One Year Later: Celebrating Lenny Randle
“Don’t “Blow” it, go to College”
When I was a kid, I attended Lenny Randle’s baseball camp in Bellevue, and I didn’t really know who he was. I only knew him because my dad said he was the guy who famously blew the ball foul in those classic baseball bloopers. The camp itself was exciting, led by the vibrant, endlessly energetic Lenny Randle, along with several coaches he proudly told us had played at higher levels. On the last day of camp, Lenny pulled out a photo that would stick with me forever. It was him, Bill Gates, and my mom standing together at an airport, smiling like it was the most normal thing in the world. I had no idea why it existed.
He proudly showed the photo to all of us campers and delivered a message I still remember. It is cool to be smart. Do STEM. Become doctors. Become engineers. “Don’t Blow it, go to college” he would say. It was the first time I ever thought my mom was cool, and for some reason, that moment stuck.
My dad picked me up from camp that day confused and curious after seeing the photo being passed around. He had never seen it before. After camp, he and Lenny stood talking for what seemed hours, something my dad often does when he meets someone he enjoys talking with... I had a feeling Lenny was the same way. Lenny excitingly explained that he had run into Bill Gates at the airport and wanted a photo. My mom happened to be nearby, and Lenny insisted she be part of it even though he had never met her. At the time, it was a complete mystery to my dad, but that photo would go on to become a recurring lesson in all of Lenny’s camps. You could be smart, follow your dreams, and still be endlessly cool.
My Mom (Left); Bill Gates (Middle); Lenny Randle (Right)
My dad brought a copy of the photo home, and my mom immediately remembered taking it. She said she thought Lenny was just an excited fan who wanted a picture with Bill Gates. At the time, she was working at Microsoft and traveling for a company trip, coincidentally on the same flight as Bill Gates. When Lenny asked for a photo, my mom offered to take it. Lenny, of course, insisted she be in it too.
Over the years, that photo became a symbol of everything that made Lenny who he was. He used it again and again to inspire kids to stay in school, chase their passions, and embrace their quirks. My family stayed in touch with him over the years, and I even had him as a guest on my podcast. We went back and forth dozens of times on Instagram and Facebook, with Lenny clearly doing his best to keep up with technology. Most of his messages were written in ALL CAPS.
For the podcast, he called me at 5 a.m. while I was in Hawaii for a wedding, hungover and barely awake, shouting, “You ready? Let’s do this thing.” That energy, that joy, and that insistence on celebrating the unexpected was exactly the spirit captured in that photo. Lenny had a way of making ordinary moments feel extraordinary, and for me, it all started at summer camp.
Grand Salami Time (Previously Late Night in Seattle) Podcast with Lenny Randle (2022):
The Most Interesting Man in Baseball
MLB Network did an entire special on Lenny Randle titled “The Most interesting Man in Baseball”. The title explains it all, he is the most vibrant and eccentric man you would ever meet. He brightens the room and he was very intelligent. He was fluent in five languages, including English, Italian, French, and Spanish. In my interview with him a few years back, he went on for several minutes in Italian… I had no idea what he was saying but it sounded fluent to me.
What made Lenny Randle the most interesting man in baseball? Here is a list:
1. He literally blew a baseball foul, which the umpire ruled fair… then decided it was foul. This causing a new rule to be inventred.
In 1981, while playing for the Mariners, a bunt rolled along the third‑base line. Randle got on his hands and knees and blew on the ball to push it foul. The umpire ruled it foul. The crowd lost its mind. It became one of the most iconic weird plays and memorable bloopers in MLB history.
a couple years ago, I remember seeing him on In Instagram while he was golfing, he jokingly blew a 2 inch putt into the hole for a birdie.
2. He played professional baseball in six different countries and the first major leaguer to play in Italy, where he dominated.
Randle didn’t just play in MLB — he played in:
United States (MLB)
Italy
Venezuela
Mexico
Japan
The Netherlands
He became a global baseball ambassador before that was even a concept.
3. He famously collided with Milt Wilcox on a drag bunt, after being thrown at. This video and various versions of this video are shown all over reddit, instagram, and tik tok over the years.
4. He survived one of the wildest controversies in MLB history
In 1977, after a dispute with Rangers manager Frank Lucchesi, Randle punched him during batting practice, a moment that became national news. He rebuilt his reputation afterward, which is part of what makes his story so compelling: he had a redemption arc.
5. He was a switch‑hitting, base‑stealing, utility‑everywhere athlete
Randle played:
second base
third base
outfield
even shortstop in emergencies
He stole 30+ bases multiple times and had the swagger of a guy who could do anything on a field.
6. He became a comedian and entertainer after baseball
Randle performed stand‑up comedy in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. He did TV appearances. He leaned into the “most interesting man” persona long before social media existed. Check out his single “Kingdome”!
7. He founded the “Lenny Randle Baseball School of Arizona”
He turned his baseball odyssey into a teaching platform, mentoring kids, pros, and international players. He became a cult figure in player development circles. As mentioned, I went to one of his many camps as a kid.
8. He’s a walking baseball folk hero
Between the blowing‑the‑ball play, the global career, the controversies, the reinventions, and the charisma, Randle became the kind of figure baseball fans tell stories about.
He’s not just interesting — he’s mythic.
On paper, his career statistics, a .257 batting average, 27 home runs, 322 RBIs, and 156 stolen bases, might not leap off the page like a Hall of Famer’s (or even Hall of Very Good), but numbers never tell the full story of Lenny Randle. His contributions to baseball extended beyond stats, his charisma, his unpredictability, and his sheer joy for the game left a mark on teammates, opponents, fans, and the many young players he mentored.
Randle’s time with the Seattle Mariners during the early years of the franchise remains particularly memorable. In 1981 and 1982, he appeared in over 110 games for the Mariners, bringing both skill and levity to the team. Anyone who watched Lenny play remembers not just the hits or the plays, but the personality he brought to the field.
Baseball can sometimes feel rigid and scripted, but with Lenny, there was always a sense of spontaneity, a feeling that anything could happen. His bloopers became legendary and were replayed for years on highlight reels, not to embarrass him, but to celebrate the joy and unpredictability he brought to the game. One famous incident occurred in 1981 while playing third base for the Mariners. A slow grounder rolled toward him, and rather than fielding it conventionally, Lenny dropped to his hands and knees and blew on the ball to send it foul. The umpire eventually ruled it a hit, but the moment became an iconic blooper. Lenny later said he did not exactly “blow it,” he “yelled at it” to go foul, and it did. That moment, absurd yet brilliant, captures Lenny’s essence perfectly, clever, unorthodox, playful, and always a little larger than life.
Adventures Beyond the MLB
After his Major League career ended in 1982, Lenny did not fade away. He reinvented himself in ways that few athletes dare. He became the first American major-leaguer to play professionally in Italy, signing with Nettuno Baseball Club. There, he dominated the league, winning the batting title with an astonishing .477 average. Lenny was not just playing baseball abroad, he immersed himself in the culture, learning Italian, Spanish, and French to better communicate with teammates and fans. His ability to embrace new languages and environments speaks to the adventurous spirit that defined his life.
Beyond baseball, Lenny was a musician. During his time with the Mariners, he joined teammates and relatives in recording a funky tune titled “Kingdome,” with proceeds going to help a young fan with cerebral palsy purchase a voice synthesizer. This act of kindness, combined with his artistry, shows another side of Lenny, someone who used his talents to make the world a little brighter, to uplift those around him, and to leave a lasting positive impact.
Lenny was also a comedian, a fashion designer, and a tour guide. He refused to be limited by one label, one career, or one expectation. He embraced life fully, approaching every new adventure with curiosity, creativity, and humor.
A Mentor and Friend
For those of us who had the privilege of knowing Lenny personally, his character shone brightest off the field. He exuded warmth, humor, and humility. He remembered every player, every fan, and every kid who attended his camps. He gave freely of his time and knowledge, mentoring young athletes, encouraging them to chase their dreams, and reminding them that sports were about joy as much as competition.
Randle had a rare ability to make people feel seen and valued. He celebrated the human side of sports, the laughter, the mistakes, the unexpected triumphs. He reminded us all that baseball is not just about runs, RBIs, or stolen bases, it is about connection, curiosity, and living fully in every moment.
A Lasting Legacy - One Year Later
Lenny Randle passed away on December 27, 2024. He was as energetic and spirited at 75 as most are at 25.
I will always remember Lenny not just for his remarkable plays, his bloopers, or his time in the Mariners’ uniform, but for the way he made people feel. He made baseball more colorful, more human, and more joyful. From the baseball diamond in Seattle to the ballparks of Italy, Lenny carried with him a love of life and a willingness to explore, laugh, and inspire. He made everyone feel as if they were a close friend.
As a young fan attending his baseball camps, I never could have imagined how profound his influence would be. And as an adult, reconnecting with him through social media and interviews, I came to appreciate the full measure of his legacy. Lenny Randle was, in every sense, the most interesting man in baseball, not just for the stories he left behind, but for the example he set in living authentically, creatively, and generously.
We may have lost him a year ago, but the laughter, lessons, and memories he left behind continue to inspire. Lenny Randle reminds us all to approach life like he approached the game, with curiosity, boldness, humor, and above all, joy.
Rest in peace, Lenny. Baseball, and the world, is better for having had you in it.
-Adam Jacobson
