Larry Dierker, our latest guest on Stitch x Stitch, broke into the big leagues as a “bonus baby’’ with the Houston Colt .45s in 1964 and celebrated his 18th birthday with a first inning strikeout of Willie Mays. Over the next four decades, he became synonymous with Houston baseball as a two-time All-Star pitcher, Astros manager and team broadcaster. In this episode, Dierker reflects on the formative years of the union and the partnership between Marvin Miller and players that forever changed the game. His memories run the gamut -- from Leo Durocher scattering players with fungoes as they assembled for a union meeting in the outfield to an awkward encounter with a general manager who responded to his request for a raise with silence and a puff of cigar smoke. Dierker shares his story with an eye for detail, a wry sense of humor, and an enduring commitment to the player fraternity and the game he loves.

Chapters

• (00:00:05) - Larry Durker on His 18th Birthday
• (00:07:40) - Marvin Miller on Starting a UAW
• (00:15:36) - Joe Morgan on the Baseball Players' Union
• (00:17:18) - George Steinbrenner on the Strike
• (00:26:12) - Marvin Hall on His Pension