On episode 360 of Baseball and BBQ, Barbecue Hall of Famer Melissa Cookston joins us to talk about her new cookbook, Fanning the Flames, and reveals the kind and funny woman behind the tough TV-judge persona. Then, Seth S. Tannenbaum, PhD, takes us inside his fascinating new book, Bleacher Seats and Luxury Suites, exploring how America's ballparks have reflected the class, social, and economic divisions of our society.

Melissa Cookston is a pitmaster, restaurateur, and television personality.  She is a seven-time World Barbecue Champion and a member of the Barbecue Hall of Fame.  She is the author of three cookbooks, Smokin' in the Boys' Room, Smokin' Hot in the South, and her latest, Fanning the Flames: Recipes and Tall Tales from BBQ Hall of Famer Melissa Cookston.

In 2021 Melissa founded the World Junior BBQ League, a nonprofit that uses barbecue competitions to teach kids leadership, teamwork, and strategy.  She also launched The BBQ Allstars retail superstore.  Melissa has appeared on both BBQ Pitmasters and Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and as a judge on Netflix's Barbecue Showdown.

Seth S. Tannenbaum is an assistant professor of sport studies at Manhattanville University where he teaches classes including Baseball and American Society, Spectators and Fans, Urban Sport, and American Sport History.  His work has been published in The Journal of African American History, The Journal of Sport History, Nine: A Journal of Baseball History & Culture, the Washington Post, and the Philadelphia Inquirer.  He joins us to discuss his latest book, Bleacher Seats and Luxury Suites:  Democracy and Division at the Twentieth-Century Ballpark.

We tend to think of the baseball stadium as one of America's great democratic spaces—a place where people from different backgrounds come together to cheer for the same team. But Tannenbaum challenges that familiar idea, asking a provocative question: Has the ballpark ever really been as democratic as we like to believe?  In his book, Seth explores how major league ballparks have reflected and reinforced divisions of class, race, wealth, geography, and access. While baseball promoted the idea that the game was available to everyone, the experience inside the ballpark was often far more complicated.  Some of the stadiums discussed include The Polo Grounds, Yankee Stadium, Dodger Stadium, The Houston Astrodome, and Camden Yards.

We recommend you go to Rogue Cookers website, https://roguecookers.com/ for award-winning rubs, Chef Ray Sheehan’s website, https://www.raysheehan.com/ for award-winning saucess, rubs, and cookbooks, Baseball BBQ, https://baseballbbq.com for special grilling tools and accessories, Magnechef https://magnechef.com/ for excellent and unique barbecue gloves,  Mantis BBQ, https://mantisbbq.com/ to purchase their outstanding sauces with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Kidney Project, and for exceptional sauces, Elda's Kitchen https://eldaskitchen.com/ To team up against prostate cancer go to https://fansforthecure.org/ for Fans for the Cure, and to subscribe to Bill Chuck's newsletter, Billy-Ball go to  https://billchuck.substack.com/   

We conclude the show with the song, Baseball Always Brings You Home from the musician, Dave Dresser and the poet, Shel Krakofsky.

If you would like to contact the show, we would love to hear from you.

Call the show:  (516) 855-8214

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

NYS Halls of Fame Podcast featuring Turk Wendell.  Turk spent 11 seasons in Major League Baseball, pitching for the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Colorado Rockies. He was part of the New York Mets 2000 World Series team.  Known for his distinctive personality and unforgettable routines on the mound — including jumping over the foul line and brushing his teeth between innings — Turk became one of baseball's most recognizable characters. He tells stories from his career, his charitable efforts and his emotional trip to Afghanistan as part of the Heroes of the Diamond Tour.  Turk  is a member of the Class of 2026 New York State Baseball Hall of Fame.

For more information on the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame go to https://www.nysbaseballhof.com

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On episode 359 of Baseball and BBQ, we travel from the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame to the BBQ flame! Scott Crawford takes us inside Canada’s baseball history, sharing fascinating stories and a look at the people, players, and memorabilia that make the Hall so special. Then Ed Reilly of Monument Grills fires up a conversation about his remarkable 35-year career in the BBQ industry, the evolution of grills and outdoor cooking, and his passion for preserving barbecue history.

Scott Crawford is the director of operations for the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in St. Marys, Ontario, Canada.  His baseball knowledge and opinions are always enjoyable and appreciated and we are thrilled to welcome him back as he takes us inside one of baseball's most fascinating museums and gives us a terrific education on Canada's rich baseball history.  We talked about their most current class of inductees.  Go to https://baseballhalloffame.ca/ for more information on the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Ed Reilly has spent roughly 35 years in the barbecue and outdoor-cooking business, working in sales, marketing and management with companies including Weber, Char-Broil, Sunbeam, Old World Spices and B&B Charcoal. He is now with Monument Grills.  He is also the holder of the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of barbecue grills, with more than 750 vintage grills and smokers.  He describes himself as a "BBQ-ologist."  We are joined by guest co-host Chef Ray Sheehan Ray SGo to https://monumentgrills.com/ for more information on Monument Grills.

Joining us as guest co-host is Chef Ray Sheehan, one of the most recognizable names in the barbecue world and a longtime friend and contributor to Baseball and BBQ. Ray is an award-winning chef, pitmaster, sauce and rub maker, cookbook author, and BBQ educator.  He has spent more than 25 years in the food industry and has competed, judged, written about, and taught barbecue.  Go to https://www.raysheehan.com for more information.

We recommend you go to Rogue Cookers website, https://roguecookers.com/ for award-winning rubs, Chef Ray Sheehan’s website, https://www.raysheehan.com/ for award-winning saucess, rubs, and cookbooks, Baseball BBQ, https://baseballbbq.com for special grilling tools and accessories, Magnechef https://magnechef.com/ for excellent and unique barbecue gloves,  Mantis BBQ, https://mantisbbq.com/ to purchase their outstanding sauces with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Kidney Project, and for exceptional sauces, Elda's Kitchen https://eldaskitchen.com/ To team up against prostate cancer go to https://fansforthecure.org/ for Fans for the Cure, and to subscribe to Bill Chuck's newsletter, Billy-Ball go to  https://billchuck.substack.com/   

We conclude the show with the song, Baseball Always Brings You Home from the musician, Dave Dresser and the poet, Shel Krakofsky.

If you would like to contact the show, we would love to hear from you.

Call the show:  (516) 855-8214

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In episode 17 of the NYS Halls of Fame podcast, Victor Feld reflects on a lifetime devoted to baseball, character, and giving back through the Greater New York Sandlot Athletic Alliance. From nurturing young players on the sandlots to helping shape the lives of generations of athletes, Feld shares the stories, values, and passion behind his remarkable journey to the New York State Baseball Hall of Fame.

Victor Feld has devoted decades to giving young people in the New York area an opportunity to play baseball—and, just as importantly, to learn the lessons that come with being part of a team. Feld has been involved with the Greater New York Sandlot Athletic Alliance for more than four decades and served as its president for many years. The organization traces its roots to the New York Journal-American Sandlot Alliance, founded in 1945, making it part of a remarkable New York baseball tradition. Victor is a member of the Class of 2020 New York State Baseball Hall of Fame.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 358 features fascinating conversations with acclaimed barbecue writer and Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn and former Major League Baseball pitcher Doug Sisk, whose nine-year MLB career included a memorable run with the New York Mets and much more.

Daniel Vaughn is one of the most influential voices in American barbecue and the longtime Barbecue Editor for Texas Monthly. In 2013, Daniel became the first full-time barbecue editor at a major American magazine, a position he continues to hold today.

Vaughn first made his mark with his barbecue blog, Full Custom Gospel BBQ, where he documented his travels throughout Texas in search of great smoked meat. His work eventually led to his acclaimed book, The Prophets of Smoked Meat: A Journey Through Texas Barbecue.

As Texas Monthly’s Barbecue Editor, Vaughn has traveled thousands of miles eating, reviewing and documenting barbecue across Texas and beyond. He oversees the magazine’s legendary Top 50 Barbecue Joints in Texas list, one of the most influential rankings in the barbecue world.  In 2026 he was named number one on Underseasoned BBQ’s list of the 150 Most Influential People in BBQ, further recognizing the enormous impact he has had on the way barbecue is judged, discussed and celebrated.

Doug Sisk is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who spent nine seasons in the big leagues, most notably as a member of the New York Mets’ pitching staff during their unforgettable 1986 World Series championship season. A right-handed reliever known for his sinking fastball, Sisk was particularly effective at keeping the ball in the ballpark—he surrendered just 15 home runs in more than 500 innings during his Major League career.

A native of Washington state, Doug attended Green River Community College and Washington State University before signing with the Mets as an amateur free agent in 1980. He made his Major League debut with New York in 1982 and went on to pitch for the Mets, Baltimore Orioles and Atlanta Braves. His career totals include a 22-20 record, 3.27 ERA, 33 saves and 523⅓ innings pitched.

Doug was an important member of the 1986 Mets, appearing in 41 games during the championship season. He also pitched in the World Series, helping the Mets capture one of the most memorable championships in baseball history.

We recommend you go to Rogue Cookers website, https://roguecookers.com/ for award-winning rubs, Chef Ray Sheehan’s website, https://www.raysheehan.com/ for award-winning saucess, rubs, and cookbooks, Baseball BBQ, https://baseballbbq.com for special grilling tools and accessories, Magnechef https://magnechef.com/ for excellent and unique barbecue gloves,  Mantis BBQ, https://mantisbbq.com/ to purchase their outstanding sauces with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Kidney Project, and for exceptional sauces, Elda's Kitchen https://eldaskitchen.com/ To team up against prostate cancer go to https://fansforthecure.org/ for Fans for the Cure, and to subscribe to Bill Chuck's newsletter, Billy-Ball go to  https://billchuck.substack.com/   

We conclude the show with the song, Baseball Always Brings You Home from the musician, Dave Dresser and the poet, Shel Krakofsky.

If you would like to contact the show, we would love to hear from you.

Call the show:  (516) 855-8214

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 357 features author Rob Weir, who discusses his book 7 Swings at 7: Mickey Mantle — Legend and Victim of American Culture and takes us behind the myth of one of baseball’s most iconic figures. We also revisit our memorable interview with barbecue legends Moe Cason and Bob Trudnak.

Rob Weir holds a PhD in American social history and is a retired University of Massachusetts Amherst professor.  He is the author of the book, 7 Swings at 7: Mickey Mantle - Legend and Victim of American Culture.  Weir's lifelong fascination with Mantle began when he was five years old. That personal connection, combined with his academic training, provides the foundation for 7 Swings at 7 and his exploration of why Mickey Mantle continues to fascinate generations of baseball fans.

Mickey Mantle remains one of the most fascinating and complicated figures in baseball history. He was a Yankees superstar, a three-time MVP, a seven-time World Series champion, and one of the most celebrated athletes of the 1950s and 1960s. But behind the legendary home runs, incredible speed, and larger-than-life image was a man whose life was shaped by injuries, expectations, personal struggles, and the enormous cultural forces surrounding him.

Moe Cason AKA Big Moe is an award winning pitmaster who has toiled for many years creating his well respected brand, Moe Cason Barbeque and his instantly recognizable, Big Moe persona.  Moe is a television personality, cookbook author, and a Navy veteran.  He has been featured in national television segments, including Steve Harvey's and Harry Connick Jr.'s talk shows and had his own segment on NatGeo's World of Flavor.  For more information on Big Moe Cason and to purchase his products go to  https://moecasonbbq.com/

Bob Trudnak has loved barbecue since the age of seven, when his dad placed him "in charge" of putting charcoal in the grill and from that day forward he was hooked.  In 1999, Bob helped co-found the company, BBQ Guru.  He is an award winning competive pitmaster.  Beyond competitions, he is a renowned judge and instructor, having hosted hundreds of in-person and virtual barbecue classes.  He is the creator of BBQ Bob's Sauces and BobbyT's Pizza Products.  His latest accomplishment is winning season seven of BBQ Brawl on the Food Network to become the Master of 'Cue.  For more information on Bob Trudnak go to https://bobtrudnakbbq.com/

We recommend you go to Rogue Cookers website, https://roguecookers.com/ for award-winning rubs, Chef Ray Sheehan’s website, https://www.raysheehan.com/ for award-winning saucess, rubs, and cookbooks, Baseball BBQ, https://baseballbbq.com for special grilling tools and accessories, Magnechef https://magnechef.com/ for excellent and unique barbecue gloves,  Mantis BBQ, https://mantisbbq.com/ to purchase their outstanding sauces with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Kidney Project, and for exceptional sauces, Elda's Kitchen https://eldaskitchen.com/ To team up against prostate cancer go to https://fansforthecure.org/ for Fans for the Cure, and to subscribe to Bill Chuck's newsletter, Billy-Ball go to  https://billchuck.substack.com/   

We conclude the show with the song, Baseball Always Brings You Home from the musician, Dave Dresser and the poet, Shel Krakofsky.

If you would like to contact the show, we would love to hear from you.

Call the show:  (516) 855-8214

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 356 features conversations with Roy Carlson and George Hovsepian. Roy takes us inside the world of vintage baseball card collecting and the stories and history behind the cards, while George, founder of VGASS, shares how his passion for BBQ led him to create an innovative storage system for grilling accessories.

Roy Carlson is a longtime Topps baseball cards collector and baseball-card researcher.  He has been collecting since 1969 and specializes in vintage Topps cards, original production material, artwork, and the fascinating stories behind the cards.  He has spent years researching the photographs, artwork, production techniques, and other details hidden behind vintage Topps issues. His research has uncovered fascinating examples of reused photographs, previously unidentified people appearing in team cards, and the ways Topps created and assembled its iconic baseball cards.His extensive research has appeared in Sports Collectors Daily and his work on vintage Topps team cards received a 2024 SABR Baseball Research Award.  Go to https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/author/roy-carlson/ to read his articles.

Joining us as guest co-host is Anthony Marasco, a longtime friend of the show and passionate baseball fan whose knowledge and enthusiasm make him the perfect person to help explore Roy's amazing collecting journey.

Joining us as guest co-host is Chef Ray Sheehan, one of the most recognizable names in the barbecue world and a longtime friend and contributor to Baseball and BBQ. Ray is an award-winning chef, pitmaster, sauce and rub maker, cookbook author, and BBQ educator.  He has spent more than 25 years in the food industry and has competed, judged, written about, and taught barbecue.  Go to https://www.raysheehan.com for more information.

We recommend you go to Rogue Cookers website, https://roguecookers.com/ for award-winning rubs, Chef Ray Sheehan’s website, https://www.raysheehan.com/ for award-winning saucess, rubs, and cookbooks, Baseball BBQ, https://baseballbbq.com for special grilling tools and accessories, Magnechef https://magnechef.com/ for excellent and unique barbecue gloves,  Mantis BBQ, https://mantisbbq.com/ to purchase their outstanding sauces with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Kidney Project, and for exceptional sauces, Elda's Kitchen https://eldaskitchen.com/ To team up against prostate cancer go to https://fansforthecure.org/ for Fans for the Cure, and to subscribe to Bill Chuck's newsletter, Billy-Ball go to  https://billchuck.substack.com/   

We conclude the show with the song, Baseball Always Brings You Home from the musician, Dave Dresser and the poet, Shel Krakofsky.

If you would like to contact the show, we would love to hear from you.

Call the show:  (516) 855-8214

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the NYS Halls of Fame Podcast, we welcome Steve Sigler, a true pioneer in adult amateur baseball and the driving force behind the growth of the Men’s Senior Baseball League (MSBL)/Men’s Adult Baseball League (MABL).  In 1985, he placed a simple notice in a Long Island, New York, newspaper looking for men interested in forming a baseball team. That small advertisement became the beginning of something much bigger — a national baseball organization that has helped thousands of players continue doing what they loved as kids and young men: playing baseball.  More than two decades later, Sigler was leading an organization that had grown to 325 local affiliates, 3,200 teams and approximately 45,000 members, with organized amateur baseball being played in communities across the country.  Steve is a member of the Class of 2026 New York State Baseball Hall of Fame.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 355 features Ken Hess of County Smoak BBQ talking about his culinary journey and building a destination for barbecue lovers. Author Tim Brown discusses his new book Nolan, an in-depth look at the life and legacy of baseball legend Nolan Ryan.

Ken Hess is the championship pitmaster and co-owner of County Smoak in Lynchburg, Virginia. Ken shares his journey from classically trained chef to award-winning barbecue pitmaster, discusses why he believes Virginia deserves more recognition in barbecue history, and explains what it takes to build County Smoak, one of Virginia's most celebrated barbecue restaurants.  County Smoak is a family-owned barbecue restaurant founded by Ken and his wife Jessica.  The restaurant combines classical culinary training with traditional wood-fired barbecue techniques, emphasizing Virginia-sourced ingredients and regional barbecue styles. The restaurant has been recognized multiple times as one of Lynchburg's top barbecue destinations.  Go to https://www.countysmoak.com for more information.

Tim Brown has covered baseball for more than 30 years and has written two New York Times bestsellers: The Phenomenon with Rick Ankiel and Imperfect with Jim Abbott. He also wrote The Tao of the Backup Catcher. His reporting has earned numerous industry honors, including recognition from the Associated Press Sports Editors.  His latest book is Nolan:  The Singular Life of an American Original which traces the remarkable life of Hall of Fame pitcher Nolan Ryan—from his upbringing in Alvin, Texas, through his record-setting 27-year Major League career, and into his life after baseball. More than a sports biography, the book explores themes of family, faith, perseverance, and the enduring legacy of one of baseball's greatest competitors.  Go to https://www.bytimbrown.com for more information.

We recommend you go to Rogue Cookers website, https://roguecookers.com/ for award-winning rubs, Chef Ray Sheehan’s website, https://www.raysheehan.com/ for award-winning saucess, rubs, and cookbooks, Baseball BBQ, https://baseballbbq.com for special grilling tools and accessories, Magnechef https://magnechef.com/ for excellent and unique barbecue gloves,  Mantis BBQ, https://mantisbbq.com/ to purchase their outstanding sauces with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Kidney Project, and for exceptional sauces, Elda's Kitchen https://eldaskitchen.com/ To team up against prostate cancer go to https://fansforthecure.org/ for Fans for the Cure, and to subscribe to Bill Chuck's newsletter, Billy-Ball go to  https://billchuck.substack.com/   

We conclude the show with the song, Baseball Always Brings You Home from the musician, Dave Dresser and the poet, Shel Krakofsky.

If you would like to contact the show, we would love to hear from you.

Call the show:  (516) 855-8214

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episode 354 features New York Mets legend Roger McDowell and coauthor Doug Feldmann as they share stories from Hot Foot: My Hijinks and Upside-Down Life with the World Champion New York Mets. Then, Jimmy Carbone joins the conversation to talk about his incredible year so far and give a preview of the upcoming Pig Island barbecue celebration.

Roger McDowell and Doug Feldmann join us to discuss the book they coauthored, Hot Foot: My Hijinks and Upside-Down Life with the World Champion New York Mets.  The following is taken from the internet, "Roger McDowell dishes on everything from the New York Mets to Seinfeld in this lively new memoir.  Over the course of Roger McDowell's twelve-year career in Major League Baseball, the laughs were never in short supply. His teammates were always on guard, careful not to become the next victim of his dreaded "Hot Foot."

McDowell's fun-loving nature, however, was matched only by his tenacity on the pitching mound. Praised as a "battler" and a "gamer" by those same pranked teammates, Roger was all business when he went out between the lines. Priding himself on toughness and reliability, McDowell's 723 big league appearances from 1985 to 1996 were exceeded only by Lee Smith during those years. Responding to every challenge even on the grandest of stages, he helped the irascible 1986 New York Mets fight their way past other teams – and each other – toward a World Series title.

Now, forty years later, Roger discusses his earliest beginnings in the game, his climb to professional baseball, and then brings the reader onto the 1986 Mets' roster for all the bus rides, dugout jokes, and locker room antics."

Jimmy Carbone is back and we get the chance to catch up on his very busy year as well as discuss his upcoming event, Pig Island NYC.  Pig Island NYC is back for its 17th year on Saturday, September 12, 2026 when more than 20 chefs come together at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden to serve up some of their best dishes.  For more information or to purchase tickets go to  https://pigisland.com/

We recommend you go to Rogue Cookers website, https://roguecookers.com/ for award-winning rubs, Chef Ray Sheehan’s website, https://www.raysheehan.com/ for award-winning saucess, rubs, and cookbooks, Baseball BBQ, https://baseballbbq.com for special grilling tools and accessories, Magnechef https://magnechef.com/ for excellent and unique barbecue gloves,  Mantis BBQ, https://mantisbbq.com/ to purchase their outstanding sauces with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the Kidney Project, and for exceptional sauces, Elda's Kitchen https://eldaskitchen.com/ To team up against prostate cancer go to https://fansforthecure.org/ for Fans for the Cure, and to subscribe to Bill Chuck's newsletter, Billy-Ball go to  https://billchuck.substack.com/   

We conclude the show with the song, Baseball Always Brings You Home from the musician, Dave Dresser and the poet, Shel Krakofsky.

If you would like to contact the show, we would love to hear from you.

Call the show:  (516) 855-8214

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.