Claim OwnershipThis Week In Baseball History
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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.
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One of the most feared sluggers in history, Jim Thome is universally regarded as possibly the nicest. On the 20th anniversary of his trade from the Phillies back to the American League Central, Mike and Bill look back at career of the gentlest giant in baseball history and come away with exactly the same picture that hoped to. Plus, happy birthday to Clint Thomas and Jimmy Sheckard. And farewell to Darryl Patterson and Mike White.
After nearly hitting .400, you'd think that George Brett would be an easy choice for AL MVP in 1980. And, while he'd snag the award 45 years ago this week, it was over some pretty hilarious objections by Yankees writers. Mike and Bill look back at Brett's incredible career that defined more than a decade of Royals baseball and come away with an incredible appreciation not just for his abilities, but his flair for the dramatic. Plus, happy birthday to Cristóbal Torriente and Everett Scott! And farewell to Phil Meeler and Marc Hill.
It's impossible to talk about the American League's early years without talking about Clark Griffith, the former pitcher and manager who, this week 106 years ago, finally completed his quest to become a big league owner. Griffith's Senators would eventually become a laughingstock, and his legacy complicated by his complicity in perpetuating the color line, but his early years were filled with success. Mike and Bill look back on one of the longest baseball lives, a 75 year span in which Griffith was an integral part of the game, for better and for worse. Plus, happy birthday to Pat Hentgen and Jack Crooks! And farewell to Félix Torres and Bill Hepler.
Darryl Strawberry looked to be on a Hall of Fame path when he signed the second biggest contract in big league history with the Dodgers. But his homecoming to Los Angeles would prove to be bitter fruit, as injuries, legal, and personal problems short circuited his career. Strawberry's story is a complicated one, full of condemnable behavior and moments of what seemed like hard-earned redemption. But, ultimately, it's a cautionary tale of how not to treat a sensitive person and how that sensitive person should not treat others, and how that sensitive person eventually learned those lessons. Mike and Bill look back at one of the most talented and most controversial players of the 1980s and '90s and find a man not easily categorized. Plus, happy birthday to Jesse Flores and Willie McGee! And farewell to Bill Hepler and Jim Clancy.
Oh Lord, what a few weeks it's been on the podcast, with problems both technical and personal getting in the way and forcing a truncated episode this week. But don't worry, because 50 years ago this week, the Reds and Red Sox squared off in one of the greatest World Series of all time. And Mike and Bill have a lot to say about it as they recount the titanic battle between two exceptional teams - the triumphs, the heroism and the heartbreaks of what surprisingly turned into a very evenly matched showdown.
We've talked about the 1985 World Series before on this podcast, but never with the guy who literally wrote the book on it. Marshall Garvey joins Mike and Bill for the 40th anniversary of when the teams clinched their respective pennants, setting up the second all-Missouri World Series matchup. Garvey's new book, Interstate '85: The Royals, The Cardinals, and the Show-Me Series relies heavily on player interviews with more than 25 of the players who took the field in that showdown, as well as Don Denkinger, whose infamous call in the 9th inning of Game 6 Garvey thinks is wildly blown out of proportion. It's a great talk and a great book, so check them both out! Plus, happy birthday to José Valentín! And farewell to Jeff Bittiger and Jim Bethke.
There are so many ways in which Edgar Martinez's career might not have happened. He could have missed the open tryout where he was discovered. He might have become disheartened by his extended minor league apprenticeship. The Mariners might have been dissuaded by the potentially debilitating vision problems he fought hard to overcome. But it did, fortunately for Seattle, because 30 years ago this week, the first truly great designated hitter in baseball history lined The Double down the left field line in the ALDS against the Yankees, sending Seattle to the ALCS for the first time. In celebration, Mike and Bill look back at Edgar's Hall of Fame career and find maybe the most unlikely franchise icon of all time. Plus, happy birthday to Oil Can Boyd and Jim Bagby Sr! And farewell to Lee Elia and Joe Coleman.
The decades of baseball in Brooklyn were mostly marked by one failure after another until the club got their act together in the 1940s. Still, the Dodgers seemed uniquely capable of breaking their fans' hearts until 70 years ago this week, when they finally beat the Yankees to claim their one and only World Series in their original home. That moment in the sun was all too brief, however, as they'd pack up and move to the West Coast just two years later. This week, Mike and Bill look back at that one perfect moment in Brooklyn, when all seemed right with the world and the Dodgers were finally world champs. Plus, happy birthday to Eddie Murphy and Johnny Podres! And farewell to Bill Denehy and Bobby Jenks.
Please excuse Mike this week, as he is dealing with some laryngitis and was on restricted duty during this episode. But Bill certainly stepped up as the pair celebrate the life and career of the great Davey Johnson to mark his passing at the age of 82. Johnson was a star as a player and a superstar as a manager, leading the Mets to their second championship in 1986 and adding significant value to basically every team he helmed. But he also had a pugnacious and self-destructive streak that seemed to undermine him everywhere he went even as he succeeded beyond all expectations. Plus, happy birthday to Mike Hampton! And farewell to Billy Hunter.
Baseball is a beautiful game when it's played well. But when it isn't...well, you get games like one that occured 103 years ago this week, when the Phillies and Cubs squared off in the highest scoring game of all time. 51 hits, 21 walks, and 9 errors later, the teams had collaborated to produce 49 runs, of which only 28 were earned. What exactly went wrong here and who were the players who had to suffer through such indignity? Mike and Bill look back on an anti-classic to try and figure it out. Plus, happy birthday to Garry Maddox and Tom Candiotti! And farewell to Hosken Powell and Ed Mickelson.
Perhaps nothing unites more baseball fans than the shared experience of playing Little League Baseball. But, until 1974, only boys were allowed to play. After that, it took until 1984, 41 years ago this week, before the first girl played in Little League's crowning jewel, The Little League World Series. On this auspicious anniversary, Mike and Bill look back at the origins and history of Little League Baseball, and of the Little League World Series itself. And, aside from a few significant bumps in the road, they find what's mostly a pretty feel-good story for once. Plus, happy birthday to Buck Weaver and Diego Segui! And farewell to Diego Segui, Bob Heffner, and Matt Murray.
Every now and again, Mike and Bill like to take a break from the exciting world of actual baseball history and delve into the much more relaxing regular season games where nothing historic happens to talk about whatever strikes their fancy. The randomizer this week chose September 11, 1987's contest between the Pirates and Phillies. In the process of talking about the game, they share about Kevin Gross, the MLB Corporate All Stars, the best platoons, all the guys the Yankees traded away in the '80s, and Juan Soto's walk rate. Plus, happy birthday to Patron request Jose Cruz Sr and to Alex Fernandez! And farewell to Johnny O'Brien and Ron Taylor.
Some guys don't get mentioned on baseball history podcasts because they're underrated. This week's guys don't get mentioned on most baseball history podcasts because they are, in fact, properly rated. They, for one brief moment at least, stunk on ice. But they did so in a way that is monumentally rare. They all allowed runs without recording an out. On the 107th anniversary of Harry Heitmann becoming the fourth pitcher to join this exclusive club, Mike and Bill look back on the 14 infinauts who would otherwise never get mentioned by anyone, anywhere, ever. Plus, happy birthday to Dan Driesen and Davy Force! And farewell to Verle Tiefenthaler and Gary Boyd.
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 executive burger would be. Plus, happy birthday to George Gibson and Mickey Stanley! And farewell to Horace Speed and Scott Klingenbeck. David's article can be found here: https://defector.com/39-years-ago-four-mets-fought-the-cops-at-a-houston-bar-named-cooters
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, happy birthday to Rubén Gómez and to Jesse Tannehill! And farewell to Mark Esser, Jack Curtis, Rod Nichols, and Jason Conti. Here's the link to the SABR 53 presentations, where you can find audio and slides from Adam's talk: https://sabr.org/convention/sabr53-presentations
The 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, Mike and Bill look back at a pretty impressive, though flawed, career and person. Plus, happy birthday to Cy Blanton and Gene Alley! And farewell to Frank Johnson and Vic Harris.
While 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 Butler! And farewell to Chito Martinez and Tom Brown.
Don 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! And farewell to Tommy Helms and Marshall Edwards.
When we think of Lou Gehrig, we usually think about one of two things: his tragic early death or his record breaking consecutive games played streak, which began this week 100 years ago. This week, we celebrate the happier of those two aspects of his life and career, looking back at the 2,130 games that made up Gehrig's incredible accomplishment. Through it, you get a sense of just how determined, exceptional, and lucky Laruppin' Lou was until the moment his luck and body gave out. Plus, happy birthday to Terry Kennedy and Johnny Mostil! And farewell to Billy Smith, Tony Blanco, Octavio Dotel and Nate Oliver.
Bobby 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 legacy of not being talked about, which is probably how Doerr liked it. Plus, happy birthday to Jack Sanford and Joe Harris! And farewell to Tommie Reynolds and Rich Rollins.
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great show guys!
now you're going to make me research Ban Johnson. In Marietta, Ohio we have the Ban Ban Johnson Field House.