Artie Lange in late night is always a sight for sore eyes, especially when he brings tales of his exploits over years with him. I’m a big fan of his Bob Uecker stories and his appearance on Joe Buck Live is the stuff of legend, making even the most minor appearance now mandatory watching. It also helps that this appearance on Conan also deals with baseball (and street smart fathers).
Here, Artie tells the tale of how his father managed to get tickets to the final game of the 1977 World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers, the legendary game where Reggie Jackson belted three homers to seal the Yankees’ first championship in years. The conclusion of the game is highlighted with Jackson barreling in from the outfield ahead of a flood of people, knocking them over on his way into the clubhouse. And within that flood? Artie Lange.
Ten-year-old Lange was tossed over the fence by his father and told to run to shortstop and wait. A moment to remember, but a bit frightening to a kid amid a sea of drunken sports fans and hippies. Then his father shows at shortstop, all is well, and Lange got the next day off from school (leading to the best joke of the story).
Take a look at the conclusion below and enjoy seeing Reggie Jackson basically destroy two fans that made the mistake of getting in his way. It’s fantastic.
