Another story that aired on 790 KABC:

Here is my story that aired last night on 790 KABC as part of the Lasorda at His Best series presented by Skechers:

When we were kids we took names of big leaguers as our own.  That’s how much we idolized the major league players.  There was a pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers named Van Lingle Mungo (1931-41).  What a name!

So I took that name even though I didn’t know he was right-hander and I’m a left-hander.  Even today when I go home to Norristown, PA  my friends sill call me Mungo.

When Peter O’Malley brought back every living Dodger who played in an All-Star game Mungo was part of that group.  I got to talk to him and I told him about me taking his name.  By golly he thought that was something special. 

He was a great pitcher, and got into some fights too.