Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: What's up, guys?
[00:00:00] Speaker B: It's David Wright with the New York Mets.
[00:00:02] Speaker C: And you're listening to the Talking 21 podcast with my man Danny Torres.
[00:00:05] Speaker B: Hi, everybody. This is Eric Davis, aka. Eric. Eric the red. I'm talking 21 with Danny Torres. Be there, be square. Much love.
[00:00:14] Speaker A: Hi, it's Bob Costas, and you're listening.
[00:00:17] Speaker B: To the Talking 21 Podcast with Danny Torres.
[00:00:20] Speaker A: Hey, this is Derek Shelton, manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, talking 21 with Danny Torres, retire number 21.
[00:00:27] Speaker D: Welcome, everyone, to the Talking 21 podcast. Thanks for your continued support. And guess what? Our listeners and viewers are in for a special treat. For the first time ever, I was invited to record an episode at the Paley Center for Media in New York City. Honestly, I cannot begin to describe the feeling of doing a podcast live in front of an audience. And it was a lot of fun. I want to give a special shout out to the entire programming department at the Paley Center for Media from start to finish. You were amazing. And of course, my deepest gratitude to Brian Grossman and Rob Dixter. And finally, thanks to our esteemed guests, paul Cuts, Jr. And Fred Camber, who was actually on a previous episode. So please make sure you check it out. So, once again, sit back, enjoy this special podcast to commemorate not only the 50th anniversary of Roberto Clemente's induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame, but as we do each September, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. So without further ado, enjoy this episode.
[00:01:42] Speaker B: And I am thrilled to be here at the Paley Center for Media. And what makes it even more special are some familiar faces. Firstly, I have to give credit to the person that's been in my corner since day one, because I don't know if he remembers when I was born in 1966, but my dear brother Jose Noel Torres is here. Let's give him a round of applause.
You know, when the Paley Center reached out to me, I was taken aback because it was a gentleman in Houston, Jesus Ortiz, who spoke to Brian Grossman. And before we continue even to talk about my conversations with Brian and of course with Rob, I want to thank and just want to make sure I got my special thanks card to Jeanette Choi. Of course, I just mentioned them, brian Grossman and of course, Rob Dixter and the entire programming team at the Paley Center for Media. And I think they definitely deserve a round of applause.
You know, every September 15 through October 15, we have obviously, in our country, Hispanic Heritage Month, where we celebrate the contributions of Latin Americans throughout our great nation. And it's interesting that of all of those that have impacted Latin Americans in the United States and throughout the world, that Roberto Clemente Walker was selected to be that person to be honored here at the Paley Center. And I think that's something that is once again worthy for an applause because Roberto Clemente, if you have never heard or known anything about the man, that's what you're going to hear this evening.
So this year marks the 50th anniversary of the nickname that he had given to him by Bob Prince, someone that Fred Cambria, member of the 1970 Pittsburgh Pirates, is definitely familiar with. He was called the Great One for a reason, not just what he did on the field, but the stories that we would end up hearing about what he would do behind the scenes. And that's something that should be applauded and recognized here as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of his induction into Cooperstown, August 6, 1973.
Prior to coming here this evening and I told Rob this, I'm going to be very honest.
It's three years with the podcast, and I've interviewed so many in the world of baseball bob Costas, Derek Shelton, Pittsburgh Pirates manager, those that have won the Roberto Clemente Award. If you go on our podcast link on Apple and Spotify and on YouTube. Curtis Grandison episode just dropped last week. But there's something about Roberto. What is it that we could talk about on and on and on? There's just something about the man that was special, that died, sadly, tragically on December 31, 1972, when I was thinking about this podcast episode. And Paul knows this, that this is the first time that Paul's on talking 21 people have said, Danny, why do you have Paul on? And I said, because I know Paul. I know the stories that he shared, and I know he has spoken to countless collectors. But maybe it was today at the Paley Center that this moment for Paul to share his story here on west 52nd street between Fifth and 6th. So, paul, I'm glad that you're here.
[00:05:20] Speaker C: Thanks, Danny.
[00:05:21] Speaker B: All right. So I said to myself, clemente, on December 31, 1972, embarked on what we now call, 50 years later, a humanitarian mission that took his life and four others. That plane should have never went up. The book that David Moranis wrote about Roberto Clemente. And one thing that I went in with all eyes from the standpoint of knowing all the stories, the one part of that book that struck out for me was the accident.
What occurred that day? Why did that plane go down? Come to find out through someone that's going to be writing a book on Clemente. You start looking for little tidbits. You start trying to search for something that someone else didn't write about. And it seems that in the law office of this particular person, there was a box in the basement that was labeled Clemente. And it was about the accident, the plane crash. That's where Danny tore his eyes, went up because I wanted to know about what happened. What was the mechanical failure? Was it that the plane was overweight because of the relief supplies that were going to go to Minagua, Nicaragua? So that's what struck to me. And that's the rider side of me. But we call it a humanitarian mission to help others. So I'm going to ask everyone here today what is your mission in life when you leave here tonight and you see the collection of Paul Cuts that I've seen countless times in his home in Newark, not the bit surprised of what is upstairs.
What's your mission?
Because Roberto said this so many times.
And this quote goes like this. And even before I go into Roberto, let me talk about my other guy, Bruce Lee. And Bruce Lee said this the key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering. Imagine that you want to be immortal.
Live that life that someone's going to remember you by. The key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering. Before Clemente. Everyone here. For me. It was Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee came so many years excuse me. Roberto Clemente came so many years later, especially when I started to write professionally at the age of 37. But Roberto said this anytime you have an opportunity to make a difference in this world and you don't, you're wasting your time on this earth. So think about what Bruce said. And he passed away. Check this out. Roberto dies december 31, 1972. Bruce Lee dies july of 1973. And I believe it was July 20, 1973. Someone fact checked me there.
I see him doing it right now. Tell me if it was July 20 and I should know because I got my Bruce Lee jacket upstairs.
So before we begin, I want you am I correct? Thank you. I said June or July.
[00:08:32] Speaker C: You said July.
[00:08:33] Speaker B: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Patting them back.
So one of the things we like to say often without further ado, please welcome Fred Cambria, 1970 Pittsburgh Pirates. And Paul, I actually wanted to say this. The president of Clemente's clubhouse, mr. Paul Cuts Jr.
So before I even start this podcast episode. Episode. I want to read this to you. This was an article I wrote for the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010. The title of this piece was Beyond Nicaragua. Look at what this person said about the Great One.
He knew he would die young. It became his obsessive message. He would interject casually in conversation. He believed these inner thoughts gave him a sense of urgency, especially to make a difference in the lives of children through his creation of a sports city.
He felt he had to go to Nicaragua on New Year's Eve. Only he could wrestle with the wrongdoings of how relief goods were being distributed. It was his mission and he had to be true to himself, a humanitarian. And that's the Roberto I remember. That was told to me by Carol Bass, who is a dear friend of the family who met Roberto in Philadelphia and she was 16 years old. She's still with the family, tight with the family. She was there at the Baseball Hall of Fame induction and something I believe I could share right now. If you see photos of Mrs. Clemente, I want to say when Carol does see this episode she did prepare, mrs. Clemente fixed her hair, and I believe even either the sweater Mrs. Clemente had or the dress, I believe it was Carol's. So I believe that's something that I could say now 50 years later. So let's begin, and I want to begin first with my buddy who calls me what do you call me, Paul?
[00:10:46] Speaker C: Dano.
[00:10:47] Speaker B: Yes. Hawaii. 50 fans in here.
That's what he calls me since day one. It's Dano. He's the only one, actually. No. Agent. Where you at, agent? I think adrian calls me Dano, too. So Paul cuts the first question.
Three words.
Mammoth, Pennsylvania. Newark, Delaware, and Carolina, Puerto Rico. How did these cities transform your life?
[00:11:13] Speaker C: Mammoth, Pennsylvania, is where my dad and family, aunts and uncles were born and raised. It's a little town, probably about the size, literally, of this building.
One traffic light actually, it wasn't even a traffic light.
One pump gas station. So when we moved to Delaware when I was in first grade, my dad traveled around quite a bit. He was in the army for 27 years, but we traveled around. He exited the army, retired prior to that, moved around Delaware first grade. And once we got to Delaware, it was Newark.
And my dad told, know, whatever you do, we're now in Philadelphia territory. So you remember Pirates and Steelers your whole life.
And, oh, by the way, you're not allowed to like the Phillies and you're not allowed to like the Eagles.
[00:12:16] Speaker B: I would agree with you there.
[00:12:17] Speaker C: And to this day, I still don't like the Eagles or the Phillies, even though I was at the game last night rooting for my Pirates against the Phillies. It was a sad day.
And then Carolina, obviously, Roberto, where he was from, my wife and I have been down there a couple times to visit with the family, help out with lots of things with the vertical, many foundation, doing golf events, going to visit them.
Anything I can do for them to help is what I do.
[00:12:57] Speaker B: That's the Paulie cuts that I've always know. Fred Cambria growing up know. Check this out. Guess where Fred Cambria was born? Cambria Heights, Queens. Imagine that. So there are a few ballparks, Fred Cambria that you had an opportunity to visit in the New York City area. What was your favorite ballpark to visit.
[00:13:19] Speaker A: During your child NC Park?
[00:13:22] Speaker B: Well, we're talking during your well, you're talking now, but we're talking back in the good old days. So we got Ebbotsfield. We got the polo grounds. We got Shay Stadium. We got the old Yankee Stadium.
[00:13:31] Speaker A: I'm going to go ebbots Field.
[00:13:32] Speaker B: Okay. What about Ebbots Field?
[00:13:34] Speaker A: There was something about it.
This was the last year thank you. This was the last year before they were moving to La. And my father and my uncle took me there, and it was a great experience. It's like going through a cathedral in Yankee Stadium from home plate, and you're looking out and you say, there's Mickey, there's Garrick, there's Ruth, everybody there. It's a cathedral, and everybody calls it that. And when I went to evansfield, it was the same way. I was like eight or nine years old, and I can still picture it in my mind, the grass, the green grass, the smell of the beer. You got to have cigars. And it was so great. And kids in the outfield, and this is the part that we'll probably talk about a little later, getting kids back into the game of baseball on the field. And I said to my father, I said, I would love to get back. I'd be loved to get on that field. Is there any way I can do that? I was a little leaguer at that time, and unfortunately the team left and they didn't have anything anymore, but that instilled me. And that night I went home and I said to my father, I want to become a baseball player. Wow, it's really crazy, the cigars, the beer, and the green grass. But I was still so involved with the uniforms, the wall uniforms, stuff like that. It was a long hassle, trust me, getting through high school, college, ups and downs, but that's part of life. And when I met Roberto, it changed my life.
[00:15:11] Speaker B: Well, we're definitely going to get to Roberto momentarily. But Paul, you know, you worked for a number of years with Astrazonica. When did Paul cuts basically decide, that's it, and I'm going to get into the world of sports cards and baseball memorabilia?
[00:15:27] Speaker C: 19 years ago.
Full time. Full time. I was always doing this. When I was in college, I went to University of Delaware. So 84 got back into doing cards and everything, and it was a hobby. But in 19 years ago, 2004, my younger son was born.
[00:15:48] Speaker B: Can you share with everyone his full name? Mr. Kutch.
[00:15:52] Speaker C: Aidan Walker Kutch.
[00:15:55] Speaker B: And the other son, mr. Paul Kutch.
[00:15:58] Speaker C: Dylan clemente. Kutch.
[00:16:00] Speaker B: Very good.
[00:16:01] Speaker C: They're both named after is that cool or what? Is that cool or so, yeah, aiden was born, and he was a preemie. He was in the hospital for quite a while, and I literally went to lunch one day with some friends. I was doing ebay and selling memorabilia, clementi stuff and everything else, and went to lunch and told my buddies at lunch, I said, I think today's my last day.
And I literally went back to my desk, typed up my resignation, cleaned out my desk, and turned in my resignation that day. And that was the last time I worked for.
[00:16:42] Speaker B: And in our many years knowing each other. Paul, I haven't seen you any mean. You know, all the time that we're talking and sharing stories and that's what's called passion. Mr. Kutch. And that's something that all three of us, we definitely could share. Whether it's passion of the sport that we love, the passion of what we do day in and day out. And Fred, you were drafted in 1969, so here it is. You grew up in Cambria Heights. That dream to become a professional baseball player occurred. You were drafted by the Pirates. But this is what's interesting. Everyone here at the Paley Center that is listening in on this podcast is that you actually had a tryout with.
[00:17:25] Speaker A: The New York Mets the day before the draft. I always wanted to become a Met. Eddie Crane Pool was my hero growing up as a kid, and I was in high school, and I was owing ten, no wins, ten losses. So team wasn't that great, so nobody was looking at me going any further after that. I went to college, but I went to college on basketball, and it wasn't baseball. I was a little slim kid, and I could play a little bit. I grew up in Queens, and it came natural to me. And then all of a sudden, bingo, I tried out for baseball, and I was a late bloomer, and he put me on the mound, and I did pretty good, and that was it. And I played three years in college, and I got drafted by Pittsburgh, and I was kind of no offense, I was so disappointed.
[00:18:23] Speaker C: None taken.
[00:18:23] Speaker A: I hate to say that none taken, but I always wanted to become a Met. Deep down. I loved the crane pool. All those guys, I knew them, 69 Mets, and still friends to this day, to this day. But now they told me I was going to be a number one, number two pick. I said, but delighted, delighted. At that time, it wasn't millions and millions of dollars like it is today, but I didn't care. I just wanted a uniform and to show that I could play baseball and enjoy the game. That's one thing that's a little lacking today. But anyway, I did that, and nobody called for the Mets, so I was very disappointed. The phone rings and it's the Pittsburgh Pirates. And I said, oh, you know what? I said, this is for our viewing.
[00:19:10] Speaker B: Audience of talking 21.
[00:19:11] Speaker A: We don't talk like that.
Anyway, they came out to see me that night in East Meadow, and the two top scouts, and one was one who signed Roberto Clemente, which is very interesting. Howie Hague, he played with the Dodgers or was assistant general manager and made all the decisions. His job was to go get Roberto out of Montreal to make him a Pirate, and Howie was there. And anyway, he liked what I saw, took me in a car, I thought it was a drug bust or know, and everything worked out. I said, I gotta see my folks before I do that. It's a big decision because I had one more year of college left and I promised my folks I would graduate. So we went home and after about ten minutes, my mother called me into the breakfast area and she said, I don't like that man. Howie Hague.
[00:20:14] Speaker B: I heard he was a wonderful person.
[00:20:15] Speaker A: He was a good person, but he had a spit tune. I didn't even know what a spit tune know, and he was a character and he used some words, know, my mom didn't like. But anyway, the next day came and bingo, I was in Joe Brown's office, signed the contract, and it was the best time of my life. I could picture everything to do today, I really can.
[00:20:36] Speaker B: That's amazing.
[00:20:37] Speaker A: It really is.
1955, when I wanted to become a a met pirate just to play baseball. I didn't care about money, I would have played for anything. And I know a lot of people over here, you say, well, that's crazy, this is today's times, it's so much different. But in that time, I would have.
[00:20:56] Speaker B: Gave anything to, you know, Fred, I hear that often from players of your know, it wasn't about the money, it was about the love of the know. Talking about the love.
So I gotta ask a question for Mrs. Paul kutch. Michelle Kutch. So we just talked about love. Michelle, how much love does Paul Kutch have for this collection of his in that beautiful basement in your home?
[00:21:22] Speaker E: I'll put it to you this way, I look at that game used bat and I might see like, tuition money on it.
[00:21:33] Speaker B: Michelle, did your husband tell you how much that bat is worth?
[00:21:38] Speaker C: $4 in our household.
[00:21:45] Speaker E: They're truly priceless. And in fact, when I would talk to the boys about it, who both are in college currently at this time, they would basically say over their dead bodies, they would much rather be in debt than they would to lose or not. See, any of those pieces is cherished in our household, and they truly, truly have come to appreciate it.
[00:22:07] Speaker B: I want you to hold that thought, Michelle, because guess what? Wait till you hear what one of the questions are. Okay? So, Paul, your collection is actually quite extensive. I've seen it numerous times. But Paul knows anytime I come over there, michelle knows this is the truth. It's a new person. I say, hey, Paulie, I'm bringing so and so and so. He goes, Dano, if you bring that person over, he's family. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. So what does Danny do? I sit in a corner, I'll talk to Michelle, and then I'm going like this to Paul with know, I don't have a watch on, but like, is it time to eat? Because there's a favorite spot. It's actually also New Jersey, and he knows it border Cafe. Jose Tejas in New Jersey, by the way, might be doing a little promo here, but it's unbelievable food, Mexican food. And Paul knows that's the reason why I'm going to visit Newark, Delaware in the foreseeable future just to go to.
[00:22:58] Speaker C: That spot he really doesn't come to see. No, not anymore.
[00:23:02] Speaker B: No.
[00:23:02] Speaker C: It's all about the food.
[00:23:03] Speaker B: Absolutely. Still is. Still collection. When you embarked on the collection, what was one of your earliest pieces? That right now you could say, wow, dano. I remember this. When I acquired it, the very first.
[00:23:17] Speaker C: Thing I ever got was given to me by the so when I was in college, I worked at a baseball card shop trying to get things going, and I was collecting pirate stuff and realized, now I just need to collect my favorite player. So while I was there, the owner of the shop, the first thing I ever got was a 1956 Roberto Clemente second year. And that was special to me at the time.
[00:23:43] Speaker B: What year we're talking, Paul?
[00:23:44] Speaker C: That was 1985. Okay, 1985.
At the time, that car was probably $25. It's worth well, in approaching 1000 or so now. But that was something that was real special to me through my lifetime. There's so many different things that have stories that go with them.
There's just so many individual stories about things. That how I acquired them, what I acquired.
[00:24:17] Speaker B: Well, how about if we put it this way, Paul, in our Q and A, you know my favorite story?
[00:24:22] Speaker C: Oh, I know what it is.
[00:24:23] Speaker B: And I think we'll leave that for the Q and A. I'm going to leave that to you to hold. You hold to that.
Fred.
So you're on the 1970 Pittsburgh Pirates. You made your major league debut August 26, 1970.
Talk a bit about literally being in the presence, knowing who he was, the great Roberto Clemente.
[00:24:48] Speaker A: Wow.
I pitched the night before well, I pitched in Columbus. I was in AA. I pitched the night before.
Joe Morgan, who was my manager, called me and said, fred, you're going to Pittsburgh. I can remember that phone call. I can remember the time. It was just crazy. And we're leaving the next morning out to California. That's another thing about money. You talk about money. I was making 750 a month over there in AA. So now I get on a plane, and the traveling secretary comes over, and he says he starts dishing these hundreds out. I said, oh, my God. He said, oh, that's just lunch money, meal money, and it was more money than my salary together. So I knew I was in the big leagues, right know. But that night, I was out in the bullpen shagging in the outfield for batting practice, and one of the guys came over and said, hey, Fred, Danny wants to see. I said, oh, no, that's not good. I didn't do anything wrong, but I.
[00:25:50] Speaker B: Didn'T know I was good just for everyone. Danny Murtaugh was the Pittsburgh Pirates manager.
[00:25:54] Speaker A: He was an older gentleman. He came back and he said, Fred, you're pitching tonight. No pattern. The back. Nothing. He was an old timer. He had a water chew in here like that, like the old timers do, and I said, okay. Now, I didn't have a pair of spikes that I could wear because I left them in Columbus, so I didn't know what to do. So I had to go to my good budy Steve Last to get a pair of spikes so I could pitch that night. And that's what happened. And I wasn't nervous for some reason, and I just went around my business, and fortunately, I did okay, but we still lost one nothing. The ironic part about that was it was the bottom of the 9th inning, and bases were loaded, and guess who was up? Mr. Clemente. So I said, oh, I'm not going to get a loss tonight. Sure enough, strike three, and that was it. My heart just sunk.
But he was just roberto was human.
[00:26:51] Speaker C: He can't win every game, Fred. He can't win every game for know.
[00:26:56] Speaker A: I know, but that was my first start. And you know what? I remember pitch by pitch, a guy hit a two run homer off me, and I swore I had him struck out about two or three times, and I was slowing a slider at that time, and it was pretty good and kept fouling it off. Fouling it off. Sangee even thought who was our catcher? Manny Sanguin, who, by the way, everybody know his name? Probably. I mean, he was just a great ball player. He never got the appreciation that he got or deserved because of Johnny Bench hitting home runs.
I agree was a great, great player.
[00:27:32] Speaker B: And I'm sure when he hears this podcast, he's going to give you a big hug when he sees it's the truth.
[00:27:38] Speaker A: But Sage was the best. All our guys are the Pirates. Not to get off the subject, but they're just great guys, and that's why we won. We had great leadership with Stargill and Clemente and the rest of the players.
[00:27:49] Speaker B: Were all and what really sticks out for you about Roberto Clemente for Cambia?
[00:27:53] Speaker A: Oh, where do you want to start?
[00:27:55] Speaker B: Yeah, we got a few minutes.
[00:27:57] Speaker A: Okay. The first thing, fortunately, I had a locker next to him. I had a little space like this. Clemente had four, what do you call became well, he knew me from spring training a little bit, and he came over, welcomed me, and Willie Stodgel came over, welcomed me, too. Now, the other guys shook my hand. Good luck and everything. These guys came and sat with me, and then I knew that these were the leaders of the ball club. Okay? Again. I'm 21.
I was afraid of these gentlemen because I used to go to Chase Stadium and watch batting practice. And you were in the outfield there's, Clementi in the outfield there's, Stodgel in first base. I mean, wow, did I hope to be out there someday. I sure did. Now he's 2ft away from me. I'm just in amaze. But I want to tell you about Roberto in one sentence, and I think it fits him to the t.
He's a better person. Danny is a ball player, and that has a lot of meaning to it, because that's what's going he's a better person. And Danny gave all the accolades about Willie and about Roberto. They were so true. That was Roberto at his best, and that's who he was. I remember playing winter ball with him in San Juan.
[00:29:22] Speaker B: I think you're going to appreciate this story, because this was actually the next question, but Freddie jumped to it. Go ahead.
[00:29:27] Speaker A: All right. I'm sorry.
[00:29:29] Speaker B: Roberto was the manager.
[00:29:31] Speaker A: He was the manager. And what happened was he brought me down, and I was tired this year. I mean, I pitched a lot over 200 innings. I never did that before. So maya, I was getting a little tired. I was a pitcher, and Joe Brown came down, who was the general manager, and he said, I want to go to Venezuela. I said, oh, no. It wasn't too good at times in there, machine guns and all that stuff. So Robbie came over. He said, what did Joe say? He said, he wants me to go to Venezuela. He said, wait. A week later, he came back and he said, you're going with me in San Juan. Let me tell you, this is who Roberto was. No one had to know about it. It was just Roberto at his best to take care of a young kid, and that was him. And I love playing for him. But real quick story, I know Danny wanted to get at it, so I was pitching that night, and we were in maya GWES god only knows where it is.
[00:30:32] Speaker B: Maya west. Yeah.
[00:30:33] Speaker A: We were on a bus ride for, like, 2 hours.
We get stopped because of cows going through the this is Puerto Rico back in 1970. So it was so much different than it is today. Highways and everything. And finally we get there. We all have a restaurant and things like that.
Oh, sorry.
I don't know how to run these things here.
[00:30:56] Speaker B: Technical difficulties.
[00:30:59] Speaker A: Anyway, and it was great. I had a cup of soup and everything like that. Holy Christmas.
I thought there was only two rings on this thing over here. Holy cow. But anyway, it was delicious. And I'm bragging about, hey, you guys really like this thing? So the waitress comes over, and she says to me, did you like it? I said, I loved it. I said, what is it? He said, it was turtle soup. Well, what was that you said? Freddie said, turtle soup.
[00:31:29] Speaker B: Turtle soup.
[00:31:31] Speaker A: Make a long story short, I went to the back of the restaurant and got relieved a little bit, and then I came back to pitch that night. I don't think I got through the first inning. They were hitting bombs against me over. The scoreboard. So, Fred, you told never have turkey.
[00:31:49] Speaker B: They literally were shelling you shelling me. Okay.
[00:31:52] Speaker C: Well done, Dana.
[00:31:53] Speaker A: And it's not the first time, and it wasn't the last time.
[00:31:56] Speaker B: Know what was a great experience, Paul, while we're here sitting for this particular podcast episode in the Paley Center for Media immediately and listening to Fred Cambria share his stories about the great ones, roberto Clemente. Paul, I'd like to ask you a similar question. For Paul Cutz, Jr. You have Roberto Clemente, the ball player, all the accolades, world Series trophies, et cetera, et cetera, rings, all star appearances, golden gold gloves. But for Paul Cutts, Jr. It's about the man. So sum up, Roberto Clemente the man. Paul Cutz Jr.
[00:32:37] Speaker C: All I can tell you is that Roberto as a player was amazing.
Roberto as a human blew that away. And my love for Roberto, because I was born in 66 same here. I was like, dano.
And so I got to see Roberto play once. I was five. I really don't remember it.
[00:33:03] Speaker B: You know, I've never heard you tell me that. I don't really say, look at that. We've only been together I had to have a month talking 21.
[00:33:10] Speaker C: But honestly, all my memories come from the books, the magazines and the videos and everything else. But my love for Roberto really came from as a kid. I really didn't know him until I read a book about him, like a lot of kids do these days. They read a book, and I had to write a report. I wrote a report about him.
He became my life, my hero, and I loved what he did. I loved what he stood for, pretty much vowed that that's how I wanted to live my life, give him back.
[00:33:47] Speaker B: And I have known you now, I think, Paul, since 1999, I believe, and I could honestly, goodness, say to everyone here that's Paul Cuts, Jr. I've been stressing, Junior, because I usually don't say that, but tonight I'm going to say Paul Cuts, Jr.
Fred, first, let me ask you yes, sir. How's, yogi?
[00:34:06] Speaker A: That's my dog.
[00:34:08] Speaker B: I really was supposed to start off with Yogi, because when I call Fred, he knows that I go, How's Yogi?
[00:34:15] Speaker C: You're not going to ask him about Bandit, too?
[00:34:17] Speaker A: Well, here's the picture.
[00:34:19] Speaker B: Forgot about that, Paul.
[00:34:20] Speaker A: Forgot about no phone or phone calls. But this is my boy. He's a golden lad, and I believe.
[00:34:25] Speaker B: He misses Fred Cambria daddy. And he was calling right now.
[00:34:28] Speaker A: That's what I believe.
[00:34:30] Speaker B: Put it on vibrate.
[00:34:31] Speaker A: But he's my lifeline. He's really great. He's a great puppy, but he watches games with me.
I take him out. But I'm very blessed to have a great dog. I'm a dog lover, just like probably everybody. Danny's a cat lover.
[00:34:45] Speaker B: Oh, big time.
[00:34:46] Speaker A: All animals are great.
[00:34:48] Speaker B: But, you know, Freddie, I was going to ask you here at the Paley Center, it's about preservation and education. So when you walked into these doors, got a chance to look at the exhibit of Roberto Clemente. It's educating, it's preserving Paul's, preserving that history.
So here's the question, Fred Cambria. How can we preserve America's pastime, considering where the game is today?
And secondly, how can we educate children and adults on the importance of philanthropy?
[00:35:28] Speaker A: That's a great question.
The world has changed, baseball has changed. And we have a commissioner now. This is just my personal thoughts. We have a commissioner now that never played the game. And I think you need somebody to make decisions about the game of baseball because it was Americans pastime. Unfortunately, it has drifted to other sports, football now because of revenue, et cetera. We're missing out on a lot of things because, number one, all the strikeouts per game, it's 20 a game. Nobody's putting the ball in play. And that's one of the problems. It wasn't a great pitching. But the other thing is, I think so many people today are from the teams. They're bringing up these players that only had one year experience.
[00:36:19] Speaker B: Well, if I may interject, Fred, the one thing I will agree with you on, yes, that's something for discussion. And I really hope that we're going to get to that point where we could truly discuss it former players. But this is something because considering we're talking about Roberto Clemente, right, I know that, but let me just finish. My point is, philanthropy is so important, Fred Cambria. Look where I'm going with this. Just to let everyone know. I know for a fact Fred Cambria conducts clinics.
Countless times that I've been at a clinic, whether it's with Fred Cambria only once, but other former ball players, and the interaction with children and adults. So you knew the man roberto Clemente.
How can we, Fred Cambria, continue that legacy with whether it's former players or current players on the importance of philanthropy.
[00:37:19] Speaker A: Wow.
I just did a clinic about two or three weeks ago in Comac. I live out in Northport, in Long Island, and we had eight major league ball players come for us, all different positions and everything like that. We had, well, probably about a good 200 kids. And what we do is break them into different areas. Each one is a pitcher, one is an infielder or whatever.
And what we do in our lessons, it's a teaching lessons on fundamentals of the game. And that's what we try to stress. And I think that's the most important thing. If you can throw, if you can catch, that's important. And that's where it's at. I go to too many games that unfortunately, and I know I'm going to get people are going to yell at me here, but the parents are killing this.
[00:38:18] Speaker B: Want to again, Fred? Because I really want to open this up to questions.
Look where I'm going with this. Next question with Mr. Paul cuts. Jr. You said parents. Look where I'm going with this. Michelle, remember what I told you earlier. So, Paul, you're a father, obviously a husband as well, two fine young men who are in college that you named after the great one, Roberto Clemente. How much has Clemente's philanthropy, the humanitarian spirit, look where I'm going with this. Michelle, giving back. How has that impacted your own children?
[00:39:01] Speaker C: Look, my kids grew up loving the game of baseball.
They hit off tees in the kitchen when they were as soon as they could stand with little squish balls.
Between me and them, it was all about, what can we do to learn the game?
We want to learn the game. And so as they grew up, they were the smallest kids, two of the smallest kids on the field.
But I will tell you that they listened. I coached my kids from the time they were in T ball until I turned them over in high school.
I coached baseball. Last year was the first year I didn't coach. So I coached baseball for 17 years and quite honestly, taught my kids about the game, taught them how to respect the game. They know better.
They know how it's supposed to be. Taught them how to play the game, how to act on the field, how to teach the other kids around them, be leaders. They're both of them, absolute leaders on the field. And I taught them how to do that. And they took that from a very young age and they ran with it. So they always wanted to be team captain or they always wanted to be the kid that showed the other kid, look, when you play Little League, there's twelve kids on a team, and every team is made up the same way. You got a couple of kids at the top that are incredibly good, and you got a couple of kids at the bottom that need a lot of work. And my kids would actually go out and help the kids that needed work, teach them how to throw right on the side. And that's what they did. And so I think if Roberto was here and he saw that, he'd applaud him.
[00:41:01] Speaker B: And I think we need to applaud that.
So I wanted to say, finally, we are at that moment where we're open this up for a Q and A. For those that wish to ask a question to yours truly, to Mr. Fred Cambria, member of the 1970 Pittsburgh Pirates, or to my dear friend, both of my dear friends, mr. Paul Cuts, Jr. So, please, if there are anyone who they want to raise their hand and we have a mic. Yes, sir. Please. Your name?
[00:41:33] Speaker A: And I'm Eli Marcus. I'm going to get off the Roberto Clemente topics a little bit, but I want to ask Fred. You played against the all time hit king, Pete Rose. You played against the all time home run king, Henry Aaron, and you played against the greatest living ball player, Willie mays, who was the toughest out for you, and tell us what you think about those three Giants. Wow. Willie Mays is something special. He was a great ball player.
Again, we bring up Manny Sangeian, because every time I pitched, I didn't know the players that well to pitch to, how to pitch to them. And Sanghi would help me out a lot, which was great. And I had no trouble with Willie Mays.
I'm the only one, probably, in the whole world, but I got him out.
But Willie McCovey was also another one that was a great hitter. And I don't know, it's just a matter of luck. Some of the guys that hit so well against Jared Cole are number nine guys. It's not the big hitters, but it's a great game. You can never tell who is going to hit against who. But I think that when you're making contact with the ball, you have a better idea that you could possibly get a hit instead of hitting that home run. That's where the game is going today, which I think is bad for the game personally, because as a pitcher, you have too many weaknesses. Up and in and away.
Are you a oh, OK.
[00:43:11] Speaker B: Anyone else? Any other questions? Yes, sir. Please, if you could, your name? Stan.
[00:43:16] Speaker A: Hello.
[00:43:17] Speaker F: My name is Michael Palacios.
[00:43:18] Speaker A: How are you?
[00:43:19] Speaker F: Cambria. So I'm very shocked because you actually taught me at one of those clinics up in the Bronx, Roberto Clemente.
[00:43:27] Speaker A: Oh, yeah.
[00:43:28] Speaker F: Very long time ago.
[00:43:30] Speaker B: That's what it's all about, right.
[00:43:33] Speaker A: Well, thank you.
[00:43:34] Speaker F: I wanted to thank you for teaching the kids and just empowering me as well. So I wanted to ask you, what do you do currently?
What are the next steps to just make an impact? And how do you keep making impact even after all these years after playing in the major leagues?
[00:43:51] Speaker A: Well, it goes back to Roberto because I coached college for two years. I also coached in Australia. And I coached in Tokyo. So the reason I did that is because of Roberto and Willie Stargill. Because they gave me the leadership that I was lacking at that time. Being a young fella, they gave me that leadership to be a leader. And that's why Roberto comes in. Willie comes in. But Comeenia would get on your butt pretty good where Willie would come behind you, pat you on the back. So it was a give and take. And you know what? Everybody came out smiling and they enjoyed it. So it was a great fix for the leadership. Some of the teams, like the Mets, for example, they are lacking leadership. You saw from last year to this year. There's no leaders there. Okay? Same with the Yankees. And I hate to say that, but that's what's lacking in some of the teams. And if I was a general manager, the first guy I would take would be an older gentleman who could still play but he's a leader, and that's important. The clubhouse is so important. You spend more time in the baseball field or with your teammates than you do with your wife. So you have to need that leadership. Some of them like it, some don't. I don't know. But thank you, sir.
[00:45:11] Speaker B: It's a great question. Great question.
[00:45:13] Speaker A: I'm sorry, Danny. We're going to do that again in the Bronx. We already did that. Okay. So we're going to have you as the guest speaker.
Did you get a baseball card?
Did you get a card?
[00:45:26] Speaker B: Long time ago. Hey, Freddie, he's getting a baseball today signed by you.
[00:45:31] Speaker A: Oh, wow.
Well, I'm not ready to go in memorabilia yet. You're not ready for any other questions?
[00:45:38] Speaker B: We have one in the back. Sir, please state your name.
[00:45:42] Speaker G: Hi, my name is Michael Ritz, native of Long Island as well.
[00:45:46] Speaker B: Whereabouts in Long Island?
[00:45:47] Speaker G: Sayasset, okay.
[00:45:48] Speaker B: Siaset.
[00:45:49] Speaker G: And my first game at Chase Stadium was against the Pirates.
[00:45:53] Speaker B: What year was this?
[00:45:54] Speaker G: 1966, year I was born. And Paul Kutch, my grandpa, I was there with my grandpa, and my dad said, watch out for that number 21 in right field. He's a great ball player. So my question, I remember how I found out the horrible news on New Year's Eve, 1972. You as a teammate, Paul, as a native of Western PA, I just wanted to if you can, just bring us back to how you heard the news. What was the reaction with you guys? Personally?
[00:46:26] Speaker C: Mine was easy. I was real small, so didn't affect me as much at that moment.
I just heard that another great player from the Pirates had passed. And I'm sure being six at that moment, I probably went and played in the yard. So honestly, I was a little young, so it didn't affect me like it would if I was probably 510 years.
[00:46:53] Speaker B: Older, if I may just jump in on that. So Paul and I are the same age.
The story that I've always shared, it's vivid in my head. My father coming upstairs to where we live in an apartment. I was playing with a tabletop, hockey set. And my father comes in, goes into the kitchen, and he says in Spanish, to my mother, I'm six years old. To sabique roberto Clemente. Samurio. You know, Roberto Clemente passed away. Now, when you talk Clemente with a six year old, for me, the only thing I remember, my brother could attest to this. There was a Roberto Clemente poster in the room. It was folded as well, but at one point, I remember it was on the wall. And I go to the back because I'm hearing them in Spanish and wondering. I just remember my mother saying, idiomillo. Oh, my God. So I go to the back, push the door open, and Pop had the Daily News in front of him. He's crying. So for someone who's six years old to see your father die, that was powerful. That is the only recollection when you say Roberto Clemente to Danny Torres, that.
[00:47:59] Speaker A: And I'll never forget it myself.
I was devastated, to say the least.
As I mentioned before, he was like a father to me. Him and Willie Starge were both of them. And I was out that night. I don't remember when I came in, but I was driving to a party or something little later, and I heard the news. I didn't believe it. I felt he was invincible.
It may sound really crazy, but I thought he was. And it took me a while to get over it, and it was true. And it hurt me personally because he was doing everything for me. He was giving back to a guy who really needed because I didn't have the experience, I didn't have the confidence that I needed. And he gave me that confidence, and I appreciate it very much.
[00:49:02] Speaker B: And it goes back to when I started this episode about that mission clemente was on, that humanitarian mission. So, as now we officially begin to wrap up this Talking 21 episode, do me a favor. First and foremost, do you see any employee that works in the Paley Center for Media, thank them. The person that was serving us, the tour guide, someone holding the elevator, thank them. Secondly, make sure you get a chance to see the exhibition upstairs. It's phenomenal, the whole layout. Once again, I was just so thrilled when I was here, when I entered the Paley Center for the very first time. And just to see first, especially how welcoming of a space from those that were on the right, I had a question. We talked about where there's parking, and the gentleman who was upstairs, I hope he's upstairs, he's from West Africa. And I played literally dumb with him. Like, I knew nothing of Clemente. And interesting enough, he knew a lot. He was like, Is this your first time in the Paley Center? And I just was like, oh, yeah, first time. And just started making small. Also, who is this man? And then after a while, just keeping a straight face, I told him. I gave him a little description about myself, and he was just like I said, you see that patch? A 1973 patch. That's the first time in Major League Baseball history that there was a memorial patch for someone who passed away. So you get a chance to see that upstairs. So, once again, I just cannot yes.
[00:50:29] Speaker A: One thing I like to say, and years ago, Jackie Robinson's number is retired, and the Pirates tried to get Roberto's number retired.
[00:50:42] Speaker B: The Pittsburgh the Pirates team.
[00:50:46] Speaker A: I was working at the time at the Board of Trade, and they came to us to publicize know that was the commodities market here in New York, and it was very interesting that they wanted to do that. Is being held up because of Mrs. Robinson. Until she passes away, nobody can get in with.
[00:51:10] Speaker B: I really honest to goodness, Fred. Honest to goodness. I think eventually it's going to happen. I think more so from the fans. The fans are going to want it. And from having this opportunity, keep that in that framework, Fred, that the Paley Center for Media is about what I said earlier. It's about preservation. It's about education. So when you leave the Paley Center for Media, take everything that you learned in this space on the Talking 21 podcast that you will find on Apple, Spotify and on YouTube. And follow Danny Torres. At Danny. T 21 on Twitter. And finally, make sure you subscribe how many people got an iPhone here? Take it out right now. Go on the podcast app. And guess what? Right? Talking 21 podcasts with Danny Torres. Click subscribe. I want to thank everyone. I want to give a round of applause once again to everyone that made this happen. My man Rob. Where's my man Rob?
Thank you, Rob. I really appreciate it. But before we officially close this Talking 21 episode, you're going to get your signed baseball. Not right now. Not right now. Fred's going to sign it to you. Make sure Fred you put 1970 Pittsburgh Pirates. So it's Fred Campbell nights. And if you really want Fred to embrace you, ask him about Yogi.
So I will say this. I wanted to thank two people.
I want to thank my parents, how impactful they were and have been in my life. And that's the reason why I asked Paul Cutch that question about being a father and a husband. I asked his wife Michelle that same question. You see how she talked about her kids, about even how they're preserving their father's legacy with that collection. So that's important. So I want to thank my parents. This guy here who's with the camera right now, like this, I say this. This is how I describe Jose Noel Torres. He likes when you say Noel, he's my older brother. He's my baby brother and he's my father. And he's four years older than me, and he knows I love to pick on him. We crack jokes. We just came back from Houston last month, and it was a barrel. Laughs but someone here kept bothering me about something, and I'm like, don't you know who Danny Torres is by now? That I'm a man in my word. So, Fred Cambria, when you were asking me about X, Y and Z, you were becoming annoying. So now guess what? Fred Cambria, fred Cambria actually was technically on the 71 Pirates in spring training.
I think he deserves a replica ring of the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates.
[00:54:04] Speaker A: So.
[00:54:05] Speaker B: Frank cambria.
[00:54:08] Speaker A: Thank you, Danny boy.
[00:54:11] Speaker B: Thank you, Mr. Frank.
[00:54:12] Speaker A: Thank you.
[00:54:12] Speaker B: That is your collection, courtesy of the president of Clemente's Clubhouse, the ring and the case, mr. Paul Cuts Jr.
[00:54:19] Speaker A: It took me 60 years, but I.
[00:54:21] Speaker B: Get it about that.
Thank you to everyone once again, on behalf of everyone that made this happen at the Paley Center for Media. Thank you for coming tonight and please make it your mission to make a difference. Thank you.
[00:54:37] Speaker A: Thank you.
I got to see it, buddy.
[00:54:42] Speaker D: Thanks for listening. Thanks for watching and make sure to subscribe rate and review this podcast. Once again, this episode was recorded at the Paley Center for Media. We thank you for your hospitality and as I stated in this particular episode, what is core mission in life? And remember these words try to be a great one and never forget to do great things. This is Danny Torres, host of the Talking 21 Podcast. Thank you so very much.
