Yid’s Herculean Hot Dog Effort
I write from downtown Philadelphia, where it is an incredibly beautiful day on this Friday! What an exciting time for the Reds franchise and Reds fans, after splitting four with the Cardinals. The atmosphere was electric at Great American Ball Park, and now the show hits the road.
For this six-game trip through Philly and St. Louis, I’ll be working with the Ol? Lefthander Joe Nuxhall. Marty will take a brief vacation, which will include a golf outing with PGA Tour player and Cincinnati’s own Brett Wetterich. I have to thank Marty for allowing me to do these games with Joe. When it was decided that Joe would do 20 games (during Spring Training), Marty could easily have said he and Joe would work all of them together. I would have understood. Who doesn’t love to hear Marty and Joe together? But Marty didn’t think that was fair to me. So he decided that Joe would work 10 games with Marty and 10 with me. Marty and Joe will do the final road trip of the year together, going to Florida and Pittsburgh (they did four previous home games together earlier this season). Thanks to the Hall of Famer for allowing me to work these games with Joe, which I always enjoy.
Now, if you heard us this week on the radio, a couple of things. First, Marty’s "diversion" while the Reds are on the road. It was suggested Marty would sit in with the rock group "KISS." So what follows is a photo that 700WLW Radio’s Scott Stanley sent us showing Marty in his full "KISS" makeup, as well as "action photos" of Dave "Yiddy" Armbruster, our producer, eating hot dogs after pledging to eat one every half inning if Reds fans sold out any of the half-price ballgames.
Yid’s Herculean effort Thursday was not without controversy. Our friends Bill Reinberger and Dave Collins (not that one) from the Reds Marketing department were in charge of bringing the dogs to the booth for Yid to consume. As it turns out, three of the dogs were "jumbo" hot dogs, half-pounders, which made Yid’s job much more difficult. And, as often happens in athletics (and yes, we live in a world in which "competitive eating" is a televised, legitimate "sport"), Yid was "playing hurt." As so many athletes have done before him, Yid selflessly tried to hide his ailment. He was under the weather, we later learned, but still managed to eat 10 dogs. With three of them jumbos, we awarded him the numerical equivalent of AT LEAST 13. Perhaps we should have given him credit for even more.
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If you’re out and see a band performing, look for this man, and be sure to say "Hey Marty!" between songs.
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Notice how trim Dave Armbruster is. He runs almost everyday. He’s run the Flying Pig Marathon, as well as a marathon in Sarasota during Spring Training this year.
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The Ol’ Lefthander is among the media on hand to witness the proceedings Thursday. Yid was preparing to embark on his gastronomical journey.
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"And they’re off!!" Yid consumes hot dog #1.
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Here, the seemingly helpful, benign Dave Collins brings a batch of dogs for Yid to consume over the next few innings. What we didn’t know was we were about to be embroiled in a controversy that threatened to sabatoge the integrity, the purity of Yid’s digestive display.
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Keep in mind, he was eating while never missing a beat doing his job. Producing our game, in constant communication with Matt Steinman in the studio, and keeping Marty and me on the air.
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"The victims." Hot dogs were an endangered species at Great American Ball Park this week. Fans (and Yid) consumed 159,715 during the four-game series with St. Louis. (For the record, I had one.)
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Yid did not get sick, but toward the end of his endeavor, he showed his sense of humor (Seg Dennison enjoyed it).
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What a day for the man who’s brought you Marty and Joe (and me) for 21 years, our fearless leader, Dave "Yiddy" Armbruster. The equivalent of at least 13 dogs, all while "playing hurt." Thanks Yid!!
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The Bad Boy Blog 
Steve, I know I’ve bugged you about this before but I was wondering if you could maybe post a pdf.file or a bigger picture of the scorecard you use to score the games. I have seen several different types and use one that’s kind of different but would enjoy seeing the one you described in an earlier post. Keep up the good work.
Hey Steve, during a noraml day in the booth at home, is it you, Marty B., Yid, and Seg – Man in the booth? Or is there someone else?
Hey Steve – great job with the blog, as always.
My question is – what is Marty supposed to be with the KISS facepaint? Was it a dragon? I can’t quite remember. Either way, it is hilarious!!
Now 10 coneys would have been a real accomplishment. Now that your in St. Louis, maybe it should be 10 fried ravolis. It wouldn’t be as difficult, but man are they good. Or ten frozen custards from Ted Drews. How about 10 subs from Amaghetti’s. I do miss the food in St. Louis, but not the humidity.
Pat, living in Arizona now.
Steve, Of all the cities the Reds and you visit, which ones have the most Reds fans? I saw this question on the Cardinals page and found it interesting.
Steve, Heres hoping for a Reds sweep of the Cardinals starting tommorrow night. I would be great!! to come home in first place!! The Reds can do it!!
It looks like I see the bannna phone in the background on one of these pictures.
Is this is the phone you really use during rain delays.
Where did the banana phone come from which you have in the booth?
Thanks!
The card fsn Midwest announcers just showed Steve and Joe on the tv (Hrabosky and ?). Talked about this being Joe’s 59 ballpark and how steve is from st. louis.
Hey Folks:
Thanks for the comments. To answer some of your questions: I will put photos of Marty and my scorebooks on here next week. We have different books. But they’re not that different. I’ve used mine for many years, and I’m sure he’s used his for many more years.
The photo of Marty, I don’t know. Looks like a cat. (And in case you missed it, Marty’s new cat isn’t named Dior or Wily Mo, it’s Palmer. I’ve been promised Palmer pics for the ol’ BBB, by the way)
In the booth with Marty and me, Seg and Yid sit behind us. Joe is often in there, especially early in games. But among other invited guests: former WLW general manager J.David Martin, Jim LaBarbara from WGRR radio in Cincinnati, Jim Day from FSN Ohio, Tom Horan, 35 year sales guru from 700WLW radio, Andy Furman, Tracy Jones, just to name a few. (I’m sure I’m leaving somebody out…)
As far as the most Reds fans on the road, hard for me to say. Probably Chicago, since it’s so close. A lot were in Milwaukee recently. Certainly some here in St. Louis this week.
Not sure of the origin of our “faux” banana phone. But it’s a nice prop to have…
Steve,
You have done a great job here. You will definitely be missed by many of us fans. I feel bad for you and your family but I guess that’s the way this game works. Good luck in the future.
I’d like to say the same thing Steve. I think you’ve done a great job and I was really shocked when I heard you weren’t going to be around anymore. I don’t know what kind of announcer they’re going for, because you’re one of the few good ones I’ve heard during the last few years. Best of luck wherever you end up.
Steve, Althought I don’t get to listen to you in arizona, I do wish you the best. But, before we say goodbye, here’s hoping you and the Reds get to play well into October.
Pat
p.s. we can always use great announcers in AZ. How’d you like to work with Marty’s son?
Steve,
I, too, am very disappointed that you will not be returning. You’ve made listening to the broadcasts a lot of fun. What doesn’t get said enough, though, is how well you’ve handled the situation of following Joe. It was going to take one with respect for what Joe meant to this city and exhibiting that with grace and humility. You have shown these attributes from your very first day.
I wish you very well. I’ll be looking for you on an MLB online broadcast next year.
Steve,
I just read with disappointment that the Reds will not benefit from your baseball knowledge as you call the plays next season. I very much enjoy listening to you and Marty together and think you have great chemistry. The trivia contest between the two of you is always fun, and I’ve come to respect your great baseball knowledge. Best wishes to you and your family. You will be missed. Love to see the Reds reconsider!