This Week In Baseball History Mike Bates and Bill Parker

Willie Mays is, undisputedly, one of the top two or three players in baseball history, a breathtaking blend of power, average, and defense that often defied description. One such day was 59 years ago this week, when Willie hit four home runs in one game against the Braves. But Willie was just getting started, and would spend the rest of the decade proving that he was unlike anyone else who had ever played in the Majors before. Mike and Bill go through Willie's time in San Francisco, the triumphs and the struggles that made the journey not nearly as fun as it should have been. Plus, happy birthday to Rick Burleson and Virgil Trucks!

There may have never been, and may never be, a baseball player better than Willie May. But it didn't seem like that at first, as Mays struggled upon his initial exposure to the Bigs 70 years ago this week and would suffer a crisis of confidence that could have ended his career before it began. How did he get through it to become Willie Freaking Mays? Mike and Bill look back at Willie's rise to find out. Plus, happy birthday to Dave Hollins and Deacon Phillippe!

There may have never been an athlete as singular as Bo Jackson, a two sport star whose potential and flashes of brilliance tantalized the world until it all came crashing down. On the 38th anniversary of him signing with the Kansas City Royals, Mike and Bill look back on Bo's careers, his downfall, his comeback, and his legacy.
Plus, happy birthday to Wally Joyner and Doug Mientkiewicz!

We only have ten fingers and ten toes, so it's somewhat forgivable that, somewhere north of 20 you might forget how many hits you have. It's more strange for an entire baseball loving nation to do that, but that's what happened 110 years ago this week when the great Honus Wagner was celebrated for becoming the second player to reach 3,000 hits...weeks before he actually did so.
What accounted for this accounting error? And why do we not really care? And what makes this oddly shaped German man so damn lovable a century later? Mike and Bill look back at his life and career to find out.
Plus happy birthday to Dave Brown and patron request Fred Mitchell!
And farewell to Kevin Batiste and Pat Zachry.

While the MLB draft has been moved to July, it's the 58th anniversary of Steve Chilcott being taken first overall by the Mets in 1966, over Reggie Jackson. This was, of course, one of the great draft blunders in history, as Chilcott wouuld never make the majors and Reggie...did. In honor of this very Metsian mistake, Mike and Bill look back at other first overall picks who were complete busts for their clubs.
Plus, happy birthday to Bryan Harvey and Merv Rettenmund!

After a long weekend, Mike and Bill are back with an only slightly shortened episode. Don't worry though, there's still over an hour of birthdays, memorials, and emails from listeners with stories and lots of additional geological baseball names. We'll be back next week with a full episode.
So happy birthday to George McQuinn and Gary Nolan!
And farewell to Wayne Schurr, La Schelle Tarver, Odell Jones, and Chuck Seelbach.