Bob Costas has broadcasted many sports and many events throughout his illustrious career. In his earlier days of broadcasting with NBC, Costas unintentionally provided some bulletin board
Costas joined Ron Darling and Jimmy Rollins on Audacy’s Unwritten: Behind Baseball’s Secret Rules podcast to discuss a pregame spot that turned into a rallying cry for Tommy Lasorda and the Dodgers in the 1988 World Series.
“There are still people 30-plus years later who think I said the Dodgers are the worst team in World Series history. I know a bit about baseball history,” Costas said (23:30 in player above).
Given the Dodgers’ rash of injuries to key players, including Mike Marshall and Kirk Gibson, the lineup consisted of “either substitute guys or guys like Rick Dempsey and Alfredo Griffin at the backends of their careers,” Costas said. “The entire lineup looks like a B-game in Spring Training.”
“The whole lineup doesn’t have as many home runs as either McGwire or Canseco individually. So I say ‘You look at this lineup and pitching aside, and Dodger pitching is excellent, this may be the weakest lineup – not worst – the weakest lineup to ever take the field for a World Series game.’”
This was during a live spot just before Game 4. The Dodgers held a two games to one lead and Costas gave them the bulletin board material they needed for the rest of the series.
“Now what I don’t know is that the Dogers have gone back into the clubhouse before the National Anthem and Lasorda is watching, and the TVs on in the clubhouse,” Costas said. “And Tommy, who loved to get this kind of stuff going, ‘Look at that! Even F-ing Costas doesn’t think we have a chance! Well, kill him! Screw him!’ whatever they’re saying. They’re chanting, according to Lasorda.”
Costas was then out in front of the Dodgers dugout before the game, and he lined up alongside them for the National Anthem.
“I don’t want to be disrespectful so I fall in line at the end of the Dodgers line, and Hershiser, who’s not gonna pitch until the next night, has his cap over his heart and he looks down at me and goes ‘You really got the guys going in there,’ and I don’t even know what he’s talking about,” Costas said. “Lasorda had turned it into a rallying cry.”
Lasorda went on to put on a managing masterclass in Game 4. He gave the hit sign to Mike Davis in a 3-0 count that resulted in a home run and pulled off a squeeze play.
“Lasorda actually was named the MVP of the game by the NBC people because he did everything,” Costas continued. “He outmanages Tony LaRussa in the game, the Dodgers go up 3-1, they got Hershieser the next day, and they win the World Series.
“Marv Albert interviews Lasorda after the game and the first words out of Lasorda’s mouth was ‘First of all, the MVP should be Bob Costas.’ So now there’s no way you undo this in the court of public opinion.
“There are still perfectly otherwise reasonable Dodger fans who think to this day that I hated their team and Lasorda turned it to their advantage,” Costas said. “So if that’s what you want to think, go ahead and think it.”
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