55 years ago this week, if the story is to be believed, a truck waited at a rest area in the middle of Utah, waiting to find out if it should travel west or east. In the balance hung the hopes of two cities that each wanted a big league baseball team. In Part 1 of a two part episode, Mike and Bill look at the troubled first year of the Seattle Pilots and the messy process that left them on the verge of moving to Milwaukee. Plus, happy birthday to Gary Pettis and Tommy Holmes!

Part 2: Bud Selig and the Birth of the Brewers: https://thisweekinbaseballhistory.libsyn.com/episode-195-bud-selig-and-the-birth-of-the-brewers-part-2

Continuing their recent run of outfielders who may or may not be Hall of Fame material, Mike and Bill look back this week at the life and career of "Cuy" Cuyler, on the 92nd anniversary of him breaking his leg in an exhibition. It was his second straight year missing time with a broken leg. Did that ultimately hurt the case of this early all star and World Series hero? Tune in to learn more.

Plus, happy birthday to Ray Kremer and Wilson Álvarez!

And farewell to Ángel Torres, Jim Todd, Rich Dauer, and Dave Van Gorder.

As they gear up for the start of the regular season, Mike and Bill proudly present an encore episode from the early days of the show:

With all due respect to the 1899 Spiders, the worst team in baseball history was undoubtedly the one managed by Charlie Brown in Peanuts, the iconic comic strip written by Charles Schulz. And no one knows more about that team than special guest Larry Granillo (@wezen_ball), who joins Mike and Bill to discuss Peanuts, its connection to baseball, the statistics Larry calculated in his 2011 SABR presentation, and Charlie Brown's first homer, which happened 25 years before we first published this episode in 2018. Fun and whimsy!

The parade of questionable Hall of Fame outfielders continue, as Mike and Bill celebrate Chuck Klein being elected to Cooperstown by the Veterans Committee 45 years ago this week. Klein put together some of the greatest seasons in baseball history, but in some of the weirdest contexts in baseball history, before suddenly flaming out. What happened? And did the strange conditions in which he played make his election a mistake? Like life, it's all very complicated!

Plus, happy birthday to Ewell Russell and Terry Mulholland!

And farewell to Don Secrist, Jeff Torborg, Tommy Brown, and Bobby Cuellar.

Despite being a fine player for 17 seasons and a World Series hero three times over, Harry Hooper is one of the least discussed Hall of Famers in 2025. But 124 years ago this week, he was the only man who could replace Joe Jackson and return credibilty to the White Sox, who acquired him from Boston. On this anniversary, Mike and Bill look back on one of the best outfielders of the young American League to see what made him the man for the job.

Plus, happy birthday to Jim Konstanty and Paul Konerko!

And farewell to Félix Mantilla and Bob Veale.

Over more than a century, the Yankee pinstripes have perhaps become the most iconic uniform element in all of sports, instantly identifiable to fans everywhere. And 113 years ago this week, the New York then Highlanders announced they'd be wearing them for the first time. Mike and Bill looks back at the history of the uniform pinstripes, as well as the Old English D on Tigers uniforms, the Athletics' continued association with elephants as they migrated across the country, and more!

Plus, happy birthday to Ray Brown and Wilbur Cooper!

And farewell to Mark Bradley, Jim Lawrence, and Brian Matusz.

Mike accidentally deleted his description of the 6th inning and the unappreciated efforts of Frank McCormick from this week's episode, and so re-presents it here. Apologies!

With the baseball history cupboard relatively bare this week, Mike and Bill fire up the ol' randomizer, which settles on an early season Reds and Pirates game from April 24th, 1937. In the process of talking about the game, they learn about Paul Waner, Frank McCormick, pitchers who refuse to allow home runs, batters who don't strike out, Forbes Field and more!

Plus, happy birthday to Logan Hensley and Wally Pipp!

And farewell to Juan Jaime, Gary Sutherland, Lenny Randle and Brent Billingsley.

After threatening for years, Mike and Bill finally get around to the short-lived Senior Professional Baseball Assocation to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the league's only championship. How did this glorious thing come to be and why did it fail? What happened in between? Was its downfall inevitable, or could the idea actually work today? All these questions will be answered (or at least speculated about)!

Plus, happy birthday to Roger Peckinpaugh and Orval Overall.

And farewell to Roberto Gomez, Jack DiLauro, Ron Locke, and Wayne Simpson.

There has never been an infield that has played together longer, more often, or perhaps better than the Dodgers' incredible combination of Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, and Ron Cey, a dynamic foursome that lasted 9 years and 833 starts together. But it all came to an end 38 years ago this week, when Lopes was traded away. Mike and Bill examine the long and excellent careers of all four players, together and apart, and what ended their incredible run after they finally won their championship.