Randy Johnson: On The Infamous Bird Pitch And His Passion For Photography

I’m pumped to bring you a conversation with one of baseball's most unforgettable figures—Randy Johnson.

For those of us who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, he’s The Big Unit, the 6'10" powerhouse who ruled the mound for 22 seasons. How can you forget that towering presence dominating for the Expos, Mariners, Astros, D-backs, Yankees, and Giants?

These days, Randy’s channeling that legendary intensity into a new craft—behind the camera. We’ll revisit some of his most iconic career moments, but we’re also diving into the next chapter he’s carved out: a second act as a passionate photographer, capturing life with the same precision he brought to the field. His work has even made its way into galleries worldwide. 

Of course, we couldn’t skip his infamous “bird pitch”—which is now getting a display in the hallowed halls of Cooperstown via his recent collaboration with DIRECTV. At the beginning of the 2024 MLB season, Randy teamed up with DIRECTV to turn old satellite dishes into miniature ballparks. Now these bird sanctuaries will be forever immortalized in the Hall of Fame. You can see these mini-masterpieces in the article I wrote on BroBible shortly after our conversation. 

This chat feels extra special, because, like a lot of you, I grew up watching Randy dominate. And seeing his journey in photography reminds me that none of us have to be boxed in by one thing. 

For Randy, his love of photography—first sparked in college at USC while studying photojournalism—has taken him from stadiums to rock concerts and safaris in Africa. I'll never forget seeing him in the pit at a Primus show at the Green Theater in Los Angeles and being like... "whoa, that's.... Randy Johnson?! THE RANDY JOHNSON?!" 

You can't miss him.  

This episode is a rare look at a life that’s anything but one-dimensional. 

So sit back and enjoy this chat with a living legend. Personally, I think it's a nice reminder that while all our fastballs may eventually fade, life's lens just keeps on a-widening.

If you dig it, I'd be stoked if you subscribed to this pod and left a review. And if you want to drop me an email, hit me up at brandon@brobible.com. 

Thanks for listening and subscribing to Mostly Occasionally.

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