Joe Garagiola
Encyclopedia
Joseph Henry "Joe" Garagiola, Sr. (born February 12, 1926) is an American
former catcher
in Major League Baseball
who later became an announcer and television host, popular for his colorful personality. He was well known for being one of the regular panelists of The Today Show
on NBC
for many years.
. He grew up on Elizabeth Avenue in an Italian-American neighborhood in St. Louis known as The Hill
, just a few doors down from his childhood friend and competitor, Yogi Berra
. (That block was subsequently renamed "Hall of Fame Place".)
When Berra and Garagiola were both teenagers, almost all pro scouts rated Garagiola as the better baseball prospect, although Berra had a Hall of Fame
career, and Garagiola has always respected Berra's ability. About growing up living next to Berra, Garagiola once said, "Not only was I not the best catcher in the Major Leagues, I wasn't even the best catcher on my street!"
organization. At 17 he remains the youngest player to play in Columbus Red Birds (now Columbus Clippers
) history. Garagiola made his major league debut in .
As a rookie in 1946
, in his only World Series
appearance, Garagiola batted a 6-for-19 in five games, including a Game 4 where he went 4-for-5 with 3 RBIs. By contrast, Ted Williams
went only 5-for-25 in the same series, which was also Williams' only World Series appearance. On September 11, 1947
, Joe Garagiola and Jackie Robinson
were involved in an incident at home plate. Garagiola stepped on Robinson’s foot and the two started arguing. Umpire Beans Reardon
held back Garagiola while Robinson clapped. The incident was later part of a children’s book titled In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson.
But Garagiola never quite lived up to the promise of his youth, appearing in only 676 games over 9 seasons for St. Louis, the Pittsburgh Pirates
, Chicago Cubs
and New York Giants
. He was a mediocre hitter in the majors and featured that in his self-deprecating humor. He once told this story on himself: He knew that it was time to retire, when he was catching and his ex-teammate Stan Musial
stepped into the batter's box, turned to Joe, and said, "When are you gonna quit?"
In 1970, Garagiola observed his baseball career:
from baseball, Garagiola lent his name to a 1960
book, Baseball is a Funny Game, which sold well upon release and helped establish Garagiola as a "personality." The (largely ghostwritten
) book was a collection of humorous anecdotes surrounding his upbringing and his playing career, and showcased the folksy, humorous style that became his trademark as a broadcaster
.
Garagiola also wrote It's Anybody's Ballgame (1980
) and Just Play Ball (2007
).
from to .
As an announcer, Garagiola is best known for his almost 30 year association with NBC television. He began doing national baseball broadcasts for the network in (teaming with Bob Wolff
). Additionally, Garagiola called several World Series on NBC Radio in the 1960s, teaming with a number of announcers including By Saam
and George Kell
. After a stint doing New York Yankees
games from to that saw him call Mickey Mantle
's 500th home run, Garagiola returned to broadcasting NBC baseball in .
Garagiola alternated play-by-play duties with Curt Gowdy
on NBC until , when he assumed the role full-time. He teamed with color commentator
Tony Kubek
from 1976 to ; in , he shifted to color commentary as Vin Scully
joined the network
as lead play-by-play announcer. (Kubek joined Bob Costas
to form NBC's #2 baseball announcing duo in this era.) Besides working on the Saturday Game of the Week
for NBC, the team of Scully and Garagiola would call three All-Star Games
(1983
, 1985
, and 1987
), three National League Championship Series
(1983
, 1985
, and 1987
) and three World Series (1984
, 1986
, and 1988
).
After calling the 1988 World Series
with Scully, Garagiola resigned from NBC Sports
. NBC was on the verge of losing the television rights
to cover Major League Baseball to CBS. Garagiola claimed that NBC left him "twisting" while he was trying to renegotiate his deal. Garagiola was replaced on the NBC telecasts by Tom Seaver
.
After leaving NBC Sports, Garagiola had a brief stint as a television commentator for the California Angels
. In recent years, he has performed some color commentary duties for the Arizona Diamondbacks
, where his son, Joe Garagiola, Jr.
, served as general manager
.
Besides calling baseball games for NBC, Garagiola served as a panelist on The Today Show from 1967 to 1973 and again from 1990 to 1992. He also occasionally guest-hosted The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
, including for the only live appearances of any members of The Beatles
on the program while still a group (John Lennon
and Paul McCartney
were the guests in May 1968).
In the late 1960s and 1970s, Garagiola also hosted the game shows He Said, She Said
; Joe Garagiola's Memory Game; Sale of the Century
; To Tell the Truth
; and Strike it Rich
; as well as the Monday Night Baseball
pre-game show The Baseball World of Joe Garagiola. He also hosted the St. Louis area professional wrestling show, titled Wrestling at the Chase
, and was a regular host of the Orange Bowl Parade in Miami on New Year's Eve. Garagiola also gained a new form of fame thanks to his stints as host of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
for USA Network
.
From 1969 to 1970, Garagiola was the Saturday afternoon host of the NBC Radio Network program Monitor
. (A link to a sample of his hosting is found below.) During the 1960s, he also contributed commentaries to Monitor for several years and had a daily five-minute morning drivetime sports commentary program on the network.
's lawsuit against Major League Baseball
challenging the game's reserve clause
. Testifying before Judge Irving Ben Cooper
in New York, Garagiola defended the clause, a stance he later deemed a "terrible mistake".
, Garagiola strongly supported the candidacy of President
Gerald Ford
. In the fall campaign the Republican National Committee
hired Garagiola to do a series of television ads with Ford; the ads consisted of Garagiola talking to Ford in a relaxed, informal setting. Derided by critics as "The Joe and Jerry Show," the ads reinforced the perception among Ford's critics that the then-president was inept and inarticulate, and were considered by some to have negatively affected the Ford campaign. The two men became close friends, however; on Election Night 1976, President Ford invited Garagiola to be one of his guests at the White House
to watch the results on television
.
. He had picked up the habit during his playing days with the Cardinals, but quit cold turkey
in the late-1950s. He visits major league teams every year during spring training
alongside players from his generation who have suffered from cancer
related to the addiction.
held in St. Louis, Missouri.
.
, went on to become the general manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks
and later, senior vice president of baseball
operations for Major League Baseball
. His other son, Steve, is a broadcast journalist
as well, serving as a reporter and anchor for WDIV-TV, the NBC
affiliate in Detroit
. His daughter, Gina, has also worked in TV news, as a field reporter for Arizona
station KTVK
, and is now a freelance writer. Garagiola, Sr. has eight grandchildren.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who later became an announcer and television host, popular for his colorful personality. He was well known for being one of the regular panelists of The Today Show
The Today Show
Today is an iconic American morning news and talk show airing every morning on NBC. Debuting on January 14, 1952, it was the first of its genre on American television and in the world. The show is also the fourth-longest running American television series...
on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
for many years.
Early life
Garagiola was born in St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. He grew up on Elizabeth Avenue in an Italian-American neighborhood in St. Louis known as The Hill
The Hill, St. Louis
The Hill is a mostly Italian-American neighborhood within St. Louis, Missouri, located on high ground south of Forest Park. The official boundaries of the area are Manchester Avenue on the north, Columbia and Southwest Avenues on the south, South Kingshighway Boulevard on the east, and Hampton...
, just a few doors down from his childhood friend and competitor, Yogi Berra
Yogi Berra
Lawrence Peter "Yogi" Berra is a former American Major League Baseball catcher, outfielder, and manager. He played almost his entire 19-year baseball career for the New York Yankees...
. (That block was subsequently renamed "Hall of Fame Place".)
When Berra and Garagiola were both teenagers, almost all pro scouts rated Garagiola as the better baseball prospect, although Berra had a Hall of Fame
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
career, and Garagiola has always respected Berra's ability. About growing up living next to Berra, Garagiola once said, "Not only was I not the best catcher in the Major Leagues, I wasn't even the best catcher on my street!"
Baseball playing career
Garagiola was signed at age 16 by the St. Louis CardinalsSt. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
organization. At 17 he remains the youngest player to play in Columbus Red Birds (now Columbus Clippers
Columbus Clippers
The Columbus Clippers are a minor league baseball team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The team is owned by the government of Franklin County, Ohio....
) history. Garagiola made his major league debut in .
As a rookie in 1946
1946 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was a season in American baseball. It was the team's 65th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 55th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 96-58 during the season and finished first in the National League. In the World Series, they won in 7 games over the...
, in his only World Series
1946 World Series
-Game 1:Sunday, October 6, 1946 at Sportsman's Park in St. Louis, MissouriThe Red Sox won Game 1 when Rudy York hit a home run into the left field bleachers.-Game 2:Monday, October 7, 1946 at Sportsman's Park in St...
appearance, Garagiola batted a 6-for-19 in five games, including a Game 4 where he went 4-for-5 with 3 RBIs. By contrast, Ted Williams
Ted Williams
Theodore Samuel "Ted" Williams was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played his entire 21-year Major League Baseball career as the left fielder for the Boston Red Sox...
went only 5-for-25 in the same series, which was also Williams' only World Series appearance. On September 11, 1947
1947 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 66th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 56th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 89-65 during the season and finished second in the National League.- Offseason :...
, Joe Garagiola and Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson was the first black Major League Baseball player of the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he debuted with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947...
were involved in an incident at home plate. Garagiola stepped on Robinson’s foot and the two started arguing. Umpire Beans Reardon
Beans Reardon
John Edward "Beans" Reardon was an American umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the National League from 1926 to 1949.- Early life and career:...
held back Garagiola while Robinson clapped. The incident was later part of a children’s book titled In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson.
But Garagiola never quite lived up to the promise of his youth, appearing in only 676 games over 9 seasons for St. Louis, the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
, Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. He was a mediocre hitter in the majors and featured that in his self-deprecating humor. He once told this story on himself: He knew that it was time to retire, when he was catching and his ex-teammate Stan Musial
Stan Musial
Stanley Frank "Stan" Musial is a retired professional baseball player who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals . Nicknamed "Stan the Man", Musial was a record 24-time All-Star selection , and is widely considered to be one of the greatest hitters in baseball...
stepped into the batter's box, turned to Joe, and said, "When are you gonna quit?"
In 1970, Garagiola observed his baseball career:
It's not a record, but being traded four times when there are only eight teams in the league tells you something. I thought I was modeling uniforms for the National League.
Books
After his retirementRetirement
Retirement is the point where a person stops employment completely. A person may also semi-retire by reducing work hours.Many people choose to retire when they are eligible for private or public pension benefits, although some are forced to retire when physical conditions don't allow the person to...
from baseball, Garagiola lent his name to a 1960
1960 in literature
The year 1960 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*November 2 – Penguin Books is found not guilty of obscenity in the Lady Chatterley's Lover case in the United Kingdom....
book, Baseball is a Funny Game, which sold well upon release and helped establish Garagiola as a "personality." The (largely ghostwritten
Ghostwriter
A ghostwriter is a professional writer who is paid to write books, articles, stories, reports, or other texts that are officially credited to another person. Celebrities, executives, and political leaders often hire ghostwriters to draft or edit autobiographies, magazine articles, or other written...
) book was a collection of humorous anecdotes surrounding his upbringing and his playing career, and showcased the folksy, humorous style that became his trademark as a broadcaster
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
.
Garagiola also wrote It's Anybody's Ballgame (1980
1980 in literature
The year 1980 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Marguerite Yourcenar becomes the first woman to be elected to the Académie française....
) and Just Play Ball (2007
2007 in literature
The year 2007 in literature involves some significant new books.-Events:*November 19 - First Kindle e-book reader released.*December 11 - Terry Pratchett informs fans on-line that he has been diagnosed with a rare form of Alzheimer's disease.-Literature:...
).
Baseball broadcasting career
Garagiola turned to broadcasting following his retirement as a player, first calling Cardinals radio broadcasts on KMOXKMOX (AM)
KMOX is a radio station broadcasting from St. Louis, Missouri. It is a 50,000-watt clear channel radio station, which permits its nighttime signal to be heard in most of the continental U.S. KMOX operates as "NewsRadio 1120" and refers to itself as "The Voice of St...
from to .
As an announcer, Garagiola is best known for his almost 30 year association with NBC television. He began doing national baseball broadcasts for the network in (teaming with Bob Wolff
Bob Wolff
Robert "Bob" Wolff , in New York City, New York is an American sportscaster. He was the radio and TV voice of the Washington Senators from 1947 to 1960, continuing with the team when they relocated and became the Minnesota Twins in 1961. In 1962, he joined NBC-TV...
). Additionally, Garagiola called several World Series on NBC Radio in the 1960s, teaming with a number of announcers including By Saam
By Saam
Byrum Fred "By" Saam, Jr. was an American sportscaster. His primary focus in his career was announcing baseball and football games in Philadelphia.-Early life:...
and George Kell
George Kell
George Clyde Kell was an American baseball third baseman who played for the Philadelphia Athletics , Detroit Tigers , Boston Red Sox , Chicago White Sox , and Baltimore Orioles in the American League, who went on to become a baseball broadcaster for 40 years.-Playing career:In college, Kell...
. After a stint doing New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
games from to that saw him call Mickey Mantle
Mickey Mantle
Mickey Charles Mantle was an American professional baseball player. Mantle is regarded by many to be the greatest switch hitter of all time, and one of the greatest players in baseball history. Mantle was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.Mantle was noted for his hitting...
's 500th home run, Garagiola returned to broadcasting NBC baseball in .
Garagiola alternated play-by-play duties with Curt Gowdy
Curt Gowdy
Curtis Edward "Curt" Gowdy was an American sportscaster, well known as the longtime "voice" of the Boston Red Sox and for his coverage of many nationally-televised sporting events, primarily for NBC Sports in the 1960s and 1970s.-Early years:The son of a manager for the Union Pacific railroad,...
on NBC until , when he assumed the role full-time. He teamed with color commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
Tony Kubek
Tony Kubek
Anthony Christopher "Tony" Kubek is a retired American professional baseball player and television broadcaster....
from 1976 to ; in , he shifted to color commentary as Vin Scully
Vin Scully
Vincent Edward Scully is an American sportscaster, known primarily as the play-by-play voice of the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team on Prime Ticket, KCAL-TV and KABC radio...
joined the network
Television network
A television network is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, whereby a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay TV providers. Until the mid-1980s, television programming in most countries of the world was dominated by a small...
as lead play-by-play announcer. (Kubek joined Bob Costas
Bob Costas
Robert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
to form NBC's #2 baseball announcing duo in this era.) Besides working on the Saturday Game of the Week
Major League Baseball Game of the Week
The Major League Baseball Game of the Week is the de facto title for over-the-air, nationally televised coverage of regular season Major League Baseball games...
for NBC, the team of Scully and Garagiola would call three All-Star Games
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
(1983
1983 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1983 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 54th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 6, 1983, at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Illinois, the home of the...
, 1985
1985 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1985 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 56th playing of the game, annually played between the All-Stars of the National League and the All-Stars of the American League. The game was played on July 16, 1985, in the Hubert H...
, and 1987
1987 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1987 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 58th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 14, 1987 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland,...
), three National League Championship Series
National League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series is a round in the postseason that determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to Major League Baseball's championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. The reigning...
(1983
1983 National League Championship Series
The National League Championship Series was a best-of-five matchup between the Western Division champion Los Angeles Dodgers and the Eastern Division champion Philadelphia Phillies...
, 1985
1985 National League Championship Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 9, 1985 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaThe opening contest in Los Angeles pitted Dodgers screwballer Fernando Valenzuela against the Cardinals' twenty-game winner, John Tudor. The pitchers matched zeroes through the first three innings, but in the bottom of...
, and 1987
1987 National League Championship Series
- Game 1 :Tuesday, October 6, 1987 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriThe Giants struck first on an RBI groundout by Candy Maldonado, but the Cardinals tied it in the third on Vince Coleman's RBI single...
) and three World Series (1984
1984 World Series
The 1984 World Series began on October 9 and ended on October 14, 1984. The American League champion Detroit Tigers played against the National League champion San Diego Padres, with the Tigers winning the series four games to one....
, 1986
1986 World Series
The 1986 World Series pitted the New York Mets against the Boston Red Sox. It was cited in the legend of the "Curse of the Bambino" to explain the error by Bill Buckner in Game 6 that allowed the Mets to extend the series to a seventh game...
, and 1988
1988 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 15, 1988 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaBecause of using ace Orel Hershiser in Game 7 of the NLCS, the Dodgers had to open with rookie Tim Belcher in Game 1. Meanwhile, Oakland sent a well-rested Dave Stewart to the mound. Both pitchers, however, would have...
).
After calling the 1988 World Series
1988 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 15, 1988 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaBecause of using ace Orel Hershiser in Game 7 of the NLCS, the Dodgers had to open with rookie Tim Belcher in Game 1. Meanwhile, Oakland sent a well-rested Dave Stewart to the mound. Both pitchers, however, would have...
with Scully, Garagiola resigned from NBC Sports
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
. NBC was on the verge of losing the television rights
Major League Baseball television contracts
The following is a detailed description of the various television networks , rights fees, and announcers who have called Major League Baseball games throughout the years .-United States:...
to cover Major League Baseball to CBS. Garagiola claimed that NBC left him "twisting" while he was trying to renegotiate his deal. Garagiola was replaced on the NBC telecasts by Tom Seaver
Tom Seaver
George Thomas "Tom" Seaver , nicknamed "Tom Terrific" and "The Franchise", is a former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1967-1986 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the New York Mets...
.
After leaving NBC Sports, Garagiola had a brief stint as a television commentator for the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
. In recent years, he has performed some color commentary duties for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
, where his son, Joe Garagiola, Jr.
Joe Garagiola, Jr.
Joe Garagiola, Jr. is the senior vice president of standards and on-field operations for Major League Baseball. He was previously senior vice president of baseball operations, and before that the General Manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks....
, served as general manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
.
Other broadcasting ventures
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night....
, including for the only live appearances of any members of The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
on the program while still a group (John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
were the guests in May 1968).
In the late 1960s and 1970s, Garagiola also hosted the game shows He Said, She Said
He Said, She Said (game show)
He Said, She Said was an American game show hosted by Joe Garagiola, with Bill Cullen occasionally filling in when Garagiola was covering baseball games...
; Joe Garagiola's Memory Game; Sale of the Century
Sale of the Century
Sale of the Century is a television game show format that has been screened in several countries in various incarnations since 1969. The show found its biggest success in Australia, where it aired weeknights from 1980 to 2001...
; To Tell the Truth
To Tell the Truth
To Tell the Truth is an American television panel game show created by Bob Stewart and produced by Goodson-Todman Productions that has aired in various forms since 1956 both on networks and in syndication...
; and Strike it Rich
Strike It Rich (1986 game show)
Strike it Rich is an American game show that aired in syndication during the 1986–87 television season. It was hosted by Joe Garagiola with Theresa Ring as prize model and Bob Hilton as announcer....
; as well as the Monday Night Baseball
Monday Night Baseball
Monday Night Baseball is a live game telecast of Major League Baseball that airs most Monday nights during the regular season on ESPN and is also available in high definition on ESPNHD. The official name of the game is Monday Night Baseball presented by Vonage. The game starts at 7 p.m...
pre-game show The Baseball World of Joe Garagiola. He also hosted the St. Louis area professional wrestling show, titled Wrestling at the Chase
Wrestling at the Chase
Wrestling at the Chase was a professional wrestling television series that aired in St. Louis, Missouri, the matches were taped live on Saturday nights as well as televised. It was repeated traditionally on Sunday mornings. It was promoted by the St...
, and was a regular host of the Orange Bowl Parade in Miami on New Year's Eve. Garagiola also gained a new form of fame thanks to his stints as host of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is a two-day, all-breed benched conformation show that takes place at Madison Square Garden in New York City every year. The first Westminster show was held in 1877....
for USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
.
From 1969 to 1970, Garagiola was the Saturday afternoon host of the NBC Radio Network program Monitor
Monitor (NBC Radio)
NBC Monitor was an American weekend radio program broadcast from June 12, 1955, until January 26, 1975. Airing live and nationwide on the NBC Radio Network, it originally aired beginning Saturday morning at 8am and continuing through the weekend until 12 midnight on Sunday...
. (A link to a sample of his hosting is found below.) During the 1960s, he also contributed commentaries to Monitor for several years and had a daily five-minute morning drivetime sports commentary program on the network.
Testimony at Curt Flood trial
In 1970, Garagiola appeared at a preliminary trial following former Cardinals outfielder Curt FloodCurt Flood
Curtis Charles Flood was a Major League Baseball player who spent most of his career as a center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals. A defensive standout, he led the National League in putouts four times and in fielding percentage twice, winning Gold Glove Awards in his last seven full seasons...
's lawsuit against Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
challenging the game's reserve clause
Reserve clause
The reserve clause is a term formerly employed in North American professional sports contracts. The reserve clause, contained in all standard player contracts, stated that, upon the contract's expiration the rights to the player were to be retained by the team to which he had been signed...
. Testifying before Judge Irving Ben Cooper
Irving Ben Cooper
Irving Ben Cooper was a U. S. District Court Judge of the Federal District Court of the Southern District of New York from 1962 to 1996, having received a recess appointment from John F. Kennedy on October 5, 1961...
in New York, Garagiola defended the clause, a stance he later deemed a "terrible mistake".
Politics
In the 1976 presidential electionUnited States presidential election, 1976
The United States presidential election of 1976 followed the resignation of President Richard Nixon in the wake of the Watergate scandal. It pitted incumbent President Gerald Ford, the Republican candidate, against the relatively unknown former governor of Georgia, Jimmy Carter, the Democratic...
, Garagiola strongly supported the candidacy of President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
. In the fall campaign the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
hired Garagiola to do a series of television ads with Ford; the ads consisted of Garagiola talking to Ford in a relaxed, informal setting. Derided by critics as "The Joe and Jerry Show," the ads reinforced the perception among Ford's critics that the then-president was inept and inarticulate, and were considered by some to have negatively affected the Ford campaign. The two men became close friends, however; on Election Night 1976, President Ford invited Garagiola to be one of his guests at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
to watch the results on television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
.
Advocacy against chewing tobacco
Garagiola has also been an advocate against the use of chewing tobaccoChewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco Chewing tobacco Chewing tobacco (also known colloquially as hoobastank, backy, tobac, doogooos,Hogleg, chewpoos, chits, chewsky, chawsky, dip, flab, chowers, guy, or a wad, as well as referred to as dipsky, snuff, a pinch, a yopper, a Packing a bomb, a tobbackey or packing a...
. He had picked up the habit during his playing days with the Cardinals, but quit cold turkey
Cold turkey
"Cold turkey" describes the actions of a person who abruptly gives up a habit or addiction rather than gradually easing the process through gradual reduction or by using replacement medication....
in the late-1950s. He visits major league teams every year during spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
alongside players from his generation who have suffered from cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
related to the addiction.
Society for American Baseball Research
Garagiola was the keynote luncheon speaker July 28 at the 2007 convention of the Society for American Baseball ResearchSociety for American Baseball Research
The Society for American Baseball Research was established in Cooperstown, New York, in August 1971 by Bob Davids of Washington, D.C. The Society's mission is to foster the research and dissemination of the history and record of baseball, while generating interest in the game...
held in St. Louis, Missouri.
Honors
In , he was honored by the Baseball Hall of Fame with the Ford Frick Award for outstanding broadcasting accomplishments. He has also been given his own star on the St. Louis Walk of FameSt. Louis Walk of Fame
The St. Louis Walk of Fame honors well-known people from St. Louis, Missouri, who made contributions to culture of the United States. All inductees were either born in the Greater St. Louis area or spent their formative or creative years there...
.
Personal
Garagiola's son, Joe Jr.Joe Garagiola, Jr.
Joe Garagiola, Jr. is the senior vice president of standards and on-field operations for Major League Baseball. He was previously senior vice president of baseball operations, and before that the General Manager of the Arizona Diamondbacks....
, went on to become the general manager for the Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
and later, senior vice president of baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
operations for Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. His other son, Steve, is a broadcast journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
as well, serving as a reporter and anchor for WDIV-TV, the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate in Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. His daughter, Gina, has also worked in TV news, as a field reporter for Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
station KTVK
KTVK
KTVK is a full-service, independent television station in Phoenix, Arizona. It broadcasts in digital on UHF channel 24 from a transmitter located on South Mountain in Phoenix, and can be seen across northern Arizona on a network of nearly two dozen translator stations...
, and is now a freelance writer. Garagiola, Sr. has eight grandchildren.