Tuesday, February 19, 2002
Nuxhall continues to improve health
But family, friends say he could do better
By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer
SARASOTA, Fla. — Ask Joe Nuxhall how he's doing these days and you get a one-word answer: “Great.” He's about 20 pounds lighter, there's a little pep in his stride and his energy level is way up.
“I feel better than I have in the last five years,” Nuxhall said.
But as good as Nuxhall feels, it's not good enough for those closest to him. They think with a little more diligence and a little more resolve, he could be a lot healthier. And, out of concern for him, they wish he'd take the next step.
Nuxhall, the 73-year-old Reds broadcaster/legend, was shaken into changing his lifestyle by a heart attack on Dec.17. Like most people coming back from such a frightening experience, Nuxhall immediately shaped up. He quit smoking, he ate better, and he started exercising.
“I think the honeymoon period is over,” said his wife, Donzetta. “He's not doing as good as he should.”
Nuxhall pleads guilty of straying here and there. “I have to admit,” he said, “I've varied — not severely.” Nuxhall says he's smoking a cigarette every once in a while. He thinks he's OK as long as doesn't buy a pack (he bums them from one of the clubhouse workers here).
His partner and former smoker, Marty Brennaman, thinks that's a bad idea. “It's very hard to understand how — when you're told you can't do certain things — that you continue to do them,” Brennaman said. “He's asking for trouble.”
Nuxhall knows he's going to hear about smoking from Brennaman and others. “Everyone's on me,” he said. Brennaman, who is world-class at getting on people, promises to be leader of pack. “I'm going to be his worst nightmare,” Brennaman said. “I'll be on him from April1 to Sept.30. He's going to be mad at me all year.”
Nuxhall has made progress. His weight is down to around 245 pounds from 270. He'd like to get to 230, just above his playing weight from 35 years ago. His blood pressure, which had been as high as 200/100, was 135/80 the last time he had it checked. He can do things now he wouldn't have considered before the heart attack.
“I used to worry about going to Chicago and walking up the ramp at Wrigley,” he said. “I'm looking forward to it. Really. I'd have to walk one and stop, walk up another and stop. Now, I know I won't have any problem.”
That is a result of exercise. Nuxhall has stuck to that part of the program. He walks around the complex here — about 1 1/2 miles — some days. Other days, he rides the exercise bike or uses the elliptical trainer.
“It's amazing,” he said. “My knees feel so much better.” Nuxhall had given up exercise — except for cart golf — a decade or so ago.
“I used to throw all that (batting practice) and everything,” Nuxhall said. “Then, boom, I did nothing. Hell, I used to play handball, racquetball. But I shut everything down, which was stupid.”
Nuxhall suffered the heart attack while having dinner at a Sharonville steakhouse. His son, Kim, took him to an urgent care facility. Doctors there sent him to the hospital. Within a half hour of the heart attack, Nuxhall had a shunt inserted into the clogged coronary artery. Nuxhall was lucky on two fronts: He was near a health facility and the blockage was easy to open. “Without a doubt I was lucky,” Nuxhall said.
His plan is to work the full 162-game regular season, although he may take off a trip or two. His contract allows him to skip three road trips. “I'll decide after I see the travel schedule,” he said.
Nuxhall feels so good that retirement is far from his plans. His goal has always been to work until 2003, the first year of the new stadium.
“If I feel like I do today, three years from now I might as well keep going,” he said.
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Nuxhall continues to improve health
