Reading Baseball

Pete Peterson(File)

A new cable television series explores people's happy places.

In this latest edition of Reading Baseball, Pete Peterson explains why a now demolished ballpark is special enough to fit that bill for him.

Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard “Pete” Peterson, co-author with his son Stephen, of The Slide: Leyland, Bonds and the Star-Crossed Pittsburgh Pirates and the editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.

(Pete Peterson)

The hot topic at the beginning of the Major League Baseball season was the emergence of torpedo bats.

In his latest edition of Reading Baseball, Pete Peterson looks at these bats with a non-traditional design and how the bat has evolved over the years.

Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard “Pete” Peterson, author of Growing Up With Clemente and editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.

(Joshua Peacock/Unsplash / https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1470755711115-961e80ee0284?ixlib=rb-4.0.3&ixid=MnwxMjA3fDB8MHxwaG90by1wYWdlfHx8fGVufDB8fHx8&auto=format&fit=crop&w=1470&q=80)

Former Saluki baseball standout Derek Shelton lasted over five seasons as the manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates before the franchise fired him last week.

In his latest edition of Reading Baseball, Pete Peterson explains how Shelton faced an uphill battle in getting the Pirates back on track.

Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard “Pete” Peterson, co-author, with his son Stephen, of The Slide: Leyland, Bonds and the Star-Crossed Pittsburgh Pirates and the editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.

Pope Francis waves after the canonization Mass for Mother Teresa in front of 120,000 faithful in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on September 4, 2016. Mother Teresa, who devoted her life helping the poor in India, was declared a saint by Pope Francis. Photo by Stefano Spaziani/UPI(Courtesy of UPI / ALAMY Stock Photo. / PBS Pressroom)

The recent death of Pope Francis got Reading Baseball commentator Pete Peterson thinking about his visit to the U.S. nearly ten years ago.

In this edition of Reading Baseball, Pete wonders if the pope was a baseball fan?

Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard “Pete” Peterson, co-author, with his son, Stephen, of The Slide: Leyland, Bonds and the Star-Crossed Pittsburgh Pirates and the editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.

Pete and Anita Peterson with Brad Palmer (right)(Brad Palmer)

Reading Baseball is a WSIU Radio original series of baseball essays and commentaries by Richard "Pete" Peterson. It started in the spring of 2004.

This edition of Reading Baseball is another milestone in the series for Pete.

Pete Peterson is the author of Growing Up With Clemente and the editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.

(Pete Peterson)

A new book out this spring highlights the breaking of the color line by the Chicago White Sox and Cubs in the 1950’s.

In his latest edition of Reading Baseball, Pete Peterson reviews the book that looks at the integration of baseball in Chicago.

Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard “Pete” Peterson, co-author, with his son, Stephen, of The Slide: Leyland, Bonds and the Star-Crossed Pittsburgh Pirates and the editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.

(Provided by Pete Peterson)

A new book is out focusing on the 40th anniversary of the 1985 World Series. A series won by Kansas City in controversial fashion over their cross-state rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals.

In this edition of Reading Baseball, Pete Peterson reviews the book and how the series’ infamous blown call shaped the legacy of an otherwise well-respected umpire.

Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard “Pete” Peterson, author of Growing Up With Clemente and the editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.

The cover of the SIU Press reprint of Man on Spikes featuring an image of Itchy Jones(Provided by Pete Peterson)

Tributes continue for former Saluki coaching great Itchy Jones, who died on February 17.

In this edition of Reading Baseball, Pete Peterson once again remembers the time Jones became a cover boy when SIU Press reprinted a critically-acclaimed baseball book.

Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard “Pete” Peterson, co-author, with his son Stephen, of The Slide: Leyland, Bonds and the Star-Crossed Pittsburgh Pirates and the editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.

Vic Harris as a player with the Homestead Grays.(Provided by Pete Peterson)

In his latest Reading Baseball and annual Black History Month commentary, Pete Peterson tells us about a legendary negro league manager who Pete believes was wrongly left out of the Baseball Hall of Fame again.

Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard “Pete” Peterson, co-author, with his son, Stephen, of The Slide: Leyland, Bonds and the Star-Crossed Pittsburgh Pirates and the editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.

St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado swings at a pitch in a game at Busch Stadium.(Kirk Thornton/Unsplash / UnSplash)

Baseball has found some innovative ways recently to try and make the game more appealing to fans.

In his latest edition of Reading Baseball, Pete Peterson takes a look at the most recent proposal and why this gimmick was put on the shelf.

Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard “Pete” Peterson, co-author, with his son, Stephen, of The Slide: Leyland, Bonds and the Star-Crossed Pittsburgh Pirates and the editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.