Jack McKeon

Phil, Kansas City Royals are a definitely aggressive team.

Knowing him as a catcher, I know that almost everybody in a ball club runs at their own, and, uh, this was a, a thing started, uh- About 1973 when, uh, Jack McKeon took over that ball club, uh, I'll never forget when he came up to me and told me to get a jump, uh, try to steal a base, and I almost passed out.

[laughs]

Well, you were a pretty good base runner, Fran, seriously, but that is unusual for a team to run on its own.

In fact, uh, he had one of the best low fastballs I ever caught.

And then the following year, the Royals went out and acquired Lindy McDaniel from the Yankees for Lou Piniella and Ken Wright.

And, uh, manager Jack McKeon, uh, went with the hot man the following year, and, uh, consequently, uh, Doug became ineffective.

But the last season coming out of the bullpen, he's effective again, and, uh, they wanted to keep him in the bullpen this year.

Well, he's gonna have his ace ready if it does go to the seventh game, Morris.

But, uh, as you say, uh, Dick will pitch everybody, including Ballard Smith and Jack McKeon.

But they know what they have to do, and the Goose, it took one of the veterans to put it in focus.

He said, "Hey, let's not try to win three games with one game," which he simply means let's play our normal game today.

They'll hold him.

[cheering] The throw to Templeton.

I was talking to Jack McKeon before the game, the general manager, about Tony Gwynn, and we were talking about outfield play.

He said he has made and is making himself a better outfielder.

Is that, that's good, right?

Jack McKeon was going to church, and he was saying, "This thing's working, man.

I'm a take the cigar" before he go in.

He put it on the car and then go out and go.

And the boy fell down, the ball boy.

Now down one line is Galen Cisco, the pitching coach of Kansas City's son, and down the other foul line is Jack McKeon, the manager of Kansas City's son.

And I won't put the onus on either one of those boys, but that boy took a pratfall trying to pick up the, the baseball.

Two strikes to Cedeno.

You know, I guess they have some sort of talk on the mound, and then the manager turns around and goes back to the dugout.

You know? I seen Goose Gossage do that one time, and I love Goose, but he told Jack McKeon, "I got this guy." "Oh, yeah, I'm gonna strike him out." "I know." [laughs]

I remember when, uh, uh, what was his name? Uh, Ryan ...

Matt Harvey.