Show notes
0:00-10:00: Dave Sims, the voice of the Mariners, joins Matthew to talk about life as a Black man in baseball and share some of his thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement. How do we get more Black people – and people from other underrepresented groups – in the broadcast booth? What about getting more Black kids into baseball, and eventually into the majors? Enacting an entire culture shift is a daunting task, but it’s the only option for both baseball and society at large.
10:05-21:05: What’s it like for Dave to travel around the league and typically be the only Black person in the room? When he meets people from outside of the sports world, what is their reaction to finding out Dave works in baseball? Breaking news: BLACK PEOPLE LIKE BASEBALL TOO, and as Dave says, “We’re sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
21:10-26:35: The Mariners have the largest population of Black players in the league. What has Dave’s experience with that group been like? How do we make sure this doesn’t become a one-off situation?
27:05-44:45: How did Dave, an East Coaster for life, end up in Seattle in the first place? How was it taking over for Dave Niehaus, and how did the community react at first? Which booth on the road is his favorite to call a game from? Which cities does he describe as having “good people, bad ballpark”? Where does Mike Trout rank among all the great athletes Dave has seen across the multiple sports he covers? What’s Dave’s favorite call from his 14 years of covering Mariner games?
44:50-51:37: Whenever MLB begins again, what should we expect from the Seattle Mariners? How would he feel about the legitimacy of a shortened season? At the end of the day, we just need to see these guys on the field again.
Music: “Computer Love” by Zapp & Roger // “Broken Clocks” by SZA
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