Jim Pankovits (6 years in MLB, played in Game 6 of 1986 NLCS)

Jim Pankovits discussed with me his father teaching him the game; being a catcher made him know all parts of the game; Doug Rader; watching the Braves; playing and losing the Little League and College World Series; Ed Lynch; getting drafted and moving to second base; minor league travel horror story; getting called up; his first major league hit; the pitchers he went deep off of; facing Dwight Gooden, Orel Hershiser, Steve Carlton; catching Nolan Ryan; facing Fernando Valenzuela; playing for Hal Lanier and Yogi Berra and with Davey Lopes; the Astros clinching the 1986 NL West with a Mike Scott no-hitter; feeling good about his teams chances against the Mets; Lenny Dykstra PH AB didn't surprise him; Kerfeld regrets taunting Carter; Charlie Kerfeld gets caught eating ribs at a Mets BBQ during a game; why the 1980's were the last Golden Age of Baseball; teammates Ray Knight and Phil Garner; Hatchers HR in the 13th; his at bat; coming back in the 16th; post-game exhaustion; Andy Ashby; irregular playing time for rest of career; Minor League manager and coach known for getting tossed and winning; playing with the Red Sox in 1990 and taping their clubhouse celebration for Roger Clemens and Joe Morgan; playing in 1989 for the Dodgers in the minor leagues after spring training with the Pirates; watching a young Barry Bonds