Mr BioFile Interviews by Scoop Malinowski
By Scoop Malinowski
Status: Former Major League Baseball catcher for Philadelphia Phillies, California Angels and Kansas City Royals from 1972-1990.
DOB: November 19, 1947 In: San Diego, CA
Childhood Heroes: My dad Ray and Al Rosen.
Nicknames: Bobby, Booney.
Hobbies/Interests: Hunt, fish, golf, read, that covers it.
Early Baseball Memory: My dad played, my early memories were in Detroit and Cleveland. I’d say when I was real little in Cleveland, going over a bricks road to get to the park. Driving to the park we had to drive over a brick street. Then when he was with the Tigers, seeing hitters with a white bat, catchers with the bright straps on the mask. And knowing where every hot dog vendor is when he walked up the aisle. With the big, old steam hot dog boxes.
First Job: Cutting lawns (age 14).
First Car: 1956 Chevy (green).
Favorite Movies: I’m not a big movie watcher but love all the classics though.
Musical Tastes: Oldies, 60s stuff.
Greatest Sports Moment: The parade after winning the World Series in 1980 (with Philadelphia, Bob hit .412 in that series vs Kansas City). Oh, it was a long time for us winning the World Series. It took ten years. And culminated in ’80 with us winning it in dramatic fashion, a real tough championship season. We got in a real tough playoffs (vs. Houston). Emotionally totally draining. And the parade was like, Hey, we’re tired, we need to rest. A million people were there, incredible. Incredible emotional thing.
Most Painful Moment: Oh, I guess laying on the dirt at Shea Stadium when Joel Youngblood hit me and it tore the medial collateral ligament in my left knee (1979). Missed the last two weeks of the season.
Pre-Game Feeling: Think about everything [laughs]! Depends on the game. I may be playing out the last inning in my head. I may be thinking about my starter. Thinking about different moves I may make.
Favorite Meal: [Laughs] Don’t have one. I like ’em all.
Favorite Breakfast Cereal: Granola.
Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: Vanilla.
Closest Baseball Friends: A lot of them. Lot of them… Greg Luzinski probably my best friend from playing.
Funniest Players Encountered: Don’t have any.
Toughest Competitors Encountered: Don’t have any.
Funny Baseball Memory: Darren Johnson missing a pop-up right to him in Jarry Park in Montreal. Just missed it. It was a nothing pop-up and he whiffed it by ten feet [smiles].
Childhood Dream: To become a Major League player.
People Qualities Most Admired: High character.
College: Stanford/Psychology.
Family: Wife, Susan; Sons, Brett, Aaron, Matt.
Career Accomplishments: 1980 World Series Champion; four-time All-Star and six-time Gold Glove winner; Managed Kansas City 1995-1997 and Cincinnati 2001-2003; Sons Aaron and Brett played in Major Leagues.
