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COSTAS COAST TO COAST {PHIL RIZZUTO, BILLY CRYSTAL}
(RADIO)

Summary

One in this series of talk/interview programs hosted by Bob Costas. In this program, recorded in the Mark Goodson Theater at The Museum of Television & Radio in New York, Costas interviews former New York Yankee shortstop and current Yankees announcer, Phil "The Scooter" Rizzuto. Comedian Billy Crystal also joins them later in the discussion.

This two-hour program features clips from Rizzuto's broadcasts, including his coverage of the Chicago White Sox's defeat of the Yankees with a dramatic home run in 1972, and the classic call on October 1, 1961, when Roger Maris broke Babe Ruth's single-season home run record with sixty-one home runs. Rizzuto then discusses the following topics: the subject of his new book, "The October Twelve"; his feelings about the early years of his broadcasting career; the comparisons between him and legendary Chicago Cubs broadcaster Harry Carey; the origins of his trademark, "Holy Cow!"; his initial response to Costas's revealing interview with Mickey Mantle; the question of whether Mantle or Joe DiMaggio was a better teammate; the diverse personalities on the Yankees team; how DiMaggio inadvertently introduced Rizzuto to his own wife of fifty-one years; an account of the infamous "cow incident" at Yankee Stadium; his most embarrassing moment as a player; the reason he feels Yogi Berra was the best catcher ever; and the reason he did not get along with former Yankee manager Casey Stengel. After these comments, Crystal joins them and they discuss the following topics: Rizzuto's departure from games during the seventh inning in order to beat the traffic home; the fact that Crystal, as a Yankee fan since childhood, wore Rizzuto's number while playing ball in the streets; the scene in Crystal's movie "City Slickers," where he says his first Yankee game was the best day of his life; the resentment Rizzuto felt over the unprofessional way his release from the Yankees was handled back in 1956; the call from the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, regarding Rizzuto's induction; the reaction Rizzuto had during a broadcast when the Pope died; the differences between the game today and in its golden age, when players were paid based on their performance; Crystal's story about how he showed Mantle his plaque at the Hall of Fame, which the legendary player had never seen before; the fact that Rizzuto was always the first person to leave the clubhouse after playing; the strange and unique method Rizzuto uses to score games; Rizzuto's worst mistake while broadcasting; Crystal's impersonation of the legendary Howard Cosell; and Rizzuto's feelings about recording play-by-play commentary for Meat Loaf's "Bat Out of Hell" album. Includes commercials.

Details

  • NETWORK: Syndicated
  • DATE: June 5, 1994
  • RUNNING TIME: 1:47:23
  • COLOR/B&W: N/A
  • CATALOG ID: R:11997
  • GENRE: Radio - Sports; Radio - Talk/Interviews
  • SUBJECT HEADING: Baseball; National Baseball Hall of Fame; Sports
  • SERIES RUN: Syndicated - Radio series, 1986-
  • COMMERCIALS:
    • Radio - Commercials - American Standard air conditioners
    • Radio - Commercials - Best Western hotels
    • Radio - Commercials - Citibank Visa credit card
    • Radio - Commercials - Contact allergy medicine
    • Radio - Commercials - Dollar Rent-A-Car automobile rentals
    • Radio - Commercials - Motel 6 motels
    • Radio - Commercials - Norwegian cruise lines
    • Radio - Commercials - Select Quote life insurance
    • Radio - Commercials - The Club anti-auto theft device

CREDITS

  • Bob Costas … Host
  • Dave Cohen … Announcer
  • Phil Rizzuto … Guest
  • Billy Crystal … Guest
  • Yogi Berra
  • Harry Carey
  • Howard Cosell
  • Joe DiMaggio
  • Meat Loaf (See also: Michael Lee Aday)
  • Mickey Mantle
  • Roger Maris
  • Babe Ruth
  • Casey Stengel