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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

01:10:24

Episode 201 (Re-run) - Joe DiMaggio Goes Streaking

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/05/16

It'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!

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01:19:49

Episode 369 - The Kerry Wood Game

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/05/09

Sometimes 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.

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01:27:58

Episode 368 - This Podcast Is Rated Double-X

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/05/02

One 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

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01:21:59

Episode 367 - Talking Talking To Sadaharu Oh (with...

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/04/25

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,

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01:22:07

Episode 366 - Smith Realee Smashes the Saves Record

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/04/18

Between 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

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01:04:14

Episode 365 - Homer Race, 2000

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/04/11

The 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

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01:20:07

Episode 194 (Re-run) - The Pilots Crash and Burn

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/04/04

55 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 and

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01:27:17

Episode 364 - Kiki Cuyler Catches Another Bad Break

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/03/28

Continuing 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,

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46:42

Episode 41 (Re-run) - Charlie Brown Plays, and...

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/03/21

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

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01:22:39

Episode 363 - Chucking Klein Into Cooperstown

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/03/14

The 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

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01:08:16

Episode 362 - What's All the Hooperla About Harry?

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/03/07

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

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01:11:53

Episode 361 - Pinstripes and More

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/02/28

Over 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

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04:50

Episode 360 (Supplemental) - That Missing 6th Inning

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/02/24

Mike 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!

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01:30:20

Episode 360 - Random Game V

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/02/21

With 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.

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01:15:20

Episode 359 - The Rise and Fall of the Senior...

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/02/14

After 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,

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01:11:03

Episode 136 (Re-run) - The Dodgers Break Up a Good Thing

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/02/07

There 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

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01:30:41

Episode 358 - Earle Combs Slides Into Cooperstown

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/01/31

More 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.

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01:25:35

Episode 357 - The Many Lives of Bob Uecker

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/01/24

In 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

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01:24:06

Episode 356 (Re-post) - The Umpire Gets The W

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/01/18

Apologies for the truncated version of this episode that appeared initially. This has been rectified in this re-posting. Bernice 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

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01:12:35

Episode 31 (Re-run) - Glenn Davis Gets Dealt To...

This Week In Baseball History ·

2025/01/09

Apologies 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

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364 results

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