Mr BioFile Interviews by Scoop Malinowski
By Scoop Malinowski
Status: Former Major League pitcher from 1962-1978 for New York Yankees, Seattle Pilots, Houston Astros, Atlanta Braves. Best-selling author. Actor. One of the creators of “Big League Chew.”
DOB: March 8, 1939 In: Newark, NJ (Passed away July 10, 2019)
Ht: 6-0 Wt: 170
Childhood Heroes: Sal Maglie. Monte Irvin. Bobby Thompson. I was a Giants fan as a kid.
Early Baseball Memory: Throwing my first knuckleball that really moved (age 12).
Favorite Movie: One-Eyed Jack.
Nicknames: Foggy – because I always had my head somewhere else. Flaky – for having different opinions. Bulldog – from Elston Howard, because I was a good competitor on the mound.
Childhood Ambition: Never thought of the future as a kid.
First Job: Paperboy for the Bergen Evening-Herald, door-to-door in Rochelle Park, NJ. Of course I had lemonade stands before that.
First Car: 1955 black Ford Coupe.
Hobbies/Interests: Motivational speaking, writing.
Greatest Sports Moment: Winning my first World Series game (vs. St. Louis in 1964).
Funniest Player Encountered: Frenchy Bordagaray. He had the funniest quote. He was fined $50 for spitting on the umpire. He said, “That’s more than I expectorated.”
Toughest Competitors: Whitey Ford. I saw him pitch with a sore arm one night. He had nothing. We needed him. He went out and pitched seven innings with guts and junk. Amazing. Great competitor.
Favorite Sport To Watch Outside Baseball: Hockey. To Play? Football.
Favorite TV Shows: Nature shows. I don’t watch much TV.
Musical Tastes: Billie Holliday.
Closest Baseball Friends: Gary Belle, Steve Hovly, Tommy Davis, and guys from the minors leagues – Stu Livingstone, Roger Alexander, Larry Owens.
Most Treasured Possession: I don’t have one.
People Qualities Most Admired: I admire a man by the name of Ruben Fuentes, a fellow baseball player, a teammate of mine. He fell off a ladder and broke his neck. Became a quadriplegic. He still made a life of himself. He’s married with three kids, he has a job and goes to college. I admire Ruben.
Future Ambition: I live in the present.
Family: Wife, Paula, sons, Michael, David, Lee Hollis, daughter, Laurie.
Career Accomplishments: 1962 World Series Champion; 1963 All-Star; 62-63 pitching record with 3.57 ERA and 720 strikeouts; 2-1 record in World Series starts with 1.48 ERA; Authored the best seller Ball Four in 1968.
