Interesting series of conversation on tonight's Royals broadcast.
Sideline reporter kicked it off with a discussion about Mike Aviles using Rick Ankiel bats tonight. Ankiel thought the shipment of bats was too heavy and started passing them out to any teammates that wanted one. Aviles took one and put his sticker #30 on it. They then talked about how Aviles will use anybody's bat that he likes, except Jose Guillen who is kinda particular about other people messing with his bats. And that Aviles has Olivo bats, John Buck bats, and bats from just about everyone in his equipment.
Frank White and Ryan Lefebvre then discussed a bit about bat lengths and weights now vs back in the 70s-80s.
That led to a more interesting conversation from Royals HOFer Frank White, who said they used to trade bats all the time back in the late 70s and early 80s. Frank did not always like the bats he got because he felt the wood was inferior to the wood that the sluggers got. Frank then said when he felt like he was getting inferior "batting practice wood", he would place orders under John Mayberry's name, because Big John always got better wood.
Commercial break ended and the broadcasters were joined by a surprise guest who was in a nearby suite, former Royal Greg Pryor. Greg said he always liked Frank's bats and he borrowed a few from Frank.
One day, George Brett was sitting at 1,999 hits and asked Greg if he could borrow a bat, the only time George asked to borrow one of Greg's bats. So naturally, Greg obliged and told George to take whatever he liked and George selected the bat Greg Pryor borrowed from Frank White. Low and behold George gets career hit 2,000 and in the game breaks the Frank White bat. After the game Pryor notices the bat sitting in with a pile of stuff on the floor of the dugout and grabs the bat and takes it to George at his locker. Greg says, "Hey George, here's your 2000th hit bat, don't you want it?" George replied, "Nah I hated that bat, piece of junk, I don't know what I was thinking ever using it." George then told Greg to keep it.
So now, Greg Pryor has George Brett's 2,000th hit bat hanging in his house, that is a Frank White model T141, that Greg borrowed from Frank and loaned to George.
Crazy... At least it gave me a reason to watch the Royals for a couple innings.
Anybody catch any good conversations on their local broadcasts straight from the mouths of former players?
Sideline reporter kicked it off with a discussion about Mike Aviles using Rick Ankiel bats tonight. Ankiel thought the shipment of bats was too heavy and started passing them out to any teammates that wanted one. Aviles took one and put his sticker #30 on it. They then talked about how Aviles will use anybody's bat that he likes, except Jose Guillen who is kinda particular about other people messing with his bats. And that Aviles has Olivo bats, John Buck bats, and bats from just about everyone in his equipment.
Frank White and Ryan Lefebvre then discussed a bit about bat lengths and weights now vs back in the 70s-80s.
That led to a more interesting conversation from Royals HOFer Frank White, who said they used to trade bats all the time back in the late 70s and early 80s. Frank did not always like the bats he got because he felt the wood was inferior to the wood that the sluggers got. Frank then said when he felt like he was getting inferior "batting practice wood", he would place orders under John Mayberry's name, because Big John always got better wood.
Commercial break ended and the broadcasters were joined by a surprise guest who was in a nearby suite, former Royal Greg Pryor. Greg said he always liked Frank's bats and he borrowed a few from Frank.
One day, George Brett was sitting at 1,999 hits and asked Greg if he could borrow a bat, the only time George asked to borrow one of Greg's bats. So naturally, Greg obliged and told George to take whatever he liked and George selected the bat Greg Pryor borrowed from Frank White. Low and behold George gets career hit 2,000 and in the game breaks the Frank White bat. After the game Pryor notices the bat sitting in with a pile of stuff on the floor of the dugout and grabs the bat and takes it to George at his locker. Greg says, "Hey George, here's your 2000th hit bat, don't you want it?" George replied, "Nah I hated that bat, piece of junk, I don't know what I was thinking ever using it." George then told Greg to keep it.
So now, Greg Pryor has George Brett's 2,000th hit bat hanging in his house, that is a Frank White model T141, that Greg borrowed from Frank and loaned to George.
Crazy... At least it gave me a reason to watch the Royals for a couple innings.
Anybody catch any good conversations on their local broadcasts straight from the mouths of former players?
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