Shows
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 376 - The Mets Get Caught At Cooter's (with special guest David Roth)The 1986 Mets are one of the truly iconic teams in baseball history, with a roster full of unbelievable talent, unbridled machismo, and borderline criminal tendencies. And 39 years ago, several of the mildest mannered of those Mets were arrested in a Houston bar called Cooter's Executive Games and Burgers after a night of debauchery. With certified Mets sicko and Defector Editor David Roth (@davidjroth.bsky.social), who wrote about the incident this week, Mike and Bill look back at the incident, which is hilarious in retrospect, and the Mets as a whole, while trying to figure out exactly what an...2025-07-251h 37
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 375 - The New 4,000 Hit Club (with Adam Darowski)For so long, we've thought that the 4,000 hit club was one of the most exclusive in baseball history, with just two members. But on the 98th anniversary of Ty Cobb's 4,000th hit, Mike and Bill are joined by Sports Reference's Executive Director of Design, Negro Leagues expert and Latin baseball researcher Adam Darowski (@adarowski.bsky.social) to talk about his presentation at SABR 53, and how much larger that club actually is. The answer, and the players on it, will surprise you and hopefully expand your horizons about what should count toward the record book of baseball. Plus...2025-07-181h 35
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 374 - The CobraThe 1970s era cool just wafted off of Dave Parker, the gigantic Pirates slugger who was one of the best, if not THE BEST players in baseball in the last half of that decade. Parker's persona, his play, and his essence were all larger than life and are still clear almost 50 years later. That bigness, however, led to problems later in his career, both on and off the field, but ultimately set up a fine career denoument as a productive DH, and a Hall of Fame induction scheduled for later this month. Commemorating the passing of the great Cobra...2025-07-111h 32
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 157 (Re-run) - Larry Doby Is First and SecondWith the boys still recovering from SABR last week in Dallas, it's a perfect time to revisit the great Larry Doby, who never gets nearly enough attention. It's probably fair to say that no more important player in baseball history has been talked about less than Larry Doby, the second African-American to break the color line as a player and a manager, which happened 73 and 42 years ago this week, respectively. Mike and Bill try to rectify that just a little, looking back at Doby's life before getting the chance to integrate the American League and the incredible c...2025-07-041h 08
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 298 (Re-run) - Chicago Chicanery, or It's 3 Minutes To Midnight SomewhereMike and Bill are off this week at SABR and are getting this classic episode up late. In that spirit, please enjoy this encore presentation of Episode 298: With the White Sox threatening to leave the Windy City and abscond to Tampa if they didn't get a new stadium 37 years ago this week, and with the Illinois legislative session winding down to the end of its session and the funding bill a few votes short, he weirdest thing happened. Time, on (and only on) the floor of the state legislature, stopped for three whole minutes, giving the Governor...2025-06-281h 23
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 373 - The Big Poison PodcastWhile his nickname suggested otherwise, Paul Waner was good for whatever was ailing the Pirates for 15 of his 20 big league seasons. But 83 years ago this week, after moving on from the Bucs, Big Poison would cement his Hall of Fame legacy by becoming the seventh player to reach 3,000 career hits. Mike and Bill look back on a deserving Hall of Famer and find are surprised to find that his nickname was a misnomer on both ends. He was neither big, nor dished out more poison than he ingested. Plus, happy birthday to Sandy Alomar Jr and Brett...2025-06-201h 31
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 372 - Don Drysdale DominatesDon Drysdale was one of the most intimidating pitchers to ever take a big league mound, and his career seemingly reached its peak 57 years ago this week when he broke the record for consecutive scoreless innings pitched just before having the record snapped at 58 2/3 innings. Mike and Bill look back at this icon of the 1960s and are surprised to find out, while he became an ace almost immediately, it took a few years for Big D to pick up his enduring reputation as a brushback artist. Plus, happy birthday to Van Lingle Mungo and Ken Singleton!2025-06-131h 25
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 51 (re-run) - Eddie Grant Goes to WarDue to a personal conflict, Mike was unable to help with a new episode this week. So, in honor of Memorial Day, we are re-running a very early episode of TWIB History, in which Mike and Bill celebrate the life and career of Eddie Grant, an underappreciated Phillies, Reds, and Giants third baseman who gave his life in the Argonne Forest in the closing days of World War I. Grant's sacrifice was commemorated by the Giants 104 years ago this week with a touching memorial at the Polo Grounds, which was stolen after the Giants' final game there and disappeared...2025-05-3051 min
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 370 - The Red Sox Close the Doerr On Number OneBobby Doerr is not talked about much outside of Boston these days, but was a pretty big deal back in the 1940s, when he suddenly elevated his game to become a perenial All Star and a Hall of Fame caliber player. The Red Sox recognized that 37 years ago this week, when they made him just the third player to have his number retired by the club. Mike and Bill look back on the career of this largely silent Hall of Famer, finding one of the biggest prospects of all time, a surprising and mysterious mid-career improvement, and a long...2025-05-231h 09
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 201 (Re-run) - Joe DiMaggio Goes StreakingIt's one of the most iconic records in sports, Joe DiMaggio's unbelievably improbable 56 game hitting streak, that began 84 years ago this week. With Kyle Schwarber's 47 game on-base streak now snapped, Mike and Bill thought it was appropriate to revisit the greatest streak of them all, going step by step through this incredible accomplishment and marvel at the talent and luck it took to ultimately pull it off. Plus, happy birthday to Chicken Wolf and Gentleman Jim Hickman!2025-05-161h 10
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 369 - The Kerry Wood GameSometimes it takes a while for a prospect to reach his full potential. Sometimes, all it takes is five starts. That's what happened with Kerry Wood, who not only pitched the game of his life 27 years ago this week, but possibly the greatest game anyone has ever pitched, striking out 20 Astros batters while walking zero and allowing one scratch hit. Mike and Bill look back on this game, the phenomenon Wood caused, and on his surprisingly impressive career, even though it was derailed by injuries. Plus, happy birthday to Victor Starffin and Larry Hisle!2025-05-091h 19
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 368 - This Podcast Is Rated Double-XOne of the most awe-inspiring superstars of all time, Jimmie Foxx didn't start out that way, joining Connie Mack's Athletics at the age of 16. Foxx spent three years mostly ridiing the bench while he matured, during which, 100 years ago this week, he collected his first hit. Mike and Bill look back on The Beast's incredible career and sad end and find a lovable good-natured man who turned into a monster with a bat in his hands. Plus, happy birthday to Chris Carpenter and Nip Winters! And farewell to Jim Breazeale and Art Shallock.2025-05-021h 27
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 367 - Talking Talking To Sadaharu Oh (with special guest Michael Clair)Every great story begins somewhere, and the world home run king's journey to 868 career home runs began 66 years ago this week, when Sadaharu Oh hit his first career home run. To celebrate that, and the man who became a baseball god on the other side of the globe, Mike and Bill talk to MLB.com's Michael Clair. During the Tokyo Series to kick off the 2025 regular season, Michael scored a rare interview with the great Oh-san, and has lots to say about what it's like to meet a living legend. Plus, happy birthday to Mickey Morandini and...2025-04-251h 21
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 366 - Smith Realee Smashes the Saves RecordBetween the generations of three inning late game relievers like Rollie Fingers and Goose Gossage and the one inning high leverage relievers like Mariano Rivera and Trevor Hoffman, there was Lee Smith. Smith bridged the gap between these groups, starting his career as a stopper and ending it as a closer. Along the way, 32 years ago this week, Smith set the major league record for career saves, which lasted until Trevor Hoffman and Mariano Rivera blew past him in the 2000s. Mike and Bill look back at the life and career of one of the most intimidating pitchers of...2025-04-181h 22
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 365 - Homer Race, 2000The Joker famously believed that all it took to drive someone insane was one bad day. But Gordon didn't have to go through what MLB pitchers did 25 years ago this week, on April 7, 2000, when batters hit a combined 57 home runs around the league, setting a new record. Mike and Bill look back on this absolutely wild day and the players who made it so, finding significant milestones, the start and end of careers, and a whole lot of weirdness. Plus, happy birthday to Red Smith and Fred Frankhouse! And farewell to Eddie Fisher and Felipe...2025-04-111h 04
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 194 (Re-run) - The Pilots Crash and Burn55 years ago this week, if the story is to be believed, a truck waited at a rest area in the middle of Utah, waiting to find out if it should travel west or east. In the balance hung the hopes of two cities that each wanted a big league baseball team. In Part 1 of a two part episode, Mike and Bill look at the troubled first year of the Seattle Pilots and the messy process that left them on the verge of moving to Milwaukee. Plus, happy birthday to Gary Pettis and Tommy Holmes! Part 2: Bud Selig...2025-04-041h 20
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 364 - Kiki Cuyler Catches Another Bad BreakContinuing their recent run of outfielders who may or may not be Hall of Fame material, Mike and Bill look back this week at the life and career of "Cuy" Cuyler, on the 92nd anniversary of him breaking his leg in an exhibition. It was his second straight year missing time with a broken leg. Did that ultimately hurt the case of this early all star and World Series hero? Tune in to learn more. Plus, happy birthday to Ray Kremer and Wilson Álvarez! And farewell to Ángel Torres, Jim Todd, Rich Dauer, and Dave Va...2025-03-281h 27
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 41 (Re-run) - Charlie Brown Plays, and Homers, for Peanuts (with special guest Larry Granillo)As they gear up for the start of the regular season, Mike and Bill proudly present an encore episode from the early days of the show: With all due respect to the 1899 Spiders, the worst team in baseball history was undoubtedly the one managed by Charlie Brown in Peanuts, the iconic comic strip written by Charles Schulz. And no one knows more about that team than special guest Larry Granillo (@wezen_ball), who joins Mike and Bill to discuss Peanuts, its connection to baseball, the statistics Larry calculated in his 2011 SABR presentation, and Charlie Brown's first homer...2025-03-2146 min
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 363 - Chucking Klein Into CooperstownThe parade of questionable Hall of Fame outfielders continue, as Mike and Bill celebrate Chuck Klein being elected to Cooperstown by the Veterans Committee 45 years ago this week. Klein put together some of the greatest seasons in baseball history, but in some of the weirdest contexts in baseball history, before suddenly flaming out. What happened? And did the strange conditions in which he played make his election a mistake? Like life, it's all very complicated! Plus, happy birthday to Ewell Russell and Terry Mulholland! And farewell to Don Secrist, Jeff Torborg, Tommy Brown, and Bobby...2025-03-141h 22
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 362 - What's All the Hooperla About Harry?Despite being a fine player for 17 seasons and a World Series hero three times over, Harry Hooper is one of the least discussed Hall of Famers in 2025. But 124 years ago this week, he was the only man who could replace Joe Jackson and return credibilty to the White Sox, who acquired him from Boston. On this anniversary, Mike and Bill look back on one of the best outfielders of the young American League to see what made him the man for the job. Plus, happy birthday to Jim Konstanty and Paul Konerko! And farewell to...2025-03-071h 08
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 361 - Pinstripes and MoreOver more than a century, the Yankee pinstripes have perhaps become the most iconic uniform element in all of sports, instantly identifiable to fans everywhere. And 113 years ago this week, the New York then Highlanders announced they'd be wearing them for the first time. Mike and Bill looks back at the history of the uniform pinstripes, as well as the Old English D on Tigers uniforms, the Athletics' continued association with elephants as they migrated across the country, and more! Plus, happy birthday to Ray Brown and Wilbur Cooper! And farewell to Mark Bradley, Jim...2025-02-281h 11
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 360 (Supplemental) - That Missing 6th InningMike accidentally deleted his description of the 6th inning and the unappreciated efforts of Frank McCormick from this week's episode, and so re-presents it here. Apologies!2025-02-2404 min
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 360 - Random Game VWith the baseball history cupboard relatively bare this week, Mike and Bill fire up the ol' randomizer, which settles on an early season Reds and Pirates game from April 24th, 1937. In the process of talking about the game, they learn about Paul Waner, Frank McCormick, pitchers who refuse to allow home runs, batters who don't strike out, Forbes Field and more! Plus, happy birthday to Logan Hensley and Wally Pipp! And farewell to Juan Jaime, Gary Sutherland, Lenny Randle and Brent Billingsley.2025-02-211h 30
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 359 - The Rise and Fall of the Senior Professional Baseball AssociationAfter threatening for years, Mike and Bill finally get around to the short-lived Senior Professional Baseball Assocation to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the league's only championship. How did this glorious thing come to be and why did it fail? What happened in between? Was its downfall inevitable, or could the idea actually work today? All these questions will be answered (or at least speculated about)! Plus, happy birthday to Roger Peckinpaugh and Orval Overall. And farewell to Roberto Gomez, Jack DiLauro, Ron Locke, and Wayne Simpson.2025-02-141h 15
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 136 (Re-run) - The Dodgers Break Up a Good ThingThere has never been an infield that has played together longer, more often, or perhaps better than the Dodgers' incredible combination of Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, and Ron Cey, a dynamic foursome that lasted 9 years and 833 starts together. But it all came to an end 38 years ago this week, when Lopes was traded away. Mike and Bill examine the long and excellent careers of all four players, together and apart, and what ended their incredible run after they finally won their championship. 2025-02-071h 11
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 358 - Earle Combs Slides Into CooperstownMore maligned than most inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame, Earle Combs has developed an unfair reputation over the last decade or so as one of the worst choices of the old Veteran's Committee, 55 years ago this week. Mike and Bill look back at the Kentucky schoolmaster to see whether that reputation is warranted and find a much better player than they expected. Plus, happy birthday to Charley Gelbert and Bibb Falk! And farewell to Bob Kelly, Gail Henley, Al Fitzmorris, and Rico Carty.2025-01-311h 30
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 357 - The Many Lives of Bob UeckerIn 1961, Chuck Dressen told Bob Uecker that there was no place in baseball for a clown. But Uecker proved him wrong over the next 64 years, becoming a beloved backup catcher, World Champion, scout, broadcaster, actor, raconteur and, eventually, Hall of Famer. He became the very manifestation of the American Dream, the son of an immigrant and high school dropout who found success through hard work, talent, good humor, and kindness. He turned being the butt of a joke into an art form over 90 years. This week, as Mike and Bill mourn his passing, they celebrate one of the great...2025-01-241h 25
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 356 - The Umpire Gets The WBernice Gera tried exceptionally hard to become one of baseball's pioneers. And, in many ways, she succeeded when, 53 years ago this week, a court ordered the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues to hire her as the first professional female umpire in minor league history. But her story is also an indictment of the culture of baseball, as she was hounded and bullied out of the sport by the worst misogynits on and off the field after umpiring just one game. Her story is a reminder that Baseball has always resisted change, often with threats of violence, that would...2025-01-1743 min
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 31 (Re-run) - Glenn Davis Gets Dealt To BaltimoreApologies for the re-run. Bill's family had a medical issue this week (everyone is fine, thankfully), so we are re-releasing our 2018 episode on the fascinating Glenn Davis and the disastrous trade that Orioles made to acquire him. In the long history of trades, few have ever been so disastrous for a team than the Orioles acquisition of Glenn Davis, 34 years ago this week, for Pete Harnisch, Steve Finley, and Curt Schilling. Perhaps a good idea in theory, Davis was a rising star from a horrifying childhood whose bizarre injury issues kept scuttling any chance he had of...2025-01-091h 12
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 355 - The Hall of Fame Ballot, 2025Either traveling or recovering from travel, Bill and Mike break format to run through the current Hall of Fame ballot, and each find themselves at least one vote short to accomodate all the deserving candidates. But will the agree on who those deserving candidates are?2025-01-031h 25
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 98 (Re-Run) - Rickey Becomes the GreatestIn memory of his passing and in celebration of what would have been his 66th birthday, please enjoy this re-release of our episode focusing on the great Rickey Henderson: One of the most dynamic players of all time, Rickey Henderson still has many fans polarized. But everyone seems to agree that he was the best leadoff man and base stealer in baseball history. And, it was 28 years ago this week that he cemented those titles with his 939th career steal, breaking Lou Brock's all time record. Mike and Bill dig into Rickey's past and his path to b...2024-12-251h 08
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 80 (Re-run) - The Red Sox Let Fred Lynn and Carlton Fisk Slip AwayFree agency doesn't seem that complicated, but 44 years ago this week, the Boston Red Sox made a colossal error, accidentally non-tendering two of their biggest stars, Fred Lynn and Carlton Fisk. Mike and Bill trace the careers of two of the 1970s and 1980s best players, find out what went so wrong at the end of 1980, and sort through the fallout of one of baseball's biggest blunders. Plus, happy birthday to Andy Van Slyke and Moose Skowron.2024-12-2058 min
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 354 - One Random Game IVWith the holidays on the horizon, Mike and Bill were feeling a little scrambled and decided, rather than focus on one prominent player or incident, they'd just pick a game at random and talk about it. They landed in Montreal on August 19th, 1974, as the Padres took on the Expos. In addition to an exciting back and forth game, they talk about Parc Jarry, Willie Davis, Ron Hunt, the Chuck Taylor All Stars and more! Plus, happy birthday to Jimmy "Pepper' Austin and Ernest "Spoon" Carter!2024-12-131h 13
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 353 - Luis Aparicio Changes His SoxUnderstandably underappreciated due to his complete inability to hit, Luis Aparicio fell into disfavor amongst new fans in the 21st century. But, on the 54th anniversary of his trade from the White Sox to the Red Sox, Mike and Bill discover that there was far more to Aparicio's game than meets the eye, including some of the best defense of all time and the blinding speed that brought the stolen base back to baseball after years of dormancy. Plus, happy birthday to Cookie Lavagetto and Gary Ward. And farewell to Bob Speake and Ozzie Virgil...2024-12-061h 18
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 352 - Crowning Prince HalThe first thing most people think about when they think about Hal Newhouser is World War II. That's ironic, given that he was not allowed to serve. But his dominance during the war years led to the longstanding belief that he was some kind of mirage, created by the lack of talent in the American League in those years. But, as Mike and Bill found out as they traced his career on the 80th anniversary of winning his first of consecutive MVP awards, that's not remotely the whole story, as Newhouser remained a dominant and Hall of Fame caliber p...2024-11-291h 09
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 351 - The Red Sox Peel Rice OffWhen he was elected to the Hall of Fame, he was touted as the most feared hitter of his era. But by the time the Red Sox released him 35 years ago, Rice was looking old before his time, hobbled from various injuries and poor eyesight. On the anniversary of the end of his career, Mike and Bill look back at a controversial Hall of Fame choice to figure out what all the fuss was actually about. Plus, happy birthday to Mitch Williams and Roosevelt Harris! And farewell to Doug Bird, Harry Chappas, Minnie Mendoza and...2024-11-221h 32
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 350 - The American League Tries to Ban JohnsonPrior to Babe Ruth and Judge Landis, perhaps no person was as synonymous with baseball as Ban Johnson, the visionary who founded the American League, outfought the National League, and ran the National Baseball Commission until the Black Sox scandal. But his tenure was not always a smooth one, and he was not well liked. So much so that 104 years ago this week, the Yankees, Red Sox, and White Sox all tried to abandon the AL and form a super Senior Circuit with the NL teams. While that plan was thwarted, it signalled the beginning of the end for...2024-11-091h 10
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 123 (Rerun) Buzzie Bavasi's New Job (with special guest Bob Bavasi)Few men in baseball have been as universally beloved as Buzzie Bavasi, who took over the Dodgers front office 69 years ago this week. Joining Mike and Bill to discuss Buzzie's life and 45 year career is his son, Bob Bavasi of Japanball.com. Plus, happy birthday to Brad Radke and Mickey Rivers!2024-11-011h 27
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 349 - The Red Sox Quit CursingThe Red Sox's World Series road always seems, one way or another to run through New York. And most of the time, the Yankees have proven an effective road block. It certainly seemed that way 20 years ago this week, until the Sox complete the most improbable comeback in baseball history, toppling the Yankees in the 2004 ALCS and their way to their first championship in 86 years. Mike and Bill look back at a historic team and its historic run for glory that is stiil so vivid in their memories. Plus, happy birthday to Juan González and Vern S...2024-10-261h 39
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 226 (Rerun) - Fernandomania!Just 20 years old, Fernando Valenzuela took the world by storm in 1981, becoming an international superstar and spawning a phenomenon with his screwball. And 40 years ago this week, Fernandomania culminated in both the National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards, the only time a player has won both in the same season. Mike and Bill look back at that amazing season and Fernando's long subsequent career. Plus, happy birthday to Dick Stuart and Adam Dunn!2024-10-231h 34
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 121 Rerun - The Mets Are Finally Amazin'It was only seven years before the Mets won their first championship, but it must have seemed like 70, as they struggled to not to lose 100 games every year. But 50 years ago this week, they finally did, finishing off a miracle season by felling the mighty Orioles in five games. Mike and Bill go through the early history of the Mets and their amazin' championship season. Plus, happy birthday to Eddie Yost and Al Brazle!2024-10-181h 04
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 348 - The Senators Win One For Once And For AllThe Washington Senators' history has been virtually abandoned by major league teams, so you'd be forgiven if you didn't know that 100 years ago this week, thanks to a heroic effort by the great Walter Johnson, the Senators won their only World Series. Mike and Bill look back at this surprising championship club, the opposing and heavily favored New York Giants, and the Series that pitted them against one another. Plus, happy birthday to Alfredo Griffin and Ping Bodie! And farewell to Don Wert and Pete Daley.2024-10-111h 29
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 347 - Rose's Final Petal FallsThe proverbial "they" say that any hero who lives long enough sees himself become a villain. While that may or may not be true, no baseball player fully inhabited both roles as thoroughly as Pete Rose, whose death this week at the age of 83 marks the end of a turbulent life. Rose found himself at the top of the sporting world over and over, but his personal demons and abhorent conduct off the field left hiim permanently banned from the game and reviled by many. In recognition of his accoomplishments and his place in baseball history, Mike and Bill l...2024-10-041h 26
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 346 - Joe Jackson, Who Almost Always Wore Shoes (with Dan Wallach)Despite his career ending in ignomy 104 years ago this week, Joe Jackson remains a larger than life figure iin baseball and in American culture. But so much of how we picture Jackson is wrong, says former executive director of the Shoeless Joe Museum Dan Wallach (@shoelesspodcast). We talk with Dan about the man behind the myth and why it persists. Plus, happy birthday to Bernard Gilkey and Urban Shocker! And farewell to Jim Umbarger and Doug Creek.2024-09-272h 08
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 345 - Wade Boggs Is A HitmakerThe best hiitter of the 1980s is, beyond a doubt, either Tony Gwynn or Wade Boggs, two remarkably diifferent people and players who, nonetheless, both slashed singles and doubles all over every park they played in. Boggs, though, added tremendous patience to his game, making it remarkable that he was able collect his 200th hit for the sixth year in a row 36 years ago this week when he was also walking 100 times a year. On the anniversary of this impressive accomplishment, and in the wake of the news that Boggs is battling prostate cancer, Mike and Bill look back...2024-09-201h 19
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 344 - You Can't Keep A Good Woman Out (with special guest Melissa Ludtke)There are no reporters more integral to the actual history of how baseball is covered today than Melissa Ludtke (@MelissaLudtke on social media). Ludtke's brave fight against Bowie Kuhn and major league baseball opened clubhoouses to all reporters, regardless of gender, and made it possible for women to cover the game every day. Her new book, Locker Room Talk: A Woman's Struggle To Get Inside, chronicles how this crucial fight was won and its repercussions across sports, popular culture, and Ludtke's personal life. It's a great conversation with a true pioneer, whose heroism and sacrifice made today's media landscape...2024-09-132h 02
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 166 (Re-run) - No-Nos No More!When is a no-hitter not a no-hitter? When Fay Vincent decided, 36 years ago this week, that it shouldn't be. Specifically, he decreed that any no-hitters shorter than nine full innings or that was broken up after the ninth no longer counted, consigning 50 no-hitters to the dustbin of history. That's where Mike and Bill found them in this re-run from 2020, polished them up, and presented them for your enjoyment. Plus, happy birthday to Tug McGraw and Ed Konetchy!2024-09-061h 14
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 343 - The Life and Legacy of Billy BeanWhile they were away, baseball lost one of its most important and irreplaceable figures, Billy Bean, the second former MLB player to come out as gay. Mike and Bill look back at the Bean's short career, his struggle to accept his sexuality and keep it private, his decision to come out and what has (and hasn't) happened since. Plus, happy birthday to Oddibe McDowell and Tony González! And farewell to Danny Fife, Jimmy Hurst, Mike Brumley, and Hank Allen.2024-08-301h 22
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 342 - Who's the Fastest? (with special guest Adam Darowski)There are a number of unanswerable questions in baseball history, but none truly tantalizes like the question of which pitcher was the fastest of all time. So this week, on the 78th anniversary of Bob Feller setting a new record for recorded pitch speed AND the 50th anniversary of Nolan Ryan doing the same, Mike and Bill break a record of their own, turning in their longest episode yet, looking back at the various attempts to figure out exactly who was the fastest before we had radar guns to spoil all the fun. And they even rope in Sports...2024-08-241h 56
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 11 Rerun - Mashi Murakami Mania! (with special guest Rob Fitts)Major League Baseball, like America, is at its best when it's diverse and reflective of the countries that play the game. So this week, 59 years after the anniversary of Masahiro Murakami Day at Candlestick Park, Mike and Bill, along with special guest and Murakami biographer Rob Fitts (robfitts.com), remember the first player of Japanese descent to play in the Big Leagues. Mashi's career took him from Japan to Phoenix to Fresno and San Francisco before finally returning to Japan in 1966. Along the way they discuss how the 20 year old came to be a Giant, why he was exactly...2024-08-161h 08
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 341 - Ott's Got A Lot (Of Home Runs)Why is Mel Ott such an enigma? For all of his accomplishments, we really know very little about the stocky little right fielder who made hittiing at the Polo Grounds an art. So, on the 79th anniversary of his 500th homer, Mike and Bill go looking for the best hitter no one talks about today. Plus, happy birthday to Freddie Fitzsimmons and Larry Doyle! And farewell to Hank Foiles and John Upham.2024-08-021h 13
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 340 - The Hall's MolitorIn honor of Joe Mauer going into the Hall of Fame, Mike and Bill look back at another Minnesotan who was inducted 20 years ago this week, the great Paul Molitor. The fellas look back at his career's rough start, the injury problems and personal demons that almost sunk him, and the late career, DH-fueled revival that ultimatel paved his path to the Hall. Plus, happy birthday to patron request Dave Stieb and Moe Drabowsky!2024-07-261h 24
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 7 (Re-run) - The Black Sox Go To Trial (with Jacob Pomrenke)With Mike out on vacation and the annual SABR convention just on the horizon, it's a great time to revisit one of our earliest episodes with our favorite person from SABR, Jacob Pomrenke (@buckweaver), on the 103rd anniversary of the start of the Black Sox trial. 2024-07-1949 min
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 339 - One Random Game IIIAfter a couple of bummer weeks, Mike and Bill decided to dust off a favorite old gimmick and pick a random game to write about from this week in baseball history. The random number generator hit on the Royals vs. the Blue Jays from July 12th, 1987. Learn about weirdos like Garth Iorg, Jeff Musselman, Lloyd Moseby, Bud Black and more. Plus, happy birthday to Willie Wilson! It is also Chuck Knoblauch's birthday. And farewell to Bill Murphy and Cuno Barragan.2024-07-121h 33
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 338 - The Life and Times of Orlando CepedaWith sadness, Mike and Bill reflect on the career and impact of the second Giant legend to leave us in the last two weeks. Orlando Cepeda was a tremendous slugger and a Puerto Rican pioneer in Major League Baseball, who built on his legendary father's career, destroyed his reputation after his career ended, then rebuilt it. Plus, happy birthday to Greg Vaughn and Ed Rile! And farewell to Buzz Stephen, Joe Shipley, Sean Burroughs, and Tom Tischinski.2024-07-051h 28
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 337 - Farewell, Willie MaysHow do you calculate everything we lost with the passing of Willie Mays? How do you calculate all that he gave us in 93 years of life? It is impossible. After covering his early years in New York in Episode 203 and his middle years in San Francisco in Episode 148, Mike and Bill return to finish out the story of Willie Mays's life and career. His return to New York with the Mets, the ridiculous ruling that forced him out of baseball, his triumphant return, and the legacy he leaves behind. Plus, happy birthday to Dave Goltz...2024-06-281h 32
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 148 Rerun - Willie Mays Has His Best Day EverWillie Mays is, undisputedly, one of the top two or three players in baseball history, a breathtaking blend of power, average, and defense that often defied description. One such day was 59 years ago this week, when Willie hit four home runs in one game against the Braves. But Willie was just getting started, and would spend the rest of the decade proving that he was unlike anyone else who had ever played in the Majors before. Mike and Bill go through Willie's time in San Francisco, the triumphs and the struggles that made the journey not nearly as fun...2024-06-2557 min
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 203 (Re-run) - Willie Mays Meekly DebutsThere may have never been, and may never be, a baseball player better than Willie May. But it didn't seem like that at first, as Mays struggled upon his initial exposure to the Bigs 70 years ago this week and would suffer a crisis of confidence that could have ended his career before it began. How did he get through it to become Willie Freaking Mays? Mike and Bill look back at Willie's rise to find out. Plus, happy birthday to Dave Hollins and Deacon Phillippe!2024-06-231h 11
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 105 (Rerun) - Bo Jackson Joins the RoyalsThere may have never been an athlete as singular as Bo Jackson, a two sport star whose potential and flashes of brilliance tantalized the world until it all came crashing down. On the 38th anniversary of him signing with the Kansas City Royals, Mike and Bill look back on Bo's careers, his downfall, his comeback, and his legacy. Plus, happy birthday to Wally Joyner and Doug Mientkiewicz!2024-06-211h 12
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 336 - Honus Wagner Can't Count to 3000, ApparentlyWe only have ten fingers and ten toes, so it's somewhat forgivable that, somewhere north of 20 you might forget how many hits you have. It's more strange for an entire baseball loving nation to do that, but that's what happened 110 years ago this week when the great Honus Wagner was celebrated for becoming the second player to reach 3,000 hits...weeks before he actually did so. What accounted for this accounting error? And why do we not really care? And what makes this oddly shaped German man so damn lovable a century later? Mike and Bill look back...2024-06-141h 19
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 335 - Some Very Impressive BustsWhile the MLB draft has been moved to July, it's the 58th anniversary of Steve Chilcott being taken first overall by the Mets in 1966, over Reggie Jackson. This was, of course, one of the great draft blunders in history, as Chilcott wouuld never make the majors and Reggie...did. In honor of this very Metsian mistake, Mike and Bill look back at other first overall picks who were complete busts for their clubs. Plus, happy birthday to Bryan Harvey and Merv Rettenmund!2024-06-071h 21
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 334 - An Only Very Slightly Abridged Holiday EditionAfter a long weekend, Mike and Bill are back with an only slightly shortened episode. Don't worry though, there's still over an hour of birthdays, memorials, and emails from listeners with stories and lots of additional geological baseball names. We'll be back next week with a full episode. So happy birthday to George McQuinn and Gary Nolan! And farewell to Wayne Schurr, La Schelle Tarver, Odell Jones, and Chuck Seelbach.2024-05-311h 02
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 333 - Racing the ClockOn the 81st anniversary of the shortest nine-inning game in American League history, an 89 minute affair between the White Sox and Senators, Mike and Bill try to finish their episode about it before the game itself would have ended. Along the way, they talk about Luke Appling, knuckleballers, exactly what the Washington baseball team's nickname was at any given time, and whether Mickey Vernon is the gateway to getting Al Oliver into the Hall of Fame. Plus, happy birthday to Gil McDougald and Newt Allen! And farewell to Bill Plummer and Jim McAndrew.2024-05-241h 09
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 332 - Stan Really Is The ManThere is no arguing that Stan Musial is one of the finest players, and people, in baseball history, and this week marks the 66th anniversary of Baseball's Perect Knight collecting his 3,000th hit. Mike and Bill look back at one off the least controversial inner-circle hall of famers of all time, and document his Horatio Alger-esque journey to achieving the American Dream. Plus, happy birthday to Lave Cross and Hank Borowy! And farewell to U.L. Washington and Ed Ott2024-05-171h 33
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 149 (Re-run) - Damn Yankees Take BroadwayWith our heroes sidelined this week for one last time, why don't we all kick back, relax, and take in a show. Baseball has inspired dozens of films, but thusfar only one major Broadway musical, the classic Damn Yankees, which debuted 65 years ago this week. Mike and Bill, both theater fans, dig into its history, and the legendary artists who brought it life on stage and screen. Plus, happy birthday to Mike Cuellar and Patron request Lennie Merullo!2024-05-101h 02
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 199 (Rerun) - Fleet WeekWhile his name is familiar to baseball history fans, the life of Moses Fleetwood Walker, the first acknowledged African-American man to play Major League Baseball, is not. On the 137th anniversary of his debut, Mike and Bill look back on that life, at the efforts of Cap Anson and other bigots to stop his career and ban other black players from the pro ranks, and the effect that treatment had on Fleet in his later years. Plus, happy birthday to Granny Hamner and Russ Ford!2024-05-031h 02
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 331 - Two Titans FallLast week, we learned of the deaths of Whitey Herzog and Carl Erskine, both icons within the game of baseball and beyond, but for vastly different reasons. This week, Mike and Bill look back at their incredible lives and the impact those lives had on the sport and the world at large. 2024-04-271h 03This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 330 - The Rangers' Big InningHow many rakes do you have to step on before the spectacle of it goes from funny to unfunny to hilarious again? Unfortunately for Baltimore fans, the Orioles put this to the test 28 years ago this week when the allowed 16 runs in the 8th inning to the Texas Rangers. As they sometimes do, Mike and Bill dig into this extraordinary inning on a granular level, talking about the players and events that made it so bonkers. Plus, happy birthday to Jim Lonborg and Dan Cotter!2024-04-191h 18
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 329 - Fox On The SoxWas Nellie Fox overrated by old school types who voted him into the Hall of Fame? Or is he undervalued by today's modern metrics that rank him as one off the weakest members of that exclusive club of players? The answer, most likely, is yes to both questions. But he was never more valuable than he was 65 years ago this week, when he collected five hits, including an uncharacteristic homer on Opening Day, kicking off the White Sox drive for the AL pennant in style. Mike and Bill look back at one of the more perplexing players in baseball...2024-04-121h 18
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 328 - His Grace, Duke Edwin SniderOvershadowed by the greatness of Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle, the third of the holy trio of Golden Age, New York-based center fielders, Duke Snider, was a marvel in his own right. A five tool player whose short peak rivaled Willie's for the title of the best player in the National League and pushed the Dodgers to their first championship. But all good things come to an end and, 61 years ago this week, the Dodgers sold him to the Mets. Mike and Bill look back at the incredible career of the Duke of Flatbush and his indelible imprint on...2024-04-051h 22
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 327 - Sammy Sosa Takes the Crosstown ExpressThe Cubs might not be willing to acknowledge it today, but it was 32 years ago this week that they acquired one of the greatest players in franchise history, trading away aging slugger George Bell for a dynamic, young Sammy Sosa. Sosa would go on to challenge for the single season home run record, club more than 600 career bombs, and win an MVP. Mike and Bill look back at Sosa's incredible rise, somewhat inexplicable fall, and try to figure out why the Cubs still pretend that he never existed. Plus, happy birthday to Kip Selbach and Travis Fryman!2024-03-291h 21
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 326 - Judy Johnson Refuses To Go Gray GracefullyIt was the most expensive trade in Negro League history. It was also specificallly designed to be the killing strike that finished off the Pittsburgh Crawfords. Finally, it ended the career of Hall of Fame third baseman Judy Johnson, who refused to report to the Homestead Grays when he and Josh Gibson were traded there 87 years ago this week. Mike and Bill look back at the Hall of Fame lives of Judy Johnson and Cumberland Posey, and the history of the Grays that brought about this historic deal. Plus, happy birthday to Vern Law and Hank Sauer!2024-03-221h 28
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 325 - Baseball Beyond Borders (with Michael Clair)From the very beginning of the National League, baseball's overlords have attempted to grow the sport beyond America's borders. These efforts have met with varying levels of success over the years, but it's clear that baseball has never been more popular abroad than it is in 2024. Our guest this week, MLB.com's manager of storytelling Michael Clair, has a new newsletter that highlights the international game wherever it's being played and is making sure we'll know where the next generation of great major league players is going to come from. Plus, happy birthday to Paul Schaal and...2024-03-081h 23
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 324 - Baseball In the Little Big Apple (with special guest Kevin BakerFor as long as it has existed, baseball has been intertwined with New York City, with the two developing alongside one another into American institutions. With special guest Kevin Baker, author of The New York Game: Baseball and the Rise of a New City, Mike and Bill trace the history of the sport in the greatest city in the world, how New York politics shaped it, and how some of the greatest players and managers in history found their way to New York and made it their own. Plus, happy birthday to Danny Cater and Shannon Stewart!2024-03-011h 31
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 37 Rerun - Danny Gardella and the Mexican League Declare WarMajor League Baseball rarely faces a realistic challenge to its hegemony, but, 72 years ago this week, Danny Gardella became the first American-born player to sign with Jorge Pasquel's Mexican League, touching off a short war that challenged the reserve clause, increased salaries at home and abroad, and wound up ending both Gardella's career and the Mexican League's independence. Mike and Bill examine Gardella's life, Pasquel's insurgency, MLB's response, and the court battle that followed.2024-02-2348 min
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 323 - No Less, NomoCompared to some of the other Japanese pitchers who have transitioned to the United States, Hideo Nomo's American career seems relatively short and underwhelming. But the impact it had on two nations, how players move between leagues, and what fans can expect is immeasurable. After signing with the Dodgers 29 years ago this week, Hideo Nomo went on to prove that Japanese players could indeed thrive in the US, and paved the way for everyone who came affter. Mike and Bill look back at the Tornados life and career. Plus, happy birthday to Jimmy Ryan and Chet Lemon!2024-02-161h 24
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 322 - Two Of Life's Three ConstantsWith Mike's attention divided this week, Bill suggested a scaled down episode where the boys focus on birthdays and memorials for the recently departed. And so, happy birthday to Smoky Burgess and Germany Schaefer! And farewell to Chuck Harrison, Dick Thoenen, Ryan Minor, and Carlos Pulido.2024-02-091h 02
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 85 (Rerun) - Roy Campanella Misses A TurnDespite being acknowledged as one of the all time greats and a very deserving Hall of Famer, Roy Campanella's career doesn't get the appreciation it deserves because of its late start due to segregation and early finish due to an auto accident 61 years ago this week that left him paralyzed. Mike and Bill dig into his career and life at all its stages and come to love the man as much as it seems everyone else did. Also, happy birthday to George Burns and Tony Mullane.2024-02-0256 min
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 321 - Mike and a Mate: The Return of Steven Goldman!With Bill on vacation, Mike welcomes walking baseball encyclopedia Steven Goldman (@gostevengoldman) in for a chat. They talk about Steve's podcast, The Infinite Inning, returning to a weekly format, what makes a great baseball story, the worst teams in history and, of course, Casey Stengel. Steve also plays Yankees roullette with some fun names from the past. Plus, happy birthday to Blix Donnelly! And farewell to Bob Allen and Ken MacKenzie.2024-01-261h 42
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 320 - Welcome Home, Cecil Fielder!When Cecil Fielder returned from a year in Japan, 34 years agoo this week, it was without fanfare. But by the end of 1990, after slamming 51 homers, Fielder had become one of the most iconic faces in baseball. His time at the top of the spoort would be short, however, and Mike and Bill look back at why. Plus, happy birthday to Delino DeShields and Smead Jolley. And farewell to Larry Miggins, Dave Wehrmeister, Joe Hicks and Vic Davalillo2024-01-191h 25
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 319 - Jay Jaffe Returns! (with special guest Jay Jaffe)It's still Hall of Fame season for, like, one more week, so Mike and Bill sit down with Fangraphs Senior Writer Jay Jaffe, inventor of JAWS, the preeminent tool to evaluate potential Hall of Famers, to talk about the current ballot, the chances of the first time candidate, and how the process has changed as its become more transparent and contentious. They also discuss Jay's own choices, as he has long been deemed a responsible adult worth of a vote. Plus, happy birthday to Topper Rigney and Stan Javier! And farewell to Preston Hanna, Don...2024-01-121h 42
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 318 - Rogers, Over the Threshold and Into the Hall of FameOne of the greatest and one of the ornriest players in baseball history, Rogers Hornsby presents a conundrum. Too good not to want on your team, but so disruptive that he was traded in three straight offseasons and wore out his welcome quickly, even for teams that desperately needed him. What was his deal? Mike and Bill look back at his controversial life and career to try to figure that out.2024-01-051h 28
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 317 - The Hall of Fame Ballot, 2024With their scheduled guest ailing, Mike and Bill take a thorough look at all the candidates on this year's Hall of Fame ballot and decide they're probably going to need more votes. Plus, happy birthday to Cy Williams and Leo Cardenas!2023-12-221h 38This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 316 (Repost) - The Cubs Get the Finger(s)When life hands you lemons, make lemonade. And when life mangles your hand, learn a curveball. That was the path to greatness for legendary Cubs right hander Mordecai Brown, whose handicap wound up baffling National Leauge hitters for the better part of a decade. 120 years ago this week, Brown was acquired by Cubbies, who rode him to two championships before age and injury wore him down. Mike and Bill look back at one of the great superstars of the early 20th century and the accidents that made him possible. Plus, happy birthday to Stormin' Gorman Thomas and...2023-12-151h 31
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 315 - Lou Piniella Finds a HomeSweet Lou was never an apt nickname for Lou Piniella, whose fiery temper and aggressive play earned him respect and fear around the game after he joined the Yankees 50 years ago this week, and became an essential cog in their dynasty in the late '70s and early '80s. But Lou's career would stretch far beyond his time in pinstripes and lead him tantalizingly close to the Hall of Fame as one of the most highly regarded managers of the 1990s and 2000s. Mike and Bill look back at Lou's 50 years in pro ball after he fell just...2023-12-081h 28
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 314 - All is Golden For Al RosenBecause his peak was so short, Al Lopez is often overlooked when we think about the great sluggers of the 1950s. But no one could ignore his incredible season in 1953 when, 70 years ago this week, he became just the second player to be unanimously voted AL MVP. Mike and Bill look back at Rosen's short on-field career, surprising impact on the game in the '70s and '80s, and the antisemitism he beat back to make all of it happen. Plus, happy birthday to Fred Tenney and Bob Tewksbury!2023-12-011h 29
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 313.5 - A Couple Announcements and a FarewellMike and Bill briefly have some podcast related announcments and Thanksgiving well-wishes up top and then say farewell to the great Willie Hernandez.2023-11-2410 min
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 313 - One Random Game IIWith a dearth of interesting topics this week, Mike and Bill fire up the random number generator and provide the annotated story of the Montreal Expos visit to Cincinnati on May 1, 1976 against the Big Red Machine. Would the machine break down? Or would the Expos get steamrolled? And, most importantly, can anyone think of a first baseman whose name is also a body part? Plus, happy birthday to Greg Gagne and Kent Bottenfield.2023-11-171h 22
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 312 - Dale Does It AgainHe was one of the best players of the 1980s and, 40 years ago this week, became one of only 13 players in baseball history to win back-to-back MVP Awards. But Dale Murphy is still on the outside looking in at the Baseball Hall of Fame. What happened to knock him off the road to immortality? Mike and Bill look back at his career to find out. Plus, happy birthday to Greasy Neale and Bill Bruton!2023-11-101h 19This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 174 (Rerun) -- Lefty O'Doul Goes Back to Japan (with Special Guest Yuriko Gamo Romer)Mike got an unexpected opportunity to attend a World Series game this week, so we're going back to this time of year in 2020 for this week's episode. When relations between the United States and Japan broke down in the prelude to WWII, no one was more despondent than Lefty O'Doul, who had fallen in love with and become an unlikely icon in the island nation. As the two nations tried to repair their relationship, Lefty was called on 71 years ago this week to begin a goodwill tour with his San Francisco Seals. Mike and Bill recount the life of...2023-11-011h 21
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 311 - The Blue Jays' Biggest FlyThe most important hit in Blue Jays history came 30 years ago this week when Joe Carter launched a walk-off three run home run down the left field line off of embattled Phillies reliever Mitch Williams in Game 6 of the World Series. It remains one of just two home runs that have ever ended a Fall Classic, and an indelible moment that came to define '90s baseball almost as much as Kirk Gibson's defined the '80s. Mike and Bill go through the long roads two very likable clubs (at the time, at least) took to get to this...2023-10-271h 34
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 310 - The Impossible HappensHe was supposed to be too injured to run. But you don't need to run when you hit a baseball as far as Kirk Gibson did 35 years ago this week, when he hit a flat-footed pinch-hit, walk off home run against the most dominant pitcher and team in baseball, setting the stage for a tremendous World Series upset. Mike and Bill talk all about that moment, the series that surrounded it, and how the two clubs got there as they revisit one of the most vivid memories of their childhoods. Plus, happy birthday to Moose Haas and...2023-10-201h 34
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 309 - The 2003 NLCS Is Up In the AirIf the foul pop off Luis Castillo's bat in Game 6 of the NLCS had landed a foot either way, the life of one ordinary Cubs fan would have remained anonymous and thoroughly normal. Instead, 20 years ago this week, that fan was thrust into a maelstrom of controversy he didn't deserve when the Marlins took advantage and staged a massive comeback at Wrigley Field with the help of several culprits on the Cubs, all far more culpable than Steve Bartman ever could have been. Mike and Bill look back at the Marlins' surprising run to the National League pennant and...2023-10-131h 37
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 308 - Enter the World's Series120 years ago this week, Barney Dreyfuss's big idea came to fruition, as his Pirates took on the Boston Americans from the upstart American League to try to prove the NL's dominance. But a funny thing happened, as the Junior Circuit champs would turn the tables and legitimize the new enterprise with an underdog victory. How would they do it? Listen to this episode, and to Mike and Bill hilariously try to pronounce Deacon Phillippe's last name to find out. Plus, happy birthday to Jeff Reardon and Eddie Guardado!2023-10-061h 23
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 307.5 - RIP Brooks Robinson and Tim WakefieldIn honor of two great ballplayers who have fallen in the past week, Mike and Bill re-release portions of episodes 253 and 162, which catalogue the lives of the great Brooks Robinson and TIm Wakefield2023-10-0342 min
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 307 - Orel Hershiser Streaks!He looked, according to so many, like a choir boy. But on a pitcher's mound, with a ball in his hand, Orel Hershiser became Tommy Lasorda's bulldog. And his bite was never stronger than it was 35 years ago this week, as he finished off his record-setting 59 consecutive scoreless innings streak to set a new standard for dominance that has yet to be matched. Mike and Bill look back at one of the finest pitching performances of all time and see how Hershiser combined exceptional pitching with exceptional luck to reach this seemingly impossible height. Plus, happy birthday...2023-09-291h 22
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 306 - The Cubs Meet Their MisterHas there ever been a player as inextricably linked to his team as Ernie Banks was to the Chicago Cubs? Perhaps not. That beautiful, tragic relationship began 70 years ago this week when Banks suited up for the first time for the team he'd come to represent as Mr. Cub, the first black player to play for the Northsiders. Mike and Bill go back through the bifurcated career of one of baseball's best shortstops and, due to injury, one of its most average first basemen. Plus, happy birthday to Ezra Sutton and Harvey Haddix!2023-09-221h 09
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 305 - Our Idiot Brothers, Part 2It remains hard, at times to be brothers. We covered that back in January with a set of siblings who fell well short of their illustrious kin. But there are still so many bad (or just mediocre) brothers out there! So Mike and Bill go back to the well to find more stories of those who just never could measure up. On this anniversary of Larry Yount not actually throwing a pitch in his one and only game, get ready for Cansecos, Boyers, Torres, O'Connors, Delahantys and, yes, Younts. Plus, happy birthday to Stan Lopata and Ted K...2023-09-151h 28
This Week In Baseball HistoryEpisode 166 - No-Nos No More!When is a no-hitter not a no-hitter? When Fay Vincent decided, 32 years ago this week, that it shouldn't be. Specifically, he decreed that any no-hitters shorter than nine full innings or that was broken up after the ninth no longer counted, consigning 50 no-hitters to the dustbin of history. That's where Mike and Bill found them in this re-run from 2020, polished them up, and presented them for your enjoyment. Plus, happy birthday to Tug McGraw and Ed Konetchy!2023-09-081h 18
Up North Journal PodcastTalking Outdoorama with Publicist Bill ParkerJoin the guys this week in the Cabin as they talk about getting back out to Outdoorama for the first time in two years with publicist Bill Parker of Outdoorama and Michigan Outdoor News. 48th annual Outdoorama History of the show Missed last year due to pandemic Exhibits that will be at the show Big Buck Night on Thursday Food at the show Fishing seminars and guests giving seminars Hunting seminars and guest giving seminars Kids activities Boats, kayaks and ATV's Cost of tickets for the show Show days and hours How did Bill get involved...2022-02-111h 03