You can buy an autographed baseball in a million places, but you can buy a $75 autographed baseball from a U.S. Senate candidate in one place.
The candidate, of course, is Steve Garvey, who is a well-known name in California, not because of a life spent in politics, but because of a distinguished career for the Dodgers and San Diego Padres.
In his race against Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), Garvey is a decided underdog. No Republican has won a California Senate seat since 1988.
On Saturday – a month before Election Day – the two teams Garvey played for open their National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium. This made Friday a good day to check in with Garvey.
The Dodgers. Padres. Who will win?
My team will win. (He laughed.)
You spent most of your life with the Dodgers. You were a batboy for the Dodgers long before you were their first baseman – an eight-time All-Star, a most valuable player, a World Series champion. How did you become a major player in Padres history?
Back when the Dodgers made me an offer I could refuse (Garvey was a free agent after the 1982 season), I ended up with (Padres owner and McDonald’s kingpin) Ray Kroc in his house at the Summit of a cliff. He said, “Stevie, I really want you here.” I know what you can do on the ground, but this community needs someone who understands the relationship between the people and the city. We didn’t have that.
He said there was only one problem: “I can only pay you in Big Macs and fries.”
In 1983, your first year in San Diego, the Padres finished .500. The team had a winning record in its 15 seasons. In 1984, the Padres made the World Series.
By the second year, we had acquired Goose (closer) Gossage and (third baseman Graig) Nettles. Tony Gwynn was in third grade. We had (shortstop Garry) Templeton, (catcher Terry) Kennedy and (outfielder Kevin) McReynolds, and (second baseman Alan) Wiggins emerged, along with a good pitching staff.
’84 was the year. It was sort of the emergence of the Padre story. Having been a part of the Dodgers organization, from Batboy in 1956 through all these years, being a part of this great historic franchise, being a part of it and making a significant contribution, and then going to San Diego and helping them to earn. for the first time and build their story, I am very proud of it.
Who ever thought I wouldn’t be a Dodger my entire career? And life happens. The fact that it worked that way was pretty cool.
Your most memorable moment with the Padres has to be the home run in Game 4 of the 1984 National League Championship Series that put the team one win away from the World Series.
Everywhere I go, people tell me where they were, which is always a sign of a historic moment.
And your most memorable moment with the Dodgers?
The 1981 World Championship was truly the highlight of my career. If you play a team sport, winning the world championship is the ultimate. We had been frustrated in 1974, 1977 and 1978. And then in 1981, with the way it happened with the strike, it seemed like a team of destiny.
Do you find it curious that your number was retired by the Padres but not the Dodgers?
Along with Don Newcombe, (Fernando Valenzuela) and myself, we were the first class of Legends of Dodger Baseball, which emerged over the last few years. It’s also quite an honor.
Everyone always asks me, “Why isn’t your number retired?” » It depends entirely on the organization. I’m honored to have San Diego and the Padres retire my number. I said this was probably going to happen in the future. I don’t get up every day to think about it.
Do you get heckled when you campaign in the San Francisco Bay Area?
I don’t know. We’re just from Northern California. It’s really a good mood. Some people will say, “Oh, he was beating us.” But a lot of people will say, “Garvey, we hate the Dodgers, but we’ll vote for you.” “It’s so bad here, and we know you pretty well.
Our theme has been — and my wife, Candace, came up with this — I never took the field for Democrats or Republicans, but for all fans.
In the best interest of California, do you have a plan to make the Giants great again?
Are the Giants great again?
That would give the state three major National League teams.
They had this streak (three championships in five years), which was a statement for this millennium in Giants history. Whenever your rivals are good, it’s good for the game and good for both teams.
This is why the emergence of the Padres is a good thing: everyone was waiting for a time when they would truly be relatively even with the Dodgers.
Across the San Francisco Bay, a major league team has left Oakland and is considering leaving the state altogether and moving to Las Vegas. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Oakland) presented a bill this would require teams that leave a community to compensate that community, given its support of the team and often its contributions to a stadium. Would you support this bill?
It is free will and choice. It’s business. It’s capitalism. If your market is smaller, you know the challenges and constraints. Ultimately, it is up to the owners to decide their future destiny.
It’s obviously very emotional for her, for the people of Oakland and for the great players that came out of there – Dave Stewart and Dusty Baker and all those guys. But this is simply a business decision made by ownership. People don’t necessarily like it because they’re local and they’ve had a great history there. It’s just the nature of business in America.
So you don’t see a role for the federal government in the relocation of franchises?
No. God, lower taxes, smaller government, and the pursuit of happiness. That’s what Ronald Reagan told me.
In sports, your team works together to beat the other team. This is what is happening in Congress now. In Washington, this creates dysfunction. How could your sporting experience help you solve this problem?
Our theme was common sense, compassion and consensus. I said that when I’m elected a U.S. senator from California, I’m going to start, on day one, going to the other 99 senators — going to their desks, sticking out my hand and saying, “My name is Steve Garvey, and I want to work with you for the best interest of my state, your state and the country. I don’t think many people are willing to do that, or have done it.
One last try: the Dodgers. Padres. Who are you rooting for in this series?
My team will win. (He laughs again.)
Dodging a question? You might just have a future in politics.
I hope so. Six years, at least. A term.
