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Jimmy Scott's High & Tight: The Monte Irvin Interview

How often do you get to speak with somebody who's 90-years old? Maybe you're fortunate enough to have a grandparent of family friend who's been around the block since 1919. But if you love baseball, how many times do you get to speak to somebody, or hear somebody, talk about baseball in the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s? And then, how many times can they say, "I played back then." Not too many. That's why we're especially fortunate to have Monte Irvin still around.

Monte Irvin was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1973. He's one of the few surviving men who had a lasting career in both the Negro Leagues and the Major Leagues (he has a World Series ring from playing for the 1954 NY Giants). He also played professional baseball in Cuba, Mexico and Puerto Rico. Overall, he's a member of 9 different halls of fame. Pretty good, huh?

In the Jimmy Scott's High & Tight Interview, Monte talks in depth about a number of subjects, but a few stick out. In Part II, about 14:00 into our discussion, Monte relates a story about World War II and how his regiment was part of a 500-ship armada that sailed from the United States to Liverpool, England. He speaks of the constant fear of German subs sinking their ships, as well as how "delighted" they were to reach England safely.

He talks in Part III (28:00) about his transition from Negro Leaguer to Major Leaguer and how he was sorry he hadn't been given a chance to play in the Majors when he was younger. A little known fact - which he found out years later - was that Monte Irvin was the one chosen by Negro League owners to break the color barrier. He was drafted shortly afterward, so his shot at that type of immortality never came true. Still, Monte speaks his mind on Jackie Robinson and compares how he (Monte) would have handled being the first black player to play Major League Baseball in the 20th century.

Finally, at around 39:00, you can hear Monte give his thoughts on a number of historical figures in baseball with whom he had a relationship. From Buck O'Neil to Leo Durocher, from Hank Aaron and Willie Mays to Bowie Kuhn, Satchell Paige and Cool Papa Bell, we hear insights into these men who helped shape, as Monte says, "the greatest game, in my estimation, that's ever been invented: Baseball."

This is a once-in-a-lifetime interview with a man who has lived more lives in his 90 years than most of us will ever experience. Just listen.

Special Thanks: Matthew Tarini, amateur baseball historian, for setting up the interview; Todd Civin and A Glove of Their Own for setting me up with Matthew Tarini.