MLB Veteran Doug Flynn: Baseball, Big Red Machine, Community Service

Doug Flynn grew up playing several sports in Lexington, Kentucky. He attended the University of Kentucky and Somerset Community College before playing 11 seasons in Major League Baseball for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers and Detroit Tigers. Mr. Flynn was a member of the 1975 Big Red Machine team that won the World Series. He is currently a broadcaster for the Cincinnati Reds and actively supports service men and women through multiple non-profit organizations, including Hope for the Warriors (supporting injured veterans and their families) at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, USACares (supporting family members of military personnel) and Save the Warriors (supporting veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder/PTSD).

Mr. Flynn speaks about his blessed childhood growing up in Kentucky and the impact of playing several sports including basketball and baseball at the University of Kentucky. He shares stories of trying out for the Cincinnati Reds and his tribulations rising through the team’s minor league system before playing with the Big Red Machine and National Baseball Hall of Fame managers Sparky Anderson and Joe Torre in his Major League career. Doug shares lessons learned from some of the greatest coaches and players of his generation.

Doug preaches playing for the team name on the front of the jersey rather than the name on the back and speaks to the importance of community involvement, sharing stories of his support for service men and women, often with his good friend National Baseball Hall of Famer and Bob Feller Award recipient Mr. Johnny Bench. Hear Mr. Flynn’s thoughts on the current state of the game of baseball and his experience of going on tour with the Oak Ridge Boys during the 1981 Major League Baseball players’ strike.

Bob Feller Act of Valor Foundation
Hosts: Tyler Buchholz and Nathaniel Cameron
Edited by Jack Metcalfe

Support the show