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PODCAST

Hooks & Runs

A podcast about baseball, music and culture.

Hooks & Runs is a podcast about baseball, music and culture. Our podcast includes interviews with news makers in the sports and music world plus commentary from the co-hosts on interesting current and historical events. Hooks & Runs releases a new episodes every Thursday (more or less).

sports baseball

All Episodes

46:27

255 - Major League Baseball Needs to Think Globally

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/07/26

Topics this week: Tampa Bay Rays sale; A Shoeless Joe's Hall of Fame promotion; The All-Star Game; The USA vs. The World; Late Night TV is in trouble; BananaBall may entertain some, but it isn't baseball; Manfred wants a salary cap; MLB's tickets are overpriced for a reason; an Ozzy Osbourne post-mortum; making money while making music. Errata: A Houston business consortium was bidding to buy the St. Louis Cardinals in the early 1950's, not the St. Louis Browns. The National League, not...

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44:42

254 - Frank Robinson is Underrated (Texans in the Hall)

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/07/17

Frank Robinson was born in Beaumont, Texas, raised in Oakland, California, and established himself among baseball's most feared hitter and fierest competitors for over a decade. Robinson had over 2,900 hits, hit 586 home runs and drove in over 1,800 runs over 21 big league seasons that included two part-time years as Cleveland's player-manager. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. Links: Frank Robinson's career stats at Retrosheet: https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/...

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52:31

253 - Microbets, 1980's Baseball Cards, and Fare Thee...

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/07/11

This week on the show, baseball's microbets scandal, another Topps pack - this time from 1986 - and Ozzy's "farewell" concert. See the two Luis Ortiz pitches in question here: Cody Williams, "These are the two pitches that got Luis Ortiz investigated for gambling by MLB," July 3, 2025, Fansided.com (accessed July 9, 2025). https://tinyurl.com/hooks253 Errata: Whitey Herzog was not the Royal's manager in 1983's Pine Tar Game. The team's manager was Dick Howser. Len Dykstra never played for the...

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53:05

252 - Jaws at 50 w/ Cassandra Hager

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/07/04

Film critic Cassandra Hager (Cinefied) joins us this week to reflect on "Jaws," released 50 years ago last month. Cassandra Hager on Cinefied - https://www.cinefied.com/cassandrahager Cassandra Hager on Twitter - https://x.com/TheMovieMermaid Cassangra Hager All Links - https://cassandrahager.carrd.co/ Errata - "Airplane '74" and "Airplane '77"were actually "Airport '75" and "Airport '77." Jacqueline Bisset was in "The Deep," not "Jaws: The Revenge;" something for which I'm sure she's q...

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61:28

251 - Talking Talking Heads w/ Jonathan Gould

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/06/26

Jonathan Gould's latest book is "Burning Down the House: Talking Heads and the New York Scene That Transformed Rock" (Meridian Books 2025). Gould has previously written books about The Beatles and Otis Redding -- his shorter works appear in The New Yorker. Gould is a New York City native; he attended ballgames at The Polo Grounds as a child and is a Mets fan. Jonathan Gould's Website - https://www.jonathangouldauthor.com/ You can support Hooks & Runs by purchasing books, including t...

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55:08

The Clout or an Out Club

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/06/19

Three players in big league history have more than one career home run but no other hits. Two were players that got only a cup of coffee or two in the big leagues; the third, believe it or not, was a pitcher. We have their stories. Plus - the Rafael Devers trade, reflecting on Sly Stone and Brian Wilson, and some 1989 baseball cards. Errata: Nolan Fontana was claimed off waivers by the Angels, not the Dodgers. Andy van Slyke won 5 Gold Glove Awards, not 3. Houston replaced Bill Virdon with Bo...

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49:02

249 - He Went Two for Five the Next Game w/ Beverly...

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/06/13

In April 1950, Jim Martin, a catcher for the West Texas New Mexico League’s Pampa Oilers, was violently struck by lightning during a game in Abilene, Texas. He not only survived the strike but he played the next game, going two for five. This week, Martin's daughter, Beverly Winter-Donaho, joins us to discuss Martin and his time in the minors during the 40s and 50s. In part two, Craig visits PNC Park and what's left of Forbes Field in Pittsburgh. Errata: Joe Nuxhall made his Major League debu...

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54:10

248 - Ernie Banks: Absurdly Simple & Impossibly...

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/06/05

In this episode, we talk with Doug Wilson, author of Let's Play Two: The Legend of Mr. Cub, the Life of Ernie Banks (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019), to explore the life and legacy of one of baseball’s most beloved figures. Doug shares insights into his research process, the hidden layers of Ernie Banks’ personality, and what makes this Hall of Famer’s story still resonate today. From growing up in segregated Dallas, Texas, to becoming a two-time MVP and a beacon of positivity on and off the ...

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41:59

Ep. 47 - They Were All in Love with Songs w/ Tamara...

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/05/20

Craig and Rex are taking a break in May giving them a change to feature some favorite episodes from the archives and you an chance to catch up on other episodes you may have missed or wish to revisit. This episode from the vault features our interview with Tamara Saviano, author, journalist, publicist and Grammy-nominated record producer, and writer and co-director of the documentary "Without Getting Killed or Caught." The documentary tells the story about the life and career of Guy and...

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75:27

133 - We Weren't Rained Out, We Were Rained In w/...

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/05/05

Craig and Rex are taking a break in May giving them a change to feature some favorite episodes from the archives and you an chance to catch up on other episodes you may have missed or wish to revisit. This episode from early 2023 is our interview with Roger Metzger, the Houston Astros' Gold Glove winning shortstop in the 1970s. Hooks & Runs will resume with new episodes on June 5. The show notes for Episode 133 are here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/875794/episodes/11991967 Hook...

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47:59

247 - "A Stranger Among His Own Kind:" Rogers Hornsby...

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/04/27

Rogers Hornsby won seven batting titles, hit .358 in his 23-year Major League career and remains the all-time batting average leader both among right handed hitters and in the National League. He managed the 1926 St. Louis Cardinals to franchise's first World Series title only to be traded two months later in a salary dispute. Hornsby's career and personal life were marked by conflict, antagonism, lawsuits, acrimony and bitterness. But the man could hit. This week we return to our series, Tex...

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55:40

246 - Remembering the St. Louis Browns w/ Ed Wheatley

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/04/17

Ed Wheatley, president of the St. Louis Browns Historical Society, joins us this week to discuss the Browns, an American League team from 1902 to 1953. Wheatley is the co-author of "St. Louis Browns: The Story of a Beloved Team" (Reedy Press 2017), which was selected best book published on baseball in 2017 by Sports Collectors Digest and nominated for the Larry Ritter Award as the best book on baseball published in 2017 by Society for American Baseball Research. Wheatley was also techni...

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54:25

245 - Disco Was Fun! Baseball, Music & Culture in...

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/04/11

David Krell is author of "1978: Baseball and America in the Disco Era," (University of Nebraska Press, 2025). His book explores the wild 1978 major league season with features on the American League East race that went to a 163rd game, iconic players from the era like Pete Rose and Dave Kingman and cultural flashpoints from film, TV and music. In this interview, Krell gives us a glimpse into this tumultuous, pivotal year in American history and culture. SPOILER ALERT: This episode contains a ...

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56:25

244 - Power Outage! The 1979 Houston Astros

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/04/04

This week, Craig and Rex take a deep dive into the 1979 Houston Astros, the only team since 1947 to hit fewer than 50 home runs while posting a winning record and also the last team to hit more triples than home runs in a single season. Also, The Sex Pistols are back on the road, without Johnny Rotten. Even punks get nostalgic. Errata: The Cardinals in 2024 went 8 straight games without a home run, not 18. A&M defeated Yale by 6 points in the NCAA first round, not whatever it was Craig sa...

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47:52

243 - Trouble in Tampa Bay: Maybe the Rays are not...

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/03/27

Maybe we spoke too soon. Dr. Elizabeth Strom, a professor of urban politics and policy at The University of South Florida and an editor at DRays Bay, a Tampa Bay Rays blog on SB Nation, returns to our podcast this week. Two years ago, Episode 143 to be exact, Dr. Strom appeared to discuss what then looked like a solid deal for a new ballpark in St. Petersburg. A lot has happened since - most of it not good for Rays fans, at least Rays fans that want the team to stay in the Tampa/St. Pete area...

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50:15

242 - Disturbed Concert Stories, 2025 MLB...

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/03/25

This week, Disturbed declares war on the Bulls' championship banners during a show at United Center, plus Motley Crue at MinuteMaid (Daiken) and the greatest Journey concert ever. Craig makes his 2025 MLB predictions - try not to laugh. The podcast concludes with the boys reviewing "Tommy," the 1975 Ken Russell film based on The Who's 1969 album of the same name. The film stars Roger Daltry, Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed and other many actors (Jack Nicholson) and rock stars (Tina Turner). The revi...

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46:39

241 - The Hard Luck 11: Pitchers that threw 9+...

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/03/13

Since 1901, in the American and National Leagues, 11 pitchers have thrown 9+ inning, complete game 1-hitters and lost. These include a pitcher that pitched both games of a double-header on the day, a pitcher that took a perfect game into the 13th inning only to lose and a pitcher that gave up an extra-inning, walk-off home run to lose. This week, a tale of the hard luck pitchers who pitched their best game only to come up short. Errata: In 1988, 46.5% of starting pitchers threw 100 or more pi...

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45:25

240 - Texans in the Hall: Greg Maddux, plus, Arenado,...

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/03/07

This week Craig and Rex continue their series on native Texans in the Baseball of Fame with 355-game winner Greg Maddux. Also, the Nolan Arenado trade talks will not go away, Pete Rose's family petitions the Commission to lift the all-time hits leader's lifetime ban now that his life is over, the Golden State Warriors own a record label and what do you know - some baseball players lie about their height. Notes on the show: The Travis Stern episode about baseball and theater in the deadball er...

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54:36

239 - Willie McCovey: Remembering a Forgotten...

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/03/01

Author Chris Haft's new book, Willie McCovey: A Giant Among Giants (University of Nebraska Press, 2025) adds to the baseball literature by examining the life and baseball times of perhaps the most forgotten member of the 500-home run club. Haft's look at this great Giant superstar is long overdue. He joins us this week to discuss the great and powerful Willie Mac. In Chapter 2, Craig and Rex consider what impact Alex Bregman signing with Boston will have on both teams. In Chapter 3, the Rock ...

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53:35

238 - Artie Shaw's Nightmare: The Big Band Sound Goes...

Hooks & Runs ·

2025/02/21

Author and journalist Michael Doyle's new book, Nightmare in the Pacific: The World War II Saga of Artie Shaw and His Navy Band (Univ. of North Texas Press, 2025) is an adventurous tale and a must read. Shaw, a leading big band leader into the early 1940s, joined the Navy a few months after Pearl Harbor. He formed a Navy big band of accomplished and to varying degrees roguish musicians and led them across the Pacific during the war, entertaining troops, finding trouble and dealing with grueli...

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227 results

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