Latest / Retro Sports Radio: Classic Games from History / 1949 • Baseball Clip • Jackie Robinson & Bob Hope - Radio Interview

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1949 • Baseball Clip • Jackie Robinson & Bob Hope - Radio Interview · Retro Sports Radio: Classic Games from History

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  This is Retro Sports Radio. Visit RetroSeasons.com for more sports history.
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  What All America is talking about.
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  This week, All America is talking about one of the most exciting World Series in baseball history.
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  Right now, I'd like to have you meet one of the great players whose sensational relief pitching
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  made World Series history and qualifies him to be New York's favorite son.
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  The fellow who rushes in with a nobikane when the bases are loaded,
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  fireman Joe Page, ladies and gentlemen.
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  And that's mine, Joe. That applause is for you, Joe, and I'll bet there are a lot of people sitting at their loudspeakers tonight applauding your great performances of the series.
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  You think there are people listening?
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  Oh, you're wondering too, huh?
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  Look, don't throw any curves, Joe. The season's over. You know that, don't you?
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  And I bet you're happy about it, too. Pitching in those games must be a terrific strain.
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  It is, Bob. There's a lot of tension you want to make every minute count. Did you ever feel that way?
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  Yeah, when I was making the pale face with Jane Russell.
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  Well, what are your plans now, Joe?
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  Well, the first thing I want to do is rest up a bit. You know, I'm tired.
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  Yeah, I know what you mean. The series has taken so much out of me, too.
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  Out of you?
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  Sure. Don't forget, you were only out in the field. I was up in the bleachers with the Dodgers fans.
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  Dodger fan, that's an atomic bomb with a Brooklyn accent.
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  What fans over there? An argument came up at home plate.
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  I was drinking a Coke and the guy next to me threw the bottle.
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  So?
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  Hmm?
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  So? I was still holding on to it.
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  So, he says.
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  Where are you going on your vacation, Joe?
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  Oh, there's a little lake up in the high Sierras. I go up there hunting, put my decoys out, and just keep shooting away.
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  Yeah, well, how many ducks do you get?
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  Oh, there's no ducks around there, Bob. I just shoot it to decoys.
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  Well, why do you like to shoot at decoys?
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  Well, of course, from a distance, they look like the umpires.
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  Well, Joe, I'd like to pause here for a moment to introduce a fellow who is one of the outstanding athletes of our day,
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  a boy who went from the gridiron to the baseball diamond, whose power batting contributed mightily in helping Brooklyn win the National League pennant.
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  Ladies and gentlemen, the sensational second baseman of the Dodgers, Jackie Robinson.
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  Jackie?
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  It's a real thrill having you with us tonight.
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  Well, thank you very much, Bob.
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  Now, you're not nervous in front of all these people, are you? If you are, just steal a few bases, then we'll start talking.
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  No, I'm all right, Bob, but tonight's a sad night over there across the river.
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  Why? What do you mean?
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  Well, that tree that grows in Brooklyn is now Weeping Willow.
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  Isn't that swell?
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  Jackie, I guess that that $5,000 you got as a player share will come in pretty handy, won't it?
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  Five thousand? Is that what we got, Bob?
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  Jack, you mean you don't know how much you got? How come?
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  Oh, Mrs. Robinson's been sitting on it since Sunday night.
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  Your wife grabs the money that fast, Jackie?
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  Bob, she grabs that money faster than I can say Jack Robinson, and that's my name.
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  But Jackie, I'm sure, I'm sure all of us would like to know, tell us, how do you feel out there on the field with a close game with 70,000 pairs of eyes watching you?
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  Well, we get pretty nervous, Bob. You know, we're always afraid of dropping one.
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  Yeah, I feel the same way every Tuesday night.
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  I have to be careful. They make them clean them up here until they make it clean.
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  Jackie, you've met Joe Page here.
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  Yeah, too many times in this series.
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  How you doing, Joe?
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  Well, don't say it like that. There'll be other years, you know.
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  Hiya, Joe. He sounds like Tito talking to Staline.
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  You played a great series, Jackie. Yes, sir, you really made time around those bases. Tell me, how do you keep in such good shape?
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  Oh, I usually do about 10 miles of road work every day.
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  Well, personally, I start out with three hours of calisthenics every morning.
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  And then I go to the gym and box 20 rounds.
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  Well, I prefer a couple hours of weightlifting with 300-pound weights.
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  Anyone for ping-pong?
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  But you know, it's a wonderful having you fellas with me tonight, the three of us all great baseball players.
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  The three of us, Bob, who'd you ever play with?
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  Who'd I play with? For four years, I was letterman on Vassar.
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  But Bob, Vassar's a girls' school. How could you play on their baseball team?
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  I used to take my showers at home.
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  I'll never forget the big game, Vassar versus Smith versus Wellesley.
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  How could three teams play in one game? Oh, what do girls know?
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  Well, come to think of it, Bob, you are built pretty well. You could be a ballplayer.
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  Oh, I thought you'd notice it sooner or later. Thank you.
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  Sure, Bob, you could stand on first base and your stomach could steal over to second.
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  Now wait. Wait a minute.
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  And on the way over, you could trip the shortstop with your nose.
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  Has Casey Stengel been writing your material, boy?
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  Well, I'll tell you fellas, I'll stick to my racket and you stick to yours.
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  And believe me, your two clubs put on a display a great baseball and fine sportsmanship
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  that was a tribute to the game.
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  Thanks, Bob, and we feel that whether you're in the game or not...
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  There's no business like baseball, business like no business we know.
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  Whether you are short or tall and lanky, it doesn't really matter where you're from.
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  You've always got a chance to be a Yankee or you can wind up a bum.
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  Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
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  Fellas, I'd like to know one thing. What is that you're doing there?
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  Well, Bob, we're singing. You may be singing, but your tonsils are still on the bench.
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  Yes, sir, there's no people like baseball people.
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  But wait, that isn't all.
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  The day you started training camp, you're in a whirl.
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  Can't drink or smoke, you can't kiss a girl.
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  I'd only wish a thing like that on Milton Berle.
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  Basketball, brother, play ball.
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  There's no series like world, series like no series we know.
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  I'm proud to say that I played for the Yankees.
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  I tried to bring the Brooklyn Dodgers fame.
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  I spent four years at Bellevue Sub-Normal.
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  And then sold hot dogs at the game.
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  With lots of mustard, everybody knows that you're a hee-hee-hay.
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  Bob, Bob.
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  Yes, Jack?
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  Tell me, what was that?
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  I was singing. What's the matter? Don't you like my voice?
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  You sound like Kirsten Flagstead at half-smashed.
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  I love that. That's better than the way it's written.
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  You threw me, boy. Where do we go now?
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  Oh yes, at half-mashed.
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  Get in quick, fellas.
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  We said there's no series like the world, series, but wait, that isn't all.
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  You make an air and the crowd thinks you're a dope.
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  You claim you're safe, but the ump says nope.
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  Be glad that they don't pay you off in bars of soap.
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  Play ball, brother, play ball. We don't mean checkers. Play ball, brother, play ball.
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  All thanks for the memories of our World Series games.
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  The democracy acclaims of Joe Demage and Jackie Rod, of all great baseball names.
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  We thank you so much. Who wrote this? Cole Hope?
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  Ladies and gentlemen, October the 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th, we're going up Canada Way.
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  Going up to Toronto, Montreal, Guelph, Ontario, and Windsor, Canada.
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  Gonna be there at 12th, 13th, 14th. Looking forward to that trip because a lot of friends up there.
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  And ladies and gentlemen, I want to thank, just so big, a little old Manhattan,
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  the town here with the king-size buildings and the king-size baseball teams.
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  Believe me, there's no bigger thrill than coming to the big town for the World Series.
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  And I'd like to say that New York may be big, but that baseball is bigger.
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  Baseball is the number one game of the nation where every kid has a chance to grow up and be president
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  or play center field for the Yankees or second base for the Dodgers.
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  Yes, sir, baseball is American, is America's first pennant, the one that Betsy Ross made.
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  And a word about the community chess. You know that chess is like baseball, too.
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  It takes crippled youngsters with two strikes on them and sees that they draw a walk.
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  And when you're in trouble, it sends in a pinch hitter.
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  365 days a year, it's in their pitching.
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  So let's see that the community chess, like the Yankees and the Dodgers, have a big season.
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  Good night, ladies and gentlemen.
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  Applause