The Baseball Bunch facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Baseball Bunch |
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| Genre | Educational, sports, comedy |
| Starring | Johnny Bench Tommy Lasorda The San Diego Chicken |
| Opening theme | "The Baseball Bunch" |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 5 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Geoff Belinfante Larry Parker |
| Producer(s) | Rich Domich Jody Shapiro Gary Cohen |
| Production location(s) | Tucson, Arizona |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Major League Baseball Productions |
| Release | |
| Original network | Syndicated |
| Picture format | Color |
| Original release | Pilot / Special August 23, 1980 Series May 2, 1981 – Fall 1985 |
The Baseball Bunch was an American TV show for kids. It taught children about baseball. The show aired from 1980 to 1985. It was produced by Major League Baseball Productions. Each episode was 30 minutes long. It mixed funny skits with tips from famous baseball players. The show helped kids who played Little League.
The series starred Johnny Bench, Tommy Lasorda, and The Famous San Diego Chicken. They worked with eight kids, both boys and girls. These kids were called "The Bunch." They were usually between 8 and 14 years old.
Contents
Learning Baseball Skills
The show featured Johnny Bench as the coach of a made-up baseball team. This team was called "The Baseball Bunch." The team had eight kids. The ninth team member was "The San Diego Chicken." The Chicken was played by Ted Giannoulas. He often made jokes and helped Coach Bench teach the kids.
Each episode had two main parts. In the first part, a current or former Major League player would visit. They would show the kids a basic baseball skill. For example, they might teach how to pitch accurately. The kids would then try to copy the star, sometimes with funny results. The guest stars also explained what not to do. They might say why young kids should not try to throw a curveball.
The second part of the show had a skit with "The Dugout Wizard." This character was played by Tommy Lasorda. He wore a turban like a Swami. The Wizard taught another baseball skill, such as how to catch a fly ball. This part often included a music video. These videos showed clips of Major League players. They would show players doing the skill correctly or making mistakes. For instance, an episode about the knuckleball showed catchers struggling to catch it.
Besides teaching baseball skills, the show also talked about feelings. It helped kids with common challenges. These included being nervous before a big game. It also taught about good sportsmanship. For example, it showed how a parent should encourage their child, not criticize them.
Meet The Bunch Kids
The show had a changing group of eight kids called "The Bunch." They were usually between eight and fourteen years old. As the kids grew older, they were replaced by younger children. This kept the cast close to the age of the audience.
Linda Coslett, who played "Kate" in season 1, shared her experience. She said she was 11 when the show started. She turned 12 during filming. She was on the show for one year. Linda explained that as girls grow, they look more mature. So, the show wanted younger-looking kids for the next season.
Erik Lee, who played "Rick" for four seasons, also talked about his time. He was 12 when he joined. He stayed until his voice changed and he grew taller than Johnny Bench.
Only three kids appeared in all five seasons of the show. They were Stacy Blythe as "Michelle," Jared Holland as "Sam," and Danny Santa Cruz as "Louie."
Here are the children who were part of "The Bunch" during the show's run:
- Stacy Blythe as Michelle
- Linda Coslett as Kate
- Lance Crawford as Ossie
- Rolon Culver as Zack
- Hurst Dorman as Harold
- John Fordney as Sherman
- Priscilla Hassel as Debbie
- Jared Holland as Sam
- Erik Lee as Rick
- Jackie Masei as Jessie
- Tom McCabe as Andy
- John Podesta as Billy
- Danny Santa Cruz as Louie
- Eddy Tonai as Freddie
Famous Guest Stars
Most episodes of The Baseball Bunch featured a well-known guest star. These were Major League players who came to teach the kids. They shared their special skills. Many of these guests later became famous in the Hall of Fame.
Here are some of the Major League guest stars who appeared on the show:
- Sparky Anderson
- Dusty Baker
- George Brett
- Gary Carter
- Bill Caudill
- Andre Dawson
- Rick Dempsey
- Bucky Dent
- Rollie Fingers
- Joe Garagiola
- Steve Garvey
- Goose Gossage
- Keith Hernandez
- Al Hrabosky
- Chet Lemon
- Davey Lopes
- Ron Luciano
- Bill Madlock
- Gary Matthews
- Don Mattingly
- Tug McGraw
- Joe Morgan
- Graig Nettles
- Phil Niekro
- Lou Piniella
- Dan Quisenberry
- Jim Rice
- Cal Ripken, Jr.
- Frank Robinson
- Pete Rose
- Bill Russell
- Mike Schmidt
- Tom Seaver
- Ted Simmons
- Ken Singleton
- Ozzie Smith
- Willie Stargell
- Bruce Sutter
- Don Sutton
- Chuck Tanner
- Ted Williams
Watching the Show
The Baseball Bunch was shown through broadcast syndication. This means local TV stations across the country aired the show. It ran from spring 1981 to fall 1985. During this time, the show also aired nationally on the cable network WTBS. Later, reruns of the show were also shown on ESPN.
Home Video Releases
After the show finished its original run in 1985, some "Best Of" videos were released. In April 1986, Scholastic-Lorimar and Kool-Aid released three one-hour VHS tapes. Each tape focused on a different part of baseball: "Pitching," "Hitting," and "Fielding." These tapes put together segments from different episodes from all five seasons.
Johnny Bench hosted these videos. The three kids who were on the show for all five seasons also appeared. They were Stacy Blythe ("Michelle"), Jared Holland ("Sam"), and Danny Santa Cruz ("Louie"). The tapes also had new "Drill" segments. In these, Bench suggested basic drills for young viewers to improve their game. The three kids, who were teens by then, showed how to do each exercise.
The videos only included parts with The Bunch and Major League guest stars. They did not include segments with Lasorda as "The Dugout Wizard." Also, the well-known "The Baseball Bunch" theme song was not on the tapes. Instead, an instrumental version of the music was used.
Future Plans for the Show
There have been ideas to bring The Baseball Bunch back. In 2002, a local version called "The Cardinals Kids Club" was made for St. Louis. It still airs today.
Later, a pilot episode for a new national version was filmed for ESPN. This pilot starred Harold Reynolds as the mentor. It also featured the Philadelphia Phillies mascot, The Phillie Phanatic. Famous people like Jimmy Kimmel and J. K. Simmons also made short appearances. However, ESPN decided not to move forward with this project.
Another plan for a new Baseball Bunch is being developed. This new show would still have an MLB star as the host and the Phillie Phanatic. It would also feature a new group of kids. The idea is for the show to be more like a story. It would still include baseball tips from the host's friends, who are big league players. There are rumors that Jimmy Rollins might host this new version.
