami
for a while.
But he was a reallyintimidating dude, man.
We couldn't get away withanything.
So, but I became really closeto him.
Initially I hated him, but themore I was around him, the more
(24:51):
I knew how much he cared aboutme and he wanted me to do well.
I maintained a pretty strongrelationship with Tim,
especially when he was coachingin Lorraine, because it was
fairly close to my ballpark, andI would go up and watch his
high schools play.
But um, this one night it wasone of those nights in Cleveland
where it was windy, and I hit aball down the left field line.
(25:12):
The ball was over thegrandstand.
So I figured like it was foul.
Well, the wind got got a holdof it and drifted it back into
fair territory.
I made it to first.
I should have been on second,really.
By the way, I I never did thisagain after this night.
So after the game, you know, Igot Ken Aspermonte, who's my
(25:34):
manager.
I have some Rocky Colavito as acoach.
Has some great coaches inCleveland who made sure we were
on top of things and things likethat, but they handled things
differently, a lot differentlythan Tim.
So I went out after the game.
I don't know if we won or lost,but walking out to my car, Tim
usually goes come to the gameand he would leave.
He would never stay after thegame.
(25:55):
I walked out and I saw himstanding by my car, and I'm
like, okay, what I wonder whatwhat's up, you know.
He maybe just wants to talk.
Well, he let into me like, Itold you never to do.
You know, like, holy cow is myhigh school baseball coach
yelling at me.
I'm like, hey, I'm a pro playernow, but I took it like a high
(26:15):
school kid, and I and Iunderstood it like a high school
kid, and it and I never did itagain.
Um, but Tim actually is stillcoaching football at Ashland
College.
Mike Koser (26:26):
Oh, yeah, just outside of Mansfield.
Buddy Bell (26:29):
Yeah, he's uh he's 83.
I think he's still thedefensive coordinator.
I haven't talked to him in a ina year or two.
I exchanged letters with himlast year at some point, but I
need to I need to um catch upwith him.
But he's one of my mostfavorite people.
And aside from my father, heprobably made the biggest impact
on my life as an athleteanyway.
Mike Koser (26:51):
After uh, buddy, after the 78 season you were
traded to Texas, the Rangersplayed at one of the most
unforgiving ballparks inbaseball, the human frying pan,
as it was nicknamed, ArlingtonStadium.
What do you what do youremember about Arlington
Stadium?
Those were some good years foryou, too.
Buddy Bell (27:06):
Yeah, I mean, if I have any any regrets at all,
it's I wish I would have playedin a more friendly hitters
ballpark along the waysomewhere.
Because Texas was the worstplace in the world to hit.
I mean, the wind blew in yourface every night.
It was hot.
Bill Merrill (27:23):
Hello again, everybody.
Bill Merrill, along with KenSuarez, Jim Bird song, greeting
you from Arlington Stadium.
Just underway, the temperatureis 98 degrees, wind south,
southeast, 10 to 20 miles anhour.
Buddy Bell (27:35):
Defensively, the you had little cracks in the in the
dirt because it was so hot, sodry.
One of my dearest friends wasthe groundskeeper, Johnny
Oliveras.
I didn't have the heart to tellhim that, hey man, this place
needs some water.
You know, you get used to theheat a little bit, believe it or
not.
But the thing that that you hadto get used to the most is when
(27:56):
you walk out of the out of thelocker room into the heat, it
almost took your breath away.
Because I think it was in 1980.
I think we had like 60 games ina row where the game started
over 100 degrees, June to Julyor July to August, something
like that.
I mean, it was unbelievable.
But we get, you know, we wesort of managed it pretty well,
(28:17):
but it wasn't a great ballpark.
The locker rooms were okay, butthe ballpark was just it was
intimate, which was kind ofnice, but it was just uh uh it's
just a really a horrible placeto hit.
I had some success there, butit wasn't easy.
Bill Merrill (28:33):
Wind could be a factor blowing 10 to 20 miles an
hour out of the southsoutheast, which means from
centerfield toward home or fromright field toward home.
So anything hit in the centerfield or right field area in the
air very high will be affectedby the wind here again tonight.
Mike Koser (28:51):
You had to work for everything you got there.
Buddy Bell (28:53):
You really did, and and um well, since then though,
they the ballpark in between theballpark after the the
Arlington Stadium, that's abeautiful ballpark.
But again, it was too hot, sothey're that you know it it
affected the resources as far astheir the fans go, so they had
to build one with with a dome,which and that's a beautiful.
I just went to the all-stargame last year, but you know, I
(29:16):
I didn't love it, but I I Iliked it.
And I, you know, they needed anew ballpark for sure, but we we
made it work and we sort offigured it out along the way,
but we had to pace yourself alittle bit just because of the
because of the heat.
Mike Koser (29:29):
A quick note about the uh 1981 All-Star game at
Cleveland Municipal Stadium.
You'd not been an Indian formore than two years, and yet, uh
and you can go back and watchthis video, I think they've
remastered it, so it's like anHD if you watch it on YouTube.
During the playerintroductions, you received the
loudest applause from theCleveland crowd.
Speaker 9 (29:49):
Representing the Texas
Rangers. Outfielder , Al Oliver, and 3rd Baseman, Buddy Bell
Well Buddy Bell gets a homecoming ovation herefrom these Cleveland fans, and
(30:09):
so far the baseball fans havereacted the way you would
expect.
They cheered at the right timewhen the home towners come home.
And they boo ed when the enemy,namely the Yankees, have been
introduced.
Yes, sir.
Baseball is back.
Mike Koser (30:24):
That had to be special.
Buddy Bell (30:25):
Yeah, that was really a cool game because we
had, I think we just came offthe strike.
So we had I think we were outfor almost two months.
And then when we came back, weonly had like a couple days to
get ready for the All-Star game,because that was the first game
that any of us played since thestrike.
So there were no games inbetween the strike and the
(30:46):
all-star game.
So we were all sort of comingback, just not really all that
ready to play.
So we didn't know, we we reallydidn't know how what to expect
from the fans.
But it was the mostunbelievable night ever because
the people couldn't wait to comewatch baseball again.
And it just so happened that Ihad come back to you know it was
(31:06):
played in Cleveland.
It it really touched me.
You know, I was it wasunexpected, but knowing the
Cleveland people like I do, Iguess I I should have expected
it.
Mike Koser (31:16):
1985, you were traded to your hometown,
Cincinnati Reds, and uh thatfirst home game at Riverfront
Stadium, you wore number 25,your dad's number with the Reds
some 30 years earlier.
What was it like coming backhome and playing at Riverfront?
Buddy Bell (31:31):
It was a definite highlight.
There's no doubt about that.
One of the neatest things aboutgoing to the Reds game when I
was growing up was PaulSommerkamp.
Paul Sommerkamp was a PAannouncer for the Reds.
And Dad and Paul were very goodfriends, but he had this
(31:52):
specific voice.
One of my goals was for him toannounce me into the uh into the
lineup, and that was his lastyear as a PA announcer.
So I was able to to have PaulSommerkamp announce me in the
lineup, which you know at thetime I finally arrived.
You know?
It was like the coolest thing.
(32:12):
And I think a lot of kids,especially in Cincinnati,
because it's not all that big.
I mean, it's a fairly goodsized city, but it's not as big
as some of the others.
So there's an intimacy aboutthe city and in growing up, like
with Pete, um, all the greatplayers the Reds had, the the
broadcasters, and you know,Waite Hoyt.
Waite Hoyt (32:34):
Yes, indeed, today's game is to be played right here
at Crosley Field, which hasbeen the home of the Cincinnati
Reds for as long as the oldestcitizen can remember.
Buddy Bell (32:42):
Al Michaels
Al Michaels (32:43):
first pitch to bench is
lined to right field....
Mike Koser (32:52):
Marty Brennaman and Joe Nuxhall.
Marty Brennam (32:54):
He levels the bat a couple of times.
Shaw kicks, and he fires, Roseswings.
And it's pandemonium here atRiverfront Stadium.
Buddy Bell (33:17):
Yeah, so I mean, there's some really some really
cool things about Cincinnati,but the coolest thing for me was
when Spmmer kamp announced mein the lineup.
And you know, it's somethingI'll never forget.
Mike Koser (33:27):
Buddy Bell, 2,514 hits, 201 home runs, a lifetime
.279 batting average, silverslugger, five-time All-Star, won
six straight gold gloves, amember of the Texas Rangers Hall
of Fame, and part of athree-generation Major League
Baseball family, one of onlyfive in baseball history.
And what a thrill to be able tospend a little time with you
after watching you talk aboutthe whole Paul Sommerkamp thing
(33:49):
and how that was meaningful toyou.
Well, for me growing upwatching you play and then being
able to talk to you now, uh,just as meaningful for me.
So thank you for this.
Buddy Bell (33:58):
Uh, it's very kind.
I appreciate it, Mike.
And if you ever need anythingdown the road, just give me a
just give me a call.
Mike Koser (34:04):
Thanks so much, Buddy.
One quick note the day Buddywas born in 1951, his dad Gus,
then a member of the Pirates,was playing a double header
against the Dodgers atBrooklyn's Ebbet's Field.
So a guy who has thisincredible career is part of a
multi-generational Major LeagueBaseball family, also has a
connection to one of baseball'smost iconic old ballparks.
Announcer (34:45):
Well, the game is over.
The season is finished.
The ballpark is empty.
Empty except for the youngsterswho dream of another day,
another game, another season.
And perhaps a day when theywill wear a Cincinnati Reds
uniform and be a big leaguer.
Beyond this club.
(35:07):
Get a home run to win the WorldSeries.
They work hard, live a good,clean life, respect authority,
learn the game.
Someday fans like you and Iwill watch them and others like
them as they reach their goaland play ball for the Cincinnati
Reds.
I am Mike Koser and welcome to Lost Ballparks.
Our guest on this month'spodcast is Buddy Bell.
Buddy Bell was born into it,raised on the hum of the crowd,
the crack of the bat, the smellof hot dogs, and damp infield
dirt.
His dad Gus was a ball player,a four-time off-star.
So Buddy spent his childhoodrunning the ramps at Crosley
(00:22):
field, watching his dad hit andhustle in that thick Cincinnati
summer air.
Then it was Milwaukee when Gusgot traded to the Brewers.
Buddy, a white-eyed kid soakingin the game the way only a kid
can, wandering through theGrandstand at County Stadium.
He's got stories of the secretsignal his dad gave him when he
made a great play.
(00:43):
Of a moment early in his careerin the parking lot at Cleveland
Municipal Stadium that changedhow he played forever.
Of stepping onto the field forhis first All-Star game in 73,
Royals Stadium, under the Julysky.
And then at 85, when he finallypulled on that Reds uniform,
just like his father before him.
It was a moment, a single,perfect moment, that became the
(01:07):
highlight of his career.
His talented, family, the ghostof ballparks gone, but not
forgotten.
It's all here with Buddy Bellon this month's episode of the
Lost Ballparks Podcast.
Buddy Bell finished his careerwith 2,514 hits, 201 home runs,
(02:10):
a lifetime .279 batting average,silver slugger, five-time
All-Star, won six straight goldgloves, and is a member of the
Texas Rangers Hall of Fame andpart of a three-generation Major
League Baseball family, one ofonly five in baseball history.
Buddy Bell.
Buddy Bell (02:25):
Hey Mike, how are you?
Mike Koser (02:26):
I'm doing great.
How are you?
Buddy Bell (02:28):
Good, thank you.
Mike Koser (02:29):
Hey, thanks for doing this.
I appreciate it.
So we'll start here.
When you were born in 1951,your dad, Gus Bell, was a member
of the Pittsburgh Piratesplaying his home games at Forbes
Field.
But by the time you were two,he was traded to the Reds.
So was your first Major LeagueBaseball game, the first one you
ever attended, was that atCrosley Field in Cincinnati?
Buddy Bell (02:48):
I don't think so.
I think the first, I don'tremember this, obviously, but
I'm sure it was Forbes Field.
The first ballpark I canremember is Crosley, though.
Mike Koser (02:57):
What do you remember uh about that?
Because your dad would haveplayed it at Crosley until I
think you were 10 or so.
So you you probably would havehad, I'm guessing, the run of
the ballpark a little bit.
Buddy Bell (03:07):
Yeah, well, I I mean, I have fond memories of
Crosley for sure.
It's my most favorite parkever.
And a lot of it was justbecause I spent a lot of time
there with my father and youknow, when he was playing with
the Reds.
Announcer (03:18):
Crosley Field is now the favorite cool spot in the
summertime for a night game.
Spectators are comfortable inthe only air-cooled stands in
baseball, cooled by 54 huge jetair fans.
Buddy Bell (03:31):
Unfortunately, back in those days, we weren't in the
allowed in the clubhouse orlocker room or the field.
So, you know, we I would go tothe ballpark with my dad, and I
would just sit in the stands andwatch batting practice and
things like that.
It was more just going to thegame and waiting in the game.
I used to keep score of everygame as well.
So that gave me something to dowhile I was preparing for the
(03:51):
game to get uh started.
Mike Koser (03:53):
But was there a uh favorite place you like to sit
uh at Crosley?
Buddy Bell (03:58):
I always sat uh behind third base, uh behind the
Reds dugout.
It gave me an opportunity tosee my dad run run on and off
the field.
And of course, you know, I hada lot of other you know favorite
players as well.
So I mean I I didn't go toevery game.
I mean, obviously it was it wastough going to school,
especially the beginning of theyear.
(04:18):
But once the summer hit, I wasI was down there quite a bit and
you know got to know all thepeople in the the the best part
of or not the not the best partof of the ballparks, the
ballparks that that I played inor have been in has always been
sort of the ambiance of it all,you know, the the character of
it.
But the thing that really madethe the ballparks extra special
(04:42):
was the people that that reallyworked around the ballpark, the
ushers, the cops, people thatwork in the concession stands,
the the the few people thatworked in the front offices at
the time.
So there was just so much goingon in the ballpark, and of
course these days, I meanthere's just so many people that
are involved in the theoperations of a stadium or or of
(05:03):
a ballpark.
You don't get to to know all ofthem, but back in the day when
my dad and when I first startedplaying, there wasn't that many
people.
So we were we were able to havepretty much relationships with
just about everybody that workedat the ballpark.
So that was the cool thing forme more than more than the
actual sight of the of theballpark, even though the the
(05:23):
smell of the ballpark, everyballpark had its own little
smell to it.
I can't really explain it toyou, but it it was kind of weird
when you you know, the more youhung around, the more you sort
of understood that.
Mike Koser (05:35):
And then of course the the sounds I think of uh at
Crosley Field in particular,Ronnie Dale playing uh playing
the organ before, and thenpeople sometimes would sit at
Crosley and you know for 20 or30 minutes after a game and just
kind of sit there while Ronnieplayed.
Buddy Bell (05:51):
Yeah, I was crazy.
You know, back in the day, youknow, everybody had an organist,
Ronnie Dale, the the lady theyhad with the the White Sox.
I can't remember her name.
Oh Nancy, yeah, Nancy Faust.
Nancy Faust was there forever.
I think she was the first onethat sort of um kind of played
with our names a little bit.
And in mine being Bell, I mean,there's a lot of you know,
(06:12):
everybody had the you know, theyhave their walk-up songs now,
but when you went into you know,at Comiskey, you know, Nancy
always had something for all ofus.
She was a really nice lady aswell.
Mike Koser (06:22):
Your dad played for the Milwaukee Braves
in '62, '63, and '64.
From your adolescent eyes atthat point, what did you think
of uh of county stadium?
Buddy Bell (06:31):
Well, I loved county stadium.
county stadium was the firstballpark after Crosley that I
can ever remember.
Ernie Harwell (06:38):
The sun shines bright on the county stadium in
Milwaukee in the heart ofAmerica's dairy land.
Buddy Bell (06:43):
I love playing in County Stadium as well, after I
signed and became a pro player.
So county stadium was awesome.
All these uh these cool parkshave all been pretty much put on
the same lot.
You know, even Cincinnati, theyyou know, the new park park
they have, which is my leastfavorite ballpark.
Mike Koser (07:01):
Some of the ones that like you're talking about
feel a little industrial, whereas you go back and you look at
County Stadium and uh andCrosley Field, these care these
ballparks had character andcharacters who worked at them.
Buddy Bell (07:12):
And I think it's all still a part of that.
The the you know, the the lureof it of of the the stadiums,
but I I think it's the ballparksnowadays are so geared to
entertainment, which is great.
It seems like there's somethingat every ballpark for
everybody.
Um, and I think that's sort oftaken away from from some of the
lure of it.
Mike Koser (07:32):
Well, yeah, I think back to I I'll just take San
Diego, where I live, and you goto Petco Park, and while the
energy is electric a lot oftimes, the the the games are
sold out, it does feel a littlebit like a wall of sound
throughout the entire game.
And so I grew up going to uhCleveland Municipal Stadium to
watch the Indians play with mydad.
(07:52):
And I can remember just havingthree or four hours of like his
undivided attention, and wewould be talking about baseball
and life and all kinds of otherthings.
And now it's I mean, it's it'sdifficult to have that
conversation uh when you're at aball game because it's so loud.
I don't want to sound like oldguy, you know, get off my lawn,
but it's a totally differentexperience.
Buddy Bell (08:13):
Yeah, it it it is, and it you know, there's a lot
of music, which is great.
I'm not I I love me, I'm amusic fan, but I mean there's
just something going on, youknow.
In between innings, there'sthey they have gimmicks going on
all the time.
So, you know, they need to dothat just just because they they
need the resources.
Um, it it it brings, you know,a certain group of people into
(08:35):
the ballpark.
You talk about municipalstadium.
I mean, I when people used tohammer that stadium...
I loved it.
And aside from Crosley Field,that was my favorite ballpark.
Just mainly it was the firsthome ballpark I had as a major
league player, and I loved it.
Herb Score (08:51):
Well, we had a light shower just before the well,
right after the Indians tookbatting practice, but now the
skies have cleared, we havepatches of blue, it's a
delightful evening, 75 degreeshere at the stadium, and really
pleasant.
Buddy Bell (09:04):
I just like the and I liked it when it got really
cold.
But it it was a beautifulballpark in the summer.
Was that wasn't a greatballpark to hit in by any
stretch of the imagination, butI love Municipal Stadium.
And and you know, one of thefunny things, I mean, you know,
back in those days, we weren'tvery successful as a team.
So there, you know, the we geta crowd every once in a while of
(09:26):
70,000.
The Yankees were in town oropening day.
Opening day was always huge.
Mike Koser (09:32):
Or July 4th, but I mean, most of the time there
there were small crowds.
Buddy Bell (09:36):
Yeah, so you could basically hear everyone talking,
it seemed like.
And if you made a bad play orsomething like that, you could
obviously obviously hear theloudest voice in the whole
stadium because it just, youknow, it was cavernous and it,
you know, it echoed from fromevery corner, it seemed like.
And I didn't really pay a wholelot of attention to it, but
(09:57):
those are the kind of thingsthat when you grow up you you
remember, and I loved Municipal,I really did.
Mike Koser (10:03):
For 30 games in '62, your dad played for the
expansion New York Mets.
In fact, he started in rightfield their inaugural game on
April 11th, 1962 at uh at BuschStadium.
But he also played at the PoloGrounds.
Were were you back home, or didyou make it to any of the games
at the Polo Grounds?
Buddy Bell (10:20):
No, I I never was at the Polo Grounds.
Okay.
He was only there for like a month, I think, month
or two.
Announcer (10:28):
The first regular season game in the history of
the New York Mets.
Buddy Bell (10:31):
I think he actually had the first Mets hit ever.
Yeah, so I mean he he was onlythere, and then he and then uh
he was traded in Milwaukee, andof course he then he got hurt,
and then that was his career.
But we were never really ableto go to away ballparks back in
(10:56):
those days.
They didn't uh condone familiesgoing anywhere, quite frankly.
And they didn't they didn'tlike him going to spring
training, they didn't like himto go on the road, and now all
that is really different for thebetter, for sure.
You know what?
I we were in Milwaukee, dad wasplaying in Milwaukee.
I do remember coming back hereto Cincinnati.
Of course, we had a home stillback then here, so it was it
(11:17):
made it easier, it was morefinancially efficient for my
parents, and yeah, back in thosedays they didn't really make a
ton.
So I did come back toCincinnati, but that's really
the only trip I can everremember.
So I wasn't really reallywasn't able to attend uh any of
those the other greaterballparks, like the pola grounds
or Shibe uh field.
Mike Koser (11:37):
Oh, yeah, shibe park in Philadelphia, right?
Buddy Bel (11:39):
(Later called) Connie Mack.
You know, I'm sure I was atForbes and don't remember.
It was just a magnificent,magnificent ballpark.
Yeah, and you know, it'sunfortunate because they're all
built pretty sturdy.
You know, I meant my firstmanagerial job was in Tiger
Stadium, which is is a beautifulplace.
I mean, I love Tiger Stadium.
Ernie Harwell (11:58):
Wind is blowing in from the outfield toward the
plate.
There's a line shot foul downthe third base side, bouncing up
into the seats.
And a gentleman from Royal Oakcaught that on on one hop.
Buddy Bell (12:09):
They have a specific smell to that ballpark, too.
And maybe just because I wasthere longer than I mean, I
didn't I wasn't, I didn't plan alot of different cities, but
the ones that I do, I justcertainly remember, you know, I
can close my eyes and I know I'mI can tell you where I'm at at
that at that particular time.
You know, it's kind of crazy,but um
Mike Koser (12:30):
Yeah, You think about Tiger Stadium and the fans
right on top of you.
Buddy Bell (12:34):
Yeah, you know, one of my most favorite things to do
at Tiger Stadium was first ofall, my office in the clubhouse
in Tiger Stadium was right offof the concourse.
So you would actually open mydoor to the manager's office.
You know, talking about SparkyAnderson's office was there,
Billy Martin was there, some ofthe great uh Mayo Smith, I mean
(12:56):
some of the greater uh managersthat you know were in that
office and and just have thedoor, you open the door, and
there's like people buying hotdogs and popcorn.
Like, you know, this is crazy.
But at that particular time, itit was still sort of old.
There wasn't much much newcoming back, and we we were all
kind of stagnant at thatparticular time when I was first
(13:18):
growing up, so everythingpretty much stayed the same.
So we didn't really pay muchattention to the door being
opened up into the concourse,you know.
Mike Koser (13:26):
Yeah, when you look back now, you're like, that was
kind of crazy.
Buddy Bell (13:29):
Yeah, I mean, it was nuts.
You know, people would, youknow, outside my office, wait
for me to come out and saywhatever they want to me, and
just try to wait as long as Icould before I left, but yeah,
but you had to go out that way.
Yeah, but one of the myfavorite things to do was we
would park our cars out in leftfield.
I would walk out of my officeinto the concourse, and I would
(13:52):
walk right up the ramp back intothe field.
There was nobody in the in theballpark, the lights were still
dim, and I would walk to my carthrough the stadium.
Everybody else would go throughthe concourse.
I would go through the stadiumbecause I just felt it was such
a cool feeling that just what 45minutes to an hour before that
(14:13):
was screaming fans and yeah, youknow, yelling and screaming and
you know, home runs andstrikeouts, and and then I
walked an hour later and there'snobody in.
It was so surreal, and it justkind of I don't know, it puts
things in in perspective for mea little bit, which I which you
always need as a baseballplayer, I think.
Mike Koser (14:34):
Growing up, uh occasionally, and tell me if I
have the story right.
Your dad would watch you playsometimes from his parked car,
watch you play baseball, and hehad a special way of letting you
know that you made a good playor a bad play.
Yeah, how would he let youknow?
Buddy Bell (14:47):
Well, dad, no matter if I was playing basketball,
football, or or baseball, dadwould never sit in the stands.
I think there were a couple oftimes he went and he couldn't
actually watch the game.
People were talking to him andyou know about baseball or about
sports, and he couldn't watchbecause he was a public figure
in Cincinnati, and you know, dadwas a really cordial and very
(15:09):
nice to people, could talk toanybody.
So when he went to the games,he felt like he couldn't watch,
so he ended up just sitting asfar away as he could and still
see the game.
And there were often times Ididn't know where he was at
until I heard the horn becausehe would honk the horn if I made
a good play.
If I made a bad play, he'd honkit twice.
Uh just like good fathers willdo.
(15:31):
Yeah, but of course, sir.
You know, when he got out ofthe game, like a lot of guys now
making so much money that youyou really don't have to work
anymore.
Dad was never in that position,so he he ended up you know
working nights a lot of times,because work through the day and
into the night.
So he wasn't really able to goto all my games.
He made him through as many ashe could for sure.
(15:52):
Yeah.
Mike Koser (15:53):
After graduating from high school, June 5th,
1969, you were selected in the16th round by the Indians at um
at 20 years old.
You played your first bigleague game for the Indians
opening day, April 15th, 1972.
Um municipal stadium.
And I just tell I know wetalked a little bit about the
ballpark, but tell me about thatfirst experience walking
through the tunnel, out onto thefield, and at 20, man, 20 years
(16:17):
old, you're thinking what?
Buddy Bell (16:19):
Well, this is weird because there's a a little bit
of a prelude here that we hadleft Tucson.
I had found out I made the teammaybe a couple days before we
broke camp.
I I was going to Wichita forsure, I'm pretty sure.
I or maybe we were in Portlandat that time in AAA, but I was
pretty sure that's where I wasgoing back to because I was only
20.
(16:39):
We had some injuries, so theyput me in the outfield.
I had never played the outfieldbefore.
So we played a game in Tucsonand left right after there.
We went to New Orleans to butuh we were barnstorming, played
the Cubs in a in an old footballstadium.
I can't even I have no idea howthey even set it up the way it
was supposed to, but we ended upplaying.
(17:00):
But after the game, we foundout that we the players had gone
on strike.
Me and my roommate, uh uh myroommate was Jack Brohammer, a
really good player, playedprobably I think maybe 10, 8, 9,
10 years, really had a nicecareer, but we had no money, we
had zero money, and we were inNew Orleans, and we went on
(17:20):
strike, which meant we hadnowhere to go.
We had to get our own ridesback to Cleveland or Tucson or
wherever we were supposed to go.
And we just so crazy.
Yeah, we ended up uh Hammer'sdad actually drove to New
Orleans and he drove us toCincinnati where we stayed until
the the the strike was over,and the strike lasted I think
(17:43):
maybe a week to ten days orsomething like that.
We had no idea what was goingon.
We we had no vote.
I mean, we just made the club.
We wish we were miserable.
You know, we don't know what todo, you know.
Nobody's nobody wants to tellus anything.
But we finally, yeah, we openedup.
I think it was the Brewers.
I think it was Bill Parsons whowas the who started that day.
(18:04):
It was a really good pitcher.
And I remember it being reallyfoggy out.
There had been fog that came infrom the lake and yeah, from
Lake Erie, sure.
It might as well have been 80degrees and sunny out for me.
You know, it was it was such agreat day.
And I don't even know if I gota hit.
I don't even I don't even thinkI don't think I got a hit that
(18:24):
day.
But and back then, that wasreally the only days that we
really had a bunch of people atthe ballpark.
So even that that was great,because we probably had 60 to
70,000 people in the stands thatday, which is for me was just
crazy because I had never playedbefore a crowd like that, or
even even thought about it.
I my main goal is just to playbaseball.
(18:46):
I I didn't think about playingin front of people or where I
played or or anything.
It was more I just likeplaying.
But then I got a taste of this,and I'm like, whoa, this is
like much better than I everanticipated.
Mike Koser (19:01):
Now, do you remember this?
The clubhouse at MunicipalStadium was small, tiny, just
like many other ballparks thatwere built in the 1930s and
earlier.
So small, in fact, the Indianshad two dressing rooms.
Most of the team would be onthe main floor.
But if you were on the disabledlist, may or maybe a rookie
like yourself, or someone justarrived in a trade, you might
find yourself at another muchsmaller room upstairs.
(19:22):
Is that right?
Buddy Bell (19:23):
Yeah, it was yeah, it was upstairs.
It was uh they used it like inemergencies or something like
that.
And I as as time went on, theyas the um the staffs grew in
number that they would have toto move some of the staff
members upstairs.
I don't remember any of theplayers having to go unless,
like you said, they were on thedisabled list or they're in
(19:44):
rehab or whatever.
But um, you know, I actually,you know, Mike, the clubhouse or
the locker room in Clevelandwas I loved it.
And and the reason I loved it,they had the the greatest
lockers ever.
They were big, you know, theyhad all kind of compartments
that you could put things in.
And plus we had we had the bestor one of the best uh clubhouse
(20:07):
men in Cy Buynak who uh
Mike Koser (20:09):
oh right, yeah.
Legendary.
Buddy Bell (20:10):
To this day, we're we're still very, very close.
So yeah, it was very big, ofcourse.
I think the the training roomand the training rooms now they
have are golly, they're like2,000 square feet.
The training room in andmunicipal was maybe 10 by 10.
Mike Koser (20:28):
The size of a closet.
Buddy Bell (20:29):
Yeah, it was brutal, you know, and they had the
whirlpool.
And if you got the whirlpool,it was half of it was was in the
training room and half of itwas out in the hallway.
So I it was like you know, backin those days we didn't eat
anything either, and you know,had the refrigerator that was in
a closet, and the door wouldclose, you couldn't see the the
(20:50):
closet, but then when you wentto make a sandwich, you know,
your ass is hanging out in thehallway, and you're yeah, I mean
it's just like uh but you knowwhat it's when we get together
now, and the guys that I'mclosest to are my Cleveland
teammates, it seems like,anyway.
And those are the guys that Ithat I grew up with, more or
less.
I mean, we sit around and wejust marvel at what's going on
(21:13):
now and what we had to dealwith, but I don't think any of
us, at least I haven't heardanybody say that they would
prefer a different time.
I mean, I I wouldn't trade anyany experience I had in baseball
for anything, and some of itwas not great, most of it's not
great baseball, it seems like,just because there's so much
failure, but I wouldn't trade athing.
(21:34):
You know, I wasn't able to playin the World Series or anything
like that.
And even then, I wouldn't tradeWorld Series bid for anything
that I did uh in my career.
Mike Koser (21:44):
So many unique experiences, and one of them at
21, you played in your firstAll-Star game.
The 1973 Midsummer Classic wasplayed in Kansas City at brand
new at the time, Royals Stadium.
Announcer (21:55):
Baseball is America's national pastime, and 1973 it
provides a significant milestonewith the 40th year of all-star
game competition.
Brand new Royals Stadium inKansas City's Harry S.
Truman Sports Complex is theattractive setting for this
year's game.
Mike Koser (22:11):
Your teammates are Brooks Robinson, Carl
Yastrzemski .
Uh you're playing against HankAaron and Willie Mays.
It had to be that had to be apinch me moment, right?
Buddy Bell (22:20):
Yeah, I mean, they had bench, they rose, they had
pressed.
One of my favorite pictures isa is a picture at at uh Kaufman
or Royals Stadium at the time,was us, you know, the American
League and National League onthe lines, and the guys that are
on in that in those lines isincredible.
My locker, and again, I wasonly 21.
I had really didn't knowanybody.
(22:42):
Really, I I was I just shut up,I didn't say much.
But my locker was in betweenBrooks and Thurman Munson.
And you know, I I was like,okay, now what do I do?
You know, I I yeah, where do Igo from here?
Like, you know what you'redoing, but you really don't, it
makes it worse.
So, but these guys were sogracious to me.
(23:05):
And Thurman and I became reallygood friends uh because of
that.
I I had known Brooks, andBrooks was tremendous to me as
well, being a third baseman andhis help, you know, in my
development and just talking tohim was was awesome.
But my relationship withThurman was developed because
he's more of a he was a catcher,so you know you could never get
(23:25):
away from him, you know, and hewould talk all the time, you
know.
He'd you know, try to distractyou the the best the best he
could.
So yeah, that's a that'sanother another sad story and
the way things kind of happen.
But the you know, those are thethe memories I have.
I my dad, my dad told me long,long, long time ago.
(23:46):
He said, But you're not you'renot gonna you're not gonna
remember any of the home runs orthe strikeouts or the great
plays or the any of that whenyou retire, but you will
remember the people that you hadrelationships with and who mean
a lot to you, and you willnever forget those.
Mike Koser (24:02):
One of the guys you had a uh great relationship with
was your high school coach, TimRose, who occasionally would
make his way up to Cleveland towatch you play.
Uh the wind at MunicipalStadium could be wicked and
unpredictable.
One night with your high schoolcoach, Coach Rose in
attendance, you hit a ball downthe line that under any other
circumstance would have beenfoul.
(24:23):
Uh but the wind pulls it back.
Can you uh can you tell thatstory?
Because it's one of the best.
Buddy Bell (24:28):
Yeah, it's it's you know, Tim was one of the best
coaches I've ever had.
And they just kind of trickedhim into being the baseball
coach here at Moeller um highschool.
He's always been a footballcoach, football coach in Miami
for a while.
But he was a reallyintimidating dude, man.
We couldn't get away withanything.
So, but I became really closeto him.
Initially I hated him, but themore I was around him, the more
(24:51):
I knew how much he cared aboutme and he wanted me to do well.
I maintained a pretty strongrelationship with Tim,
especially when he was coachingin Lorraine, because it was
fairly close to my ballpark, andI would go up and watch his
high schools play.
But um, this one night it wasone of those nights in Cleveland
where it was windy, and I hit aball down the left field line.
(25:12):
The ball was over thegrandstand.
So I figured like it was foul.
Well, the wind got got a holdof it and drifted it back into
fair territory.
I made it to first.
I should have been on second,really.
By the way, I I never did thisagain after this night.
So after the game, you know, Igot Ken Aspermonte, who's my
(25:34):
manager.
I have some Rocky Colavito as acoach.
Has some great coaches inCleveland who made sure we were
on top of things and things likethat, but they handled things
differently, a lot differentlythan Tim.
So I went out after the game.
I don't know if we won or lost,but walking out to my car, Tim
usually goes come to the gameand he would leave.
He would never stay after thegame.
(25:55):
I walked out and I saw himstanding by my car, and I'm
like, okay, what I wonder whatwhat's up, you know.
He maybe just wants to talk.
Well, he let into me like, Itold you never to do.
You know, like, holy cow is myhigh school baseball coach
yelling at me.
I'm like, hey, I'm a pro playernow, but I took it like a high
(26:15):
school kid, and I and Iunderstood it like a high school
kid, and it and I never did itagain.
Um, but Tim actually is stillcoaching football at Ashland
College.
Mike Koser (26:26):
Oh, yeah, just outside of Mansfield.
Buddy Bell (26:29):
Yeah, he's uh he's 83.
I think he's still thedefensive coordinator.
I haven't talked to him in a ina year or two.
I exchanged letters with himlast year at some point, but I
need to I need to um catch upwith him.
But he's one of my mostfavorite people.
And aside from my father, heprobably made the biggest impact
on my life as an athleteanyway.
Mike Koser (26:51):
After uh, buddy, after the 78 season you were
traded to Texas, the Rangersplayed at one of the most
unforgiving ballparks inbaseball, the human frying pan,
as it was nicknamed, ArlingtonStadium.
What do you what do youremember about Arlington
Stadium?
Those were some good years foryou, too.
Buddy Bell (27:06):
Yeah, I mean, if I have any any regrets at all,
it's I wish I would have playedin a more friendly hitters
ballpark along the waysomewhere.
Because Texas was the worstplace in the world to hit.
I mean, the wind blew in yourface every night.
It was hot.
Bill Merrill (27:23):
Hello again, everybody.
Bill Merrill, along with KenSuarez, Jim Bird song, greeting
you from Arlington Stadium.
Just underway, the temperatureis 98 degrees, wind south,
southeast, 10 to 20 miles anhour.
Buddy Bell (27:35):
Defensively, the you had little cracks in the in the
dirt because it was so hot, sodry.
One of my dearest friends wasthe groundskeeper, Johnny
Oliveras.
I didn't have the heart to tellhim that, hey man, this place
needs some water.
You know, you get used to theheat a little bit, believe it or
not.
But the thing that that you hadto get used to the most is when
(27:56):
you walk out of the out of thelocker room into the heat, it
almost took your breath away.
Because I think it was in 1980.
I think we had like 60 games ina row where the game started
over 100 degrees, June to Julyor July to August, something
like that.
I mean, it was unbelievable.
But we get, you know, we wesort of managed it pretty well,
(28:17):
but it wasn't a great ballpark.
The locker rooms were okay, butthe ballpark was just it was
intimate, which was kind ofnice, but it was just uh uh it's
just a really a horrible placeto hit.
I had some success there, butit wasn't easy.
Bill Merrill (28:33):
Wind could be a factor blowing 10 to 20 miles an
hour out of the southsoutheast, which means from
centerfield toward home or fromright field toward home.
So anything hit in the centerfield or right field area in the
air very high will be affectedby the wind here again tonight.
Mike Koser (28:51):
You had to work for everything you got there.
Buddy Bell (28:53):
You really did, and and um well, since then though,
they the ballpark in between theballpark after the the
Arlington Stadium, that's abeautiful ballpark.
But again, it was too hot, sothey're that you know it it
affected the resources as far astheir the fans go, so they had
to build one with with a dome,which and that's a beautiful.
I just went to the all-stargame last year, but you know, I
(29:16):
I didn't love it, but I I Iliked it.
And I, you know, they needed anew ballpark for sure, but we we
made it work and we sort offigured it out along the way,
but we had to pace yourself alittle bit just because of the
because of the heat.
Mike Koser (29:29):
A quick note about the uh 1981 All-Star game at
Cleveland Municipal Stadium.
You'd not been an Indian formore than two years, and yet, uh
and you can go back and watchthis video, I think they've
remastered it, so it's like anHD if you watch it on YouTube.
During the playerintroductions, you received the
loudest applause from theCleveland crowd.
Speaker 9 (29:49):
Representing the Texas
Rangers. Outfielder , Al Oliver, and 3rd Baseman, Buddy Bell
Well Buddy Bell gets a homecoming ovation herefrom these Cleveland fans, and
(30:09):
so far the baseball fans havereacted the way you would
expect.
They cheered at the right timewhen the home towners come home.
And they boo ed when the enemy,namely the Yankees, have been
introduced.
Yes, sir.
Baseball is back.
Mike Koser (30:24):
That had to be special.
Buddy Bell (30:25):
Yeah, that was really a cool game because we
had, I think we just came offthe strike.
So we had I think we were outfor almost two months.
And then when we came back, weonly had like a couple days to
get ready for the All-Star game,because that was the first game
that any of us played since thestrike.
So there were no games inbetween the strike and the
(30:46):
all-star game.
So we were all sort of comingback, just not really all that
ready to play.
So we didn't know, we we reallydidn't know how what to expect
from the fans.
But it was the mostunbelievable night ever because
the people couldn't wait to comewatch baseball again.
And it just so happened that Ihad come back to you know it was
(31:06):
played in Cleveland.
It it really touched me.
You know, I was it wasunexpected, but knowing the
Cleveland people like I do, Iguess I I should have expected
it.
Mike Koser (31:16):
1985, you were traded to your hometown,
Cincinnati Reds, and uh thatfirst home game at Riverfront
Stadium, you wore number 25,your dad's number with the Reds
some 30 years earlier.
What was it like coming backhome and playing at Riverfront?
Buddy Bell (31:31):
It was a definite highlight.
There's no doubt about that.
One of the neatest things aboutgoing to the Reds game when I
was growing up was PaulSommerkamp.
Paul Sommerkamp was a PAannouncer for the Reds.
And Dad and Paul were very goodfriends, but he had this
(31:52):
specific voice.
One of my goals was for him toannounce me into the uh into the
lineup, and that was his lastyear as a PA announcer.
So I was able to to have PaulSommerkamp announce me in the
lineup, which you know at thetime I finally arrived.
You know?
It was like the coolest thing.
(32:12):
And I think a lot of kids,especially in Cincinnati,
because it's not all that big.
I mean, it's a fairly goodsized city, but it's not as big
as some of the others.
So there's an intimacy aboutthe city and in growing up, like
with Pete, um, all the greatplayers the Reds had, the the
broadcasters, and you know,Waite Hoyt.
Waite Hoyt (32:34):
Yes, indeed, today's game is to be played right here
at Crosley Field, which hasbeen the home of the Cincinnati
Reds for as long as the oldestcitizen can remember.
Buddy Bell (32:42):
Al Michaels
Al Michaels (32:43):
first pitch to bench is
lined to right field....
Mike Koser (32:52):
Marty Brennaman and Joe Nuxhall.
Marty Brennam (32:54):
He levels the bat a couple of times.
Shaw kicks, and he fires, Roseswings.
And it's pandemonium here atRiverfront Stadium.
Buddy Bell (33:17):
Yeah, so I mean, there's some really some really
cool things about Cincinnati,but the coolest thing for me was
when Spmmer kamp announced mein the lineup.
And you know, it's somethingI'll never forget.
Mike Koser (33:27):
Buddy Bell, 2,514 hits, 201 home runs, a lifetime
.279 batting average, silverslugger, five-time All-Star, won
six straight gold gloves, amember of the Texas Rangers Hall
of Fame, and part of athree-generation Major League
Baseball family, one of onlyfive in baseball history.
And what a thrill to be able tospend a little time with you
after watching you talk aboutthe whole Paul Sommerkamp thing
(33:49):
and how that was meaningful toyou.
Well, for me growing upwatching you play and then being
able to talk to you now, uh,just as meaningful for me.
So thank you for this.
Buddy Bell (33:58):
Uh, it's very kind.
I appreciate it, Mike.
And if you ever need anythingdown the road, just give me a
just give me a call.
Mike Koser (34:04):
Thanks so much, Buddy.
One quick note the day Buddywas born in 1951, his dad Gus,
then a member of the Pirates,was playing a double header
against the Dodgers atBrooklyn's Ebbet's Field.
So a guy who has thisincredible career is part of a
multi-generational Major LeagueBaseball family, also has a
connection to one of baseball'smost iconic old ballparks.
Announcer (34:45):
Well, the game is over.
The season is finished.
The ballpark is empty.
Empty except for the youngsterswho dream of another day,
another game, another season.
And perhaps a day when theywill wear a Cincinnati Reds
uniform and be a big leaguer.
Beyond this club.
(35:07):
Get a home run to win the WorldSeries.
They work hard, live a good,clean life, respect authority,
learn the game.
Someday fans like you and Iwill watch them and others like
them as they reach their goaland play ball for the Cincinnati
Reds.
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