Larry Andersen was drafted by the Cleveland Indians in the seventh round of the 1971 Draft following graduation from Interlake High School in Bellevue, Wash. The 18-year-old signed with Cleveland, receiving a $10,000 bonus. He started out with the Reno Silver Sox in the California League (1-0, seven games) and spent August in Sarasota, Fla., site of the Indians Gulf Coast League team (0-3, four games).

• Phillies Alumni

“Most baseball players travel the whole country from small towns to large cities. From Yuma, Ariz., to Williamsport, Penn., from Bellingham, Wash., to Fort Myers, Fla., and numerous cities in between," said Andersen. "For me, that was certainly the case.

“I lived in six different cities in Major League baseball covering 17 years, and 12 cities in the Minor Leagues spanning 9 1/2 seasons as well as two foreign lands over six winters. An iPhone with GPS would certainly have come in handy, but in a day when my baseball cards were still printed in black-and-white, the technology available was restricted to paper maps that can NEVER be folded back up the way they were when purchased. I felt like I should have been working for a moving company as much as my ‘home’ changed.

“I was traded, released, loaned out, sent down, optioned out, purchased and a free-agent six times. When you figure the buses, the flights, apartments, hotels and motels, small locker rooms including trailers, fast-food restaurants and dive bars due to our $5 a day meal money allowance ... well, that’s life in pro baseball.

“Then, there was my first Spring Training, 1972, Tucson, Ariz. I was one of many Minor Leaguers with the Indians. My uniform number was something like 112 ... I think. I was nervous and scared. What did I like? Absolutely nothing. I grew up in Washington (State), so the warm weather was nice. But I couldn’t handle the Arizona heat. I really struggled, especially all that running.

“Highlight of my Minor League career was being the ‘ace’ on the 1976 Williamsport Tomahawks. I was 9-6 on the worst team in the Eastern League (48-91). Oh, I also led the team in hitting, .500 (1-2) plus a walk.”

Big league career

Originally a starter, “LA” wound up as a reliever in the Majors. Cleveland (1975-79), Seattle (1981-82), Houston (1986-90), Boston (1990), San Diego (1991-92) and two stints with the Phillies (1983-86; 1993-94). Larry was 40-39 with 49 saves and a 3.15 ERA in 699 career games (one start).

He pitched in two World Series with the Phillies in 1983 and 1993, and also appeared in the LCS twice, with Houston in 1986 and Boston in 1990.

“At age 30," Andersen recalled,"I was one of the younger players on the ‘83 'Wheeze Kids.' But, what a thrill. Imagine walking into a clubhouse, after leaving a Seattle organization that didn't even want me in Triple-A and seeing no less than four future Hall of Famer's -- Steve Carlton, Mike Schmidt, Joe Morgan and Tony Perez -- as well as Pete Rose, Garry Maddox, Tug McGraw and the 'Sarge,' Gary Matthews. Talk about baseball heaven!

“Yet by far the greatest thrill of my baseball career began in the spring of ‘93, when I not only walked in but fit in with that band of misfits. We truly were a bunch of rejects, and that was definitely the main thing we had in common. We loved to party but loved to play baseball even more. We were gruff, scrappy and played our ass off, both on and off the field. That is why this city loved us so much. Blue-collar baby, that is exactly what we represented. I doubt there'll ever be another team quite like that one.

“Our postgame celebrations were second to none. With music blaring to the sound of 'Two Princes' by the Spin Doctors after every win, we would head to the trainer’s room and begin our off-the-field party.

“When we clinched the division in Pittsburgh, we were joined in the trainer’s room by Harry the K, Harry Kalas, the father figure to some and the grandfather figure to others. He was one of us, part of our close-knit family and we loved him. Especially when he led us on his rendition of ‘High Hopes.’

“I can't say I was in my prime during that ‘93 season, but being around that group of guys certainly made me feel like it. Wearing masks, wigs, cone heads, pinching sunflower seeds on my face, putting in fake teeth as well as Mitchypoo [Mitch Williams] spraying instant hair on my head and on and on. Immaturity at its best, but we did what we had to do, just to get through a grueling 162-game schedule with some sanity.”

Following his playing career, Larry spent three seasons as a Minor League pitching coach, first with Double-A Reading (1995-96) and then Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (1997). He also served as a guest instructor at Phillies Spring Training for five years (2013-17).

On the Air

Entering his 27th season as a Phillies broadcaster, Andersen is the club’s longest-tenured active on the air personality. He began in 1998, a year after he declined a similar job with the Houston Astros. He chose to reduce his schedule in 2018 and now calls mostly home games, along with select road series.

In 2008, he and his partner Scott Franzke won for Best Live Sports Event Coverage at the Philadelphia A.I.R. (Achievement in Radio) Awards, the second straight year they won that category. In 2017, the duo was honored with the Bill Campbell Award for excellence in local broadcasting by the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association.

“LA’s” Shallow Thoughts

• Why do you sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game when you're already there?
• What is the speed of dark?
• If the hitter is a good fast-ball hitter, should I throw a bad fast ball?
• Why does sour cream have an expiration date? Its already sour?
• Why is chilli hot?
• Why do they call it rush hour when nothing moves?
• If a cab drives in reverse, shouldn't I get money back?
• If a visiting player hits it, why is it still called a HOME run?
• If I go 1-for-1, I'm batting a thousand, so if I go 2-for-2, am I batting 2,000?
• You’re only young once, but you can be immature forever.