"I've been a Major Leaguer for 20 years and I've never meet a nicer person than Bob Murphy." - John Franco

Baseball, the greatest game played, becomes greater because of the broadcaster. When musician Arlon Bennett decided to write and record a song on Bob Murphy, the late Mets' broadcaster, he wanted to make sure it meant something more than just baseball. The "Summer's Voice" came to light because of his love for the New York Mets and being a fan of Murphy.

In the early years of Murphy's career, he rotated between the TV and radio booth with Lindsey Nelson and Ralph Kiner. But, it was the radio booth were Murphy made the game come alive. He had a genuine and sincere attitude for the game, with his trademark saying: "a beautiful day for baseball." Murphy was with the team since it began in 1962. He was in the Mets' broadcast booth for over 50 years. He will always be remembered as the Mets' voice. Murphy's first broadcast began on April 11, 1962, with:

"This is Bob Murphy welcoming you to the first regular season game in the history of the New York Mets. Tonight the New York Mets meet the St. Louis Cardinals right here in St. Louis."

Bennett's hard work on recording the song paid off. The Mets honored the late Murphy on August 19th of this past year, with a tribute that included his song "Summer's Voice." I had the chance to interview Bennett about his Major League experience and he said finally he gave something back to the fans.

Here are some of Bennett's responses:

JB: Actually, what inspired you to write the song?
AB: Bob was always a part of my life growing up. His voice was the Mets to me.

JB: What was the feeling you had, when they played it at Shea Stadium?
AB: H ey! I gave something back.

JB: How long have you liked the Mets?
AB: For many years.

JB: What do you think of the Mets today and Omar Minaya?
AB: He's doing what we got to do to get players in here and a vision for the future that includes a championship. He realizes that we need talent, people in the seats and wins to make the playoffs. Dare we beat Atlanta this year??

JB: What projects are you working on now?
AB: A new CD, but very busy with performances and such.

So, as Bennett continues to record he'll always be remembered to the baseball world as the "Summer's Voice," which is the new title of his not-yet-released CD, in tribute to Bob Murphy - a great baseball broadcaster and a great person.

Murphy's final radio broadcast came on September 25, 2003, at Shea Stadium. It went like this:

"I'll say goodbye now to everybody. Stay well out there, wherever you might be. I've enjoyed the relationship with you."

Some of Bob Murhpy's classic calls from the radio booth of the New York Mets, in a press release on MLB.com:

"And it's hit hard to leftfield...It's going to be a base hit...A base hit by Jimmy Qualls and it breaks up the perfect game...Now the applause for Tom Seaver...Eight and one third innings of perfect baseball by Seaver." - Murphy's call of Jimmy Qualls single to left off Tom Seaver on July 9, 1969. The hit snapped Seaver's perfect game. Tom Terrific would finish with a complete-game, one-hit, 4-0 shutout over the Cubs.

"The crowd is chanting, 'We're number one!' The Mets made up fifteen-and-a-half games since the 13th of August. Lou Brock is on second, and Vic Davalillo, the runner on first with one man out...ninth inning, 6-0, New York. Gentry pitching, working hard here against Joe Torre. Now in the set position, here's the pitch...ground ball hit to shortstop...Harrelson to Weiss, there's one, first base...Double play...The Mets Win! It's All Over! Ohhhh, the roar going up from this crowd! An unbelievable scene on the field...fans are pouring out on the field." - Murphy's call of the final out to give the Mets the 1969 NL Eastern Division crown on September 24, 1969 with a 6-0 win vs. St. Louis at Shea.

"Now the stretch by McGraw...the 3-2 delivery...the runner goes...a little pop up...Milner's got it...he'll run to first...Double play! The Mets win the pennant! The Mets have just won the pennant in the Eastern Division! It's all over! They won the pennant with a magnificent stretch drive." - Murphy's call of the final out in a 6-4 win vs. Chicago at Wrigley Field to give the Mets the National League Eastern Division title on October 1, 1973, in game number 161.

"Ground ball to the right side of the infield...Backman has it...to Hernandez...The Mets win it!...It's over." - Murphy's call of the final out in New York's 4-2 win over the Cubs to clinch the 1986 National League Eastern Division.

"Lenny Dykstra, the man they call Nails on the Mets ballclub is waiting...Now the pitch and it's a high fly ball hit to rightfield...It's fairly deep...It's way back, by the wall...A home run!! A home run!! The Mets win the ballgame...Dykstra wins it...Len Dykstra hit a home run...This ballgame is over...Lenny Dykstra is being mobbed by his teammates." - Murphy's call of Lenny Dykstra's ninth inning game-winning home run at Shea which gave the Mets a 6-5 win over Houston in Game Three of the 1986 NLCS.

"Mookie Wilson still hopes to win it for New York...3-2 the count...And the pitch by Stanley...And a ground ball trickling...It's a fair ball. It gets by Buckner! Rounding third is Knight...The Mets will win the ballgame...They win! They win!" - Murphy's call of the most famous E3 in the history of the franchise in Game Six of the 1986 World Series as New York rallies to beat Boston, 6-5, in 10 innings, to tie the Series at three games apiece on October 25, 1986.

"Now the pitch on the way...He struck him out!...Struck him out! The Mets have won the World Series! The dream has come true. The Mets have won the World Series coming from behind to win the seventh game." - Murphy's call of the final out of the 1986 World Series which gave New York its second title on October 27, 1986.

"Here's the pitch on the way to Bonds...Fly ball to center...Can he run it down...On the run, Payton...Makes the catch...It's all over...The Mets win it!!! Jay Payton makes the catch...A one-hit shutout by Bobby Jones...And they're all racing to the mound and mobbing Bobby Jones...What a magnificent game...The Mets have never had a better game pitched it their 39-year history than this game pitched by Bobby Jones." - Murphy's call of the final out from Bobby Jones' complete-game, one-hit, 4-0 shutout over the San Francisco Giants in Game Four of the 2000 National League Division Series. The win sent the Mets to the NLCS for the first time since 1988.

"A fly ball well hit to rightfield...on the run....going back...looking for it...Can't get it...off the wall...Extra base hit...Three runs are going to score. Three runs come in on a drive off the right-centerfield wall by Todd Zeile. The Mets now have a 6-0 lead." - Murphy's call on To dd Zeile's bases loaded, bases clearing double in the fourth inning of Game Five of the National League Championship vs. St. Louis on October 16, 2000. New York would defeat St. Louis 7-0 that night to advance to the World Series.

You can visit Arlon Bennett's website at: www.arlonbennett.com
His two other CD's are: "The Watch Man" and "Fountain of Dreams."

This holiday is all too familiar to this baseball scribe. Serving as part of a security force in the Navy Reserves, I was proud to wear the uniform. I was happy when people would come up to myself and my buddies in my unit and say "thank you for your  service." I was happy when we would just sit around, to make the time go by, and talk baseball -- joke around about the best team of the century, either it be the Yankees, Red Sox, or now maybe even the Mets? It was when on AT that the bat, ball and glove came out and we hit fungos and played catch.

Coming from a military family, it means just that much more. My late Grandfather served in the U.S. Army, my Father served for 23 years (four Navy, the rest Army) and my Uncle served in the Navy. So, let's really remember what today is all about. Let's remember the invasion of Omaha Beach or the service people in Iraq and Afghanistan. We can't turn our backs on them, but pray for them. If we do see someone in uniform, say "thank you" and see the smile you will bring to their face.

Let's put all political feelings aside and remember this day, not for just baseball, but for the military.

The 2008 baseball season is over, but the memories are fresh in my mind. It was a great season, great memories. This is how I remember the 2008 Major League Baseball season.

"Swing batter swing," the young boy yelled. "I love to say that at a baseball game." The young boy continued to enjoy the game that we know as America's Pastime. "Watching Ferris Bueller?" I asked the little boy, in the scene where they all cut school for the day and attended a Chicago Cub's game. He began to laugh.

Of all places, we were attending a Long Island Ducks game (members of the Atlantic Professional Baseball League) in the heartland of Long Island, known as Citibank Park. At a time when the politics of the game went on the backburner and the overriding enthusiasm and support of Long Island to support the Ducks was real, the dream became a reality to bring baseball to Long Island.

Enriched in the mind of a young boy, is his favorite player making a diving catch or taking a full swing for a homerun. It starts at a young age, and continues to grow on anyone like a vine. This is baseball and one of the reasons why I love the game. My love for the game began when I was young boy and had the dream of being a Major League baseball player. I loved the nostalgia of the game and what it stands for. Forever in my mind is the bedroom I created when I lived at my parent's home. I had pictures, stories, autographed baseballs, bats and hats decorated around. I lived the game, dreamed the game, and treasured the game.
It's for the hot dogs, peanuts and beer and the chance to see grown men living their dream and some stars that were in the Major Leagues, but attempting to make a comeback in the Atlantic League (Rickey Henderson, Juan Gonzalez, Carlos Baerga, etc.). They are the game; they make the game and live the dream of the game.

Besides going to Ducks' games, I have been on baseball road trips to live the reality. I went to see the Glens Falls Tigers (AA-ball) when John Smoltz, now a member of the Atlanta Braves and part of one of the best rotations going and one of the most feared teams of the '90's, besides the New York Yankees, honing his craft to become one of the best pitchers in Major League baseball. I traveled to the Toronto Skydome to see the Toronto Blue Jays play against the Yankees, Fenway Park, Shea Stadium, Citizens Bank Park and many minor league ballfields. When I was asked to write a poem for the book Baseball Stories for the Soul, I wanted to write something that America would remember the pastime by. So, I wrote "America's Pastime" and it went like this:

Yesterday there was Willie, Mickey and the Duke.
Today there is the Rocket, Junior and Big Mac.
Tomorrow there is Bip, John and Steve.

It's not music, but a game that makes its own music.
From the singing of the anthem...To the crack of the bat.
To the Duke hitting a homerun in Ebbets,
Big Mac taking his swing at 70...80...
Junior going downtown.

Each with something in mind: to win.
America's game: Baseball, The National Pastime.

The poem was well received by the baseball community and something that I will always remember as our pastime. My Father also told me about my grandfather's love of the Brooklyn Dodgers and Ebbets Field. Back then, it was tough to get tickets to a game, so that prompted my grandfather to buy season box seats at Ebbets Field. I remembered my late-grandfather in a short poem that I wrote, "Case Closed" and it goes like this:

Two men had an argument on who was the best baseball team in New York.
"You know the Yankees are the best," the friend replied.
"No way, the Mets are...remember Tom Seaver?" The friend lashed back.
"Why don't you jump on the Red's bandwagon while you're at it?"
"I resent that!"
An older man heard what the two friends were arguing about.
He replied: "You're both wrong. The Brooklyn Dodgers were the best baseball team in New York. Case closed."

The scenario in my mind for this poem was that the two men were actually my father and uncle fighting over the best baseball team in New York, with my grandfather settling the score once and for all. Long live the Brooklyn Dodgers.
This is why I love the game.

On a cruise to Bermuda, and while I'm waiting in line to board the ship, Yankee great and Hall-of-Famer Phil Rizzuto walks out of a limo with his family. I looked twice and knew it was "The Scooter." I respected his privacy, and didn't go around the ship searching for him. However, we crossed paths waiting to get into the dining room for lunch while we were underway at sea.

"Hello...Phil, nice to meet you," I said to him while we were looking at the lunch menu.

"How are you doing young man?" he asked me.

"Pretty good," I responded back, since I was talking to a Hall-of-Famer and the man who called Roger Maris' record breaking homerun, beating Babe Ruth, another Yankee icon.

"Where are you from?" he asked me.
"Long Island, sir..."

"Oh, that's Mets' country," he said laughing.

I began to laugh and then I looked at the menu and said to him, "this menu is not that good."

He looked at it and began to laugh; I then walked upstairs and never saw him on the ship again. Just the small talk we had, or the stroll through Yankee Stadium or any ballpark brings a satisfaction in life. The game is always there, from high school fields to Major League ballparks. It can be observed whenever the desire comes.

Also, when I was much younger I met former Yankee pitcher Allie Reynolds who was signing autographs at a baseball seminar. I waited in line patiently to get his autograph and the line inched closer and closer. As I was the next person up, the man in front was observing Reynold's World Series ring and asked if he can look at it. Reynolds said yes and again my mouth dropped, and Reynolds saw the expression on my face and asked me, "Son would you like to see my ring?"

"Yes...OK."

"Here, this is what you win in baseball," he told me.

We began to talk and I told him why I love baseball.

This is why I love America's Pastime.

Baseball or Politics?

That's the question I've been asked many times. As a young struggling sportswriter, I had the opportunity to cover some of the 1992 Presidential Election, in which this picture shows. That's this baseball scribe as a young struggling writer interviewing former Second Lady Marilyn Quayle.

I, must say, it was quite amazing as her appearance, and my mug shot, appeared on almost every local and national television network. There's one thing that sticks out in my mind: "never ask someone close to the President about his/her feelings and what he does?" I was an inexperienced writer and asked the former Second Lady something about President George H.W. Bush (the father) and her response was: "I don't speak for the President." 

So, all the talk about the Balanced Budget Amendment and slinging of mud, ended my political writing career. I decided to continue my focus on sports, especially baseball. But, I was more intrigued about George H.W. Bush playing baseball at Yale University and George W., owning the Texas Rangers.

Do I dare ask the Second Lady about baseball? No!

My Presidential baseball question had to wait. My desire to learn about the Bush's baseball prospectus couldn't be fulfilled for this struggling baseball scribe. I must read, research and learn on my own.

It's true that George H.W. Bush was the Yale Base ball Captain and also received Babe Ruth's autobiography in a 1948 ceremony at Yale. Truly amazing! He was also a pretty good first baseman.

In 1989, George W. Bush bought the Texas Rangers and then sold it in 1998 for three times the price he paid for it. I, personally, remember "W" throwing out the first pitch after 9/11. To me, that signified how baseball shapes America and brings it closer in time of need.

My short political career was a great experience. But, it was always baseball and that's what I continue to do.

So, join us Sunday (8/10) at 12:00 PM EST as we welcome Jack Karsarjian as our guest on BASEBALL TALK w/ Carl the Cabbie & Dugout Joe. If you want to tune in live or listen at your own convenience, just click on the link below. If you want to talk to Jack Karsarjian, the call in # is 646-478-4570.

                    Baseball Talk w/Carl the Cabbie & Dugout Joe
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