We spoke with author Anne R. Keene this week. She is the author of the book "The Cloudbuster Nine (The Untold Story of Ted Williams and the Baseball Team That Helped Win World War II)."

Anne tells us about the preface of the book and how her dad was involved in the story.

Anne also shares with us other stories about history and baseball and what her Proffitt & Loss were.

Make sure you get a copy of Anne's book and follow her online.

Anne R. Keene -

Website: https://www.annerkeene.com/

E-mail: [email protected]

Amazon (Book Purchase): https://www.amazon.com/Cloudbuster-Nine-Untold-Williams-Baseball/dp/1683583620/ref=sr_1_1?crid=AMWAGFZ7A8CT&keywords=the+cloudbuster+nine+book&qid=1673908561&sprefix=The+Cloudb%2Caps%2C102&sr=8-1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnneRKeeneAuthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_annekeene/ (@_AnneKeene)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/KeeneAuthor (@KeeneAuthor)



Earned Fun Average -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

We spoke with Josh Jackson this week. Josh is a writer, editor and producer for MLB and MiLB. He writes for MLB Pipeline and hosts the Ghosts of the Minors segment on The Show Before The Show podcast. He also has the Josh Interrupts segment in Ben Hill's weekly newsletter.

Hear how Josh comes up with the fictional teams for the Ghosts of the Minors segment, what position Josh held while working in Minor League Baseball and what his Proffitt & Loss are.

Follow Josh and his work online.

Josh Jackson -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joshuawjackson/ (@JoshuaWJackson)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/joshjacksonmilb (@JoshJacksonMiLB)

Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-show-before-the-show/id983412776 (The Show Before the Show podcast)

Ben's Biz Beat Newsletter: MiLB.com Newsletter Registration | MiLB.com



Earned Fun Average -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

We had the "Godfather of Ice Cream Helmets" join us on this week's show. Eric Lichtenberg is a native of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He shares about his love for the Minnesota Twins and the St Paul Saints.

He tells us how he got into collecting ice cream helmets and how being a graphic designer has grown his passion and collection over the years.

Hear Eric's Proffitt & Loss, check out his website and follow him on Twitter.

Eric Lichtenberg -

Website: https://www.elichtenberg.com/ehc/

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/elichtenberg (@ELichtenberg)


Earned Fun Average -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

We had Salt City's own Shane Bua join us this week to talk all about his job with the Syracuse Mets. Shane shares some fun major league players he's seen on rehab while working for the S'Mets.

Shane tells us about his love for the Red Sox and his thoughts on the move Fever Pitch.

Hear his Proffitt & Loss and be sure to follow the Syracuse Mets and Shane online.

Syracuse Mets -

Website: https://www.milb.com/syracuse/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syracusemets/ (@SyracuseMets)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/syracusemets (@SyracuseMets)


Shane -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thatshanebua/ (@ThatShaneBua)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/thatshanebua (@ThatShaneBua)


Earned Fun Average:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

We had Gary Willsch on this week's episode. Gary is an avid New York Yankees fan and a season ticket holder for the Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.

Gary shared what it's like to see some future Yankee greats up close and personal in the minor leagues and what it was like to see games at the old Yankee Stadium.

He mentions what it was like to be in New York on September 11th, 2001 and how it felt having the Yankees play in the World Series.

Gary also shares his side of the story about the famous Miami trip. Johnny won a trip from the New Orleans Baby Cakes to see the Miami Marlins and Gary won a trip from the Scranton Wilkes-Barre RailRiders to see the New York Yankees play against Miami.

Follow Gary on social media -

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gary.willsch/


Earned Fun Average -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

We are joined by Logan Wiening from Fort Wayne, Indiana on this week's episode. Logan is the founder of Old Fort Baseball Co, a baseball apparel store, that dives into the rich baseball history of Fort Wayne and others.

Logan shares about his collaboration with the Baseball Mappers guys on their Support Local Baseball products.

Hear Logan's story about learning graphic design on his own and hear what his Proffitt and Loss are.

Visit Logan's website and follow him online -

Website: https://www.oldfortbaseballco.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oldfortbaseballco/ (@OldFortBaseballCo)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/oldfortbballco (@OldFortBBallCo)


Earned Fun Average -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Zack Raab joined us on this week's episode. The life-long Marlins fan moved to Israel and spent a few years over there and was able to travel to watch Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic. He decided to move back to the United States and took a job in Major League Baseball working with Minor League Baseball. He works with 40 minor league teams and communicates with them from his office in New York City and gets to travel to their cities to meet with the teams and see their stadiums.

Make sure to follow Zack online.

Zack Raab -

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/zackraab (@ZackRaab)


Earned Fun Average -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

We celebrated the first annual Average Holiday Spectacular with a number of our former guests.

We all shared what hat we were wearing. We also shared what baseball-themed Christmas items we've received and what our potential plans for baseball travels in 2023 will be.

We were joined by former guests -

Virgil Brooks: https://www.twitter.com/thelostgumbel (@TheLostGumbel)

Erik Mertens: https://www.twitter.com/itserikmertens (@ItsErikMertens)
Carina Mertens: https://www.twitter.com/carinosaleon (@CarinosaLeon)

George Falkowski: https://www.twitter.com/georgefalkowski (@GeorgeFalkowski)

John Southee: https://www.twitter.com/johnsouth33 (@JohnSouth33)

Paul Caputo: https://www.twitter.com/count2baseball (@Count2Baseball)
Amy Burnett: https://www.twitter.com/rangeramy (@RangerAmy)

Donnie Wise: https://www.twitter.com/wisedrjr (@WiseDRJr)

Jessie Barton: https://www.twitter.com/jessie_barton_ (@Jessie_Barton_)

Ed Rivera: https://www.twitter.com/thedadhat216 (@TheDadHat216)

Lynn Smith: https://www.twitter.com/iaskiheho (@IASkiHeHo)

Mike Gotses: https://www.twitter.com/mikegotses (@MikeGotses)

The Young Professor: https://www.twitter.com/youngprofessorg (@YoungProfessorG)

Anna DiTommaso: https://www.twitter.com/baseballbucket (@BaseballBucket)


Earned Fun Average -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Okay, so Eric didn't turn 100. He's still younger than Johnny. However, he did make it to 100 baseball games this season. This special episode takes everyone through Eric's journey to 100 games this year from game 1 in Honolulu, Hawaii to game 100 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Johnny hosts our 40th episode and asks Eric a dozen questions ranging from the best merchandise to the unique food items he came across throughout his travels.

Follow us on social media.

Earned Fun Average - 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Tim Grubbs joined us on this week's EFA episode. Tim called New Orleans Zephyrs and New Orleans Baby Cakes games for 17 years and is the current radio broadcaster for the Wichita Wind Surge.

Tim tells us about his transition from New Orleans to Wichita and who some of his radio influences were growing up.

He also discusses Walk-Off City and shares his Proffitt & Loss with us.

Follow the Wichita Wind Surge and Tim online.


Tim Grubbs -

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/mrtimgrubbs (@MrTimGrubbs)



Wind Surge -

Website: https://www.milb.com/wichita

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/windsurgeict/ (@WindSurgeICT)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/windsurgeict (@WindSurgeICT)



Earned Fun Average -

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/earnedfunavg/ (@EarnedFunAvg)