Robert James “Rick” Monday was born in Batesville Arkansas on November 20th, 1945. Sometime during his youth, his family relocated to Santa Monica, California. Rick then attended Santa Monica High School. He earned All-League honors and after graduation had to decide whether to play pro-ball, or accept a baseball scholarship.
He was offered a 20,000-dollar signing bonus from Tommy Lasorda, who at that time was a scout for the Dodgers. But he decided to take the scholarship to ASU after coach, Bobby Winkle’s, himself a Arkansas native, used those roots to convince Monday’s mom that he would take care of her son.
He joined an ASU team that included future big leaguers, Sal Bando and Duffy Dyer. Reggie Jackson was allowed to practice with the team but not play due to the rule about freshman players not playing. In his sophomore year he hit .359 with 34 extra base hits to earn All-American honors. He led the Sun Devils to the 1965 College World Series Championship over Ohio State.
He was the # 1 selection by the Oakland A’s in the first ever Major League First-Year player draft. The top pick as a 19-year-old, Monday signed with the A’s for a 104,000-dollar bonus on June 15th, 1965. He started his minor league career at Lewiston, Idaho, with the Class-A team there. In 72 games he hit .271/13/44. After the season, he and teammate, Dave Duncan, entered boot camp with the Marine Corps and began serving active duty as a Marine reservist for six months prior to spring training in 1966.
Monday moved to Mobile, Alabama, the A’s AA team in the Southern League. He played in 127 games, hitting .267 with 23 homers and 72 driven in. He and 5 other teammates, including, Sal Bando and Rene Lachmann, were called up to the KC A’s in September. He got into 17 games and hit .098.
But after playing in the AFL that winter, he went to camp with the big club and made KC’s roster for 1967. He hit .251 with 14 homers and 58 RBIs. That winter, Charlie Finley moved his A’s to Oakland. Monday hit only 8 homers there the first season. His BA climbed to .274. He also made his first All-Star team.
Rick would continue to be a solid player for the A’s through 1971 when they won their first as AL West Champs. He was traded to the Cubs that winter for Ken Holtzman. His first season in Chicago, he appeared in 138 games, mostly as the Cubs center fielder. He hit .249 with 11 homers and 42 runs batted in.
Things got better in 73, His batting average climbed to .267, he had 26 homers and drove in 56. 74 was even better. His avg climbed to .294, a career high, he drove in 58 and hit 20 homers. The Cubs though were going nowhere.
His offense dropped some in 75. He played in 136 games, His OPS was over .800 but his power numbers dropped and so did most of his other offensive stats. He looked forward to a much better year in 1976. And he would have his best at age 30. His numbers for 1976 would be the best of his career. He hit .272, which is higher than his career average, but he had 32 homers and 77 RBI’s, both career highs. He was 18th in the MVP votes.
But what stood out that season was a day at Dodger Stadium in April when two protesters ran out onto the field and prepared to burn an American flag. Monday had been tossing a ball with left fielder, Jose Cardenal before the incident. After Ken Crosby threw a pitch that Sizemore popped out on, Monday dashed over from center and grabbed the flag to thunderous cheers from the Dodger Stadium crowd. He ran to the Dodger dugout and handed the flag to Doug Rau.
When he came up to hit in the 5th inning, he got a standing ovation from the crowd and the Dodger Stadium scoreboard in left field flashed, Rick Monday, you made a great play. He got a congratulatory call from President Gerald Ford and was invited to the White House. Lost in all that was the fact that the game went extra innings, 10 to be exact. Cey’s single knocked in the winning run. It was the second win in what would become a 12-game winning streak.
Monday would later say, if you are going to burn a flag, don’t do it in front of me. Monday had served for six years in the Marine Corps reserve. As a veteran, I feel the same way myself. Rick would receive in 2008 a flag that was flown over Valley Forge National Park in honor of his saving the flag in the bicentennial year of 1976.
That winter, Monday was traded to the Dodgers along with Mike Garman, for Jeff Albert, Ivan DeJesus and Bill Buckner. One of the more outstanding achievements of his career was Monday’s dominance over Tom Seaver. Monday had 11 career homers against Seaver and was 30-86 against him.
His first season in LA he played in 118 games. His offensive stats were below average for him. He hit only .230 with 15 homers and 48 RBI’s. He was somewhat better in 78 with a .254 19, 57 line. He had also not really hit well in either the 77 or 78 World Series. It is doubtful that he knew that he would only play more than 100 games one more time in the rest of his career.
He was injured in 1979 and played in only 12 games. He came back in 1980 and played in 96. In 1981, he was mainly used as a reserve outfielder. Ken Landreaux had taken over in center. Monday got into 66 games, hitting .315, his highest ever, he had 11 homers and 25 driven in. He was used exclusively as a reserve in the playoffs. Then came game 5 in Montreal. It was played on a Monday afternoon due to an earlier rainout.
In the 9th inning, against Montreal’s ace, Steve Rogers, Monday connected for a two-out homer that would give the Dodgers a 2-1 win, and the pennant. He would go 3-13 in the World Series, but no matter, LA came back and beat the Yankees in six games. Guererro, Yeager and Cey were co-MVP’s of the World Series.
After the season, Monday, Yeager, Ruess and Jay Johnstone were talk show guest stars on many different shows including the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson where they would sing, We Are the Champions, all while being horribly off key. The recording was sold during the 1982 season at all of the souvenir stands at Dodger Stadium. There was also a recording available of Ron Cey singing, Playing the Third Base Bag. Neither made the Top Ten list.
Monday played 100 games for the last time in 1982. He would play 99 the following year. In 1984 he appeared in only 31 games at age 38 and called it a career. Monday’s career line is .264/.361/.443. He had 241 homers, 775 driven in and 1619 hits. He was an All-Star twice.
Not long after he retired, Rick became a broadcaster for the Dodgers. First he did the pregame show and calling play-by-play on cable TV. For four years, 89-92, he moved south and called Padre games alongside Jerry Coleman replacing outgoing Dave Campbell. He also was the sports anchor at KTTV for a time in the 80’s. He served as a color commentator for CBS for the College World Championship game in 1988.
In 1993, he rejoined the Dodgers after Don Drysdale suffered a sudden heart attack and died in his hotel room in Montreal. He has filled the analyst role on radio broadcasts along with Charlie Steiner for several seasons now. He also fills in on TV now and then and does most of the spring TV broadcasts with Tim Neverett.
Monday is a fixture in the Dodger broadcast family, and a true Dodger legend for a couple of brilliant moments caught in time.
Discussion (25)
Disagree, not disagreeable
Some nice Dodger alumni news:
Catcher Connor Wong, one of the lesser names in the Mookie deal, made Red Sox OD roster as the primary backup.
Also, I think the Rule 5 guys we lost–Noda, Varland and whats-his-name, another pitcher–have made their new rosters. (Frankly, I think the Rule 5 concept should be expanded to give more guys stuck in the minors in the big-market clubs a chance to break through in the smaller markets. It would be good for the players and good for competitive balance.)
Always happy when the Dodger alumni succeed. A little extra polish for the Dodgers’ reputation….
As for today’s news, Tyler Anderson outpitched Thor. I’m still optimistic that Syndergaard will be good (not great) this season. But I’m also thinking Gavin Stone is probably a better pitcher.
It’s sorta funny how we evaluate future performance from our backpage viewpoints. Rarely comes a player who can excel wherever he is placed like the Babe or Otani and then stars who just find their true callings after getting so far to wear a uniform. In Little League pitchers could usually hit as well. From the players I knew who became professional MLB only one played the same position all the way through. I think Juan Uribe missed his true calling as a relief pitcher and left handed Kenly Jansen was teased into throwing right handed and all the guys who should of but didn’t chase that dream. I knew or know several guys that woulda made the grade had they kept that path and looking at them now says they really missed the boat. Usually a girlfriend that is not around any longer or the job that they didn’t stick with.
That is where my evaluating what I see inside up and comers is based and stats and scouts are only today and not tomorrow. I’m high on Outman probably more than Outman is. I’m not saying super star but I am saying career. That ball is in his court.
Is it too late to resign Anderson and not Syndergaard?
9:07 PM ET vs Angels (away)
Noah Syndergaard R
1-2 4.61ERA 13.1IP 11K
Tyler Anderson L
1-0 0.00ERA 8IP 4K
Confirmed Lineup
RF Mookie Betts R
1B F. Freeman L
C Will Smith R
DH J. Martinez R
3B Max Muncy L
LF Chris Taylor R
CF T. Thompson R
2B M. Vargas R
SS Miguel Rojas R
Partly-cloudy-day
0% Rain
72° Wind 5 mph L-R
Great article Bear!
I appreciate the great historical info and the time and effort you put into your stories.
Rick Monday was my favorite MLB player as a youngster growing up in NorCal.
I still enjoy him as an announcer. (Maybe I am one of the few who like his announcing!)
Rick has many great stories from his playing days. He played with so many great teammates from ASU, A’s, Cubs and the Dodgers. He tells a story about Lasorda being the 3B coach on a scout team he was on in high school. Tommy tried to keep other teams from noticing Monday. When Rick hit a HR, Tommy was so mad that he refused to shake his hand rounding third. Monday said he never understood why Lasorda was so mad until years later when he was with the Dodgers.
Thanks for the good memories, Bear!
All checked in for my flight tomorrow out of the Springs. Adios Colorado, Hola California. Learning Spanish and German.
It takes a true idiot to put others down and prop themselves up like their better somehow
Here’s a guy who has come up with what he feels is a new and better way of predicting future offensive performance. For you stat nerds, you’ll find this very interesting.
For those of you like Bear, it may put you to sleep.
I found it interesting that his system rates Yelich higher than most (Bradley will be happy to see that).
It also likes Trayce better than most (Trayce will be happy to see that).
His numbers also indicate the Dodgers are better off than most pundits predict.
https://www.jsonline.com/story/sports/mlb/brewers/2023/03/27/introducing-hobbs-a-new-way-to-evaluate-mlb-hitting-performance/70050248007/
Thanks for your thoughts Phil. Tho I don’t see Amaya as a special player. I’m hoping Busch has a great start at OKC and plays his way into left field if Peralta falters. Just don”t see Heyward doing much of anything and if Thompson doesn’t hit lefties then not much of a future either.
I’ve been in my off-season program; following all the posts and ideas all winter which covered all things Dodger most thoroughly. I’m not much of a wanna-be GM so I had little to add.
Is it appropriate what ask what happened to B&P? The only thing I saw was he wouldn’t be posting anymore.
I have watched 15 live spring training games here in Arizona and have some comments and thoughts.
* The new speed up rules are awesome. The game is just more crisp and enjoyable. I’m no MLB fan but they got this one right. No hitters stepping our for Velcro management, no practice swings, no late time outs. The pitchers have adjusted without the gamesmanship. No repeated catcher visits. I saw a 9 Inning tie in 2:06. Never saw a 3 hour game. A 20 run, 21 hit affair was under 3 hours.
* I thought the WBC games noticeably dragged on without the new rules. You could easily notice all the unnecessary time wasters that drag a game out.
* One thing think we will see, as I have seen this spring, is the catchers having a much more active role in holding runners. With 2 disengagement rule, we will see a big increase of catcher back-picks at 1st.
* It is vital that the pitch clock is consistent and enforced. I saw it in A+ ball and they have some local stadium employee run the clock. Sometimes the clock started late. Sometimes it turned off well before the pitcher started his motion. Now with an MLB employee running the clock, there is much better consistency.
Another addition that I don’t think they had in MiLB, was the notification to the home plate umpire when the clock has expired. That umpire has so much to watch that there’s no way to keep an eye on an expiring clock. Now they have a vibrating wristband or a vibrating device somewhere (maybe down his pants) to alert the violation. I love the new speed of the game.
* I’m not convinced the new rules will promote the steal during the season as we’ve seen in ST. I hope it does but I don’t think organizations like the Dodgers refuse to steal because it isn’t successful. It’s their philosophy to not risk an out or an injury. Better wait for 3 run homers. Just like the bunt.
* While the Dodgers refuse to run, our pitchers generally don’t hold runners well and Smith and Barney have runners tapping in the starting blocks and no shot. I’d like to see that change this season along with the emphasis on contact.
* Camelback was cashless again as usual, but there were no vendors selling concessions in the stands. Seemed odd.
* Spring training ticket prices were ridiculous. The sliding price scale and the weekend games with many LA visitors, called for big increases. I saw games where a ticket on the berm in the outfield at Camelback was $45 and $50 bucks. 50 bucks to sit on the grass is ridiculous.
* I’m certainly aware that Spring Training is not the regular season. But it is not useless. So please spare me any comments about my observations being useless because Spring Training doesn’t matter.
* Vargas will be fine. I’m impressed with his early work at 2nd and he will be fine. He will be at 3rd someday but for now we keep his Bat in the lineup. I had to laugh that he got 4 walks during the time he was banned from swinging.
I think he will be a strong candidate for Rookie of the Year.
Speaking of ROY, remember when the Dodgers had a hold on the award? A Dodger won 5 straight 92 to 96, 2016 & 2017. None since. Now there seems to be a preference for veterans and few rookies allowed to start break into the lineup, so no ROY. I’m all in on a youth movement.
* Rojas will be fine as an everyday SS and will hit enough. I hated trading Amaya who I think will be a special player down the road. But I get it. I have laughter at all the puckered panties over SS and suggestions for trades. Rojas is fine.
* Muncy has looked better at the plate and will be adequate at 3rd if he hits like he can.
* I know JD Martinez is a slow starter but at times this spring it has looked like he’s swinging under water. I think he’s lost a lot. JT had a nice spring for Boston and maybe we kept the wrong DH. We’ll see.
* I’m in the camp that thinks Mookie is a very good player. But not a superstar now. Freddie Freeman is.
* Boy this organization is loaded with quality catchers. Now if the would just get them on their feet and not on a knee. I’ve seen way too many ole backhands instead of blockers as catchers on a knee can’t shift and block.
* Thor has looked better than his stats. I like 94. His secondary command has been poor causing predictable fastballs in fastball counts. The excuse that he suffered from a wet ball last Tuesday is incorrect. I sat through the small drizzle early that let up. The fresh baseballs and the light temporary rain had no effect on gripping the ball. Wow is he a stud. I knew he was large but damn……
* I love the bullpen arms and all of our talented arms, but the starting rotation could be a house of cards.
Urias will be a stud again
I hope we get 20 starts from CK
I fear Gonsulin’s arm is fragile and subject to a breakdown. Maybe the DL will help.
Thor needs to come up big.
Pepiot, to start, but Grove and Stone, who have looked inconstant, will need big club innings.
* I’m not interested in watching the outfield “try out camp” continue into the games that matter, with a new lineup every day with Outman, CT3, Peralta, Thompson and Heyward all vying for PT in center and left. I would rather see a youth movement:
* I have no use for Heyward. Never have, actually. He will continue to be shitty and will take up at bats away from Outman, I fear.
I’m better with Peralta as a veteran platoon outfielder.
Thompson, with his splits makes platooning interesting and he strikes out too much.
CT3 is a utility guy, who can’t hit. A strikeout machine. He misses center cut fastballs and has to be very frustrated. He’s making 15 million a year.
* The Dodgers sort of unceremoniously let Hanser Alberto walk by failing to pick up his 2 million options. Nobody noticed. Last week, I saw him make 2 spectacular defensive plays at 3rd for the White Sox. He also hit .459 this spring. He could be a nice addition in a utility roll with the White Sox for 1.6 million a year. Good value, Plus he’s a great clubhouse guy. I wish him well.
* I have seen way too many catchers forced to backhand and ole pitches because a knee is on the ground. I hate that and don’t get it. It exposes the inner thigh and limits shifting and blocking the ball.
* To me, this is a great time to re-tool with the youngsters and get under the tax by year end. I see this possible as I see 85 to 90 wins from this group.
I definitely agree with Bums that AF should very strongly consider trading Urias at the deadline if he can get an overpay and if Dodgers pitching performs as hoped.
I’ve always been curious about the Monday flag saving incident. It was before my time, and it has gone down in baseball lore, but I always curious about the father/son duo who attempted to set the flag on fire. Who where they? What were they protesting? There is not a lot about them after the incident. What ever happened to them? The son was 11 at the time, so it’s likely he’s still alive.
Old pal Darin Ruf was DFA’s by the Mets. Ruf was a Dodger for all of about 2 minutes. They got him from the Phillies when they traded Sweeney. He then went to Japan and turned his career around. His tenure with the Mets last year after the trade from the Giants was a disaster. He was worse than Gallo if you can imagine that. He has been nursing a bad wrist. Someone will pick him up later on. When healthy, he has a lot of power. Giants definitely won that trade, JD Davis is a huge part of their offense. Rotation for opening series against the D-Backs, Urias, May, Kershaw and Thor. Good chance to start the year, 4-0.
One of the biggest mistakes fans make is to evaluate young players based on their most recent seasons. Progress is not linear.
A lot of fans wrote off Andre Jackson after a bad season in 2022. He may now be a key piece of the bullpen.
Ryan Pepiot’s mechanics were out of whack last year, but he is much improved this year.
Landon Knack has changed his lifestyle – food wise and is rededicated.
I am high on Dalton Rushing, but Diego Cartaya is a generational talent.
Most Dodger fans do not think Vargas bring the power Busch and Outman do… forgetting that he is 3 years younger. I see Vargas being the biggest slugger.
There is a lot to be decided especially between CT3, Heyward and Thompson. Give that a good 30 to 45 days and there could be some different ideas.
Two notes:
This same baseball person told me this:
1. River Ryan will pitch in the majors next year; and
2. Josue De Paula will be on the team in 2025.
Not my words…
MLB.com projects this lineup for Opening Day…
Mookie Betts, RF
Freddie Freeman, 1B
Will Smith, C
Max Muncy, 3B
J.D. Martinez, DH
David Peralta, LF
Miguel Vargas, 2B
James Outman, CF
Miguel Rojas, SS
SP: Julio Urías, LHP
CL: Evan Phillips, RHP
No real surprise, but I like seeing the rookies back-to-back. Outman’s K risk would be sandwiched between the high-contact Miguels.
Sure is fun reading about these prospects, especially De Paula and Ryan. The Dodgers pitching pipeline seems very healthy. (It’s also why I think the Dodgers may not make a big offer to keep Julio., especially if they decide to invest in Ohtani.)
I’m hoping that De Paula turns into one of these prodigies that can’t be denied at a young age, like this 20-year-old Jordan Walker who made the Cards’ roster. To me, De Paula and Rushing are the most exciting young batting prospects in the system.
New Yorkers should find plenty to like about Volpe, the Bombers’ first-round selection (30th overall) in the 2019 MLB Draft. At age 21, Volpe will be the Yankees opening day starter at short.
Dodgers drafted Kody Hoese at 25 in 2019.
Position player roster was set before spring training started except 1 spot. The powers that be were eyeballing Heyward (28 of his 47 at bats came when he batted first) because Thompson was on the bubble. Then Lux went down and it didn’t matter, both made the team.
Via Chad M. and the great DD:
MLB: Farm Director Will Rhymes talked about some Dodgers prospects, including Josue De Paula…
“Josue has one of the best young swings you’ll ever see and his hitting ability and discipline are off the charts,” Rhymes said. “It’s such a special hit tool. He has rare, rare qualities and the power will come once he fills out.”
…Nick Nastrini…
“Nick threw 64 percent fastballs last year, which is pretty high, so working on his secondary pitches has been a focus,” Rhymes said. “When we got him, he was using a slower, bigger slider and we ticked it up to 85 mph last year and now it’s in the upper 80s. He’s also throwing some good changeups and has improved his physical routine after spending all offseason here.”
…and Landon Knack.
“This guy can roll out of bed and dot all his pitches,” Rhymes said. “He’s healthy now, had a great offseason, changed his nutrition program. He’s such a historically great strike-thrower but he was a little off mechanically last year and his stuff went a little backwards. He’s in a good place now to bounce back and be in the mix for depth for the big league club.”
But perhaps the most surprising report was on River Ryan.
“River is a tremendous athlete and he has taken another step this spring,” Rhymes said. “He pitched at 97-99 mph and got up to 101 yesterday with a very high quality fastball. He’s messing with slider grips and he can dial it up to the upper 80s with more movement or throw a cutter up to 93. His curveball is very good and we’re trying to encourage him to use it more, and he has pretty good feel for his changeup too.”
If you had to check the quoted velocity to make sure you read it correctly, then you aren’t alone. To say that his stuff is ticking up is an understatement
A lot is known about Monday, but I had no idea he was in the Marine Reserves, which by the way wasn’t really considered the Marine Corps by many. He would have been there right before I was. Those who signed up as reservists took a lot of sh*t from drill instructors. They were called Candy Ass Marines. Why join the Marines if you’re not willing to fight?
Anyway, with the exception of that one home run, I’m not really a Monday fan. Not crazy about his mic work, but he’s better than Orel.
And looks like our CFer had a much better spring than than the Angels CFer. Glad we’re not stuck with him! Nice write up on Monday, Bear. Always liked Rick.
Safe travels Bear. Eric will miss you. I didn’t realize Monday came back when Drysdale passed away.
I met Monday briefly when he was playing. I think it was ’83 or ’84.
When I heard his voice, it was clear that he’d become a broadcaster. …
Pretty nice tuneup today. Great outing for Kershaw and the relievers too. HRs from Muncy, Taylor and Outman offer reasons for hope.
Excellent, as always, Bear!
Heading out to California tomorrow. Be a couple of days before I can post again.