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Interview With 1945 Cubs' MVP Phil Cavaretta

Aired October 01, 2003 - 11:35   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: You're looking at history in the making in Atlanta. Last night something happened here that hasn't happened since 1945. You see, the Chicago Cubs won a playoff game on the road. Chicago shut down what is arguably the best offense in the National League with a 4-2 win over the Atlanta Braves. Game two of that series is going to be played tonight.
Now Phil Cavaretta played for the Cubs in 1945, which happened to be the year that he won the National League's Most Valuable Player award as well as the National League batting title as well.

Well Phil Cavaretta joins us now from his home in suburban Atlanta this morning after what I got to think had to be a good night of watching some baseball. How do you feel today, Coach?

PHIL CAVARETTA, CUBS' MVP 1945: Leon, I feel real good, especially after last night's game. We were fortunate enough to win the ball game. And thank you for having me over.

HARRIS: Listen, we had no choice but to get you over. Once we learned that you were here within the area, we had to find a way to get a chance talk with you. You are one of the greatest living Cubs. You had a 20-year career with the organization. You have perhaps some of the best living memories in Cubs history of the success in the franchise having played in the last World Series that the Cubs were able to make it to.

How do you feel watching these Cubs play in this World Series?

CAVARETTA: Well, I enjoy watching the Cubs, naturally, being a former player for the Chicago Cubs team. But from what I can see now, this young Cub pitching staff is going to be kind of tough to beat, like the old Atlanta Braves pitching staff.

(CROSSTALK)

HARRIS: I'm sorry. Go ahead. I know you're going to give me that old adage about pitching and hitting, right?

CAVARETTA: There you go. Good defense.

HARRIS: Well it certainly turned out to be the case last night. Kerry Wood had an incredible game. Do you think there's many more games like that in this pitching rotation with the Cubs?

CAVARETTA: Oh, I think so. Like I said, their four starters, they're all young players and they're determined to show the big league hitters, so to speak, that they're pretty good. And they're out there, and I watch them very closely, and they go out there and challenge the hitters. And to me, that's a big plus. They're not scared.

HARRIS: Yes, yes. You got to be glad to see this. But, you know what? Here's the one question that I have been dying to ask you for the last 24 hours now. You haven't seen these Cubs reach this far -- you've seen them reach this far but you haven't seen them hit the World Series since 1945. There's a good chance they could make it through this time around because of that pitching staff that you just talked about.

Did you ever think that you'd live to see these guys make it this far?

CAVARETTA: Well, let me put it this way, Leon. It's been so long that the Cubs were in the playoffs, so to speak, or World Series, and I feel that the fans in Chicago deserve a winner. And the Cub players, I'm sure, appreciate it. And, Dusty Baker, I know he's a big plus there. And I would like to be playing for the man, to be honest with you.

(LAUGHTER)

HARRIS: Really? What is it that Dusty Baker has?

CAVARETTA: Well, you know, as we all know, he's played the game himself before and he's been a star player. And reading the background on in his history, he was always the type of player to give you 100 percent. And this is the type of ball club that he wants and I believe he's achieved that.

And to me in just one year because last year they didn't do too good. And they give a lot of credit to dusty. Naturally, you have to have the horses to back him up. And I feel that they're doing an exceptionally good job.

HARRIS: Yes. Well we're going to be very, very keen to see what happens with them. As you watch these games, I know you're watching what's happening on the screen. But are you also running through it in your mind images from back when you were playing in that World Series that you played in back in 1945, when back when you were MVP, by the way?

CAVARETTA: Well it's kind of hard image anything. But like I said, to get to a World Series, I mean, that's not the easiest thing to do. And you have to give 100 percent at all times. This young Cub team has done that.

HARRIS: You know there's a strange happenstance that's possible here. It's quite possible the Chicago Cubs, who haven't been in the World Series since 1945, could end up there with the Boston Red Sox, who haven't been there since, what? 1918? what do you think about that? Do you think that could possibly happen? And if that did, what would that make you feel? CAVARETTA: Well, listen, the Red Sox got a pretty good ball club. They to -- they have a pretty good pitching staff. But they're more known for run production than -- I think it would be outstanding because you're going to have two ball parks that have been around for quite a few years.

The fans in Boston, I know quite a few of them there. I was in Boston when I played for the Chicago White Sox. They're a lot like the Cub fans. They appreciate good games and they deserve to be in the World Series, too.

HARRIS: Coach, finally on the way out, are you familiar with the eBay computer service, just out of curiosity?

CAVARETTA: I didn't quite get that.

HARRIS: Are you familiar -- I'm not sure you're familiar with eBay, It's a service on the computers around the country where people can auction off and buy things.

Just want you to know what I found on eBay this morning. I found your 1947 Tip Top Bread card still being sold on eBay. Somebody's asking right now $111.50 for your card. They're still trying to sell your cards, Coach.

CAVARETTA: Well, let me put it this way, Leon. I've always said that because I get quite a few requests for autographs, baseball cards. And I do and I send them back, especially when I receive a letter from a young kid. And you can always tell they're a young kid writing when you go by the handwriting.

And I always send it back and write a little note and thank them for remembering me. They'll come back and say, Yes, my grandpa remembers you playing and my dad watched you play. And I say, Thanks a lot.

(LAUGHTER)

HARRIS: Well you know what? You may be signing a lot more autographs if these Cubs make to it the World Series because you are going to become the hottest celebrity in the country if that happens. Believe you me.

Phil Cavaretta, thank you very much. We appreciate your time today. We wish you all the best and good luck to you and your Cubbies.

CAVARETTA: Thank you, Leon.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired October 1, 2003 - 11:35   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: You're looking at history in the making in Atlanta. Last night something happened here that hasn't happened since 1945. You see, the Chicago Cubs won a playoff game on the road. Chicago shut down what is arguably the best offense in the National League with a 4-2 win over the Atlanta Braves. Game two of that series is going to be played tonight.
Now Phil Cavaretta played for the Cubs in 1945, which happened to be the year that he won the National League's Most Valuable Player award as well as the National League batting title as well.

Well Phil Cavaretta joins us now from his home in suburban Atlanta this morning after what I got to think had to be a good night of watching some baseball. How do you feel today, Coach?

PHIL CAVARETTA, CUBS' MVP 1945: Leon, I feel real good, especially after last night's game. We were fortunate enough to win the ball game. And thank you for having me over.

HARRIS: Listen, we had no choice but to get you over. Once we learned that you were here within the area, we had to find a way to get a chance talk with you. You are one of the greatest living Cubs. You had a 20-year career with the organization. You have perhaps some of the best living memories in Cubs history of the success in the franchise having played in the last World Series that the Cubs were able to make it to.

How do you feel watching these Cubs play in this World Series?

CAVARETTA: Well, I enjoy watching the Cubs, naturally, being a former player for the Chicago Cubs team. But from what I can see now, this young Cub pitching staff is going to be kind of tough to beat, like the old Atlanta Braves pitching staff.

(CROSSTALK)

HARRIS: I'm sorry. Go ahead. I know you're going to give me that old adage about pitching and hitting, right?

CAVARETTA: There you go. Good defense.

HARRIS: Well it certainly turned out to be the case last night. Kerry Wood had an incredible game. Do you think there's many more games like that in this pitching rotation with the Cubs?

CAVARETTA: Oh, I think so. Like I said, their four starters, they're all young players and they're determined to show the big league hitters, so to speak, that they're pretty good. And they're out there, and I watch them very closely, and they go out there and challenge the hitters. And to me, that's a big plus. They're not scared.

HARRIS: Yes, yes. You got to be glad to see this. But, you know what? Here's the one question that I have been dying to ask you for the last 24 hours now. You haven't seen these Cubs reach this far -- you've seen them reach this far but you haven't seen them hit the World Series since 1945. There's a good chance they could make it through this time around because of that pitching staff that you just talked about.

Did you ever think that you'd live to see these guys make it this far?

CAVARETTA: Well, let me put it this way, Leon. It's been so long that the Cubs were in the playoffs, so to speak, or World Series, and I feel that the fans in Chicago deserve a winner. And the Cub players, I'm sure, appreciate it. And, Dusty Baker, I know he's a big plus there. And I would like to be playing for the man, to be honest with you.

(LAUGHTER)

HARRIS: Really? What is it that Dusty Baker has?

CAVARETTA: Well, you know, as we all know, he's played the game himself before and he's been a star player. And reading the background on in his history, he was always the type of player to give you 100 percent. And this is the type of ball club that he wants and I believe he's achieved that.

And to me in just one year because last year they didn't do too good. And they give a lot of credit to dusty. Naturally, you have to have the horses to back him up. And I feel that they're doing an exceptionally good job.

HARRIS: Yes. Well we're going to be very, very keen to see what happens with them. As you watch these games, I know you're watching what's happening on the screen. But are you also running through it in your mind images from back when you were playing in that World Series that you played in back in 1945, when back when you were MVP, by the way?

CAVARETTA: Well it's kind of hard image anything. But like I said, to get to a World Series, I mean, that's not the easiest thing to do. And you have to give 100 percent at all times. This young Cub team has done that.

HARRIS: You know there's a strange happenstance that's possible here. It's quite possible the Chicago Cubs, who haven't been in the World Series since 1945, could end up there with the Boston Red Sox, who haven't been there since, what? 1918? what do you think about that? Do you think that could possibly happen? And if that did, what would that make you feel? CAVARETTA: Well, listen, the Red Sox got a pretty good ball club. They to -- they have a pretty good pitching staff. But they're more known for run production than -- I think it would be outstanding because you're going to have two ball parks that have been around for quite a few years.

The fans in Boston, I know quite a few of them there. I was in Boston when I played for the Chicago White Sox. They're a lot like the Cub fans. They appreciate good games and they deserve to be in the World Series, too.

HARRIS: Coach, finally on the way out, are you familiar with the eBay computer service, just out of curiosity?

CAVARETTA: I didn't quite get that.

HARRIS: Are you familiar -- I'm not sure you're familiar with eBay, It's a service on the computers around the country where people can auction off and buy things.

Just want you to know what I found on eBay this morning. I found your 1947 Tip Top Bread card still being sold on eBay. Somebody's asking right now $111.50 for your card. They're still trying to sell your cards, Coach.

CAVARETTA: Well, let me put it this way, Leon. I've always said that because I get quite a few requests for autographs, baseball cards. And I do and I send them back, especially when I receive a letter from a young kid. And you can always tell they're a young kid writing when you go by the handwriting.

And I always send it back and write a little note and thank them for remembering me. They'll come back and say, Yes, my grandpa remembers you playing and my dad watched you play. And I say, Thanks a lot.

(LAUGHTER)

HARRIS: Well you know what? You may be signing a lot more autographs if these Cubs make to it the World Series because you are going to become the hottest celebrity in the country if that happens. Believe you me.

Phil Cavaretta, thank you very much. We appreciate your time today. We wish you all the best and good luck to you and your Cubbies.

CAVARETTA: Thank you, Leon.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com