Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the reasons for and consequences of MLB’s lack of compelling record chases (à la Alex Ovechkin’s in the NHL, Stephen Curry’s in the NBA, and Tom Brady’s in the NFL). Then (21:16) they talk to Sam Dingman and Mac Montandon, the hosts of The Rumor, a just-completed six-part narrative podcast about a rumor that a fight between Cal Ripken Jr. and Kevin Costner caused the Orioles to cancel a game to preserve Ripken’s consecutive-games streak, touching on the origins, prevalence, and plausibility of the rumor, their reporting process, baseball hero worship, the interviews they wish they could have done, the appeal of baseball rumors, ideas for The Rumor Season 2, and more.
Audio intro: Ian Hunter, “Old Legends Never Die”
Audio interstitial: The Records, “Rumour Sets the Woods Alight”
Audio outro: Electric Light Orchestra, “The Lights Go Down”
Link to Sam Miller on unbreakable records
Link to Sam on hitting .400
Link to Sam on a 21-strikeout game
Link to Neil Paine on Ovechkin
Link to Zach Kram on Curry
Link to USA Today on Brady
Link to article on Franco’s on-base streak
Link to research on days off and offense
Link to The Rumor
Link to Vulture interview about The Rumor
Link to video of record-breaking Ripken game
Link to Secret Base video about the rumor
Link to Randy Johnson EW interview
Link to story on Jeter’s gift baskets
Link to “Yeah Jeets” story
Link to Paul Pierce pooping story
Link to Ripken’s 2001 ASG homer
Link to article about “pipe shots”
Link to Emma Baccellieri on baseball mud
Link to Patreon trivia contest
Link to Stove League teaser video
Link to stream Stove League via Kocowa
Link to stream Stove League via Viki
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