Talk about a candidate for a weight-training program. I was 6 -foot-3 and I weighed about 178 pounds soaking wet. We had a good high school team, and we went to the State Finals, which we lost. I was scouted by Kansas City, St. Louis and Pittsburgh. It was hard for them to miss the kid with the wingspan of a condor.

 

Still a gangly left-hander but now wearing Cardinal uniform in the big leagues- - I was scared to death. This is the last year the Cards played in the old Busch Stadium. Can you imagine this skinny kid telling Timmy McCarver, 1964 World Series MVP, that he needed to call more breaking pitches behind in the count. He almost took my head off. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

 

"The Trade" or "Rebel With A Cause." Auggie Busch traded me to the last-place Phillies over a salary dispute ($5000). I was mentally commited to winning 25 games with the Cardinals and now I had to re-think my goals. I decided to stay with the 25-win goal and won 27 of the Phillies 59 victories. I consider that season my finest individual acheivment.

Pete Rose came over to the Phillies in '79 and he became the catalyst that helped us to put it all together. His example on the field and his leadership helped to bring everbody's play up a notch. Hopefully, Pete will be reinstated by Baseball and he will have his rightful place in baseball history, a plaque in the Hall of Fame.