Curt Hawkins (Transcript)

Robby: All right, so Brian, we're gonna get going here. First of all, thank you for your time. Can you just give me a little bit of background of how you came to enjoy the game of baseball, and how you became a Mets fan?

Curt: Yeah. Growing up, New York sports—it's a way of life. And to be honest and I don't like to admit this because I'm such a big Mets fan, and I consider myself a very die-hard Mets fan and a big part of the community. I was sort of torn with the Mets and the Yankees. I liked them both. But I was indifferent if you would, and then my favorite player was Mike Piazza. I just thought the facial hair, the long hair, he was muscular, he looked like a pro wrestler to me but playing baseball, which was super cool and attracted me as a fan. And I felt like I willed him to New York, in my mind and he came in that big trade in 1998 and that was like a moment where I was like, "This is meant to be, I'm all in on the Mets and this is my team."

Robby: Do a lot of fans struggle, do you think in the New York area? What determines which way a fan may go?

Curt: In my opinion, it's all how you were raised, what your lineage is. What your dad was pushing on you. Some people kind of just do the opposite kind of in spite of what their parents were rooting for. And in my circles and throughout almost 40 years I've been here my whole life, it's always just like 50/50. It's never like, "Man, everyone's a Yankees fan." It really feels like whoever you come in contact with, it's down the middle. Half are Yankees, half are Mets.

Robby: Do you have any memories, Brian, just when you were a kid? Do you remember going to—not necessarily your first baseball game, but just when you were a kid, what memories do you have of walking into the ballpark and what do you remember about just how special it was when you were a young baseball fan?

Curt: So that's something I kind of missed because all the modern stadiums which are amazing and definitely better than the shitholes we grew up going to—that feeling because most of the stadiums now have that open air vibe, so you don't have that epic tunnel approach, where you see that green grass for the first time and it kind of takes your breath away. That doesn't exist anymore, really in this sport because you get to see everything from everywhere, which is accommodating but I guess those that experienced that know what that was like. So for sure, that's what my vivid memories are of Shea Stadium. I also know without a doubt that I got ice cream in a Mets helmet. Never forget that. And the other thing I remember, the game I went to, which I believe is my first game, which I could be wrong, but this is just how my childhood memories work. The stadium giveaway was a Starting Lineup Darryl Strawberry action figure. So that was a big deal to me at the time. Ice cream in a Mets helmet. I'm in this big, beautiful stadium. That's what I remember.

Robby: I have about 300 Starting Lineups upstairs in my game room right now from when I was a kid. We're a little bit the same age so I can relate to that.

Curt: Awesome.

Robby: So, we've seen you bring the belt. I think it was Dominic Smith. I saw you with a picture of you presenting the belt at Citi Field. What is it like for you, as a superstar wrestler to be at a baseball game? What is that—and bringing your colleagues and other people from that world and bringing them into baseball? How much do you enjoy that?

Curt: I mean I enjoy it immensely. I take pride in it because I'm so informed about the sport. And it's an honor, right? You've been asked to go to represent your company or whatever it is and tying your two passions—it really is like a privilege. Funny story. A couple years ago, I wasn't supposed to go to Yankee Stadium with WWE but WrestleMania was in New York and oddly I couldn't check into my hotel room and I was just kind of sitting in the WWE green room like spinning my wheels and a bunch of friends or colleagues were getting ready to go. I asked one of the bosses where they were going. They said, "They're gonna go take batting practice at Yankee Stadium." I said, "I'm a huge baseball fan. I hate the Yankees, but there's no way I'm not gonna do that. That's an unbelievable opportunity." So I couldn't check into my hotel. I was like, "I'm going anyway. I don't care if they want me to or not." So I hopped in the car.

That was misinformation. They weren't taking batting practice, which would have been epic, but it turned out being unreal because these are big-time WWE superstars—The Big Show and Kofi Kingston and Natalya Neidhart, I remember—and they didn't really know anything about baseball. So now I'm there in pinstripes and I'm just geeking out like, "My God, there's A-Rod. There's Mariano Rivera," and I'm losing my mind seeing all these guys up close. Joe Girardi, I met him, talked to him. So there's things like that, I for sure take pride in. I was able to represent the sport of pro wrestling and kind of connect it to the sport of baseball that I love.

Robby: Tell me about the experience of being at Citi Field. What has your experience been and what makes it enjoyable for a fan who may love the Mets from afar but may not have had the chance to go?

Curt: I think it's one of the most complete ballparks in all baseball. Family friendly, beautiful aesthetics, convenient. Like I said, obviously I have these unbelievably sentimental feelings of growing up going to Shea Stadium and it was a dump and we all refer to it as a dump and it was a unique building to say the least, but we are so lucky to have Citi Field. Coming in 2009, because it's changed everything. It's just become such an enjoyable experience to go there. And I think that's what I like about it. It's like even if you're a Yankee fan, it's kind of like you almost feel like you should be going to those games like in a suit and tie and to me that's not baseball. At Citi Field, there's never a dull moment. There's something for everyone there, no matter how old or young you are.

Robby: No doubt about it. I grew up going to Vet Stadium so I'm familiar with the old shithole dumps that I mean I basically lived in Vet Stadium when I was a kid growing up. This might sound kind of crazy, but I'm just curious what your opinion would be. Being around wrestlers, for a living day in and day out, younger wrestlers, the older generation whatever. Could any of them be baseball players? Do you think and what position would suit a wrestler on the baseball field?

Curt: Man, I don't know. I was gonna flip it to the opposite like the Piazza and Giambi and Jeff Bagwell looking guys that look like wrestlers. Those are the guys that I think could be wrestlers. I think they got the look right.

Robby: But could they be wrestlers, some of those guys?

Curt: It's a very cosmetic business and those guys look the part, right? Larger than life characters if you will. That was very appealing to me as a fan.

Robby: Any baseball players would you love to get in the ring with?

Curt: Absolutely, I'm running a charity event for my local little league next month and Turk Wendell's coming in to be my manager. He's gonna be my Bobby "The Brain" Heenan.

Robby: I remember his superstitions when he pitched.

Curt: Of course I'm a die-hard Turk guy. So yeah. Brushed his teeth.

Robby: Brushed his teeth between innings and the black licorice, ate all that kind of stuff.

Curt: Yep. Jumped over the foul line.

Robby: I feel like you've already answered this question but I'm gonna ask it again. Your favorite baseball player growing up? Is it safe to assume Mike Piazza is your favorite player growing up? And why is that? You said the hair and stuff but what made you a fan of his?

Curt: He was just larger than life to me. He was such a superstar player. I mean it ended up—he was the first player that, man, it really mattered to me that he made the Hall of Fame. I felt like it justified my fandom, growing up and stuff. And there's a couple years there where I felt like he got snubbed, but he finally got in. It was a really big deal. I just appreciated what he did for the Mets and the team and the fans here in New York, really changed everything. Made us feel like we finally had our superstar guy. He was a superstar, right? He played his ass off. Laid it hard, gave everything you would want in a face of your team.

Robby: No doubt about that. Before we let you go, there could be wrestling fans out there that don't know a lot about the game of baseball. What would you say to them if they had a chance to go to Citi Field or to any Major League baseball game? What would you say to encourage them to get into the game and kind of maybe have a chance to fall in love with the game of baseball?

Curt: That's a great question. In my experience, I think it's got to just happen. You can't force the love of baseball on somebody. I think there's a moment, the light bulb's got to go off. I've been with my wife 14 years now and I've dragged her to so many games and most times she's just like "What are we eating?" and that kind of thing, "What's the latest food at Citi Field?" but then there's been those handful of times where she's caught up in it. In 2015, I remember I flew home from a show and we went straight to the Sunday night baseball game when we just got Céspedes and he had a big home run. And I saw for the first time through her eyes like baseball magic, whatever—how special the game can be. So I don't think you can just toss it upon someone. I think you gotta experience it. You gotta live it. You gotta ride the highs and the lows and the streaks and everything that it is. It's America's pastime. That's why it's called that.

Robby: One last thing at Citi Field, have you ever walked in right center field to the Shea Bridge that they have out there? You've ever been there?

Curt: Of course, of course.

Robby: How cool of a feature is that in that ballpark?

Curt: It's amazing and that's a known spot for hanging out, drinking, great view, the whole park, there's not a bad seat in the place too. And I'm trying to hit every stadium. I'm five away from going to all of them and Citi Field, of course, will always be my spot. I think it's just the most complete place to catch a ball game.

Robby: Besides Citi Field, do you have a favorite ballpark and what is it? Why?

Curt: Tough. I was pleasantly surprised by the Royals stadium probably. Because of all the same things—it just seemed like such a perfect place to see baseball it was beautiful. It was a beautiful day and just seemed like, man, this is where you bring your family here and just have a wonderful day seeing the sport of baseball, and everyone enjoys it kind of thing.

Robby: The fountains are amazing. Aren't they? Last year I was there. I paid $16 for an authenticated bottle of fountain water to have, which is cool. Brian, I don't have anything else. I don't know if Kyle has any other questions before we let him go?

Kyle: I think that's everything. That's a great interview. Thank you.

Curt: Yes, thanks.

Robby: Amazing. I really thank you for your time. We're gonna hopefully get the book out with pictures and stories by the All-Star break. But we'll be sure to get a copy to you.

Curt: That's awesome.

Robby: It's gonna be a real beautiful centerpiece with stories, we're gonna have a QR code that links to a website. So I've got over 8,000 pictures, I love ballparks, I have a passion for ballparks and I've been fortunate enough in my career to have been to all 30 and make my living doing it, which is even more cool—to do what we love for a living. And so it's going to be real cool with all the photos and the stories. We're happy to have you in it.

Curt: Did you ever get to an Expos game?

Robby: Thank you so much. No, I'll tell you what, the one regret I have. So I spent 11 years with the Pirates, I was with the Minnesota Twins for four years and I didn't—have you ever been to Target Field in Minneapolis?

Curt: Yep.

Robby: So I worked the first ever game there, it was April 12th, 2010. And it was super cool and MLB—three of the four umpires that day were from Minnesota and MLB put them on that game, which was real cool too.

Curt: That's cool.

Robby: But I spent 11 years with the Pirates and we had a spring training game. They play those two games before the season begins at a major league stadium, and they were in Montreal and we didn't televise it. So I had a chance three years ago and didn't go, so I'm mad about it. I would have loved to go there.

Curt: Another underrated stadium—Pittsburgh. Beautiful.

Robby: But I have a Youppi! bobblehead, which Youppi! lives forever as the longtime mascot of the Expos.

Curt: Right.

Robby: But that's cool. I don't want to hold you anymore, we really appreciate your time.

Curt: Yeah, I appreciate it. Thank you.