I knew when my career was over. In 1965 my baseball card came out with no picture.

Phil Niekro and his brother were pitching against each other in Atlanta. Their parents were sitting right behind home plate. I saw their folks more that day than they did the whole weekend.

I think my top salary was maybe in 1966. I made $17,000 and 11 of that came from selling other players' equipment.

Where would I be without baseball? Who am I without baseball?

I did stand-up, weird and ignorant stuff about my career - anything for a laugh.

Before broadcasting for 50-some years, I did TV, played 10 years in the big leagues, won a world championship - and played a big part in that, too, letting the Cardinals inject me with hepatitis. Takes a big man to do that.

I would order a dozen bats and there were times they'd come back with handles at each end.