Longtime Radio Personality Marv Luten interviews guests, shares community updates, National and Local sports and more. The Marv in the Morning Podcast is a production of O’Quinn Media. For guest or sponsorship opportunities, email tracy@oquinnmarketing.com or marvinthemorning53@gmail.com
— Automated Transcript —
**Marv in the Morning Podcast**
**Welcome to the Marv in the Morning Podcast**
**Now, here’s Marv.**
Marv: And I thank you, and welcome to another episode of the Marv in the Morning podcast on the Fort Not Lost in the Woods Podcast site.
Brought to you by STR Glass of Saint Robert, BMW Post 3168 of Leagueweight, TKE’s Pizza, Free Brothers Meat Company at Lynn Creek, Bills Construction, the Bank of Crocker, Paul’s Furniture, Shelter Insurance Agent, Dave Holland of Richland, Saint Robert Auto Supply, Sieger Toyota, and the Polaski County Health Center.
We begin today with a shout-out to our local businesses with a heavy emphasis on local. The mom and pop shops who don’t make the huge profits as the big stores but make shopping and doing business with them so important in keeping our community prospering.
Case in point. The other day, my wife, who has a small booth at Bear Ridge Antiques on Highway 17 between Waynesville and Crocker, was going through some stuff that had been accumulated at the old farmhouse over the course of 50-plus years.
She found an old oil lamp that sat on a wooden shelf with a mirror behind it made by a neighbor a long, long time ago. At the time, he didn’t have the proper-sized mirror that left a little gap at the top, and it was held in there by a string wound around and attached to some small nails, which kept the mirror from falling out.
Apparently, this was done well before super or gorilla glue was ever invented. So I took this apparatus to STR Glass and asked them if they could cut me a mirror so I could get rid of the string, glue the mirror in place, and make it look sellable at her booth.
Well, they took the wooded holding shelf, replaced the mirror, got rid of the nails and string, and put a bead of glue to hold it in. I picked it up after I got done with my podcast duties at the studio, and they charged me a whopping five bucks for the whole job.
Long story short, shop local at businesses owned by your neighbors and friends because they’ll treat you like a neighbor or a friend. The problem here is this now good-looking oil lamp holder is not going to appear at my wife’s booth at Bear Creek, but is now another fixture in our living room above the fireplace. My wife was so impressed that the job they did and the cost, at least right now, she’s holding on to it.
Father’s Day has passed by last Sunday, and dad’s day of barbecuing or getting the lawn mode, which was in my plans, was shot to hell by weather and storms that passed through late Sunday morning and were expected to redevelop in the afternoon.
Many of a father’s outdoor plans were dashed and moved indoors where golf and World Cup soccer were the main events on the Free TV. The pay for channels like Dish and Direct TV were interrupted by the storms from which I was told by many. And many outdoor events were eventually canceled.
June has been a wicked month for weather here in the Missouri Ozarks with storms popping up what seemed to be at least once a week. This is supposed to be hay season for cattle ranchers, but Mother Nature has put that on hold.
One event that did happen on Father’s Day was another round of older and antique vehicles running the Mother Road of Route 66. Taking my puppy for her afternoon ride, I got a chance to see many of these rolling down Route 66 again with the 100th anniversary of the Mother Road being celebrated in 2026. There’s a lot more of this to come. I just hope it lasts longer than this year.
On our next episode, we’ll be talking about the 250th birthday of the United States of America as we get ready to celebrate the 4th of July. Now here’s a little heads-up about an event or two taking place. One at the Leagueweight VFW Post, their 4th of July celebration is taking place on July 5th, which is a Sunday, since the 4th this year falls on a Saturday.
The Shrine Club at Buckhorn will have their Buckhorn Blast with food, entertainment, and fireworks. That will be on the 4th. Then just down the road, VFW Post 3168 has theirs again on Sunday with all kinds of food, a band starting about 4 that afternoon, taking them up to their huge fireworks display, starting around 9:00 or 9:30.
Now we’ll have more on this next week, but we thought we would get you a little heads-up about a few free events happening with some free entertainment at the V and the Shrine Club, and you may want to mark that on your calendar, especially if you have kids because these are a couple of local events that will certainly keep the kids entertained and it won’t hit the wallet very hard.
Last week’s episode, we talked about the end of the Iran War, the Strait of Hormuz being reopened, and all the good news. A week later, we’re still in the same situation with talks still going on, the Strait of Hormuz being reopened, and then shut back down. The Vice President last Sunday was in Switzerland, talking with the Iranians, and there’s still no definite word on what the hell’s going on in the Middle East, to include Israel and Hezbollah continuing their battle in Lebanon.
We can’t believe anything we hear from the news because it changes on a daily basis. Actually, more like an hourly basis. This week’s episode is going to feature a revisit by a former Frisco League two-time state champion baseball coach, one-time radio personality and broadcaster, Sports Director at the local newspaper, and one of my long-time friends and father of four sons, two are still playing collegiate baseball, and another is playing pro ball.
Harv Antell brings us a very interesting and somewhat lengthy chat that will hopefully keep your interest as it did mine. Harv is coming up next.
Hold up. This is good. If you haven’t been to Sieger Toyota of Saint Robert, you’re missing out. This is the place where buying a Toyota actually feels good. Great selection, friendly faces, and zero, I said zero, awkward pressure. It’s why drivers keep voting us Polaski County’s number one dealership four years in a row. So whether you’re ready to buy today or just ready to smile, come by Sieger Toyota, Saint Robert, doing it the right way, the Sieger way for over 56 years. Come see what all the talk’s about. Sieger Toyota, Saint Robert, the fun starts here, next to Walmart and at SiegerToyota.net.
In these days of texting and emails, words, phrases, and names are shortened to letters. It doesn’t change anything, it just makes things easier. That’s the case of STR Glass, a Saint Robert establishment since the ’60s. Still the same great service when it comes to auto glass, windows, shower doors, and anything to do with glass. And when it comes to fixing chips in your windshield to prevent cracking, there’s none better. They’re still in the same location on VFW Memorial Drive and still have the same phone number 336-4122. They’ve just shortened their name from Saint Robert Glass to STR Glass but will never shorten their services to you, the customer.
Are you tired of all the games that other furniture stores play? At Paul’s Furniture, we’ve got the biggest name brands at the guaranteed lowest prices. You come in, you’re going to see that price on it, the next time you come in, it’s going to be the exact same price because we always have the best deals, the best prices, and the biggest name brands with free delivery. We’re going to do whatever it takes to earn your business at Paul’s Furniture. That’s what’s made us the number one furniture store in Polaski and Phelps County for the last 30 years. If you’re tired of the games that others play, come see us at Paul’s Furniture.
**Interview with Harv Antell**
Marv: On the podcast today, I have a returning guest, one of my favorite guests on the podcast, is Harv Antell, who joins us. And Harv’s got a lot to talk about. Thanks for taking time to come up here because you’re a busy man these days.
Harv: I am busy. Uh, I tell people all the time that I don’t know how I had time to work. Uh, I’m that busy in retirement, but, uh, it’s good to see you again, Marv, and, uh, I appreciate the opportunity to come in, and, uh, I guess when the, uh, when the pickins get slim on the guest line, you can, uh, always find an Antell to talk to.
Marv: Now, I’ve had, uh, you and your son Gideon. We’re going to talk a little bit about Gideon. First off, I want to start with the Frisco League. You retired from head coach of the Licking Wildcats. You have coached in the Frisco League, Dixon, Iberia, and Licking. You’ve been a coach at Camdenton, the Blair Oaks, have made the rounds. Iberia and Licking always seem to be the top two-tier teams probably for the last decade or even longer in the Frisco League. You have coached and taken both those schools to a state championship, several final fours. Licking recently, you were retired when the Licking Wildcats just took third place in state this year, their 11th trip to the Final Four. What makes the Licking Wildcats and Iberia Rangers hands above everybody else in the Frisco League?
Harv: Well, I think it’s a couple of things. History and tradition play a big role in continued success of both of those programs because they’ve had success for decades, uh, as you mentioned. But also, the tradition, as kids come into those programs, they know what the expectations are. They grow up watching those teams be successful, and they’re excited about getting their opportunity to play on those teams, to play for the name on the front of the jersey. And in their minds, they come into those programs thinking, we’re just as good as those guys who are older than us, we can do those things. If those guys could do it, we could do it. And that’s a pretty powerful force, uh, in the success of programs. And the other part of that that plays a role in the success of those teams is culture. And culture is a buzzword these days. Everybody talks about culture. We’re going to change the culture, we need good culture. It’s been my experience that culture is hard to define, but it’s easy to recognize. And when you have that correct culture, or that good culture, that can close the gap in talent, in skill, in ability, and all of those things that may prevent you from being successful. But if you have good culture, that allows you to overcome those obstacles and be successful. So I think with those two programs, you’re seeing that. They’ve got good culture, there’s history, there’s tradition, and they expect to win in those communities. They expect to compete and be successful, and they’re really, really supported by their communities. You go to their games, they pack it out, both home and on the road. Both of those schools travel exceptionally well, uh, whether it be conference games, district games, state games, you’re going to see a lot of orange and black if Licking is on the field, and you’re going to see a lot of Kelly green and white if Iberia is on the field. So I, I think those are factors, and they have good players and they have good coaches too.
Marv: And one thing that we always go back to, winning breeds success. And when the younger brothers see the older brothers succeed, they want the same thing for them, and I think that was just harking back to one thing you just talked about.
Harv: Well, I think so. And I, I think the other part of that equation is that success leaves clues. Um, it’s when you look at successful teams, uh, there are common denominators. And, uh, those teams leave clues as to why they are successful. Certain things that they do, or the way that they go about their business, um, and it’s, it comes down to the players. And so, when those players have those expectations, like you’re talking about, uh, it makes it a lot easier. And, and it means a lot. It, it means a lot to those kids, their parents, the communities, and what we’re seeing also in those communities, those alumni are hanging around. They are staying in those communities, uh, as they become adults. They are becoming parents, and they’re raising their kids to be Rangers and Wildcats, and continue that success. And it’s really neat to see. It’s something that’s been lost in a lot of our small towns, uh, but not in all of them.
Marv: One of the keys, of course, to success in high school baseball is pitching. And a Hall of Fame coach once told me, and I don’t know whether it was Tim Hardisty or you, you’re all pitchers until I tell you otherwise. Does that sound like something that came out of your mouth?
Harv: Uh, that’s probably me, uh, and I don’t take credit for inventing that. Uh, that’s just something that we kind of developed over the years because you never have enough pitching. In particular, good pitching. And we always felt like if, uh, a kid came into our program, and they wanted to pitch, we were going to give them that opportunity. In fact, even if they weren’t thinking about it, we were going to stick him on the mound and see what it looked like. Maybe they didn’t throw hard, but maybe they threw a lot of strikes, or maybe they threw from an unconventional arm slot, and could be kind of funky and a difficult at-bat for opposing hitters. But we never wanted to be in a situation where we were at a disadvantage in a game because we were out of pitching. And so, we just kind of adopted that over the years, and certain kids, you know, we determined, yeah, you’re not going to be a pitcher for us, but this is your role. But, you know, if we had a roster of, say, 20 kids, probably 16, 15 or 16 of those kids were pitchers either at the varsity level or the junior varsity level so that you always had that depth, which is what you’re trying to create, is depth in your staff.
Marv: Take you back to the days when you were coaching the Iberia Rangers. You had a right fielder who had a gun. I am not sure when Ian Murray decided, uh, to take the mound or you decided to bring Ian Murray to the mound, but he was a key to your state championship victory over at Iberia because this guy was one of the best closers in the game at the time.
Harv: Yeah, Ian was a lot of fun, and I, you know, Ian is the principal at Iberia now. Um, before coming back home to Iberia, uh, he cut his teeth as a teacher, coach, administrator in the Vienna School District. But, uh, Ian as a young man, uh, for us at Iberia, there was never a dull moment with Ian, uh, full of energy and always had something to say and just, you know, a really fun guy to be around. And, uh, big dude, big arm, threw hard, and, uh, we used him in 2001 as our closer. He was a sophomore at that time, but he would come into the game throwing bullets at the back end. Uh, we had a couple of nice starters, uh, Roy and a lefty, we’re kind of one and one A, a pair of Caseys. Um, they were, uh, our front line guys, Casey Piggot, Casey Letrol, Piggot the right-hander, Letrol the left-hander. And then we had other guys too that would fill in and start because we wanted to play as much as we could. But then Ian, as we were developing him long-term to be a starter, which he was as a junior and senior. As a sophomore, he just had to worry about coming in and, you know, throwing the seams off the baseball as hard as he could for as long as he could and was very effective in that role for us.
Marv: I have called a lot of baseball games that you have coached. There is one that will always stand out. Gary and I were sitting at Hooper Field in Iberia, and the Stoutland Tigers were in town. Scott White was the coach of the Stoutland Tigers. I can’t remember the play, but I think it was at second base, and the umpire called it in favor of Iberia. Scott White pours out of the dugout, starts talking to the umpires, and they change the call. And here comes Harv Antell out of the dugout, and Gary goes, “Well, here comes Harv.” And you started, you didn’t talk to the umpires, you didn’t talk to Scott White, you just circled and kept making a couple of circles around the umpires who were all gathered together. I looked at Gary and I said, “Antell’s coming in for a landing, baby, and he’s going to change this call because he knows baseball better than any of them.” And sure enough, the game, the call went back your way. Scott White was living, he went back to the dugout, but I will never forget that. Of all the games I’ve called, that is one that will always stand out in my mind. You know the game of baseball very, very well, and I’m sure that was installed in your brain by, uh, your former mentor coach, the late Tim Hardisty.
Harv: Right. And if it’s a judgment call on the part of the umpires, you’re probably not going to get it changed, unless the other umpire, or the other umpires, had a different look and you can get them to agree to conference about it. But if it is a rules interpretation, I always felt very good about those arguments or debates because I would study the rule book, front to back. And that was something that Don Hooper, who the field at Iberia is named after, Hooper Field, Don was an umpire for a lot of years, and a very good one, and lived in Iberia and prepared the field over there for a lot of years and that’s why they named it after him. But when he decided to retire from umpiring, I asked him to be an assistant coach of mine, and I was young. I was six, seven years into my coaching career, and one of the things that Don told me, he brought a different perspective to the game, ex-military guy, Army officer, and so, very strict, very regimented, very disciplined. So he helped me with that aspect of my coaching, but also because he was an umpire, he was, he told me, “Harv, listen, one of the things that you can do to help yourself and your team is to know the rules.” And I was like, “Well, Don, I know the rules, I’ve played baseball all my life. What are you talking about?” He goes, “No, no, no, no, no. The rule book, interpretations of the rules and application of the rules in situations.” He goes, “When coaches come out to argue, 99% of the time, when they come to argue with me as an umpire, they don’t know what they’re talking about.” And so, they get sent back to the dugout real quick. But if you know that book, they’re going to listen to you more, and they’re going to allow you to give your input. And he said, “Literally, you need to study, you need to read it cover to cover, the rules book, and the, the, the situational book, the, you have a rules book, and then you also have a situational book that goes along with it.” He said, “You need to read both of those every year. Some things change, some things don’t.” But, and I, I took that to heart, and so that’s, I did that. And so, that helped me a lot over the years. So, credit to Don for that. And also, yes, credit to Tim for showing me, uh, in those formative years, both as a player and as a young coach, how to go out and talk to umpires. You know, you can’t go out screaming your head off and berating him. This is not Major League Baseball. You can’t be Billy Martin or Earl Weaver kicking dirt on home plate and cussing up a storm and using personal pronouns. That’s not going to work. That’s going to get you ejected in high school, and along with that comes a suspension. So you’re hurting your team, you’re not going to coach the next game. So, what I learned from Tim is how to go out and address those guys and to learn the umpires’ first names, and how to be cordial with them, and develop a relationship with those umpires because they’re, they’re people too. And they’re trying to do a good job. And, regardless of what anybody thinks, they’re not intentionally trying to get it wrong. They’re not one-sided. They literally don’t care who wins. They want to do a good job, they want to get it right, and they’re not trying to break it off in anybody. So, call them by their first names, develop a relationship with them, and you’re going to get a lot further with those guys. So, those were two very helpful tools that both those guys gave me early in my coaching career.
Marv: I remember, uh, last couple of years, I have been down on the floor at the Frisco League Basketball Tournament announcing the starting lineups and stuff like that compared to up with the peanut heaven, uh, calling the ball games where you and Gary, Gary Canat have spent the last couple of years. I learned more about refereeing sitting down on that floor than I ever did up there calling, okay, that’s that was a bad call by the umpire or by the referee. Uh, you know, the referee will come by, and the coach standing right next to you, he goes, the referee will say, “Hey, I blew it.” He goes, “I missed it. Sorry, coach,” and goes on about it. And you’re right, there were, they’re human beings, and they make mistakes just like anybody else. So, has the rule book really helped you? I’m sure it’s helped you when you went to Licking, and throughout your career, knowing the game the way you do.
Harv: I think so, because one of the factors, one of the realities of high school sports now is the lack of umpires and officials that we have. So you have some new faces in there. You have some young guys in there that aren’t overly experienced. And so, while they have gotten their credentials and become certified Misha umpires or Misha referees, they may not know it as well as I do because that was part of my job. And I made my living, and it was important for me to know. And you can, if a rule is misinterpreted or wrongly applied, if you know where to find that in the rule book, they have no other choice but to change it. But if you don’t know what that rule is or how to apply it, both from the rule book and the case book, and the case book is that situational book that I was talking about. It will give you an example. You may have a particular rule that talks about batting out of order, so to speak. But then in the case book, it will give you examples of what should happen and what does happen when that takes place. So, the two of those go together, and you have to know both of them, or at least be familiar enough with it to know where to find it. I watched in the playoffs this year, Licking versus Fair Grove, where a rule was wrongly applied. Fair Grove asked for time to appeal the decision, and under Misha rules, you have 10 minutes to find it in the rule book or the case book to prove that the ruling was wrong on the field. And Fair Grove was able to do that and get that call overturned. Pretty big pivotal moment because the rule, how it got applied, would have ended the inning. Fair Grove had runners on. As you know, that was a tight ball game, an extra inning ball game, you know, with a trip to the Final Four on the line. So at that moment, Fair Grove, Fair Grove knew where to find that in the rule book, showed it to the umpires, they reversed the call, and they remained at the plate hitting in that inning. Now, the end of that story is that it worked out for Licking because they got the out, and then they went on to get the win. But that was an example of why it’s important to know the rules and where to find them at.
Marv: You are a purist as far as baseball goes. Um, you like old country music. Um, you’re old-fashioned, and you have a son that is playing for the Loco Beach Coconuts of the Banana Baseball League, one of the most outlandish leagues of a game that I have ever seen in my life. How did that set well with, with Gideon told you, “Dad, I’m going to go play Banana Ball”?
Harv: Well, the thing of it is, is, believe it or not, and he would tell you this too, I encouraged him to do it. I said, “You need to check this out, and you need to think about it,” um, because once you get past the theatrics, the drama, the entertainment piece, it’s baseball. And it’s good baseball at its heart. That’s what a lot of people don’t understand. Yes, there’s dancing, yes, there’s singing, yes, there’s entertainment, but the baseball between the lines is unscripted. The baseball between the lines is grown men competing against each other. Very talented players. You’ve got former Division One players on those teams in the Banana Ball Championship League. You’ve got national champions, you’ve got players of the year, you’ve got first-round draft picks from Major League Baseball playing in Banana Ball. Former first-round draft picks. Guys who played up to Double-A, Triple-A, um, guys that were in Major League, uh, spring training camps. So, the talent is there, and the skill level is very high, and it’s good baseball. Now, some of the rules are different to speed up the game and hold people’s attention. And the way they’ve structured the rules, the game is in the balance throughout because you can blow someone out an inning, score six runs, the other team scores two. So traditional baseball scores six to two. No. The team that scored six has won the inning, so they get a point. All the way through. And so, it goes like that to the end until you get to the ninth inning. Then all runs count for a point. So the game’s always in the balance. It’s similar to the way that we would structure games in PE in high school to keep them close, to keep them competing, to keep the kids engaged. They’ve done that, and so it holds fans’ attention. You’re not going to have a blowout, and half the stadium’s going to leave after the sixth inning because this game’s out of hand. It’s always close, and you, the game is in the balance. So it’s, it’s interesting, and it’s pretty smart the way they’ve structured that. But I was the one who encouraged him because like most kids, you know, he had Major League Baseball aspirations. Um, did not get a sniff in the draft after he exhausted his college eligibility. Didn’t get a free agent sign offer. Um, there weren’t any offers in independent ball, there was one, and it wasn’t very good. And, but he wanted to keep playing. And the, the recruiters, uh, and management from Banana Ball had talked to him on a couple of different occasions, actually multiple occasions over his last couple of years of college. And so I was like, you want to keep playing, you know, you need to go check this out. And, you know, since then, he’s like, Dad, I’ve got the best job in, in America. I get to play baseball, I get to make people smile, I get to entertain people. We’re treated well, we travel well, we play in sold-out Major League stadiums. He said, it’s awesome. It’s awesome. It’s a full-time job, and he’s, you know, he’s so glad that he did it because at, at its core, like I said, it’s baseball. And the other thing I’ll say about it, somebody was asking me about it the other day. I’d actually gone to watch Gideon’s younger brother, Silas and Malachi, play in a summer collegiate league that they’re playing. They’re still, uh, in college, and they’re playing this summer. So I went to watch them, and, uh, actually, their manager was asking me, “Hey, what do you, what do you think about this Banana Ball?” And he was kind of making a face when he was asking me. I said, “Listen, here’s the deal.” Because this, this, uh, their manager, his mother was a softball coach, Sharon Bush Joes at Blair Oaks High School, multiple final fours, multiple state championships. One of the best softball coaches in the state. I said, “Justin, it’s like this. You can like softball, and you can like baseball. They’re not the same, they’re similar, but there are differences. And it doesn’t have to be one or the other. You can like them both.” I said, “It’s the same way with Banana Ball and traditional baseball. There are similarities, but yes, there are differences. But you don’t have to choose one over the other. You can like them both.” And he kind of arched his eyebrows and nodded his head and like, “Oh, okay. I hadn’t thought of it that way.” And that, and that’s the way that I viewed it at this point. And I think if people will watch it and look at it and and give it a chance, you know, it, like anything else. You’re not going to like everything about it, but, you know, I think you’ll like enough to probably give it a second look.
Marv: Well, I tuned it in, uh, even when Gideon is not playing. Uh, I have seen him. He’s one of the top outfielders in Banana Ball.
Harv: He’s off to a really good start. He cares a lot, and, and it’s important to him. And, uh, he, he wants to do his best. He’s still, um, is grinding his gears if they lose. He doesn’t like to lose, doesn’t like to get out. He’s the ultimate competitor, like all my kids are. Um, but he is, he sees the bigger picture now. You know, we’re, we’re trying to put on the best competitive game that we can, and also entertain everybody with some, you know, pretty unique show elements and entertainment because, you know, baseball in and of itself is not for everyone. And so, when you bring the little kids and the older folks, and they’re gonna see some entertaining piece of, uh, music or a comedy skit or something just kind of wild like a guy trying to hit a baseball on a surfboard, you’re going to be entertained. So, he, he sees the bigger picture, but, you know, that competitive aspect, you know, has driven him, and he’s been successful up to this point. Uh, he’s off to a really good start and, you know, performance is part of it. And, uh, you know, those guys are, you know, they’re on one-year contracts. So, you’re trying to perform, be a good entertainer, be a good employee so you get a contract the next year because he wants to do this for a while. This is not just a one-off or a two-off deal. You know, he wants to make a career of it, and, you know, continue on making his living playing baseball.
Marv: And playing in front of 40,000 people each day of a weekend. Major League Baseball players don’t do that. I was watching one with the coconuts, and I think it was the party animals. They were up in Milwaukee playing at the field that the Brewers play. 41,000 capacity. 41,000 people in the stands. The Brewers, first place, five games ahead of the Cardinals. They can’t sell out that stadium even when they win the championship, and Banana Ballers are doing it on a basis, and they’re coming to St. Louis.
Harv: Right. It’s, it’s amazing to see. It’s a, it’s a real spectacle. And, uh, it’s funny you should mention Milwaukee. Amy and I were in Milwaukee for that series, so we were there in person along with some of her family. Um, and just shoulders, shoulder, there’s not an empty seat to be found. And one of the things that Banana Ball does is they make their players so accessible. They are out there hours, two or three hours before the game meeting and greeting the fans, signing anything they want him to say, sign, taking pictures with them, uh, talking with them, having interactions with them. And then they’ll also meet and greet after the game. So, while those players are professional athletes, they’re not unaccessible. They’re just the opposite. They’re so accessible. They never refuse to sign something, they never refuse to talk. They’ll come up in the stands during the games, and it’s just, it’s remarkable the interactions that they have. And fans like that. I mean, they just, and when those guys come to town, and they’ll make an appearance, they, they pick certain guys each weekend that they go out, they’ll make a local appearance, like say at an Academy of Sports, um, or a Duncan Donuts. So, they’re also appearing out in the community for people who may not have tickets to get to the game. But they’re going to make an appearance in town somewhere so that you can get up close and personal and meet and greet and talk with and, it’s, um, they, Jesse Cole, who’s the owner of, uh, the Savannah Bananas and the Banana Ball Championship League, very, very smart, very intuitive, understanding how to entertain the fans. That’s the name of the company, fans first entertainment. And they stay true to that. They, they honestly do, and, um, they, they put those fans first. And sometimes, if they have a little bit of a gripe, you know, the players will be like, oh, you know, because they want us to do this, and maybe that’s not the best for the players. Like, when the Coconuts are the headliners, one of the parts of their shows, because it’s the beach and water and stuff like that, at one point if the Coconuts are headlining, when they’re in the field, and they have two outs in the inning, they’ll turn on all the sprinklers in the stadium. So, you’re in the outfield, and the sprinklers for the grass are going, so you’re trying to see through them, they’re going on the infield. So, they’ll complete that inning with all the sprinklers going. And so the players are like, is this safe, or we okay? And they are, but it’s a little bit of annoying, but it’s for the fans. And the fans are going to be entertained by that. And so, they keep those fans first. And, um, it’s, uh, it’s a really unique experience.
Marv: Sounds like Jesse Cole is maybe a disciple of Branch Ricky because Branch Ricky did the same thing for Major League Baseball years ago, uh, bringing in them the little midget, uh, that was playing, I think, was that from the, uh, St. Louis Browns at the time. Um, at the time, and he incorporated this into Major League Baseball. The same thing Jesse Cole is doing for the Banana League.
Harv: Yeah, I think so. And, and another one of those big-time promoters was Bill Veck. Uh, I think he had the Browns, and then later had the White Sox, and he was always trying to do something to bring people into the park and entertain them because, you know, at the end of the day, baseball or any professional sport, it’s not life or death, not brain surgery. It is entertainment. Yes, it’s sports, and the competition is real, but that’s why they exist to host an audience and entertain the audience. And so, being able to marry both sports and entertainment, and keep the competition real and legit, unlike the WWE or whatever it is they’re called this year. And I’m not, I’m not knocking those guys, but they will tell you, they finally owned up to, you know, after all those years that, hey, it’s scripted, it’s a soap opera, we’ve got these storylines. We know who the winner’s going to be, and we’re going to promote this guy and run him to the top and all that. And everybody’s okay with that because they’re putting on a great show, and they’re being entertained. Well, the difference with Banana Ball is, while the entertainment, okay, we’re going to have this particular walkout, we’re going to have this comedy skit, this song and dance routine in the bottom of the second inning with two outs, this is when we’re going to do that. The baseball itself, the live baseball action is unscripted. It, it is not determined who’s going to win. Nobody knows. In fact, the Bananas, the flagship team of the league has not won the championship in any year since they’ve had a league. So, it’s not scripted, the baseball’s not scripted. The outcome is to be determined every night.
Marv: Yeah, and the Bananas are coming to Busch Stadium and playing the Coconuts in August. I’m sure you’re going to be there. What are the dates, do you know?
Harv: Uh, off the top of my head, I don’t. I, it’s somewhere around the 20th, like the 21st and 22nd. Don’t quote me on that. Um, have to look it up. I don’t, you know, it’s, it’s, I’m, you mentioned how busy I am, so asking me to look two months ahead, uh, pretty tough task there.
Marv: We’re going to take a break and we’re going to come back and continue our visit with Harv Antell and talk about the many hats this man has worn. Don’t go away.
**WIC**
WIC: WIC is here to help your growing family thrive. WIC is a supplemental nutrition program providing healthy foods, free nutrition education, and community referrals. If you are pregnant or have a child under the age of five, you or your child may be eligible for WIC. With a card to use at the store and more fruit and vegetable dollars, it’s a great time to be on WIC. Call the Polaski County Health Center at 573-774-3115 to learn more. That’s 573-774-3115. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
**Bill’s Construction**
Bill’s Construction: When you’ve been in business since 1939, and when you do the math, that’s 85 years, you’re doing something right. Bill’s Construction in Waynesville has been doing things right for a long time, and that continues today. Bill’s Construction has rapidly grown from being Polaski and neighboring counties’ top residential builder to one of Missouri’s largest commercial general contractors. Today, they specialize in construction of educational and healthcare facilities, but their excellence in building does not stop there, completing an extensive number of projects such as banking, retail, industrial, civil, multi-family, food service, hospitality, transportation, and municipal projects. Their offices in Waynesville and Springfield, Missouri, allows Bill’s Construction to cover a large portion of Central and Southwest Missouri. Explore their website and see what Bill’s can build for you.
**TKE’s Pizza**
TKE’s Pizza: TKE’s Pizza in St. Robert, home of the original hand-tossed King, has been throwing dough in Polaski County for over 40 years. Although a lot has changed in that time, TKE’s delicious hand-tossed pizza has not. Taste our iconic pizza, our delicious toasted subs, mouth-watering calzones, huge fresh salads, gooey cheese bread, and more. At the same little spot we’ve been throwing dough for decades, 743 Missouri Avenue in St. Robert. Call 573-336-FAST or order online at 336fast.com. We’ll have it ready when you get here. Come on, taste the TKE’s tradition.
**Interview with Harv Antell Part 2**
Marv: Back with Harv Antell on our podcast today, one of my favorite guests, uh, colleague of mine, helped me do some play-by-play many years ago. I remember we did a game, uh, up in Jeff City, and I asked you, uh, you want to do the play-by-play the second half of the basketball game, and you took over, and I’m thinking, why did I even open my mouth to begin this game? This guy is good. Uh, and you’ve been doing, um, you’ve done, um, let’s see, you’ve done football for the Waynesville Tigers. You have done basketball. Have you ever called a baseball game?
Harv: I have, as a matter of fact, uh, those Iberia Rangers that you talked about, one of their first appearances in the final four in the early ’90s. 92, 93, 94, somewhere in there. Um, worked a couple of playoff games, and wound up in Columbia at Mazu Simmons Field, uh, with Gary Canat, uh, calling Iberia baseball. And, uh, there were a handful of games, other places, uh, along the way. But that was the first 4A into baseball, and, and I’ve done that, and, and so I think that I’ve done, uh, the, the major sports, uh, in regards to football, basketball, baseball. Um, so yeah, I’ve been around the block a time or two, uh, there as well.
Marv: And you probably took my place, uh, with Gary, uh, up in Columbia, at Simmons Field, because that’s when Don Fields was the head coach of the Iberia Rangers, and I couldn’t make it because Gary and I both could not be gone from the radio station at the same time. So, Gary got you, and again, that was back in the 90s, and I’ve slept since then. So, you are, uh, you are continuing on with, uh, I mean, you’ve been the Sports Director at the Daily Guide. Uh, you have been a baseball coach for, how long did you coach?
Harv: Um, let’s see, 30 years because before I took my first head coaching job, and I was, uh, finishing up my certification. I helped Tim Hardisty out at Crocker for two years, and then I took my first head job at Dixon. And from that point through the end of my career, I served 28 years as a head coach. So 30 years of coaching baseball, 28 as a head.
Marv: And president of the Coaches Association in High School Baseball. And now you’re getting back to a little bit of play-by-play over the last couple of years. You’ve sat behind the microphone doing some Frisco League basketball, some Waynesville Tiger basketball. Down the road for you, what’s it look like?
Harv: Well, for the next couple of years, uh, my focus is following my two youngest, uh, Malakai and Silas. Uh, they just finished up the junior college portion of their, uh, college baseball careers. Uh, they finished this past season at State Fair in Sedalia. And now they’re moving on to four-year schools. While they were together at State Fair, they’ll be separate these next two years, so we’ll have to divide and conquer as far as getting out to, uh, see them. But tracking their careers and following them, and being able to watch them, uh, in person. Uh, Amy and I are not helicopter parents, uh, by any stretch of the imagination. We couldn’t afford to be, we had four boys. And, uh, so they were always involved in activities, and four boys, two parents, you can’t be with all of them all the time. And so you divide and conquer and get help, and, uh, those types of things. But I do want to see them play, uh, in college as they finish up their college careers. Malakai is going to Grand View University up in Demoin, Iowa. So, I’ll spend some time on the road heading north, uh, to see him. And, uh, Silas is a little bit closer to home, still north, about 30 minutes north of, uh, Sedalia, as a matter of fact, in Marshall. He’s going to be at Missouri Valley College. And, uh, so that probably headlines my calendar. As far as activities, or everything else is drawn around those. I would like to continue, uh, on the radio side of things, and I know that that world is a lot different than when I was in it previously. Uh, you mentioned the newspaper. I did work full-time at a radio station in, in Lebanon before I came to the Daily Guide. You may remember that. Got my start with you at, uh, at the time KJPW. Yeah. And then, uh, graduated to some full-time work with KGL up in Lebanon, and then, uh, bounced around between area radio stations, and did some time at the newspaper. And all that media has changed. Obviously, we’re sitting here doing a podcast in 2026. And, uh, you know, back when we were working together, and, uh, you know, waving at each other from different radio banners, or whatever, podcast hadn’t been invented yet. Um, but, uh, no, I would like to continue to do some broadcasting. Um, if people will, will have me. I enjoy that an awful lot. Uh, and I still put on my coaching hat, and I play the role of consultant. I feel phone calls from, you know, former players who are now coaching and, uh, my assistant who took over for me at Licking, Cole Roark, has done a fantastic job over there. And, uh, I’m still very involved in the Coaches Association. I’m on the executive board there. And so, I, I’m busy. And when I run out of things to do, uh, Amy’s real good to make a list of chores for me to do. So there are things always to be done around the house. Always hear you talking about things to be done around the farm. Uh, so there’s, uh, there’s plenty to do, and, uh, plenty to, to stay busy. I’m not, I don’t have a rocking chair on my front porch, and, uh, I’m not planning on, you know, just sitting there and watching the traffic go by, waving at them. But, uh, you know, I, I stay busy. So,
Marv: Well, I’ll let you get back to, uh, some of that work that Amy has planned for you. Harv Antell, thanks so much for joining us.
Harv: Appreciate it, Marv. Uh, anytime that, uh, you need, uh, need somebody to come in and fill some time, I’m happy to do it. And, uh, you know, it’s, uh, it’s always good to see you, and always good to talk to you. I’m always available, brother.
Marv: All right, likewise. All right, take care of yourself, man. Harv Antell, our guest. We’ll be back in a moment.
**VFW Post 3168**
VFW Post 3168: Meet you at the V, is a popular saying in our neck of the woods, and for a good reason. VFW Post 3168 at Exit 150 off 544, is a popular place, especially on Friday and Saturday night because it’s steak night from 4:00 to 9:00, where folks come from miles around to get some of the best steaks at a price that makes even the most thrifty smile. With several cuts of juicy steaks cooked the way you like, complimented by salad, baked potato, and a veggie. Their canteen is open Monday through Thursday from 3:00 to midnight, and Friday from 3:00 to 1:00, and they open at noon on Saturday and Sundays. Their kitchen is open from 5:00 to 9:00, Mondays through Thursdays with daily specials. And did I mention steak nights Fridays and Saturdays? And there’s karaoke Tuesdays through Saturdays from 8:00 to close. Plenty of TVs to catch up on all the big games and a huge meeting room for rent for your special occasion. Queen of Hearts runs every Tuesday, and check out their website for Bingo nights, and every second Saturday of the month, from 12:00 noon to 3:00 PM, they host a Veteran Service Officer event. Leagueweight VFW Post 3168, Exit 150 off 544. See why more people are heading to the V every day.
**Bank of Crocker**
Bank of Crocker: Since 1911, the Bank of Crocker has served the greater Polaski County area. This year marks their 115th year. How do you last that long? Well, by giving their customers cutting-edge banking services with a hometown flair. You can do your banking from anywhere in the world with their convenient online banking. At the big banks, you’re just another number. At the Bank of Crocker, they know your name, maybe some of your family, and might even know the name of the dog sitting next to you in the drive-in facility. It’s called the personal touch, which is why they’re celebrating their 115th year as your hometown bank. And there’s four locations for your convenience, in Crocker, Richland, Waynesville, and St. Robert. The Bank of Crocker, member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender.
**Marv in the Morning Sports Report**
Marv: Let’s do some more sports brought to you by Three Brothers Meat Company at Lynn Creek, where their brats are better on your grill than they are in their freezer. Not a lot to bring your way on the local sports scene with the prep players since it’s summer break at the high school level. On the national scene, the World Cup is grabbing a lot of attention, even for those who never really cared about soccer, but they are selling out stadiums that are usually sold out for America’s version of football on Sundays in the fall. And that has a lot of naysayers talking.
One thing the world will take away from the World Cup in North America, and I mostly mean the USA, is the kindness Americans have shown to the world and the food these foreign guests are trying to take back to their home countries. I saw one article where the Brits fell in love with Ranch dressing, something so easy to make, and you wonder why it’s new to the English. These fans attending games in Kansas City and Dallas, playing at the home of the Chiefs and Cowboys, have found a love of barbecue done the American way, the clam chowder, crab, and lobster in Boston, just to name a few. But the American hospitality has been outstanding. Even Iran’s World Cup team left thank you notes in Los Angeles for their hospitality. If that’s all it takes is a soccer match, who needs war? Let’s try to figure this out, but don’t tell the governments of the countries involved. They’ll just screw it up like they’re doing right now.
Coming into this week, no changes really in the National League Central for the third week in a row. Milwaukee, St. Louis, and the Cubs are one, two, and three, respectively in the division. Cards are five back, the Cubs are seven out, as this week began. This very young Cardinal team, they’re still seven games over 500, and they’re holding their own. And if the playoffs started today, St. Louis is the top team in the Wild Card standings. Any true Cardinal fan that said they saw that happening is full of BS. These young players are having fun and are never out of a game until the last out. Okay, there are a few exceptions. Last Sunday after scoring five runs in the first, having a 9-2 lead in the third, had to hold on for a 12-10 win over the Royals, but they worked hard to get it done, and that’s carrying over to every game they play. Not much change in the Royals with their series win over St. Louis last weekend. KC, at the beginning of this week, still remains in the cellar of the AL Central, but are now only nine games out of first, but they’re 14 games under 500. Well, that’s a little bit of sports brought to you by Three Brothers Meat Company at Lynn Creek, and we’ll be right back.
**Three Brothers Meat Company**
Three Brothers Meat Company: Need to fill your freezer and save some serious money? Well, that’s a problem Three Brothers Meat Company is happy to fix. We’re talking whole beef bundles, quarter beef bundles, and the mighty freezer buster, stacked with beef, chicken, and pork, so good, you might start inviting yourself to your own house for dinner. These bundles are perfect for grilling, family dinners, or just beating grocery store prices with much better quality food. Check them all out on our Facebook page, they’re pinned right there at the top of the page. Call 573-346-5233 or just swing by and see us, 2179 State Highway A in Montreal.
**St. Robert Auto Supply**
St. Robert Auto Supply: Your Napa Parts Store, St. Robert Auto Supply, has everything you need for your vehicle and more, when you need it. Napa brand oil and anti-freeze, windshield wipers, and vehicle accessories, plus tools and equipment for all of your projects. From car covers and flashlights to car wash, air fresheners, sun shades, and glass and tire cleaner, you’ll find it all at your Napa Parts Store, St. Robert Auto Supply, just off Missouri Avenue. Stop by today and get the good stuff, seven days a week.
**Marv in the Morning Podcast Closing**
Marv: Thanks again to my sponsors, STR Glass of Saint Robert, VFW Post 3168 of Leagueweight, TKE’s Pizza, Three Brothers Meat Company at Lynn Creek, Bill’s Construction, the Bank of Crocker, Paul’s Furniture, Shelter Insurance Agent, Dave Holland of Richland, St. Robert Auto Supply, Sieger Toyota, and the Polaski County Health Center. Thanks to my producer, Tracy for applying the stigm that puts my babbling together, and thanks to my podcast faithful, you, for letting me be a small part of your life each week. If you’re enjoying the Marv in the Morning podcast, we invite you to leave a review on whatever app you’re listening on. We would also love for you to share the episode with family and friends on your social media accounts. Be sure to follow our podcasts on Facebook on the Marv in the Morning podcast page, and you’re also invited to join us on Facebook on the Fort Not Lost in the Woods podcast group. This podcast is a production of O’Quinn Media. Join me next week, just prior to the 4th of July when we drop the podcast on the third. We’ll fill you in on some of the area events and visit with the commander of the Leagueweight VFW Post, Chris Burd, where one of those big 4th of July events will be taking place only one day later on the fifth. Until then, later.