This Week In Baseball History

It takes a career to make it into the Hall of Fame. But sometimes it just takes one swing or one pitch or one game to become a legend. That happened to the otherwise unremarkable Don Larsen 70 years ago this week, when Don pitched a perfect game against the Dodgers in the World Series. Mike and Bill look back at one of the more imperfect men to achieve baseball perfection, and the self-imposed struggles that may have prevented him from becoming something more.

Plus, happy birthday to Sam West and Charlie Liebrandt!

And farewell to Rich Rowland and Jim Rittwage.

If you think it's tough spending the Holidays with your siblings, you should try being in the same lineup. That's what happened 28 years ago this week to two sets of brothers: David and Aaron Boone, and Barry and Stephen Larkin. They were all in the same lineup. In the same infield, in fact. It was the kind of forced family therapy that only the Cincinnati Reds could pull together. It's also a great excuse for Mike and Bill to roll out their latest installment in their big league brothers series. So strap in, and let's learn about the Larkins, Glavines, Manushes, Pikes, O'Rourkes, and Gwynns!

Plus, happy birthday to Jack Fournier and Todd Worrell!

And farewell to Butch Huskey, Tommy John, and Pat Putnam.

Logo by Casey Barker

At times, it seemed like Cy Young might just pitch forever. But everything, eventually, meets its end. And Cy won his last big league game 115 years ago this week. In honor of one of the game's true giants, Mike and Bill look back at his long and incredible career that spanned MLB's early and modern history, to discover a pretty decent man who happened to be an amazing hurler, and also that that final win may not have actually been his 511th.

Plus, happy birthday to Zeke Bonura and Jeff Cirillo!

And farewell to Ossie Blanco and Scott Brown

Logo by Casey Barker

They don't really make players like George Sisler these days. A slick fielding, average dependent first baseman who demonstrated incredible bat control but almost no power, leading to two .400 seasons. But, before that, the St. Louis Browns tried to use him as a pitcher as well, culminating in a fantastic performance 110 years ago this week, when he beat Walter Johnson, 1-0. Mike and Bill look back at Sisler's bifurcated career and the random illness that radically altered it.

Plus, happy birthday to Eddie Rommel and Thornton Lee!

And farewell to Héctor Valle and Duane Ward.

Like the rest of the United States, the baseball world stopped 25 years ago this week when the country suffered the most devastating terrorist attack in its history. There aren't words to adequately describe the sum of the national trauma that still resonates today, but maybe there are words to describe baseball's response. Mike and Bill look back on the 2001 season as a whole, and the first World Series to bleed into November that followed as the sport and its players struggled to adapt to the new reality and traditional villains were embraced by (most) of the nation as heroes.

Plus, happy birthday to Willie Crawford and Dave Foutz!

The Pirates proved themselves the best team in baseball in 1971, winning the NL East, the pennant, and the World Series against the Orioles. But they are celebrated these days for another accomplishment, fielding the first all-black and brown lineup in baseball history 55 years ago this week against the Phillies. It was an accidental accomplishment, the result not of social engineering, but of good scouting and good organizational philosophy, and was one of the reasons this team was so great. Mike and Bill look back on this charismatic club, their championship season, and the game that should not overshadow just how incredible they were.

Plus, happy birthday to William Bell and Johnny Lindell!

And farewell to Phil Regan and Gil Blanco.

Editor's Note: Bill's audio goes crazy about two-thirds of the way into this episode. We have cleaned it up as much as we're able and apologize in advance.

When Tom Yawkey signed his name to the MacPhail Report, delivered 80 years ago this week to new Commissioner Happy Chandler and which argued against integration, he cemented his reputation as one of baseball's hardline racists and helped direct the Red Sox down the path toward a decade and a half of mediocrity and an eternity of shame as the final team to roster a black ballplayer. On this disappointing anniversary, Mike and Bill look back at the history of Red Sox ownership and examine how Yawkey went from being the franchise's savior to one of its biggest liabilities, and the other characters who thought owning a team in Beantown would be a good idea.

Plus, happy birthday to Lonnie Frey and Tim Salmon!

And farewell to Al Holland and Darrell Jackson.

Mike is still on vacation this week, so Bill talks to two of our friends who also presented really interesting information at the most recent SABR convention: Adam Daroski, on his quest to identify members of the elusive 400-win club, and Dan Cichalski, on Bruce Springsteen and whether or not you can call a fastball a "speedball" and still know ball (you can).

With Mike away, cruising around the Pacific Northwest, the podcast is on the briefest of hiatuses. But all of baseball was on hiatus until this week, 45 years ago, when the owners and the players finally agreed to resume the 1981 season after missing almost 40 percent of the regular season. Mike and Bill look at the reasons behind the strike, who was at fault, how it got resolved, what effect it had on a deeply weird season, and the uncanny parallels to 2020, when they originally recorded this episode. Plus, happy birthday to Tommie Agee and Bill Monbouquette!

Today, you can follow baseball on the radio, tv, laptops and phones. But that wasn't the case until 105 years ago this week, when the Pirates and Phillies game was sent out over the airwaves to the greater Pittsburgh area. It was the start of a surprisingly slow process that brought us to where we are today due to the owners' intransigence. In honor of this anniversary, Mike and Bill look back at the various ways that baseball broadcasting has changed over the years, from the telegraph to streaming.

Plus, happy birthday to Dolf Luque and Red Ames!

And farewell to Al Closter, Al Worthington, Ossie Blanco and Derrell Griffith.