Episode 10: Norm Charlton - Part One

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When Norm Charlton was just nine years-old, he said to his parents, “Someday, I’m going to pitch in the Astrodome.” Today, in part one of our interview, Bernie welcomes the former “Nasty Boy” as they recount the odyssey that led to Norm pitching in 622 major league games, including several in the Astrodome, and beyond. You’ll hear about Norm’s early life in San Antonio as the son of an All-American hurdler, his outstanding college career at Rice University and minor league stops in Burlington, VT, and Nashville before reaching the Majors and the Cincinnati Reds. Norm explains how chemistry, more than statistics, was the key to the Reds 1990 World Series Championship, and how, even as the heaviest of underdogs, they filmed a rap video declaring themselves the winners before the series began. Plus: the “Spitball Game” vs. the Giants; a clubhouse brawl between Rob Dibble and Lou Piniella; Norm’s home plate collision with Mike Scioscia on Sunday Night baseball, and setting the record straight on conflicting origin stories of the Nasty Boys nickname.

** See Episode 14 for part two of our interview with Norm Charlton **