I found out some tough news yesterday morning. In life, you cross paths with people who leave a lasting impact on you. Lenny Randle, a longtime MLB player, was one of those friends and mentors for me. Lenny recently passed away at the age of 75, leaving behind a legacy that will never be forgotten.
You’re probably wondering – how in the world did you become close with a former MLB player who played in the 1970s/1980s and is 45-plus years older than you? Aren’t you a football guy? Well, here’s the story:
I met Lenny when I was first starting out in sports about 12 years ago. He randomly discovered my football writing on the internet and sent me a message. At the time, his son Bradley was playing for the Vikings. Vikings Corner was about a year old and I was just beginning to build my first business. I asked Lenny if I could interview him and he sent me his number. From that day forward, we remained close.
Lenny was coined as the “Most Interesting Man in Baseball.” If you spend two seconds researching him, you’ll understand he’s not only the most interesting man in baseball, but life.
Lenny’s long career in baseball was filled with moments that became part of baseball’s rich history. He was at the plate when the lights famously went out at Shea Stadium in 1977. Lenny also became famous for blowing a ball foul when he played for the Mariners. He always joked with me and said he was yelling it foul.
While playing for the Rangers, Lenny is remembered for laying down a bunt and leveling pitcher Bob Johnson, who threw behind him one pitch earlier.
There are so many notable games and plays that Lenny was involved in over the years. He even suited up on the Arizona State football team as a dual-sport athlete!
Lenny played for Ted Williams, Billy Martin, Whitey Herzog and Joe Torre in the MLB. He also became the first American MLB player to play in Italy. Even after retiring, Lenny returned to Italy, where he continued to grow the sport through camps, games and leagues. He remained actively involved with the Nettuno Baseball Club in Nettuno, Italy. Lenny always invested in the next generation of kids by promoting sports, exercise, coaching and personal/life development. He frequently coached Little League baseball teams in California, bringing joy to every kid he encountered. Lenny was a true ambassador for the game of baseball and wanted the sport to grow globally. Randle not only excelled in baseball, but shined as a singer and comedian too. Lenny was also fluent in five languages, including Italian. Here is a video of Lenny’s famous song “Kingdome”:
Thinking back, I’ll never forget our first chat over the phone. I interviewed him and didn’t tell him how old I was until afterward. When I told him I was 17 at the time, he immediately asked: “Dan, what can I do to help you?” Lenny connected me with a few people and we chatted frequently. We practiced interviews over the phone. I’d research elements of his career and then do practice interviews over the phone or on Skype. He’d share old stories and we’d just chat for an hour or two. It gave me so much quality practice and confidence. During those sessions, he provided me with tips that I still use today.
Lenny and I attended an event together at the Mall of America back in 2013. I’ll never forget the juice he brought that day. Challenging kids to push-up contests, leading jumping jacks, taking photos and signing autographs for every single person who wanted one. He made everyone feel like they were the most important people in the world. That’s just how he rolled and who he was 100% of the time. He was never too busy or big for anyone. After the event, we went to dinner and reflected on the incredible power of sports – how the game of football could connect a then 17-year-old and 63-year-old former MLB player, bringing together two people from different generations who were thousands of miles apart.
Over the years, we stayed in touch. Lenny would check in on me and my family and send messages. We’d trade phone calls and he’d keep me updated on family news. Lenny often answered the phone with a loud “Dan the Man” or he’d start talking for two minutes straight in Italian as he laughed hysterically. When the Gophers, Vikings, or Twins were playing, he’d occasionally send me a text with his reaction and thoughts. Lenny always wanted an update on my career and life news. He genuinely cared and wanted to help in any way he could. Lenny told me he was only a call away and he truly meant it with all of his heart.
I wrote down some of the lessons I learned from Lenny during our chats over the years:
– The importance of having FUN in everything you do. He reminded me to never lose my love, passion and excitement for the game of football.
– Have a great heart, invest all of your energy into what you’re passionate about and put in the hard work. Keep your head down and relentlessly make it happen.
– He always said: “Every day is Christmas, New Year’s and your birthday.” Bring that level of excitement and energy each day.
– Look out for those around you and help them when you can. Be a positive, energetic voice for someone else.
– Never forget where you started, where you came from and who helped you along the way.
– Be genuine, listen, give each person your full attention and lift them up with positivity.
– You will make some mistakes in life. Learn from those moments and extend forgiveness to others.
– Surround yourself with positive people who believe in you and push you to be the best version of yourself.
– He always told me the best writers over the course of his career never forgot that each athlete had their own story and gift that was waiting to be shared with the world. Treat each player or coach with the utmost class and integrity. (And find ways to make them laugh and smile when you can).
– The smallest actions can make a difference in someone’s life. Smile, say hi, greet people and make their day memorable. (Lenny once told me an old rain delay story. He’d find an umbrella, jump in the front row and sign autographs for fans to pass the time. Even when a game would get postponed he’d still sign for the fans because they came out and supported).
– Be a positive role model and influence for the next generation. (Lenny ran a baseball academy and loved developing young ball players)
– His famous line that he used during every call was: “No stress, stay blessed.”
This quote from one of our interviews stuck with me too:
“Read a lot. Do your homework, train, eat right and really be grateful for your parents. They are your first role models. And then, the rest of your people, only pick five friends that are really your friends. The Facebook people are not your friends or don’t do Facebook. Try to keep a nice close circle of people that are positive. Get a scholarship, get your education, graduate, and then, once you get that gift and it comes to you, give it back.”
Lenny, I’m going to miss you, buddy. This world won’t be the same without the original Swag Daddy making people smile and laugh!
As we enter 2025, in honor of Lenny: reach out to your friends and mentors. Tell them how much they mean to you! Become a positive mentor for someone else and let’s make people smile every day.
