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PODCAST

This Week In Baseball History

Mike Bates and Bill Parker

This Week In Baseball History is a weekly podcast devoted to the history of baseball, hosted by Mike Bates and Bill Parker, the co-founders of The Platoon Advantage and writers on many fine websites.

history

All Episodes

52:02

Episode 182 - Happy Birthday, Dr. Spaceman!

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/12/31

To close out 2020, the strangest year in many of our lifetimes, Bill recounts the life and career of perhaps the strangest ballplayer in history, birthday boy Bill "Spaceman" Lee. Plus, happy birthday to Jim Tobin. See you all in 2021!

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02:47:24

Episode 181.5 - Zoom Hangout #9 - Happy Hallidays of...

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/12/23

It's the most wonderful time of the offseason, when we all scream at each other over who belongs, and especially who doesn't belong, in the Hall of Fame. To help us sort it out, we have on Jay Jaffe, of Fangraphs and The Cooperstown Casebook, and actual Hall of Fame voter! Plus, we give away some stuff and brainstorm topics for 2021!

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01:06:52

Episode 181 - The Giants Get a Big Six For a Hoosier...

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/12/16

It's often described as one of the most lopsided trades in baseball history, as the Reds sent a young Christy Mathewson to the Giants for former superstar Amos Rusie 120 years ago this week. Or did they? As Mike and Bill go through the lives of two of the greatest pitchers in early baseball history, they discover a lot more to the story than usually gets reported. Plus, happy birthday to Wild Bill Hutchison and Carl Erskine!

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01:05:10

Episode 180 - The Kid Comes to New York

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/12/10

The trade for Gary Carter, 36 years ago this week, turned out to be the final piece that turned the mid '80s Mets into a juggernaut. Mike and Bill recount the career of one of the best catchers in history, and what he brought to the Mets that made them so great, and simultaneously led to Carter's rapid decline. Plus, happy birthday to Doc Medich and Stan Hack!

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59:29

Episode 179 - The Tigers Trade Jim Bunning For Bupkis

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/12/02

Jim Bunning was famously the first pitcher to win 100 games and pitch a no-hitter in each league. But the story of why he got traded to the Phillies 57 years ago this week is a classic tale of Detroit Tigers cutting off their nose to spite their face. Mike and Bill look back at Bunning's life and career and on the trade that, because of the statistical oddity it produced, probably led to his being added to the Hall of Fame. Plus, happy birthday to Firpo Marberry and Dick McAuliffe!

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01:24:52

Episode 178 - The Mets Hodge Their Bets

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/11/26

Bad teams will often bring home a prodigal son in an effort to gin up unearned fan enthusiasm. It usually ends badly. But for the Mets, the decision to bring Gil Hodges home to manage 53 years ago this week wound up working on both levels far beyond anyone's wildest dreams. Mike and Bill look back at how Hodges became an icon in New York long before leading the Mets, and how he cemented his legacy before his terrible and sudden death. Plus, happy birthday to Sixto Lezcano and Socks Seybold!

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02:35:06

Episode 177.5 - Zoom Hangout #8: Jive Turkey Edition...

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/11/22

After skipping the last couple months, we're back with another Zoom hangout with our patrons and with our special guest, Michael Baumann of The Ringer (@MichaelBaumann) to talk about what promises to be a weird and possibly slow offseason, and what that might mean for whether we get baseball in 2022. We also talk a lot about college baseball and how that's changed in recent years.

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01:33:59

Episode 177 - Sandy Koufax Walks Away

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/11/18

Many people who saw him at his peak consider Sandy Koufax the finest pitcher who ever lived. But that incredible peak came to an abrupt end 54 years ago this week when, wracked with constant pain, Sandy decided he couldn't continue to pitch. Mike and Bill look back at the long road that Sandy took before he finally became the transcendent ace who inspired a generation of fans and marvel at his incredible five year stretch at the pinnacle of baseball excellence. Plus, happy birthday to Pat Ragan and

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01:12:29

Episode 176 - The Judge Land(i)s a New Job

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/11/13

With the Black Sox scandal threatening to ruin Major League Baseball, team owners knew they needed to clean up their sport. And 100 years ago this week, they found the man to do it: Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis. But the last century has not been kind to the man once credited with saving baseball. Mike and Bill look back on one of the most important figures in the game's history and are surprised by what they find. Plus, happy birthday to John Denny and Tony Cuccinello.

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01:06:37

Episode 175 - Ken Caminiti Extends His Secondary Lead...

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/11/05

Ken Caminiti was one of the most tragic and most controversial players of the last 30 years. His rise from perfectly good third baseman to true superstar was fueled by PEDs, and his life was cut short by substance abuse. Mike and Bill welcome special guest Joe Vasile (@joevasilePBP), whose new podcast, Secondary Lead, chronicles Caminiti's career to discuss the former NL MVP and his legacy. Plus, happy birthday to Vic Power and Dick Groat!

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01:20:51

Episode 174 - Lefty O'Doul Goes Back to Japan (with...

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/10/29

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 O'Doul and then special guest Yuriko Gamo Romer, of Diamond Diplomacy (http://www.diamonddiplomacy.com/),

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01:23:17

Episode 173 - The Life and Times of Joe Morgan

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/10/21

Joe Morgan faced down critics who thought a little man couldn't excel in big league ball, and racists who didn't want to let him to become the best second baseman in baseball history. After his passing, Mike and Bill recount the unlikely rise of The Little General to become a back-to-back MVP winner and the best player on the best team in the game. Plus, happy birthday to Willie Horton and Wilbur Wood!

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01:19:52

Episode 172 - The Life and Times of Whitey Ford

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/10/15

The unquestioned ace of the most successful franchise in baseball history, Whitey Ford was an icon who battled almost constant injuries to become a World Series legend and an inner circle Hall of Famer. He is the latest casualty of what has been a brutal October for MLB Hall of Famers. Mike and Bill give Whitey his due in this episode, going through his remarkable and record-breaking career that elevated him from the scrawny high schooler nobody wanted to The Chairman of the Board. Plus, happy

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01:13:36

The Life of Bob Gibson

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/10/08

Major League hitters must feel a little safer this week, as perhaps the most intimidating pitcher of all time, Bob Gibson, left us at the age of 84. Mike and Bill pay tribute to the fallen Cardinal and inner circle Hall of Famer as a pitcher and civil rights icon who was so good he forced baseball to change its rules. Plus, happy birthday to Frankie Crosetti and Paul Splitorff!

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01:05:19

Episode 170 - Gabby Hartnett Hits The Homer In the...

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/10/01

As darkness fell on Wrigley Field 82 years ago this week, Gabby Hartnett came through with one of the most famous homers in baseball history, which propelled the Cubs into the lead in the National League. Mike and Bill look back on the life and career of the vastly underrated Hartnett, the game and homer themselves, and how that one hit came to decide the pennant in 1938. Plus, happy birthday to Whit Wyatt and Roberto Kelly!

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01:08:58

Episode 169 - The Deans Dominate the Dodgers

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/09/24

"If I'da known he was gonna throw one, I'da thrown one, too," Dizzy Dean told reporters after his brother Paul tossed a no-hitter in the nightcap of a double header 86 years ago this week, allowing three fewer hits than Diz had in the opener. Mike and Bill look back at the larger than life Diz and the exactly as large as life Paul, their nomadic upbringing, their domination of the National League, and their rapid declines. Plus, happy birthday to Hubie Brooks and Tom Tresh!

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58:29

Episode 168 - The Griffeys Go Back-to-Back

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/09/16

Baseball is a game that is most often passed down from one generation to the next. But some of those handoffs are more effective than others, like with the the Griffeys, Kens Sr. and Jr., who hit back-to-back homers 30 years ago this week, the first and only time a father and son have done that in baseball history. Mike and Bill look back at the life and career of Ken Sr, the excitement of Griffey-mania in Seattle, and a unique accomplishment in the history of baseball. Plus, happy birthday to

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01:11:59

Episode 167 - The Life of Lou Brock

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/09/10

Within a few days of one another this week, the baseball world discovered it had lost both Tom Seaver and Lou Brock. So, this week, Mike and Bill look back at the incredible life and career of one of baseball's great speedsters, and his connections to possibly the greatest pitcher of all time. Plus, happy birthday to Vince DiMaggio and Todd Zeile.

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01:13:48

Episode 166 - No-Nos No More!

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/09/04

When is a no-hitter not a no-hitter? When Fay Vincent decided, 29 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 find them this week, polish them up, and present them for your enjoyment. Plus, happy birthday to Tug McGraw and Ed Konetchy!

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01:04:24

Episode 165 - Ray Caldwell Electrifying Debut In...

This Week In Baseball History ·

2020/08/27

Ray Caldwell may have finally done enough to call down God's judgment 101 years ago this week when, while making his first start for Cleveland, he was struck by lightning while on the mound, then got up and finished the game. At the request of Patron Francis Fay, Mike and Bill look back at Caldwell's colorful career, what he might have done to earn Heaven's wrath, and how he just refused to stop playing baseball after dodging death. Plus, happy birthday to Dale Mitchell and Bobby Richardson!

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