Whose Mendoza Line Is It Anyway? – Greg Proops
To celebrate the World Series between the Detroit Tigers and the San Francisco Giants, I sought out a fervent fan of one of the teams.
Luckily, comedian Greg Proops was more than happy to step in and discuss his beloved Giants.
Proops will be known to fans of ‘Whose Line is it Anyway?’ and has appeared on ‘Mock the Week’. As a voice actor, he voiced characters in “The Phantom Menace” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. His improvisational and stand up comedy is excellent and he regularly takes the opportunity to include baseball in his material. Born in Phoenix, Proops was raised in a suburb of San Francisco where his love for the Giants would develop. I managed to catch him after game 2 of the World Series.
Jonathan Northall: Have the San Francisco Giants exceeded your expectations this season?
Greg Proops: Beyond my wildest dreams. Facing down losing Melky, Tim Lincecum having an off year, spotty pitching compared to years past. I booked a gig in Denver during the World Series. That is how not sure I was.
JN: Where do the 2012 Giants team rank in your best ever Giants team?
GP: Best, they won the dance. Bonds, Mays and Vida never did that.
JN: Do you have a World Series pre-game ritual?
GP: Panda hat, candle. Sometimes and, this is sad, I pray to the baseball gods the night before.
JN: Which is the best ever baseball game that you’ve physically been to?
GP: Golly. Well, Matt Cain’s win over Philly in the 2010 NLCS was all that. Game 6 against St Louis in the 2002 NLCS was superb with Benito Santiago dropping a ball and hitting in DP’s all day then hitting the game-winning homer. I saw Willie Mays hit homers, Willie McCovey, Stargell, Clemente, Will Clark, Juan Marichal throw a one hitter. Jerry Reuss’ no-hitter against the Giants in 1980, that was wild. We cheered for him from the 6th on. Mike Krukow’s 3 hitter against the Cards in the 1987 LCS was a doozy.
JN: If, say, the San Andreas fault went a bit wrong and there were no more Giants, which MLB team would you follow?
GP: Ouch, maybe Oakland.
JN: Who is your all time favourite baseball player?
GP: Willie Mays
JN: What is your all time favourite baseball related movie?
GP: Bull Durham by a mile.
JN: Recently you discussed, on your podcast, the concept of a baseball team made up of Roman emperors. In the same vein, do you think there could be a Comedians baseball team?
GP:
1B Mike McShane – Power and can make it up
2B Stewart Lee – intellectual player with insight
SS Andy Smart – Game day every day
3B Phill Jupitus – Hot corner man
RF Hattie Hayridge – Get it
CF Rufus Hound – Covers the ground
LF Tim Minchin – Way out
C Josie Lawrence – Blocks the dish
SP Rich Hall – Sinewy righty
For more information on Greg, or to reacquaint yourself, check out his website www.gregproops.com.
Thanks to him for taking the time to share his love of the San Francisco Giants!
