Sometimes you spot a name and memories just start flooding back. That was the case recently when I saw that former major-league infielder Rob Picciolo had died at the age of 64.
In May of 1982, Picciolo was traded from Oakland to Milwaukee, just in time to be part of the Brewers' only World Series run. This, of course, is back when there were only four playoff teams per league. Both leagues were divided then into East and West Divisions, and division playoffs were in the best-of-five format. Milwaukee famously came back from a two-game deficit against the California Angels to win the AL title and advance to the World Series, dropping the final two games to fall 4-3 in the series.
Picciolo was a backup to Robin Yount, who earned the American League MVP that season and would go on to be selected to baseball's Hall of Fame. He was also, essentially, backup to third baseman Paul Molitor as well.
Let's face it, Picciolo was only getting onto the field in the event of injury or catastrophe. He played in only 22 games in '82, batting .286.
I had covered games four and five in the ALCS, then the opportunity to go back and cover Game 5 of the World Series. The Brewers won 6-4 (Yount went 4-for-4, raising his World Series average to .405).
In the locker room afterward for post-game comments and stories, the national (and state) sports media was packed 10 and 15 deep around the lockers of Yount and Molitor. I looked around to see Picciolo, alone and pretty much ignored by the media. Heck, you could swing a baseball on a 10-foot-rope and not hit anybody.
So I wandered over and came away with a great quick feature, learning how he stayed focused and prepared for that just-in-case moment. He was funny, he was frank, he was refreshingly honest.
RIP Rob.
In May of 1982, Picciolo was traded from Oakland to Milwaukee, just in time to be part of the Brewers' only World Series run. This, of course, is back when there were only four playoff teams per league. Both leagues were divided then into East and West Divisions, and division playoffs were in the best-of-five format. Milwaukee famously came back from a two-game deficit against the California Angels to win the AL title and advance to the World Series, dropping the final two games to fall 4-3 in the series.
Picciolo was a backup to Robin Yount, who earned the American League MVP that season and would go on to be selected to baseball's Hall of Fame. He was also, essentially, backup to third baseman Paul Molitor as well.
Let's face it, Picciolo was only getting onto the field in the event of injury or catastrophe. He played in only 22 games in '82, batting .286.
I had covered games four and five in the ALCS, then the opportunity to go back and cover Game 5 of the World Series. The Brewers won 6-4 (Yount went 4-for-4, raising his World Series average to .405).
In the locker room afterward for post-game comments and stories, the national (and state) sports media was packed 10 and 15 deep around the lockers of Yount and Molitor. I looked around to see Picciolo, alone and pretty much ignored by the media. Heck, you could swing a baseball on a 10-foot-rope and not hit anybody.
So I wandered over and came away with a great quick feature, learning how he stayed focused and prepared for that just-in-case moment. He was funny, he was frank, he was refreshingly honest.
RIP Rob.
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