Anthony Christopher "Tony" Kubek (born October 12, 1935,
Milwaukee, WisconsinMilwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
) is a retired American professional
baseballBaseball 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...
player and
televisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
broadcasterIn sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
.
During his nine-year playing career with the
New York YankeesThe 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...
, Kubek played in six
World SeriesThe World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
in the late 1950s and early 1960s, starting in 37 World Series games. For NBC television, he later broadcast twelve World Series between 1968 and 1982, and fourteen
League Championship SeriesThe League Championship Series is the official name for a round of postseason play in Major League Baseball which has been conducted since 1969...
between 1969 and 1989.
Kubek received the
Ford C. Frick AwardThe Ford C. Frick Award is presented annually by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in the United States to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball." It is named for Ford Christopher Frick, former Commissioner of Major League Baseball...
in 2009.
Playing career
A left-handed batter, Kubek signed his first professional contract with the Yankees and rose rapidly through the team's farm system. He was 20 years of age when he played his first game in
Major League BaseballMajor 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...
in , and—except for one year spent largely in the U.S. military—remained with the Yankees until his retirement due to a back injury at the close of the season. In his prime he formed a top
double playIn baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
combination with
second basemanSecond base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
(and roommate)
Bobby RichardsonRobert Clinton "Bobby" Richardson is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees from through . Batting and throwing right-handed, he was a superb defensive infielder, as well as something of a clutch hitter, who played no small role in the Yankee baseball...
on an infield that also featured
third basemanA third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
Clete BoyerCletis Leroy "Clete" Boyer was a Major League Baseball player.A third baseman who also played shortstop and second base occasionally, Boyer played for the Kansas City Athletics , New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves...
.
Kubek played 1,092 games, 882 of them at
shortstopShortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
(although he also was an
outfielderOutfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
and utility
infielderAn infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
in his early career), compiling a lifetime
batting averageBatting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .266 with 57
home runIn baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s. The 38 doubles he totaled in 1961 remained the Yankee club record for shortstops until 2004, and his career fielding percentage and range factor were both above league average. During his nine years with the Yankees, he played on seven
American LeagueThe American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
pennant winners (1957–58, 1960–64) and three world champions (1958, 1961–1962).
In a 1976
EsquireEsquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
magazine article, sportswriter Harry Stein published an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter," consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Kubek was the shortstop on Stein's
Polishthumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
team.
In 1986, Kubek was on hand for the only
Old-Timers' DayOld-Timers' Day generally refers to a tradition in Major League Baseball of a team, especially the New York Yankees, devoting the early afternoon preceding a weekend late afternoon game to celebrate the baseball-related accomplishments of its former players who have since retired...
at Yankee Stadium that he would take part in. That year, the event was a reunion of the
1961 YankeesThe New York Yankees season was the 59th season for the team in New York, and its 61st season overall. The team finished with a record of 109-53, eight games ahead of the Detroit Tigers, and won their 26th American League pennant. New York was managed by Ralph Houk. The Yankees played their home...
and marked the recent passing of
Roger MarisRoger Eugene Maris was an American Major League Baseball right fielder. During the 1961 season, he hit a record 61 home runs for the New York Yankees, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record of 60 home runs...
.
Rookie of the Year
In , Kubek won the
American League Rookie of the Year AwardIn Major League Baseball, the Rookie of the Year Award is annually given to one player from each league as voted on by the Baseball Writers Association of America . The award was established in 1940 by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA, which selected an annual winner from 1940 through 1946...
. In Game 3 of the
1957 World SeriesThe 1957 World Series featured the defending champions, the New York Yankees , playing against the Milwaukee Braves . After finishing just one game behind the N.L. Champion Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956, the Braves came back in 1957 to win their first pennant since moving from Boston in 1953...
, he had one of the best World Series games a rookie has ever had, going 3 for 5 with two home runs, three runs scored, and four RBI. Kubek is one of four rookies to hit two home runs in a World Series game. Another
YankeeThe New York Yankees season was the team's 37th season in New York, and its 39th overall. The team finished with a record of 106-45, winning their 11th pennant, finishing 17 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox. New York was managed by Joe McCarthy. The Yankees played their home games at Yankee...
,
Charlie KellerCharles Ernest "Charlie" Keller was a left fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1939 through 1952, Keller played for the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers...
, had performed the feat in the
1939 World SeriesThe 1939 World Series featured the three-time defending champion New York Yankees against the Cincinnati Reds, who were making their first Series appearance since the scandal-tainted 1919 World Series. The Yankees swept the Series in four games for the second time in a row, winning their record...
against the
Cincinnati RedsThe Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. The team finished first in the National League, winning the pennant by 4½ games over the St. Louis Cardinals with a record of 97-57...
and
St. Louis CardinalThe St. Louis Cardinals' 1982 season was the team's 101st season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 91st season in the National League. Making up for the previous year's near-miss, the Cardinals went 92-70 during the season and won their first-ever National League East Division title by three games...
Willie McGeeWillie Dean McGee is a retired professional baseball player who won two batting titles and was named Major League Baseball's National League MVP. McGee primarily played center and right field, winning three Gold Glove Awards for defensive excellence. McGee spent the majority of his 18-year career...
homered twice in the
1982 World Series-Game 1:Tuesday, October 12, 1982 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriThe Brewers' left-hander Mike Caldwell pitched a complete game shutout, allowing only three hits. The Brewers' offense was led by Paul Molitor, who had a World Series-record five hits and two RBIs...
against the
Milwaukee BrewersThe 1982 Milwaukee Brewers season resulted in the team winning its first and only American League Championship.- Offseason :*October 23, 1981: Rickey Keeton was traded by the Brewers to the Houston Astros for Pete Ladd....
. All three of these feats occurred in a Game 3; Kubek's and McGee's both occurred at
Milwaukee County StadiumMilwaukee County Stadium was a ballpark in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1953 to 2000. It was primarily used as a baseball stadium for the Milwaukee Braves and Brewers, but was also used for football games, ice skating, religious services, concerts and other large events...
. The
Atlanta Braves-Offseason:* January 3, 1996: Jerome Walton was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.* January 9, 1996: Mike Kelly was traded by the Atlanta Braves to the Cincinnati Reds for a player to be named later and Chad Fox...
'
Andruw JonesAndruw Rudolf Jones is a Major League Baseball outfielder who is a free agent.Jones made his debut during the 1996 season. In the 1996 World Series, Jones became the youngest player to ever homered in the postseason...
homered twice in Game 1 of the
1996 World Series-Game 1:Sunday, October 20, 1996 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkGame 1 and Game 2 were originally scheduled for Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20, respectively. Rain on October 19, however, washed out Game 1. The schedule was moved up one day, with Game 1 and Game 2 rescheduled for...
at Yankee Stadium.
1960 World Series
In Game 7 of the
1960 World SeriesThe 1960 World Series was played between the Pittsburgh Pirates of the National League and the New York Yankees of the American League from October 5 to October 13, 1960...
, Kubek was victimized by a bad-hop ground ball that struck him in the throat; Kubek was badly injured and the batter,
Bill VirdonWilliam Charles Virdon is a former outfielder, manager and coach in Major League Baseball. A premier defensive outfielder during his playing days as a center fielder for the St...
, reached first base, enabling the
Pittsburgh PiratesThe 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates season was the team's 79th season. The team finished with a record of 95-59, seven games in front of the second-place Milwaukee Braves to win their first National League championship in 33 seasons...
to rally in a game they eventually won 10–9 on a ninth-inning homer by
Bill MazeroskiWilliam Stanley Mazeroski , nicknamed "Maz", is a former Major League Baseball player who spent his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates...
. Kubek was sensitive about the Bill Virdon incident. When future broadcasting partner
Bob CostasRobert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
once referenced Virdon's smash on the air, Kubek put his hand on Costas' thigh to stop him. Just before the
1963 World SeriesThe 1963 World Series matched the two-time defending champion New York Yankees against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the Dodgers sweeping the Series in four games to capture their second title in five years, and their third in franchise history....
, TV personality
Phil SilversPhil Silvers was an American entertainer and comedy actor, known as "The King of Chutzpah." He is best known for starring in The Phil Silvers Show, a 1950s sitcom set on a U.S...
, a Dodger fan, provided a reporter with a list of Yankee players to rattle. He included Kubek: "Show him a pebble."
NBC Sports, CTV and TSN
Upon his retirement, Kubek became a color analyst on NBC's Saturday
Game of the WeekThe 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...
telecasts. Kubek initially had trouble adjusting to the world of broadcasting. Although he had a lot to say, he rambled, he tended to
stutterStuttering , also known as stammering , is a speech disorder in which the flow of speech is disrupted by involuntary repetitions and prolongations of sounds, syllables, words or phrases, and involuntary silent pauses or blocks in which the stutterer is unable to produce sounds...
, and talked too fast.
Curt GowdyCurtis 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,...
soon suggested to Kubek that he should work offseason to improve his delivery. Buying a recorder, Kubek often read poetry aloud for 20 minutes a day. Kubek eventually became a respected broadcaster, doing both play-by-play and commentary. He spent 24 years at the
networkThe 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...
, teaming with play-by-play
announcerAn announcer is a presenter who makes "announcements" in an audio medium or a physical location.-Television and other media:Some announcers work in television production , radio or filmmaking, usually providing narrations, news updates, station identification, or an introduction of a product in...
s such as
Jim SimpsonJim Simpson is a retired American sportscaster, known for his smooth delivery as a play-by-play man and his versatility in covering many different sports. In 1997, he won the Sports Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2000 he was inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters...
,
Curt GowdyCurtis 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,...
(whom Kubek called his favorite partner), Joe Garagiola and
Bob CostasRobert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
. Kubek could be considered baseball’s first modern style analyst, similar to
Tim McCarverJames Timothy "Tim" McCarver is an American former Major League Baseball catcher, and a current sportscaster in residence for Fox Sports.-Playing career:...
and
Jim KaatJames Lee "Jim" Kaat , nicknamed "Kitty", is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins , Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees , and St...
later.
In addition to the weekly in-season games, Kubek worked over a dozen
World SeriesThe World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
(
1969The 1969 World Series was played between the New York Mets and the Baltimore Orioles, with the Mets prevailing in five games to accomplish one of the greatest upsets in Series history, as that particular Orioles squad was considered to be one of the finest ever...
–
1976The 1976 World Series matched the defending champion Cincinnati Reds of the National League against the New York Yankees of the American League, with the Reds sweeping the Series to repeat. The Reds became the only team to sweep an entire multi-tier postseason. The Reds are also the last National...
,
1978-Game 1:Tuesday, October 10, 1978 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaWith Yankee ace Ron Guidry unavailable at least until Game 3, the Dodgers pounded twenty-game winner Ed Figueroa. Figueroa left after two innings, allowing home runs to Dusty Baker and Davey Lopes. Lopes would add a...
,
1980-Game 1:Tuesday, October 14, 1980 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaThe Royals jumped on Philly rookie starter Bob Walk early with a pair of two run bombs—one by Amos Otis in the second and another by Willie Aikens in the third...
and
1982-Game 1:Tuesday, October 12, 1982 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriThe Brewers' left-hander Mike Caldwell pitched a complete game shutout, allowing only three hits. The Brewers' offense was led by Paul Molitor, who had a World Series-record five hits and two RBIs...
), plus the
American League Championship SeriesIn Major League Baseball, the American League Championship Series , played in October, is a round in the postseason that determines the winner of the American League pennant...
(
1969-Game 1:Saturday, October 4, 1969 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, MarylandIn the opener, 20-game winner Jim Perry held a 3–2 lead over the Orioles entering the ninth inning, Boog Powell tied the score with a smash over the right-field fence. Reliever Ron Perranoski, who worked in all three games,...
–
1975-Game 1:Saturday, October 4, 1975 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsBoston Red Sox starter Luis Tiant allowed just one run on three hits to defeat the Oakland Athletics, 7–1, in the ALCS opener....
,
1977-Game 1:Wednesday, October 5, 1977 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe visiting Royals jumped on the sore-shouldered Don Gullett early and never looked back. Hal McRae hit a two-run homer in the first, Freddie Patek had a two-run double in the second, and John Mayberry a two-run blast in the...
,
1979-Game 1:Wednesday, October 3, 1979 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, MarylandGame 1 was a match-up of Nolan Ryan in his final season with the Angels, and Jim Palmer for the Orioles. The Angels jumped out to the early lead when Dan Ford homered in the top of the first. The Angels extended the lead...
,
1981-Game 1:Tuesday, October 13, 1981 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkIn Billy Martin's return to Yankee Stadium , the Yankees drew first blood in front of their old skipper...
,
1983-Game 1:Wednesday, October 5, 1983 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, MarylandPlaying in their first postseason game since the 1959 World Series, the White Sox jumped out to a 1–0 series lead behind a complete-game victory by Hoyt, the American League Cy Young Award winner...
,
1985-Game 1:Tuesday, October 8, 1985 at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, OntarioThe Toronto Blue Jays entered the series as the favorite to win the series. The first game featured Toronto pitcher Dave Stieb and Kansas City pitcher Charlie Leibrandt at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto...
,
1987-Game 1:Wednesday, October 7, 1987 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, MinnesotaThe 1987 AL playoffs opened at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, with the Tigers throwing Doyle Alexander against the Twins' Frank Viola. In the bottom of the second, the Twins opened the scoring when third...
and
1989-Game 1:Tuesday, October 3, 1989 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, CaliforniaThe A's went off as heavy favorites largely due to their status as defending American League champions. The Blue Jays had been in second place much of the year before catching and passing the Baltimore Orioles...
), and
All-Star GamesThe 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...
(
1969The 1969 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 40th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played on July 23, 1969 at RFK Memorial Stadium in Washington, DC. The game resulted...
–
1975The 1975 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 46th midseason exhibition between the all-stars of the American League and the National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was played on July 15, 1975 at Milwaukee County Stadium in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, home of...
,
1977The 1977 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 48th 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 19, 1977, at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York, New York the...
,
1979The 1979 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 50th 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 17, 1979, at The Kingdome in Seattle, Washington the home of the...
and
1981The 1981 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 52nd 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 August 9, 1981, at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, the home of...
).
He also worked local telecasts for the
Toronto Blue JaysThe Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
on
The Sports NetworkThe Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels...
and
CTVCTV Television Network is a Canadian English language television network and is owned by Bell Media. It is Canada's largest privately-owned network, and has consistently placed as Canada's top-rated network in total viewers and in key demographics since 2002, after several years trailing the rival...
from
1977The 1977 Toronto Blue Jays season was the first year of Major League Baseball played by the Toronto-based expansion franchise. The Blue Jays finished 7th in the American League East with a record of 54 wins and 107 losses.- Offseason :...
to
1989The Toronto Blue Jays season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Blue Jays finishing first in the American League East with a record of 89 wins and 73 losses...
. The
Toronto StarThe Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
said that Kubek "educated a whole generation of Canadian baseball fans without being condescending or simplistic." During the winter, Kubek would go
huntingHunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
, coach junior high basketball, and wait for baseball to resume.
Personality
As both a local and national sportscaster, Kubek was known for his outspokenness. While calling the
1972 American League Championship Series-Game 1:Saturday, October 7, 1972 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, CaliforniaGame 1 pitted ace pitchers Catfish Hunter for the A's and Mickey Lolich for the Tigers, and, as expected, both were brilliant...
, Kubek said that
OaklandThe Oakland Athletics season involved the A's winning the American League West with a record of 93 wins and 62 losses. In the playoffs, they defeated the Detroit Tigers in a five-game ALCS, followed by a seven-game World Series, in which they defeated the Cincinnati Reds for their first World...
's
Bert CampanerisDagoberto Campaneris Blanco , nicknamed "Campy", is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for four American League teams, primarily the Kansas City and Oakland Athletics...
throwing his bat at
DetroitThe Detroit Tigers won the American League East division championship with a record of 86-70 , finishing one-half game ahead of the Boston Red Sox. They played one more game than the Red Sox due to a scheduling quirk caused by the 1972 Major League Baseball strike -- a game which turned out to...
's Lerrin LaGrow (who knocked Campaneris down) was justified. Kubek believed that any pitch aimed squarely at a batter's legs could endanger his career. Detroit's Chrysler Corporation phoned then-
Baseball CommissionerThe Commissioner of Baseball is the chief executive of Major League Baseball and its associated minor leagues. Under the direction of the Commissioner, the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball hires and maintains the sport's umpiring crews, and negotiates marketing, labor, and television contracts...
Bowie KuhnBowie Kent Kuhn was an American lawyer and sports administrator who served as the fifth Commissioner of Major League Baseball from February 4, , to September 30,...
, who, in turn, called NBC about the matter.
On April 8, 1974, when Hank Aaron hit his record-breaking 715th career home run, Kubek, who was calling the game with
Curt GowdyCurtis 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,...
and Joe Garagiola, criticized Bowie Kuhn on air for failing to be in attendance at
AtlantaAtlanta-Fulton County Stadium, often shortened to "Fulton County Stadium," was a multi-purpose stadium that formerly stood in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.-History:...
on that historic night. Kuhn argued that he had a prior engagement that he could not break.
In the 10th inning of Game 3 of the
1975 World SeriesThe 1975 World Series was played between the Boston Red Sox and Cincinnati Reds . It has been ranked by ESPN as the second-greatest World Series ever played...
,
CincinnatiThe 1975 Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. It consisted of the Reds winning the National League West with a record of 108-54, 20 games ahead of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Reds went on to win the National League Championship Series by defeating the Pittsburgh Pirates in...
's
César GerónimoCésar Francisco Gerónimo Zorrilla , known as César Gerónimo, is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball, who was a member of the famed Big Red Machine of the Cincinnati Reds during the 1970s. He batted and threw left-handed....
reached first base. Then,
BostonThe Boston Red Sox season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Red Sox finishing first in the American League East with a record of 95 wins and 65 losses...
catcher
Carlton FiskCarlton Ernest Fisk , nicknamed "Pudge" or "The Commander", is a former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 24-year baseball career, he played for both the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox .Fisk was known by the nickname "Pudge" due to his 6'2", 220 lb frame...
threw
Ed ArmbristerEdison Rosanda "Ed" Armbrister is a former outfielder in Major League Baseball who had a five-year career from 1973 through 1977 with the Cincinnati Reds...
's bunt into center field. Kubek, on the NBC telecast, immediately charged that Armbrister interfered (with the attempted forceout), though home plate umpire
Larry BarnettLawrence Robert Barnett is a former umpire in Major League Baseball who worked in the American League from 1969 to 1999 before becoming the major leagues' supervisor of umpires in 2000-2001.-Career:...
did not agree. After
Joe MorganJoe Leonard Morgan is a former Major League Baseball second baseman who played for the Houston Astros, Cincinnati Reds, San Francisco Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Oakland Athletics from 1963 to 1984. He won two World Series championships with the Reds in 1975 and 1976 and was also named the...
drove in the game winning run for the Reds in a 6–5 victory, Barnett blamed Kubek for receiving death threats. Later, Kubek got 1,000 letters dubbing him a Boston stooge.
In , Kubek had said of
New York YankeesThe 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...
' owner
George SteinbrennerGeorge Michael Steinbrenner III was an American businessman who was the principal owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball's New York Yankees. During Steinbrenner's 37-year ownership from 1973 to his death in July 2010, the longest in club history, the Yankees earned seven World Series...
that "He's got an expensive toy. Baseball's tough enough without an owner harassing you." In a
Sports IllustratedSports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
article on May 27, 1991 on the Yankees'
bad seasonThe New York Yankees' 1991 season was the 89th season for the Yankees. The team finished with a record of 71-91 finishing 20 games behind of the Toronto Blue Jays. New York was managed by Stump Merrill...
, he would go on to criticize Steinbrenner once again by saying, "George's legacy is not the World Series winners of
'77-Game 1:Tuesday, October 11, 1977 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe Dodgers drew first blood off Don Gullett in the first when Davey Lopes walked and scored on a Bill Russell triple. Ron Cey made it 2–0 on a sacrifice fly...
and
'78-Game 1:Tuesday, October 10, 1978 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, CaliforniaWith Yankee ace Ron Guidry unavailable at least until Game 3, the Dodgers pounded twenty-game winner Ed Figueroa. Figueroa left after two innings, allowing home runs to Dusty Baker and Davey Lopes. Lopes would add a...
or having the best record of any team in the '80s, his legacy is these past five seasons—teams with worse and worse records culminating in last year's last-place finish." Kubek also added, "George talked a lot about tradition, but it was all phony, it was just him trying to be part of the tradition. You can't manufacture tradition in a plastic way. You have to have a certain class to go with it."
With Bob Costas
The team of Kubek and
Bob CostasRobert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
(backing up
Vin ScullyVincent 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...
and Joe Garagiola and later,
Tom SeaverGeorge 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...
) proved to be a formidable pair. Costas was praised by fans for both his reverence and irreverence while Kubek was praised for his technical approach and historical perspective. One of the pair's most memorable broadcasts was the "(Ryne) Sandberg Game" (between the
Chicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs' 1984 season was the 109th season for the Cubs. The team finished with a record of 96-65 in first place of the National League Eastern Division. Chicago was managed by Jim Frey and the general manager was Dallas Green...
and
St. Louis CardinalsThe St. Louis Cardinals 1984 season was the team's 103rd season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 93rd season in the National League. The Cardinals went 84-78 during the season and finished 3rd in the National League East, 12½ games behind their arch-rivals, the Chicago Cubs...
at Chicago's
Wrigley FieldWrigley Field is a baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, United States that has served as the home ballpark of the Chicago Cubs since 1916. It was built in 1914 as Weeghman Park for the Chicago Federal League baseball team, the Chicago Whales...
) on June 23, 1984.
Kubek and Costas, who had worked together since (and in the process, called four American League Championship Series:
1983-Game 1:Wednesday, October 5, 1983 at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore, MarylandPlaying in their first postseason game since the 1959 World Series, the White Sox jumped out to a 1–0 series lead behind a complete-game victory by Hoyt, the American League Cy Young Award winner...
,
1985-Game 1:Tuesday, October 8, 1985 at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto, OntarioThe Toronto Blue Jays entered the series as the favorite to win the series. The first game featured Toronto pitcher Dave Stieb and Kansas City pitcher Charlie Leibrandt at Exhibition Stadium in Toronto...
,
1987-Game 1:Wednesday, October 7, 1987 at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, MinnesotaThe 1987 AL playoffs opened at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, with the Tigers throwing Doyle Alexander against the Twins' Frank Viola. In the bottom of the second, the Twins opened the scoring when third...
, and
1989-Game 1:Tuesday, October 3, 1989 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, CaliforniaThe A's went off as heavy favorites largely due to their status as defending American League champions. The Blue Jays had been in second place much of the year before catching and passing the Baltimore Orioles...
), called the final edition (the 981st overall) of NBC's
Game of the Week which aired on September 30, 1989. Coincidentally, that particular game featured the
Toronto Blue JaysThe Toronto Blue Jays season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Blue Jays finishing first in the American League East with a record of 89 wins and 73 losses...
(which was as previously mentioned, a team that Kubek was long associated with as a broadcaster, from 1977 to 1989) beating the
Baltimore OriolesThe Baltimore Orioles season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Orioles finishing 2nd in the American League East with a record of 87 wins and 75 losses. The team was known as the Comeback Kids as they rebounded from the 54 wins and 107 losses of the 1988 season...
4–3 to clinch the
AL EastThe American League Eastern Division is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions . This division was created before the start of the 1969 season along with the Western Division...
title at
SkyDomeRogers Centre is a multi-purpose stadium, in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated next to the CN Tower, near the shores of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989, it is home to the Toronto Blue Jays of Major League Baseball and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League...
. When the subject came up of NBC losing the rights to televising Major League Baseball for the first time since , Kubek simply said,
"I can't believe it!" The final broadcast for Kubek and Costas as a team was Game 5 of the
1989 American League Championship Series-Game 1:Tuesday, October 3, 1989 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, CaliforniaThe A's went off as heavy favorites largely due to their status as defending American League champions. The Blue Jays had been in second place much of the year before catching and passing the Baltimore Orioles...
(October 8), also at SkyDome, where the
Oakland AthleticsThe Oakland Athletics season saw the A's finish in first place in the American League West division, with a record of 99 wins and 63 losses, seven games in front of the Kansas City Royals. It was their second consecutive AL West title, as well as the second straight year in which they finished...
won to advance to the
World Series†: Game 3 was originally slated for October 17 at 5:35 pm; however, it was postponed when an earthquake occurred at 5:04 pm.-Game 1:Saturday, October 14, 1989 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum in Oakland, California...
.
MSG Network and retirement
When NBC lost its baseball TV rights to CBS after the season, Kubek left the national scene, joining the Yankees' local cable-TV announcing team (which earned Kubek
$The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
525,000 a year).
Kubek spent five years calling games for the Yankees (
1990The New York Yankees' 1990 season was the 88th season for the Yankees. The team finished in seventh place in the American League East with a record of 67-95, finishing 21 games behind the Boston Red Sox. It was the Yankees' first last-place finish in 24 years, and the first in the two-division era....
–
1994The New York Yankees' 1994 season was the 92nd season for the Yankees. New York was managed by Buck Showalter and played at Yankee Stadium. The team finished with a record of 70-43 finishing games ahead of the Baltimore Orioles, having the best record in the American League and the second-best...
) on the
MSG NetworkThe MSG Network, now shortened to simply MSG, is a regional cable television and radio network serving the Mid-Atlantic United States. It is focused on New York City sports teams...
with
Dewayne StaatsDewayne Staats is the play-by-play commentator for the Tampa Bay Rays' television broadcasts . He is teamed with color commentary announcer Brian Anderson. He has previously worked with analysts Joe Magrane and Kevin Kennedy.-Biography:Growing up near St. Louis, Missouri in Wood River, IL, Staats...
, where he earned fans and critics' respect for his honesty. After 1994, Kubek effectively quit broadcasting. He explained his sudden retirement from sportscasting by saying:
Kubek added, "I want to go home and spend more time with my family. They deserve it more than anyone. I don't need that ego stuff. I feel sorry for those who do." Kubek's resignation coincided with the bitter strike that wound up cancelling the
World Series in 1994The 1994 World Series was canceled on September 14 of that year due to an ongoing strike by the Major League Baseball Players Association, which had begun on August 12...
. In a 2008
New York Times article, Kubek claimed not to have seen a major league game since his retirement from broadcasting.
Kubek now lives in
Appleton, WisconsinAppleton is a city in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is situated on the Fox River, 30 miles southwest of Green Bay and 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Appleton is the county seat of Outagamie County. The population was 78,086 at the 2010 census...
and is a supporter of the
Fox Valley Lutheran High SchoolFox Valley Lutheran High School is a Lutheran high school located in Appleton, Wisconsin. The school is owned and operated by a Federation of 40 Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod churches across the Fox River Valley area...
and its baseball team.
Ford C. Frick Award
On December 22, 2008, Tony Kubek won the 2009
Ford C. Frick AwardThe Ford C. Frick Award is presented annually by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in the United States to a broadcaster for "major contributions to baseball." It is named for Ford Christopher Frick, former Commissioner of Major League Baseball...
, an honor bestowed on broadcasters by the
Baseball Hall of FameThe 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...
. Kubek was selected for the honor by a committee of 15 prior Frick Award winners and five broadcast historians and columnists. Kubek became the first Frick Award winner whose broadcast career was solely in television, and the first to have called games for a Canadian team.
Politics
Kubek is a committed
DemocratThe Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. In 1976, he declined to come to
South CarolinaSouth Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
to campaign for former teammate
Bobby RichardsonRobert Clinton "Bobby" Richardson is a former second baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees from through . Batting and throwing right-handed, he was a superb defensive infielder, as well as something of a clutch hitter, who played no small role in the Yankee baseball...
, a
RepublicanThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, who ended up losing a close race for the
U.S. House of RepresentativesThe United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
to incumbent Democrat Kenneth Holland by a 51% to 48% margin.
External links
- Tony Kubek (statistics & history) – Baseball-Reference.com
- Shecter, Leonard. "A Rational Rebel In Pinstripes", Sports Illustrated, May 13, 1963
- Sandomir, Richard. "In Kubek, Hall Honors an Authentic Voice", The New York Times, Wednesday, December 10, 2008
- "Kubek no longer defined by baseball"
- Baseball Hall of Fame – Biography