For generations of children, collecting baseball cards and being a baseball fan were one in the same. How did collecting small pieces of cardboard become so important for so long? Author Dave Jamieson tells us baseball cards became an American obsession.
Author Michael Fallon takes us back to decadent Los Angeles of the late 1970s to meet Tom Lasorda, Steve Garvey and the rest of the hard-charging Dodgers.
Why should your best hitter bat second? Should a manager ever sacrifice bunt? Author Mitchel Lichtman joins us to discuss the classic book of strategic analysis he co-authored with two other noted sabermetricians.
Koufax. Kershaw. Drysdale. Valenzuela. Author Jon Weisman explains why the Dodgers have a pitching tradition unlike any other club.
It's Fashion Week on Baseball by the Book as Todd Radom takes us on a visual tour of the strangest, most memorable and most colorful baseball uniforms of all time. From the Astros to the Padres to the Swingin' A's, Radom discusses the National Pastime's unique sartorial history,
In the summer of 1976, Mark Fidrych skyrocketed to national acclaim through the force of his pitching and his personality. Author Doug Wilson joins us to discuss the remarkable life and legacy of the man they called "The Bird."
Russell Carleton, a trained psychologist and veteran sabermetrician, talks to us about the next evolution in baseball thinking -- which includes marrying analytics with the long-derided "human element."
Author Larry Tye joins us to discuss his Casey Award-winning biography of the legendary Satchel Paige. In addition to being one of the great pitchers in baseball history, Paige is an important figure in American history, Tye says.
Joe Tinker, Johnny Evers and Frank Chance were immortalized by a poem written more than 100 years ago. Author David Rapp joins us to discuss the immortal Cubs trio and the first baseball dynasty of the 20th century.
Former major league pitcher Bob Tewksbury is now the mental skills coach for the San Francisco Giants. The former All-Star joins us to discuss parts of the game that remain hidden to the average fan.
It's Opening Day! So grab a pencil and a scorecard and listen as author Paul Dickson discusses his classic book and tells us how scoring the game has influenced and enhanced the history of baseball.
Play ball!
In 1956, the Yankees' Mickey Mantle became a baseball superstar -- and an American icon. Authors Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith join us to discuss that incredible season and why it resonated so much with public.
Whitey Herzog took the reins of the St. Louis Cardinals in 1980. Within two years, he had transformed an underperforming, overpaid squad into World Series champions. Author Doug Feldmann tells us how the White Rat did it.
Author Josh Pahigian takes us on a tour of America’s greatest baseball museums, shrines, sports bars, pop culture landmarks and ballpark sites. It's the ultimate bucket list for the national pastime.
Using his own version of Wins Above Average, David Kaiser has developed a list of the best Major League Baseball players and teams from 1901 to 2017. He joins us to discuss his findings, some of which will surprise most baseball fans.
Long before the Tigers existed, Detroit had a championship baseball team. Brian Martin takes use through the wild rise and fall of the Wolverines in professional baseball's rough and tumble first decade.
Author Jason Turbow returns to the show to discuss the ins and outs of baseball's unwritten rules. You'll be flipping your bat in delight as we play the podcast game the right way.
Take a look at the legendary Ryan/Ventura fight on YouTube. Here's Yasiel Puig flipping a bat and making Madison Bumgarner mad. Remember when Jonathan Papelbon choked Bryce Harper?
Turbow previously appeared on Episode 24 to discuss "Dynastic, Bombastic, Fantastic."
Today's featured song: "Code of Silence," by Bruce Springsteen.
Vin Scully. Dick Enberg. Jon Miller. Author Kirk McKnight had a chance to interview these legendary broadcasters and many others about the national pastime. He joins us to discuss it.
You can find the book here.
Today's featured song: "On The Airwaves," by The Shazam.
Author Bill Nowlin joins us to discuss the life and complicated legacy of the legendary Boston Red Sox owner.
You can find the book here.
Have a nice day: Author Dan Epstein is back to take us on a funky ride through baseball and America in the swinging 1970s. Can you dig it?
You can find Big Hair and Plastic Grass here. Epstein's earlier book, Stars and Strikes, is here.
You can read Epstein's 'fro-tastic farewell to Oscar Gamble here. The DVD set of the first season of "This Week in Baseball" that Dan mentioned is here.
For more on Pete LaCock, you can go here.
Baseball by the Book's own Scott Ferkovich discusses his new book about Mickey Cochrane and the 1934-35 Tigers, the team that may have saved baseball in Detroit.
You can find the book here and follow Ferkovich on Twitter here.
Ferkovich has written many Tigers articles for SABR. You can find them here.
For more of McFarland's many baseball books here.
Pitchers and catchers report this week! With that in mind, we take a look at the history and culture of spring training with author Charles Fountain.
You can find the book at Amazon and other places where books are sold.
The official site of the Grapefruit League is here. You can can find the Cactus League here.
Michael Seidel talks about his classic account of Joltin' Joe DiMaggio's legendary 56-game hitting streak.
You can find the book on Amazon and other places where books are sold.
Effa Manley is the only woman in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Hear about her remarkable story from author Audrey Vernick.
Show notes:
As Black History Month begins, author Arnold Rampersad joins us to discuss his classic biography of Jackie Robinson,