(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
TJ was a great dude.
To honor his passing, here's the conversation we had with the should-be Hall of Famer back in 2017. He talked to us about his chances at getting into Cooperstown, his favorite baseball movies, the injury that nearly ended his career, his relationship with the late-Frank Jobe (and why the legendary doctor is one of the three most influential men in baseball history) and playing alongside Glenn Burke.
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author joins the boys to talk about the recent news of his Lou Gehrig biography being made into a major motion picture, how to cast New York Yankees legends, breaks down his favorite (and least favorite) baseball movies, the desire to tackle big name subjects to write about and, of course, answers the question…what did MLK smell like?
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
The New York Times bestselling author returns to talk to the boys about how he ended up partnering up with should-be future podcast guest Michael Schur, their new book, Big Fan, why it’s a good time for fans, his dream event to attend, whether or not anything can compete with late 80s Michael Jackson hysteria, tracking down (and hugging) Mookie Betts, the three most handsome men he’s stood next to and, for some reason, the best damn autograph story you’ll ever hear. Promise.
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
The international baseball guru joins the boys to talk about his journey going from blogger to MLB’s senior manager, story telling and special projects, how his excitement over the World Baseball Classic led to hooking up with the Czech national team and writing his book, We Sacrifice Everything to Baseball, searching for baseball diamonds overseas and his favorite non-traditional ballpark food.
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
Six years and three championship rings after her first visit, the Senior Vice President of Planning and Development for the Los Angeles Dodgers, returns to talk to the boys about the importance of preserving the cultural significance and legacy of the team, Dodger Stadium’s new display celebrating the lives of Glenn Burke and Billy Bean and, of course, her favorite ballpark food.
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
The self-proclaimed “visual guy” returns to talk to the boys about his new book, The Ballpark and Beyond: A Celebration of Baseball's Rich History, who probably should’ve recorded the audio version, whether or not any of the current City Connect uniforms belong in the Jersey Hall of Fame, the sordid origin story of Barrel Man, Lou’s obsession with “Sad Grebeck”, first jobs and, for good measure, wage war against the city of Anaheim.
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
The New York Times best selling author joins the boys to talk about growing up a fan of Nolan Ryan, visiting a senior center in Alvin, Texas, to learn more about the Hall of Famer for his new book, Nolan: The Singular Life of an American Original, whether or not he was able to get the Ryan family involved, shares the incredibly true story of Sid Holland and reveals the missing chapter!
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
The 53-year-old knuckleballer joins the boys to talk about the 33-year layoff between playing minor league baseball for the San Francisco Giants and getting drafted by the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars, when he first learned how to throw a knuckleball, the biggest difference between 90s clubhouses and now and how long he plans to keep pitching.
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
The Peabody Award-winning writer/director joins the boys to talk about “Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat” and the day-to-day joys (and difficulties) of the behind-the-scenes of the show, his love of sports documentaries (real and fake), his favorite “off Broadway” sports, growing up a Milwaukee Brewers fan, his appreciation of County Stadium and getting back into baseball card collecting as an adult.
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
The rap legend and Public Enemy frontman joins the boys to talk about falling in love with baseball (and old school ballparks) while growing up in the shadow of Shea Stadium, his dad’s tryout with the Brooklyn Dodgers, the importance of the 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates, his influence on pop culture and hip hop fashion, touring and hitting baseball games with bandmate, legendary guitarist Tom Morello and, of course, the power of Strat-o-Matic.
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
The screenwriter joins the boys to talk about growing up cheering for the then-Milwaukee Braves, how being a baseball fan helped shape 1985’s “Brewster’s Millions” from a Bill Murray vehicle to starring Richard Pryor, hanging out on the set during the baseball scenes, whether or not we could see another version of the fil, being brought in to write “Space Jam” and handpicking the basketball players that would end up being The Monstars.
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
The owner of Milwaukee’s 4th Base, joins the boys to talk about moving his bar from the tiny Pigsville neighborhood to within walking distance of the Brewers ballpark, the role the team played in the relocation, the bar’s iconic appearance in the movie “Major League”, re-booting the 1989 classic, how the prosthetic leg of legendary skipper Harvey Kuenn ended up behind the bar and, naturally, drinking from the thing.
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
The author of Baseball’s Outcast joins the boys to talk about deciding to write the story of prison inmate-turned-Major League All-Star Ron LeFlore after first discovering him in his grade school library nearly four decades prior, the difference between telling the story of a living subject versus a dead one, actually meeting Ron LeFlore, shares the legacy of Frank Wills and introduces the world to Napolun Birdsong.
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
The Indiana Jones of movie props, joins the boys to talk about the importance Planet Hollywood had on the movie memorabilia industry, his role at Propstore, what they won’t sell (and why), the coolest stuff currently on the auction block, why some movies just don’t have that signature piece to be purchased and how he got his hands on one of the most iconic items in baseball movie history.
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
The 81-year-old baseball player joins the boys to talk about his desire to become the oldest member of the Savannah Bananas, the unique method he plans to use to get around the bases, his quest to rid the world of plastics and, hold on…did he really say he has a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle?
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
The International Women’s Baseball Center project coordinator joins the boys to talk about how his lifelong fascination of World War II turned into a love of women’s baseball, getting involved with the IWBC, the excitement around the upcoming Women’s Baseball World Cup, creating the Women's Baseball Heritage Trail, how he ended up in “the Reno of Illinois” and, naturally, what it takes to become a Kentucky Colonel.
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
The award-winning baseball photographer joins the boys to talk about getting his start working for his hometown newspaper, being part of the early history of Upper Deck baseball cards, shares his memories of both Candlestick Park and the Oakland Coliseum, living in the Bay Area during the 1989 earthquake, photographing Barry Bonds’ historic career in San Francisco and his favorite cities to visit for work.
(Download The Hall of Very Good Podcast over on iTunes)
