July 17, 2025 • 13 mins
Off-day Dodger Talk with David Vassegh who talk to Dodger legend Ron Cey.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talker.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
David vasse with you until eight o'clock tonight here on
a five to seventy LA Sports. The Dodgers back in
action tomorrow night against the Milwaukee Brewers. Our coverage begins
at six o'clock, with first pitch at seven ten, and
before the game, we will have another great member of
the Dodger family inducted into the legends of Dodger Baseball.
(00:30):
In my opinion, the greatest Dodger third basement in the
history of the franchise that includes Brooklyn, La, Bakersfield, wherever
you want to say it. This guy was the best
third baseman in Dodger history. A six time All Star,
he was one of the try MVPs of the nineteen
(00:50):
eighty one World Series, and he was really clutch when
it mattered the most forty five postseason games and he
had an eight h three OPS And tomorrow night he
will be inducted into the Legends of Dodger Baseball, celebrated
before first pitch. That is the one and only Penguin
Ron Say. Ron, thanks a lot for the time.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Thank you so much, David for having me.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Hey, congratulations as well as you will be celebrated rightfully
so at Dodgers Stadium tomorrow night. What are your feelings
about forever being remembered at Dodger Stadium.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
You know, obviously it's a tremendous honor. You know, we
have one of the most traditionally rich in history in
Major League Baseball franchises, in all of baseball, and it's
an honor. It was an honor back in nineteen sixty
(01:49):
eight when I was drafted by the Dodgers. It was
a dream come true to eventually reach my oudhood dreamed.
And what took place in the Dodger organization back then
when they were flying high back in the sixties with
three World Series appearances, couldn't have been a better setup
(02:14):
for me. Ron.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I know other sports always talk about how many rings,
what you do in the postseason. I feel like baseball
doesn't celebrate players like yourself that delivered in the biggest
moments in October. I know you have the highest war
of any player in Dodgery history, but your postseason performance
to me is what really stands out.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
You know. Fortunately, you know I had some games, you know,
there was probably one game at least, you know, a
series that you know, I kind of earmarked, which was,
you know, very fortunate. My second game back in nineteen
seventy four against the Pirates in Pittsburgh, we had a
one zero lead over the Pirates and I had a
(03:02):
four hit game with two doubles in a home run,
and that kind of got me started on that. You know,
here's one game that you know, I was kind of
you know, in control of a There was a couple
of World Series games. There was other nationallygue playoff games.
(03:22):
The very first NLCS game against the Phillies in nineteen
seventy seven, game in which we lost, hit the first
NLCS Grand Slam home run off Steve Carleton the Tide game,
and we eventually ended up losing the game in the
(03:44):
ninth inning. But Dusty Baker came back the next day
and got us started. He hit the second Grand Slam
home run and we were able to then go on
and beat the Phillies three games to one. But yeah,
there were some games even in the eighty one World Series, uh,
you know Game three back of Dodger Stadium, when we
were down two games to none. You know, Fernando was
(04:07):
fishing and he did not have a typical Fernando game.
He was wild and uh made a lot of pitches.
I think he gave up seven walks and nine hits
and five runs or four runs, and we and he
went the distance. And I had a big game, going
two for two with a three run home run that
got us off the deck with two walks, and it
(04:28):
was a perfect game at the play. And then I
made a defensive play that got us out of a
jam later in the game. So, uh, yeah, I managed to,
you know, have a game in a series that you know,
I was very thrilled to be able to do all that.
But yeah, they're there, there are there. Those are great
moments for us.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
I mean that was the reason why you were one
of the members of the try m vps of that
World series. And I know you wrote a book, Ron say,
Penguin Power. Does that make all those memories more vivid
because you put them down in print or when you
describe them right now? Are they as vivid as they
were when they happened?
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Well, they're pretty vivid, you know. I describe you know,
my most important moments from World Series down, World Series,
Nationally Championship Series, you know, the playoffs, regular season. Now,
there's a lot of terrific regular season games that I had,
(05:27):
but they don't match up with the ultimate goal. And
once you reach your ultimate goal and to win the
World Series, rather than just participate in it and have
the MVP award that went along with it. And in
that game six of nineteen eighty one, I returned after
(05:51):
getting beamed by Goose Gossage, which under today's protocol, I
would have been boxed for the rest of the series.
But hardhead or not, it was left up to me
back then. But I did play, and I ended upating
two hits in that game, actually the one that propelled
(06:12):
us into the lead in the fifth inning, I believe
it was, and then we broke the game open. So yeah,
So I came out of that game because I got
a little dizzy and I didn't want that responsibility to
beyond myself. We had a comfortable lead at the time.
Worst case scenario, I could have come back and played
the next day as well. So yeah, unbelievable moments, the
(06:33):
culmination of a lot of time together, finally achieving what
we expected to do. We had the longest running and
most successful infield of Major League history. By fact, that
was the last game that that infield would play together,
and that's why they call it the infield. And we
(06:56):
had the first thirty home run force and in Major
League history back in nineteen seventy and then we broke
all the attendance records and that was before Fernando Mania.
And so we just had a tremendous group of guys
that really understood the challenges and responsibilities of playing for
the Dodgers, and we carved our own special history within
(07:16):
our history and tradition, and so we're all very pleased
with the way that it went. And playing for the
Dodgers at that point in time, you know, was you know,
we were on top of baseball and it was a
thrill and an honor.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Always did it with class. Those were those Dodgers and
Ron say certainly a big part of the Dodgers' success
from the seventies and through the nineteen eighty one World
Championship and then would head to Chicago. But Ron, you know,
I wanted to ask you this because the Dodgers just
came off beating the Yankees in the World Series. For
(07:51):
those group of players that played with you in seventy
seven and seventy eight. Would you look back at your
career differently if you were an able to have redemption
against those guys in Pinstripes in eighty one.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
I don't know. I don't like to linger too much
on things that might have happened. You know, we had
a series in nineteen seventy eight that I think got
out of control. That was a series that I felt
that we should have wanted. If we would have had
an instant replay, I think that it would have justified
(08:30):
my opinion on that.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Ol. Reggie Jackson, Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Yeah, it was unfortunate, but it really did swing the
momentum towards the Yankees, and that that got away from us.
But the idea that we were able to you know,
come back and regroup and get this done, you know,
before the infield was done playing its time together, was
(08:57):
you know, a very special moment and and uh uh
you know, I'm just extremely thrilled that we were able
to uh have as much success that we did during
that period of time. Uh. The the the nucleus of
that team for the ten year period was the infield.
So it's really kind of hard to imagine looking back
(09:21):
on it, that you could have four guys play that
long together, and there's so many obstacles in front of you. You know,
people get hurt a lot and easily today in the game.
Try try try to keeping four guys that aren't missing
games for eight and a half years. Uh, It's it's
almost impossible now, it's got to be a pigment of
(09:43):
your imagination, you know, UK, you can't do that. And
yet we did. And there was only one other team.
I think they even got halfway to that number. Uh.
And and so there is really no comparison to what
we did. And uh, it was just an unbelievable time
for for us and Dodger baseball back then.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
No doubt about it. The greatest infield in baseball history.
That is the voice of the greatest third basement in
Dodger history. And he will be celebrated before tomorrow night's
game at Dodger Stadium. Being part of the legends of
Dodger Baseball. You were bigger than life. You guys were
rock stars in Los Angeles. You kind of go down
Ventura Boulevard without everybody noticing you guys. I mean, I'm
(10:25):
not sure people realize that in Hollywood, the Dodgers of
the seventies. Your teams, you guys were just as big
as any movie star out there.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Well, we had a lot of play, that's for sure.
There were opportunities and you know, we met and had
you know, our Hollywood stars. Game back then was top
of the line, top shelf, and we had all the
stars out there and they were the big stars, and
(10:57):
it was so great to be able to availables with
him and uh and they were in the clubhouse a
lot as well, and so yeah, we we we did
have our our share of Hollywood and you know, the
the restrictions of the security back then was pretty minimal,
so you know, we were they they were all over
(11:18):
the place, and it was it was just a great
time and some mutual benefit for all of us.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Hey, Ron, did you ever get starstruck in the clubhouse
while you're getting ready for a game or after a
game and you see whoever whichever actor walked in. Were
you ever taken by surprise that that person wanted to
be around you?
Speaker 1 (11:38):
I think it was a kind of a mutual uh
understanding that you know, there was great respect for both
of us. Uh. You know, I remember meeting Dustin Hoffin
for the first time, and I introduced myself and he says,
I know who you are, and so you don't need
to do that anymore. And so that was kind of
(12:01):
the way it is. It was, you know, we had
you know, Sinatra was in the clubhouse with Don Rickles
a lot, and you know, I brought my guys in.
Uh they wanted to come in, which is Fleetwood Mac
you know, and their logos the penguin and the Penguins.
So we had a a fond relationship going on there.
I went to many concerts I've spent I spent a
(12:24):
lot of time with him. Back then I was at
recording uh recordings for their albums in the studio getting
to see that happen. So, yeah, it was a very
special time for us. Don't want to be name dropping
too much here, but it was. It was a lot
of fun. And uh, I looked looking back on it,
(12:46):
you know, I sometimes I run across a reminder that,
oh yeah, I met him too, or I met her too,
and it was just a very special time.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Well, tomorrow night, we'll be special, Ron say, part of
the legends of Dodger Baseball will be celebrated before first pitch,
and you'll also get a babblehead of the Penguin tomorrow
night as well. Ron can't wait to see you at
the ballpark and congratulations on this honor. It really does
bring it full circle on a great career.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Thank you so much, David, and hope to see you
out there.
And now an exclusive interview with David Bassey for Dodger Talker.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
David vasse with you until eight o'clock tonight here on
a five to seventy LA Sports. The Dodgers back in
action tomorrow night against the Milwaukee Brewers. Our coverage begins
at six o'clock, with first pitch at seven ten, and
before the game, we will have another great member of
the Dodger family inducted into the legends of Dodger Baseball.
(00:30):
In my opinion, the greatest Dodger third basement in the
history of the franchise that includes Brooklyn, La, Bakersfield, wherever
you want to say it. This guy was the best
third baseman in Dodger history. A six time All Star,
he was one of the try MVPs of the nineteen
(00:50):
eighty one World Series, and he was really clutch when
it mattered the most forty five postseason games and he
had an eight h three OPS And tomorrow night he
will be inducted into the Legends of Dodger Baseball, celebrated
before first pitch. That is the one and only Penguin
Ron Say. Ron, thanks a lot for the time.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Thank you so much, David for having me.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Hey, congratulations as well as you will be celebrated rightfully
so at Dodgers Stadium tomorrow night. What are your feelings
about forever being remembered at Dodger Stadium.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
You know, obviously it's a tremendous honor. You know, we
have one of the most traditionally rich in history in
Major League Baseball franchises, in all of baseball, and it's
an honor. It was an honor back in nineteen sixty
(01:49):
eight when I was drafted by the Dodgers. It was
a dream come true to eventually reach my oudhood dreamed.
And what took place in the Dodger organization back then
when they were flying high back in the sixties with
three World Series appearances, couldn't have been a better setup
(02:14):
for me. Ron.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
I know other sports always talk about how many rings,
what you do in the postseason. I feel like baseball
doesn't celebrate players like yourself that delivered in the biggest
moments in October. I know you have the highest war
of any player in Dodgery history, but your postseason performance
to me is what really stands out.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
You know. Fortunately, you know I had some games, you know,
there was probably one game at least, you know, a
series that you know, I kind of earmarked, which was,
you know, very fortunate. My second game back in nineteen
seventy four against the Pirates in Pittsburgh, we had a
one zero lead over the Pirates and I had a
(03:02):
four hit game with two doubles in a home run,
and that kind of got me started on that. You know,
here's one game that you know, I was kind of
you know, in control of a There was a couple
of World Series games. There was other nationallygue playoff games.
(03:22):
The very first NLCS game against the Phillies in nineteen
seventy seven, game in which we lost, hit the first
NLCS Grand Slam home run off Steve Carleton the Tide game,
and we eventually ended up losing the game in the
(03:44):
ninth inning. But Dusty Baker came back the next day
and got us started. He hit the second Grand Slam
home run and we were able to then go on
and beat the Phillies three games to one. But yeah,
there were some games even in the eighty one World Series, uh,
you know Game three back of Dodger Stadium, when we
were down two games to none. You know, Fernando was
(04:07):
fishing and he did not have a typical Fernando game.
He was wild and uh made a lot of pitches.
I think he gave up seven walks and nine hits
and five runs or four runs, and we and he
went the distance. And I had a big game, going
two for two with a three run home run that
got us off the deck with two walks, and it
(04:28):
was a perfect game at the play. And then I
made a defensive play that got us out of a
jam later in the game. So, uh, yeah, I managed to,
you know, have a game in a series that you know,
I was very thrilled to be able to do all that.
But yeah, they're there, there are there. Those are great
moments for us.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
I mean that was the reason why you were one
of the members of the try m vps of that
World series. And I know you wrote a book, Ron say,
Penguin Power. Does that make all those memories more vivid
because you put them down in print or when you
describe them right now? Are they as vivid as they
were when they happened?
Speaker 1 (05:06):
Well, they're pretty vivid, you know. I describe you know,
my most important moments from World Series down, World Series,
Nationally Championship Series, you know, the playoffs, regular season. Now,
there's a lot of terrific regular season games that I had,
(05:27):
but they don't match up with the ultimate goal. And
once you reach your ultimate goal and to win the
World Series, rather than just participate in it and have
the MVP award that went along with it. And in
that game six of nineteen eighty one, I returned after
(05:51):
getting beamed by Goose Gossage, which under today's protocol, I
would have been boxed for the rest of the series.
But hardhead or not, it was left up to me
back then. But I did play, and I ended upating
two hits in that game, actually the one that propelled
(06:12):
us into the lead in the fifth inning, I believe
it was, and then we broke the game open. So yeah,
So I came out of that game because I got
a little dizzy and I didn't want that responsibility to
beyond myself. We had a comfortable lead at the time.
Worst case scenario, I could have come back and played
the next day as well. So yeah, unbelievable moments, the
(06:33):
culmination of a lot of time together, finally achieving what
we expected to do. We had the longest running and
most successful infield of Major League history. By fact, that
was the last game that that infield would play together,
and that's why they call it the infield. And we
(06:56):
had the first thirty home run force and in Major
League history back in nineteen seventy and then we broke
all the attendance records and that was before Fernando Mania.
And so we just had a tremendous group of guys
that really understood the challenges and responsibilities of playing for
the Dodgers, and we carved our own special history within
(07:16):
our history and tradition, and so we're all very pleased
with the way that it went. And playing for the
Dodgers at that point in time, you know, was you know,
we were on top of baseball and it was a
thrill and an honor.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Always did it with class. Those were those Dodgers and
Ron say certainly a big part of the Dodgers' success
from the seventies and through the nineteen eighty one World
Championship and then would head to Chicago. But Ron, you know,
I wanted to ask you this because the Dodgers just
came off beating the Yankees in the World Series. For
(07:51):
those group of players that played with you in seventy
seven and seventy eight. Would you look back at your
career differently if you were an able to have redemption
against those guys in Pinstripes in eighty one.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
I don't know. I don't like to linger too much
on things that might have happened. You know, we had
a series in nineteen seventy eight that I think got
out of control. That was a series that I felt
that we should have wanted. If we would have had
an instant replay, I think that it would have justified
(08:30):
my opinion on that.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Ol. Reggie Jackson, Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:35):
Yeah, it was unfortunate, but it really did swing the
momentum towards the Yankees, and that that got away from us.
But the idea that we were able to you know,
come back and regroup and get this done, you know,
before the infield was done playing its time together, was
(08:57):
you know, a very special moment and and uh uh
you know, I'm just extremely thrilled that we were able
to uh have as much success that we did during
that period of time. Uh. The the the nucleus of
that team for the ten year period was the infield.
So it's really kind of hard to imagine looking back
(09:21):
on it, that you could have four guys play that
long together, and there's so many obstacles in front of you. You know,
people get hurt a lot and easily today in the game.
Try try try to keeping four guys that aren't missing
games for eight and a half years. Uh, It's it's
almost impossible now, it's got to be a pigment of
(09:43):
your imagination, you know, UK, you can't do that. And
yet we did. And there was only one other team.
I think they even got halfway to that number. Uh.
And and so there is really no comparison to what
we did. And uh, it was just an unbelievable time
for for us and Dodger baseball back then.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
No doubt about it. The greatest infield in baseball history.
That is the voice of the greatest third basement in
Dodger history. And he will be celebrated before tomorrow night's
game at Dodger Stadium. Being part of the legends of
Dodger Baseball. You were bigger than life. You guys were
rock stars in Los Angeles. You kind of go down
Ventura Boulevard without everybody noticing you guys. I mean, I'm
(10:25):
not sure people realize that in Hollywood, the Dodgers of
the seventies. Your teams, you guys were just as big
as any movie star out there.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Well, we had a lot of play, that's for sure.
There were opportunities and you know, we met and had
you know, our Hollywood stars. Game back then was top
of the line, top shelf, and we had all the
stars out there and they were the big stars, and
(10:57):
it was so great to be able to availables with
him and uh and they were in the clubhouse a
lot as well, and so yeah, we we we did
have our our share of Hollywood and you know, the
the restrictions of the security back then was pretty minimal,
so you know, we were they they were all over
(11:18):
the place, and it was it was just a great
time and some mutual benefit for all of us.
Speaker 2 (11:24):
Hey, Ron, did you ever get starstruck in the clubhouse
while you're getting ready for a game or after a
game and you see whoever whichever actor walked in. Were
you ever taken by surprise that that person wanted to
be around you?
Speaker 1 (11:38):
I think it was a kind of a mutual uh
understanding that you know, there was great respect for both
of us. Uh. You know, I remember meeting Dustin Hoffin
for the first time, and I introduced myself and he says,
I know who you are, and so you don't need
to do that anymore. And so that was kind of
(12:01):
the way it is. It was, you know, we had
you know, Sinatra was in the clubhouse with Don Rickles
a lot, and you know, I brought my guys in.
Uh they wanted to come in, which is Fleetwood Mac
you know, and their logos the penguin and the Penguins.
So we had a a fond relationship going on there.
I went to many concerts I've spent I spent a
(12:24):
lot of time with him. Back then I was at
recording uh recordings for their albums in the studio getting
to see that happen. So, yeah, it was a very
special time for us. Don't want to be name dropping
too much here, but it was. It was a lot
of fun. And uh, I looked looking back on it,
(12:46):
you know, I sometimes I run across a reminder that,
oh yeah, I met him too, or I met her too,
and it was just a very special time.
Speaker 2 (12:59):
Well, tomorrow night, we'll be special, Ron say, part of
the legends of Dodger Baseball will be celebrated before first pitch,
and you'll also get a babblehead of the Penguin tomorrow
night as well. Ron can't wait to see you at
the ballpark and congratulations on this honor. It really does
bring it full circle on a great career.
Speaker 1 (13:18):
Thank you so much, David, and hope to see you
out there.
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