Tony Kubek

Biography
Anthony Christopher Kubek (born October 12, 1936 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is a retired American baseball player and television broadcaster.

A left-handed batter, Kubek signed his first professional contract with the New York Yankees and rose rapidly through the Yanks' farm system. He was 20 years of age when he played his first game in Major League Baseball in 1957, and - except for one year (1962) spent largely in the U.S. military - remained with the Yankees until his retirement due to a back injury at the close of the 1965 season.

Kubek played 1,092 games, 882 of them at shortstop (although he also was an outfielder and utility infielder in his early career), compiling a lifetime batting average of .266 with 57 home runs. During his nine years with the Yankees, he played on seven American League pennant winners (1957-58, 1960-64) and three world champions (1958, 1961-1962). In 1957, Kubek won the American League Rookie of the Year Award. In Game 3 of the 1957 World Series, he had one of the best World Series games a rookie has ever had. In his prime he was a dangerous hitter and formed a top double play combination with second baseman (and roommate) Bobby Richardson. In Game 7 of the 1960 World Series, Kubek was victimized by a bad-hop ground ball that struck him in the throat; Kubek was badly injured and the batter, Bill Virdon, reached first base, enabling the Pittsburgh Pirates to rally in a game they eventually won 10-9 on a ninth-inning homer by Bill Mazeroski. Kubek was curiously sensitive about the Bill Virdon incident. When future broadcasting partner Bob Costas once referenced Virdon's smash on the air, Kubek put his hand on Costas' thigh to stop him.

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NBC Sports
Upon his retirement, Kubek became a color commentator on NBC's Saturday Game of the Week telecasts. He spent 24 years at the network, teaming with play-by-play announcers such as Jim Simpson, Curt Gowdy (whom Kubek called his favorite partner), Joe Garagiola, and Bob Costas. In addition to the weekly in-season games, Kubek worked over a dozen World Series (1969-1976, 1978, 1980, and 1982), plus League Championship Series (1969-1975, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1983, 1985, 1987, and 1989), and All-Star Games (1969-1975, 1977, 1979, and 1981).

He also worked local telecasts for the Toronto Blue Jays on The Sports Network after they entered the AL in 1977. The Toronto Star said that Kubek "educated a whole generation of Canadian baseball fans without being condescending or simplistic." During the winter time, Kubek would go hunting, coach junior high basketball, and wait for baseball to resume.

Kubek initially had trouble adjusting to the world of broadcasting. Although he had a lot to say, he was gangling, he tended to stutter, and talked too fast. Curt Gowdy soon suggested to Kubek that he should work offseason to improve his delivery. Buying a recorder, Kubek often read poetry aloud for 20 minutes a day. Kubek eventually became a respected broadcaster, doing both play-by-play and commentary.

As both a local and national sportscaster, Kubek was known for his outspokenness. While calling the 1972 American League Championship Series, Kubek said that Oakland's Bert Campaneris throwing his bat at Detroit's Lerrin LaGrow (who knocked Campaneris down) was justified. Kubek believed that any pitch aimed squarely at the batter's legs can endanger his career. Incensed, Detroit's Chrysler Corporation phoned Commissioner Bowie Kuhn, who then called NBC, which in return, pressured Kubek.

In the 10th inning of Game 3 of the 1975 World Series, Cincinnati's César Gerónimo reached first base. Then, Boston catcher Carlton Fisk flung Ed Armbrister's bunt into center field. Kubek on the NBC telecast, immediately charged that Armbrister interfered [with the attempted forceout] despite the fact that home plate umpire Larry Barnett didn't agree. After Joe Morgan drove in the game winning run for the Reds (by a score of 6-5), Barnett blamed Kubek for death alarum. Later, Kubek got 1,000 letters dubbing him a Boston stooge.

The team of Kubek and Bob Costas (backing up Vin Scully and Joe Garagiola) proved to be a formiadable pair. Costas believed that his humor loosened Kubek while Kubek's knowledge improved Costas. There were even some who preferred the team of Kubek and Costas over the musings of Vin Scully and the asides of Joe Garagiola. Kubek at first, wasn't happy about once again being assigned the backup game but considered it to be no big ego deal. One of Tony Kubek and Bob Costas' most memorable broadcasts came on June 23, 1984. The duo were at Chicago's Wrigley Field to call an unbelievable 12-11 contest between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals. Led by superstar second baseman (and future Hall of Famer) Ryne Sandberg, the Cubs rallied from a 9-3 deficit before winning it in extra innings.

Kubek and Costas, who worked together since 1983, called the final edition (the 981st over all) of NBC's Game of the Week which aired on September 30, 1989. Coincidentally, that particular game featured the Toronto Blue Jays (a team that Kubek was long associated with as a broadcaster) beating Baltimore Orioles 4-3 to clinch the AL East title from the SkyDome. When the subject came of NBC losing the right to television Major League Baseball for the first time since 1946, Kubek simply said "I can't believe it!"

Madison Square Garden Network
When NBC lost its baseball TV rights to CBS after the 1989 season, Kubek disappeared from the national scene, joining the Yankees' local cable-TV announcing team (a gig that earned Kubek $525,000 a year). Ironically, back in 1978, Kubek said of Yankees owner George Steinbrenner that "He's got an expensive toy. Baseball's tough enough without an owner harassing you."

Kubek spent five years calling games for the Yankees (1990-1994) on the Madison Square Garden Network, where he earned fans and critics' respect for his honesty. After 1994, Kubek effectively quit broadcasting. He explained his sudden retirement from sportscasting by saying:

"I hate what the game's become - the greed, the nastiness. You can't be married to baseball, give your heart to it, but when it starts taking over your soul, it's time to say whoa." Kubek added "I want to go home and spend more time with my family. They deserve it more than anyone. I don't need that ego stuff. I feel sorry for those who do."

Kubek's resignation coincided with the bitter strike that wound up cancelling the World Series in 1994.

Trivia

 * Kubek is one of four rookies to hit two home runs in a World Series game, which he did in the 1957 World Series against the Milwaukee Braves. Another Yankee, Charlie Keller, had performed this feat in the 1939 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds; St. Louis Cardinal Willie McGee accomplished his feat in the 1982 World Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. All three feats occurred in a Game 3; Kubek's and McGee's both occurred at Milwaukee County Stadium. The Atlanta Braves' Andruw Jones homered twice in Game 1 of the 1996 World Series in Yankee Stadium.