So, it turns out Mike has pneumonia. He's getting better. But while we wait for him to complete his rehab assignment, please enjoy this re-release of Episode 168 on Kens Griffey Sr. and Jr. 

Baseball is a game that is most often passed down from one generation to the next. But some of those handoffs are more effective than others, like with the the Griffeys, Kens Sr. and Jr., who hit back-to-back homers 35 years ago this week, the first and only time a father and son have done that in baseball history. Mike and Bill look back at the life and career of Ken Sr, the excitement of Griffey-mania in Seattle, and a unique accomplishment in the history of baseball.

Plus, happy birthday to Heinie Groh and Rick Wise!

Please excuse Mike this week, as he is dealing with some laryngitis and was on restricted duty during this episode. But Bill certainly stepped up as the pair celebrate the life and career of the great Davey Johnson to mark his passing at the age of 82. Johnson was a star as a player and a superstar as a manager, leading the Mets to their second championship in 1986 and adding significant value to basically every team he helmed. But he also had a pugnacious and self-destructive streak that seemed to undermine him everywhere he went even as he succeeded beyond all expectations.

Plus, happy birthday to Mike Hampton!

And farewell to Billy Hunter.

Baseball is a beautiful game when it's played well. But when it isn't...well, you get games like one that occured 103 years ago this week, when the Phillies and Cubs squared off in the highest scoring game of all time. 51 hits, 21 walks, and 9 errors later, the teams had collaborated to produce 49 runs, of which only 28 were earned. What exactly went wrong here and who were the players who had to suffer through such indignity? Mike and Bill look back on an anti-classic to try and figure it out.

Plus, happy birthday to Garry Maddox and Tom Candiotti!

And farewell to Hosken Powell and Ed Mickelson.

Apologies for an extra re-run this month. Mike is dealing with a personal thing, and we will be back with a new episode next week.

Some people podcast about history. Some people witness it. Melissa Ludtke made it happen, successfully fighting back against Bowie Kuhn and Major League Baseball to ensure women in journalism could be on equal footing with male sportswriters. Mike, Bill and Mike Duncan (@MikeDuncan) talk with her about that experience, about the importance of representation for women in baseball, and about the book she was working on at the time. This book is now finished and is called Locker Room Talk: A Woman's Struggle To Get Inside. It's fantastic.

Perhaps nothing unites more baseball fans than the shared experience of playing Little League Baseball. But, until 1974, only boys were allowed to play. After that, it took until 1984, 41 years ago this week, before the first girl played in Little League's crowning jewel, The Little League World Series. On this auspicious anniversary, Mike and Bill look back at the origins and history of Little League Baseball, and of the Little League World Series itself. And, aside from a few significant bumps in the road, they find what's mostly a pretty feel-good story for once.

Plus, happy birthday to Buck Weaver and Diego Segui!

And farewell to Diego Segui, Bob Heffner, and Matt Murray.

Every now and again, Mike and Bill like to take a break from the exciting world of actual baseball history and delve into the much more relaxing regular season games where nothing historic happens to talk about whatever strikes their fancy. The randomizer this week chose September 11, 1987's contest between the Pirates and Phillies. In the process of talking about the game, they share about Kevin Gross, the MLB Corporate All Stars, the best platoons, all the guys the Yankees traded away in the '80s, and Juan Soto's walk rate.

Plus, happy birthday to Patron request Jose Cruz Sr and to Alex Fernandez!

And farewell to Johnny O'Brien and Ron Taylor.

With Mike on vacation this week, we dig once again into our archives to present a classic TWIB History. One of the best ballplayers and most incredible athletes in modern history, Dave Winfield's baseball career should speak for itself. Unfortunately, two figures get in the way of that: George Steinbrenner and a stupid seagull, which was accidentally killed by a Winfield warmup toss 42 years ago this week. Mike and Bill examine all Winfield's life, including the conflicts that came to overshadow so much of what he accomplished, but reserve time to marvel at what a singular talent Winfield was. Plus, happy birthday to Frank Howard and Tim Wakefield!

Some guys don't get mentioned on baseball history podcasts because they're underrated. This week's guys don't get mentioned on most baseball history podcasts because they are, in fact, properly rated. They, for one brief moment at least, stunk on ice. But they did so in a way that is monumentally rare. They all allowed runs without recording an out. On the 107th anniversary of Harry Heitmann becoming the fourth pitcher to join this exclusive club, Mike and Bill look back on the 14 infinauts who would otherwise never get mentioned by anyone, anywhere, ever.

Plus, happy birthday to Dan Driesen and Davy Force!

And farewell to Verle Tiefenthaler and Gary Boyd.

The 1986 Mets are one of the truly iconic teams in baseball history, with a roster full of unbelievable talent, unbridled machismo, and borderline criminal tendencies. And 39 years ago, several of the mildest mannered of those Mets were arrested in a Houston bar called Cooter's Executive Games and Burgers after a night of debauchery. With certified Mets sicko and Defector Editor David Roth (@davidjroth.bsky.social), who wrote about the incident this week, Mike and Bill look back at the incident, which is hilarious in retrospect, and the Mets as a whole, while trying to figure out exactly what an executive burger would be.

Plus, happy birthday to George Gibson and Mickey Stanley!

And farewell to Horace Speed and Scott Klingenbeck.

David's article can be found here: https://defector.com/39-years-ago-four-mets-fought-the-cops-at-a-houston-bar-named-cooters

For so long, we've thought that the 4,000 hit club was one of the most exclusive in baseball history, with just two members. But on the 98th anniversary of Ty Cobb's 4,000th hit, Mike and Bill are joined by Sports Reference's Executive Director of Design, Negro Leagues expert and Latin baseball researcher Adam Darowski (@adarowski.bsky.social) to talk about his presentation at SABR 53, and how much larger that club actually is. The answer, and the players on it, will surprise you and hopefully expand your horizons about what should count toward the record book of baseball.

Plus, happy birthday to Rubén Gómez and to Jesse Tannehill!

And farewell to Mark Esser, Jack Curtis, Rod Nichols, and Jason Conti.

Here's the link to the SABR 53 presentations, where you can find audio and slides from Adam's talk: https://sabr.org/convention/sabr53-presentations