Foothills and Mudcats

On this episode, Elliott and David talk hoops with basketball Hall of Famer Bob Kurland, the first player in history to win two Olympic Gold Medals. Then, onto baseball with Mudcat Grant, the first African American 20-game winner in American League history who now dedicates himself to studying and promoting the history of blacks in baseball. Plus - Shari Duffy is the owner and force behind "Ladies Night Chicago," a series of events geared toward women. Shari is married to a lawyer and is also a busy mom. Maybe she can explain how he does it all.

Episode Segments:

Sports and Torts: Ladies Night Chicago Shari Duffy’s goal is to make sure Women have a great time. And she’s accomplishing that goal by planning and hosting a series of promotional ladies night around Chicago. Her company is caller – wait for it – Ladies Night Chicago, and we’ll find out how and why she got things going, and what events they have coming up this summer.
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Sports and Torts: Mudcat Grant Mudcat broke into the majors ten years after the color barrier was broken. But it wasn’t any easier for a black player, let alone a pitch. We look back on his career highlights, his relationship with Larry Doby, Satchel Paige and the Black Aces, and more. He’s also met two Presidents, and he shares those stories too.
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Sports and Torts: Bob Kurland We talk with the Hall of Famer also known as Foothills about playing for Hall of Fame coach Hank Iba, his two Olympics appearances and passing up playing in the NBA.
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Ladies Night Chicago Our goal it to make sure Women have a great time...enjoy each other, receive pampering and have a chance to win something great! Many times there is a Goody Bag or Complimentary Cocktail or appetizers. It is always something different!

Guest(s) Appearing on this Episode

Jim Grant Grant signed with the Cleveland Indians in 1954 as an amateur free agent and made his big league debut with the Indians in 1958. His best season in Cleveland was in 1961 when he had a won-loss record of 15-9 and a 3.86 earned run average. In June 1964, he was traded to the Minnesota Twins and had a record of 11-9 for the remainder of the season. In 1965 Grant had the best year of his career. He was 21-7 for the Twins, helping to lead the team to the 1965 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. He finished 6th in voting for the 1965 American League MVP for leading the League in Wins, Won-Loss % (.750), Shutouts (6) and Home Runs Allowed (34). He also started 39 Games, had 14 Complete Games, 270 ⅓ Innings Pitched, 252 Hits Allowed, 107 Runs Allowed, 99 Earned Runs Allowed, 61 Walks, 142 Strikeouts, 8 Wild Pitches, 1,095 Batters Faced, 2 Intentional Walks and a 3.30 ERA. Grant's home run in the 6th game of the 1965 World Series was only the second by an American League pitcher during a World Series game. 1966 was Grant's last year as a full-time starting pitcher. He spent his next five seasons in baseball as a reliever and occasional starter for five different big league clubs. He currently ranks 46th on the MLB Career Home Runs Allowed List (292). In 14 years, he had a 145-119 Win-Loss record, 571 Games, 293 Games Started, 89 Complete Games, 18 Shutouts, 160 Games Finished, 53 Saves, 2,442 Innings Pitched, 2,292 Hits Allowed, 1,105 Runs Allowed, 985 Earned Runs Allowed, 292 Home Runs Allowed, 849 Walks, 1,267 Strikeouts, 33 Hit Batsmen, 60 Wild Pitches, 10,293 Batters Faced, 59 Intentional Walks, 3 Balks and a 3.63 ERA. Grant's home run during Game 6 of the 1965 World Series was the only one he hit that season and one of only seven he hit in his entire career. After his playing career ended, Grant worked for the North American Softball League, one of three professional softball leagues active in the pro softball era. He later worked as a broadcaster and executive for the Indians, and also as a broadcaster for the Athletics. In recent years, Grant has dedicated himself to studying and promoting the history of blacks in baseball. On his official website, Grant pays tribute to the thirteen black pitchers (including himself) who have won 20 games in a season. The "14 Black Aces" are: Vida Blue, Al Downing, Bob Gibson, Dwight Gooden, Grant, Ferguson Jenkins, Sad Sam Jones, Don Newcombe, Mike Norris, J. R. Richard, C.C. Sabathia, Dave Stewart, Dontrelle Willis, and Earl Wilson. In 2006, Grant released his long-awaited book, The Black Aces, Baseball's Only African-American Twenty-Game Winners, featuring chapters on each of the African-Americans to have at least one twenty win season, and also featuring Negro League players that Mudcat felt would have been 20 game winners if they were allowed to play. The book was featured in the Hall of Fame during Induction Weekend 2006, and in February 2007 President Bush honored Mudcat and fellow Aces, Ferguson Jenkins, Dontrelle Willis and Mike Norris, and the publication of the book at a ceremony at the White House. See blackaces.com Mudcat's Black Aces Site On April 14, 2008, he threw out the ceremonial opening pitch at Progressive Field to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his major league debut. Mudcat was also awarded the key to the city to honor the occasion. Mudcat's Career Stats

Bob Kurland Robert Albert "Bob" Kurland (born December 23, 1924 in St. Louis, Missouri) was a 7 feet (2.1 m) basketball center, who played for Henry Iba's Oklahoma A&M Aggies (now Oklahoma State Cowboys) basketball team. He was an integral part of the team's consecutive NCAA titles in 1945 and 1946. Because Kurland often leaped above the rim to grab opponents' shots, the NCAA banned defensive goaltending in 1945. Kurland was also the first person to regularly dunk during games.[2] The rivalry between him and De Paul's George Mikan would foreshadow similar matchups, especially those of "Big Men". Kurland never played professional basketball, passing up the newly formed Basketball Association of America and National Basketball League (which would merge, forming the National Basketball Association), to play for Phillips Petroleum's A.A.U. team, the 66 Oilers. Kurland played for six years with Phillips, winning three championships. Since he never played professionally, he was eligible as an amateur for the 1948 and 1952 Olympics. Kurland was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1961. He became a salesman for Phillips Petroleum Company where he played AAU basketball and went on to complete his business career as a senior marketing executive Bob's Page at the Basketball Hall of Fame Website