Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz relished the big stage. The only Atlanta Braves player to be part of the franchise’s historic run of 14 consecutive division titles, Smoltz helped the Braves to five World Series appearances and the 1995 title. In his 21-year career, Smoltz shifted between starter and closer, making history as the only player in big league history with at least 200 career wins and at least 150 saves. On this episode, we talk about how he dealt with adversity throughout this career and the importance of embracing discomfort as a pathway to growth.
Show Notes
- On why his career in baseball was unique (1:44)
- Learning to adapt so that he could extend his career (3:16)
- How he taught himself to pitch as a kid (4:30)
- Embracing the pressure of the biggest moments (6:37)
- The 1987 trade to the Atlanta Braves that changed the course of his career (8:36)
- Finding teaching moments in adversity (10:54)
- “There is one vowel change between the words bitter and better.” (12:00)
- The three things he learned about leadership from Bobby Cox (12:56)
- How his relationship with teammates Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux pushed them all to be better (16:32)
- The keys to the Atlanta Braves team chemistry and sustained success (19:00)
- How he turned around a 2-11 start to a 12-2 finish in 1991 and his experience working with a sports psychologist (22:02)
- His pre-game routine (26:05)
- The shift from starter to closer… and back to starter (31:58)
- Embracing his faith and learning to separate himself from the outcome (36:50)
- The importance of self-awareness and not letting others define who you are (42:00)
- The importance of getting out of your comfort zone(43:18)
- John’s advice for leaning into discomfort (47:02)
- The practical jokes inside the Atlanta Braves clubhouse (50:45)
Resources / People Mentioned
- Atlanta Braves
- Atlanta Braves streak of 14 straight division titles
- Bobby Cox, Atlanta Braves manager
- John Smoltz, Baseball Hall of Fame
- Michael Jordan, NBA player
- Detroit Tigers
- Tom Glavine, MLB player
- Greg Maddux, MLB player
- John Schuerholz, Atlanta Braves GM
- Ted Turner, former Atlanta Braves owner
- Jeff Francouer, MLB player
- Tony Gwynn,MLB player
- Steve Avery, MLB player
- Tim Cash, Atlanta Braves team chaplain
- Walt Wiley, Atlanta Braves team chaplain
- John Smoltz nearly became an accordion player
- Tigers trade John Smoltz to Braves
- John Smoltz golfs at Nationwide event
Recommended For You
Did you enjoy this episode? Then listen to:
- Tom Glavine on Peak Performance
- Dabo Swinney on Leading from the Heart
- Jimmie Johnson on How to Sustain Success: Lessons from a NASCAR Champ
Thanks for checking out Game Changers with Molly Fletcher. Be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast app and leave a rating or review!