Today we converse with Tom Varcie, a former co-worker at the Eastern Michigan University student newspaper, the Eastern Echo. Tom and I received our Bachelors' Degrees in succession on the stage in EMU's Bowen Field House in December 1989 and I famously photo-bombed his university-produced photo. Tom's a long-time hockey player and fan of the Red Wings, Tigers, and - gulp - the Lions. A Garden City, MI, native, Tom, now lives and works in Chesterfield Township, MI.
Items referenced in this episode:
- The following arenas - Olympia Stadium, Joe Louis Arena, Little Caesar's Arena, Nationwide Arena, and Yost Ice Arena.
- The first Red Wings' game at Joe Louis Arena, December 27, 1979.
- Nolan Ryan's big strikeout performance against the Tigers, August 18, 1976. (It was mentioned during this episode that it was a 19-strikeout performance, but that actually occurred two years prior in Anaheim on August 20, 1974.)
- Magglio Ordonez's 2-homer performance (video here) in the ALCS clincher against the Oakland A's, October 14, 2006.
- Justin Verlander's first career no-hitter against Milwaukee, June 12, 2007. Video of all 27 outs found here.
- Detroit Tigers' groundskeeper Herbie Redmond article from the Detroit Free Press in 1986 and his obituary in 1990. A very brief video found here.
