Passed Ball Show

12-2-2023 Passed iBall Show. John spends this program venting about Major League Baseball's injustice when it comes to its Hall of Fame. John's suggestion to partially right this wrong includes the opportunity its writers have to elect (select) Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, and Gary Sheffield THIS year. John brings up the ridiculous "character clause" which has been used to selectively support Baseball's political agenda. John questions the character of "Hall of Famers" Kenesaw Mountain Landis, Bud Selig, Cap Anson, Rogers Hornsby, and others who have may not been the best people. During today's #savingsportshistory segment, John brings up Canadian Heavyweight Champion Tommy Burns, the first NFL Wide Receiver Don Hutson, Dan Marino, Gerry Cheevers, Patrick Roy, Willie Brown, Monica Seles, and Jean Beliveau. He also shares an interesting point or two about Eiji Sawamura: you would be interested in knowing who he is.

11-25-2023 Passed Ball Show. John spends this program talking about the biggest rivalries in the world of sport. He then talks about some of the best players/ coaches to never win a championship in their respective sport. During today’s #savingsportshistory segment, John talks about the NFL’s Dallas Texans, not the Kansas City Chiefs, and a little historical value about the head coach of the 1952 team. John then talks about the second NBA player to ever reach 15,000 career points. Who was the first to reach? John then talks about the first broadcast of the best ever play by play/ analyst combination. John also mentions a four (4) time Hart Trophy winner, Joe DiMaggio, Lenny Moore, Joe Gibbs, and Cris Carter. Finally, John goes off on Kenesaw Mountain Landis and why MLB cannot talk about its “character clause” while remembering one of the greatest world soccer players to ever play the game.

11-18-2023 Passed Ball Show. Live from the RWJ Barnabas Arena in Toms River, NJ- site of the Harlem Wizards vs Team Sario. John interviews longtime MMA and UFC fighter George Sullivan as they discuss what got him into fighting, what separates him from a lot of other “fighters,” his fighting style, submissions, and the fact that boxers still get paid so much even though MMA fights draw better and have more views. John then gets to speak with World Champion wrestler Paul Kenny about what got him interested in wrestling and how has been able to handle teenage fame. John then brings up his theory of the corruption of professional boxing leading to the emergence of MMA and its popularity. John then talks about the MLB Milwaukee Brewers and describes why they may be very vulnerable while wondering if this could be a Chris Hansen dateline catching type of predator situation going on (metaphor only). He then talks about players like Mike Trout and Pete Alonso and the reason players like that will NOT be traded. During today’s #savingsportshistory segment, John talks about Jackie Robinson and the 1949 MVP vote (why they got it right),

11-11-2023 Passed Ball Show. John spends this program talking about the New York Yankees and their quarter Centurian General Manager Brian Cashman, who seems interested (probably ownership driven) in selling its fans on why the team is good right now as opposed to what it needs to do to be even better. John explains why the bar might not be so high to get into the postseason (Arizona Diamondbacks won the National League Pennant with 84 regular season wins), but it should not keep the Yankees away from upgrading the many areas they need to improve upon and the fact that some of that will have to come from increasing their payroll. John then talks about the Milwauykee Brewers and their potential firesale. John gives a good reason why the Brewers may believe they can slide lesser expensive pitchers into their system, but John believes the team may take some big steps back for 2024. John then gives his endorsement to the Indiana Pacers and Houston Rockets of this 2024-25 NBA season, and he explains why During today's #savingsportshistory segment of the program, John talks about Eddie Collins, the New York Hockey Rangers, Fernando Valenzuela, playing a pro sport in two countries in the SAME DAY, Rabbit Maranville, Pie Traynor, and Warner Wolf.

11-4-2023 Passed Ball Show- John spends this program talking about the average salaries of the Major League Baseball manager and whether the fact that salaries have gone down are justified due to their responsibilities being taken away. Is Craig Counsell the right poster child for the increase in MLB manager salaries? Should there be six (6) MLB managers making barely over the MLB player minimum? John also talks about how difficult it is to quantify the performance of today’s MLB manager. He also talks about the history of diva Wide Receivers in the National Football League and particularly how it pertains to the Pittsburgh Steelers. During today’s #savingsportshistory segment, John talks about the MLB Players’ League of 1890, a NFL team that gave up their first points of the season in week EIGHT (8)! Stan Mikita, MLB’s first big time free agent offseason, Bobby Wallace, Orlando Pace, Grover Cleveland Alexander, Cy Young, and George “Sparky” Anderson.

10-31-2023 Passed Ball Show. John spends this program talking about the New York football Giants and how they could possibly put themselves in a position to have a quarterback playing in the NFL that they could not trust to throw a forward pass. John blames the team's loss on Tommy DiVito and the fact that he was not capable of performing the duties of a NFL quarterback. John wonders out loud why Collin Kaepernick was not in the game, knowing very well that he was blackballed by collusion of the 32 NFL owners. John then talks about Buck Showalter and why even though he would love to see him manage in the major leagues again, it would be better if he did not get the Los Angeles Angels manager job. During today's #savingsportshistory segment, John talks about the significance of Earl Lloyd, some past Cy Young Award winners, Venus Williams, Pete Henry, Cal Hubbard, Wilbur Shaw, Nick Saban, Fred McGriff, George Halas, Willie McCovey, and John McVay.

10-28-2023 Passed Ball Show. John talks about the sad narrative that surrounds the 2023 World Series. Those who think it is “boring” because of the cities (Phoenix and Arlington) that represent it hopefully did not watch one of the most entertaining games in recent baseball memory. John talks about the company Bruce Bochy could join with a fourth (4th) World Series Championship and the only other teams that have two (2) World Series Championships without a loss. During today’s #SavingSportsHistory segment, John talks about a World Series that ended in a tie, Bud Grant’s record that will never be broken, Y.A. Tittle, Elmore Smith, the deciding game of multiple World Series, Red Auerbach, Trevor Berbick, Bobby Orr, Bowie Kuhn, Lenny Wilkens, and the two first female officials to ever work for a Major League US Men's Sport.

10-23-2023 Passed Ball Show. John starts off this program by pointing out that the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies both clinched the League Championship Series OTD last year and have a chance to do it again tonight. John then talks about the success of the Philadelphia Phillies and the reason they have a chance to win the World Series this season. That is because of the amount of money they have spent in free agency. John believes that this is great for the sport of baseball and explains why. John then talks about how many in the baseball community have overrated the managerial success of Bob Melvin as he gets set to take his third MLB manager job in Four Seasons. During today's #savingsportsHISTORY segment, John discusses, among other things, cricket, Pele, Jackie Robinson, Rick Sutcliffe, John Heisman, Frank "Bruiser" Kinard, Vern Stevens, Jim Bunning, and W. G. Grace.

10-14-2023 Passed Ball Show. John opens up this program by talking about the difficulties the Boston Red Sox may be facing in their efforts to hire a new General Manager/ President of Baseball Operations. John talks about the decision to move on from Ben Cherington and David Dombrowski not too long after both led their franchise to World Series Championships. After spending a couple of minutes previewing the League Championship Series', John comes up with a proposal to lessen the amount of time between the last day (Sunday) of the regular season and the League Division Series. John says it is time to stop blaming Head Coaches and Coordinators for the teams that are struggling and start blaming the players (and he then explains why). John expresses an understanding of frustration for now former Charlotte Hornets forward Kai Jones before suggesting he let his future numbers speak for themselves before comparing himself to any NBA greats. Finally, on todays #SavingSportsHistory, John remembers five World Series that ended on this date, a baseball player that died after injuring his bladder hitting a home run, what George Blanda has in common with Joe Montana, the BBWAA, Ezzard Charles, Chris Chambliss, Wayne Gretzky, when the Olympics loss a lot of luster, and who was to blame more than Steve Bartman for his infamous 15 minutes of fame (It may not be who you think), as well as Oscar Charleston, John Wooden, Charlie Joiner, and 2006 Tour de France Champion Floyd Landis!

9-23-2023 Passed Ball Show. John opens up this show congratulating the Minnesota Twins on winning the 2023 American League Central division. He then wonders if they have a better chance of competing for the AL Pennant now that the New York Yankees are unlikely to make the postseason. John asks out loud why the Twins run and hide whenever they play the Yankees in the postseason? The fear they have for the Yankees is unbelievable. John next asks what New York Giants Head Football Coach Brian Daboll said to his team during halftime before their comeback victory over the Arizona Cardinals. He then rips the San Francisco 49ers defensive players who ANONYMOUSLY criticized Giants quarterback Daniel Jones without having the balls to put their name and image with it. John then goes on a rant about how one could be a professional football and be so weak as to lack the self-confidence to put your name behind a comment like that. During today’s #savingsportshistory segment, John talks about the first ever organized baseball team, Gene Tunney, Rocky Marciano, Jose Canseco, Albert Pujols, and Gale Sayers speaking about the latter in regards to his place among all time NFL running backs.