Ronn Mott: Baseball – Terre Haute Tribune Star

Last Friday I attended a luncheon at Rick’s Smokehouse. The Cincinnati Reds’ “On the Road Show” was in town. It was a cold, blustery day, not a day you would figure you would be talking baseball with anybody but when a major league caravan comes to town it’s a reminder that spring is just around the corner.

We radio types from WAXI were there because David Crooks was hosting the luncheon and there to explain that one of his new radio companies, 1130 AM and 99.5 FM will be doing sports, and on that schedule will be the Cincinnati Reds. His radio station in Washington, Indiana is a carrier of the Reds and he was there to host the luncheon and welcomed the Reds to the Wabash Valley.

I was there on a personal mission to say hello and meet Walt Jocketty, who has left the general manager’s role in the Reds organization to be Director of Baseball Operations. His assistant GM steps into the general manager’s position for the Reds. Walt laid the foundation as a general manager to keep the train of successes going for the St. Louis Cardinals. A soft spoken gentleman, it was a pleasure for this old Cardinal fan to meet him and wish him success for the Reds in the future.

Mr. Crooks said, schedule allowing, the Pioneer League Terre Haute Rex will also be aired on the FAN, 1130 AM and 99.5 FM. Brian Dorsett, who also attended the luncheon, was happy to hear that.

Writing of Brian, it was good to see and talk to him. Brian was posing for pictures with Tucker Barnhart, a young Reds’ catcher. Brian had watched him play the game since Barnhart was a youngster.

The mascot, “Redlegs,” was making people smile and hugging the ladies who were in attendance. We had a chance to speak to Rick of Smokehouse fame and congratulate him on a good meal, and it is always nice to be in what was once The Wassell Inn, a teenage hangout for those who are old enough to have danced to Eddie Fisher and Perry Como in the earliest days of Rock ‘n Roll.

It’s a busy week for DLC Media as they are taking over the new FM’s they purchased a short time ago.

As for me, I’ll be digging through the music library for our little Sunday effort, “The Classics.” I also helped Jim Osborne and Barry Kent last Saturday on our radio auction, which is a hoot and a half and everybody wins!

My dad was the baseball player in the family and he truly loved the game. I liked it, but somebody with a good curve ball who could throw three curves right at me could put me out quickly. I always think about my dad when I’m around baseball people. So, eating lunch with baseball people at what was once The Wassell Inn gave me a charge of memories!

Ronn Mott, a longtime radio personality in Terre Haute, writes commentaries for the Tribune-Star. His pieces are published online Tuesday and Thursday on Tribstar.com, and in the print and online on Saturday.