This Week In Baseball History

Mike Bates and Bill Parker

This Week In Baseball History is a weekly podcast devoted to the history of baseball, hosted by Mike Bates and Bill Parker, the co-founders of The Platoon Advantage and writers on many fine websites.

  1. 6 FEB

    Episode 395 - Hulbert's League

    William Hulbert had an idea. I mean, probably more than one, but one that really took off. And he made that idea a reality 150 years ago this week when he and seven other owners got together and founded the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs to replace the National Association of Baseball Players. It wasn't felt at first, but Hulbert's innovation was seismic, transforming baseball from a pasttime into big business. On this auspicious anniversary, Mike and Bill look back at Hulbert's life and his brainchild, and how he nursed the league through its infancy. Plus, happy birthday to Bake McBride and Candy Jim Taylor! And farewell to Steve Hertz, Tim Harkness, Mike Campbell, and Greg Thayer.

    1 h y 20 min

  2. 30 ENE

    Episode 394 - Across the Ocean, Inside the Park (with Special Guest Rob Fitts)

    This week, Mike and Bill welcome five-time SABR Research Award winner Rob Fitts to talk about his latest book, In the Japanese Ballpark: Behind the Scenes of Nippon Professional Baseball. Fitts's book is a terrific point of entry for anyone interested in learning more about the unique and raucus experience of attending a Japanese ballgame. From beer vendors to front office executives to players to commissioners, Rob interviews those who work diligently to produce the most popular sport in Japan in this accessible and exceptional book. Mike and Bill talk with him about the research process, some of what he learned, and what has changed over the years in the Japanese game. Plus, happy birthday to Hank Aguirre and George Blaeholder! And farewell to Jim Duckworth, Tom Timmermann, Dave Morehead, and George Altman.

    1 h y 47 min

  3. 23 ENE

    Episode 393 - Oops, (Almost) All Memorials!

    We were already way behind on memorials even before we took an extra week off over the holidays, but because the backlog was getting ridiculous, Mike and Bill decided it was best to devote almost an entire episode to ballplayers who have left us recently. It doesn't catch us all the way up, but it's a lot closer. So join us to say farewell to Sandy Alomar Sr, Craig Eaton, Larry Burright, Mickey McGuire, Bill Pleis, Yoervis Medina, Jesús Montero, John Morris, Rob Mallicoat, Bob Oldis, Steve Hargan, and Bernie Smith. And happy birthday to Len Koenecke and Mike Krukow!

    1 h y 39 min

  4. 16 ENE

    Episode 392 - Our Idiot Brothers III: Tokyo Drift

    As foretold in the updated descriptions of our reruns, this week it is time to return to the realm of siblings. But not just any siblings. The siblings that got forgetten about along the way. The siblings who had no business being mentioned in the company of their superstar bros. The siblings who would be saved second by their parents in a house fire. It is time for Our Idiot Brothers 3: Tokyo Drift. Please enjoy this tale of the less talented of the Clarksons, Ripkens, Murrays, Dickeys, Nettles and Wrights.  Plus, happy birthday to Chet Brewer and Silver King! And farewell to Tom Patton, Jim Dickson, Ted Ford, and Ed Acosta.

    1 h y 12 min

  5. 8 ENE

    Episode 305 (Rerun) - Our Idiot Brothers, Part II

    Bill and Mike are both still recovering from holiday colds that their adorable nephew and niece shared with them, respectively. So this week's episode is a re-run of the second in our Idiot Brothers series to get you ready for next week, when your intrepid hosts will return with Part III. Until then:  It remains hard, at times to be brothers. We covered that back in January, 2023 with a set of siblings who fell well short of their illustrious kin. But there are still so many bad (or just mediocre) brothers out there! So Mike and Bill go back to the well to find more stories of those who just never could measure up. On the anniversary of Larry Yount not actually throwing a pitch in his one and only game, get ready for Cansecos, Boyers, Torres, O'Connors, Delahantys and, yes, Younts.  Plus, happy birthday to Stan Lopata and Ted Kluszewski!

    1 h y 28 min

  6. 27/12/2025

    Episode 279 (Re-run) - Our Idiot Brothers, Part 1

    Mike and Bill are back home for the Holidays and, as every year, are confronted with the reality that they're the idiot brothers of some very talented and impressive people. So, in honor of that, we present this re-run of Episode 279: Sometimes it's hard being brothers. It's even harder being brothers when you're the black sheep of the family. The guy who has to watch his sibling, who shares so much of your DNA, exceeds all your wildest hopes and dreams while you're left behind. Not that we're speaking from experience or anything. But, after he signed with the Giants 116 years ago this week, Henry Mathewson could probably tell us all what it felt like. Taking inspiration from Christy's kid brother, Mike and Bill look back at six siblings who failed to live up to their family name. Plus, happy birthday to Steve Balboni and Mike Lieberthal!

    1 h y 20 min

  7. 20/12/2025

    Episode 391 - Catfish Wriggles Off the Line

    Aside from "The Babe," there's probably no more recognizable nickname in baseball than "Catfish." But Jim Hunter proved easy to catch and hard to keep for Athletics owner Charlie Finley 51 years ago this week, when Finley's negligence led to an arbitration decision that freed Hunter from his contract with Oakland. As baseball's first modern free agent, Hunter served as an excellent test case for ballplayers who were eager to see what their prices were on the open market, and the answer to that was: a lot! Mike and Bill look back at Hunter's career and the mistake that was an important mile marker on the road to the modern free agent era. Plus, happy birthday to John Anderson and Adolfo Phillips! And farewell to Carlos Lezcano, Terry Ley, Brian Dayett and Jim Marshall.

    1 h y 32 min

  8. 12/12/2025

    Episode 390.5 - Memorializing Gary Gray

    After accidentally excising Bill's memorial segment last week, Mike sheepishly presents it here, on the life and career of Gary Gray.

    7 min
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This Week In Baseball History is a weekly podcast devoted to the history of baseball, hosted by Mike Bates and Bill Parker, the co-founders of The Platoon Advantage and writers on many fine websites.

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