Hooks & Runs

A podcast about baseball, music and culture.
  • 4.9 (10)
  • BASEBALL
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Hooks & Runs is a podcast about baseball, music and culture. Our podcast includes interviews with news makers in the sports and music world plus commentary from the co-hosts on interesting current and historical events. Hooks & Runs releases a new episodes every Thursday (more or less).

  1. 3D AGO

    274 - "I Thought I'd Given Up the Circus:" Baseball Promotions w/ Joseph Natalicchio

    Joseph Natalicchio is the author of "Baseball's Most Outrageous Promotions: From Wedlock and Headlock Day to Disco Demolition Night" (McFarland 2025), released earlier in December. This is a wonderful book - we discuss everything from Disco Demolition Night to the night fans tore apart a ballpark while game played on to why baseball promotions have gotten so boring!  Joseph was a gracious guest and we hope you enjoy this chat. Here is the link to the book at McFarland (link above): https://tinyurl.com/promotions121125 ...or buy the book at the affiliate link below. Please consider supporting Hooks & Runs by purchasing books, including those featured in this episode (if any were), through our store at Bookshop.org. Here's the link. https://bookshop.org/shop/hooksandruns  Hooks & Runs - https://hooksandruns.buzzsprout.com Email: hooksandruns@protonmail.com Craig on Bluesky (@craigest.bsky.social) Rex (Krazy Karl's Music Emporium) on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/people/Krazy-Karlz-Music-Emporium/100063801500293/ Hosts Emeriti: Andrew Eckhoff on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hofffest Eric on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ichaboderic/ Music: "Warrior of Light" by ikolics (via Premium Beat)    www.premiumbeat.com/artist/ikoliks This podcast and this episode are copyright Craig Estlinbaum, 2025.

    46 min

  2. DEC 8

    273 - Podcast News, Baseball Moves, Guns & Roses

    Big news about the podcast, a look at some early baseball moves and Guns & Roses is going on tour.  Errata: The Houston Astros missed the playoffs twice since 2015 - in 2016 and in 2025 - not once. Nacagdoches is a town in East Texas, home of Stephen F. Austin University. Guns & Roses' record label was Geffen, not Sony. Please consider supporting Hooks & Runs by purchasing books, including those featured in this episode (if any were), through our store at Bookshop.org. Here's the link. https://bookshop.org/shop/hooksandruns  Hooks & Runs - https://hooksandruns.buzzsprout.com Email: hooksandruns@protonmail.com Craig on Bluesky (@craigest.bsky.social) Rex (Krazy Karl's Music Emporium) on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/people/Krazy-Karlz-Music-Emporium/100063801500293/ Hosts Emeriti: Andrew Eckhoff on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hofffest Eric on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ichaboderic/ Music: "Warrior of Light" by ikolics (via Premium Beat)    www.premiumbeat.com/artist/ikoliks This podcast and this episode are copyright Craig Estlinbaum, 2025.

    34 min

  3. NOV 27

    272 - The Spirit of Radio w/ Dave South

    Dave South was the radio voice of Texas A&M Athletics from 1985 to his retirement in 2018. He is the author of "You Saw Me on the Radio: Recollections and Favorite Calls as the Voice of Aggie Athletics" (Texas A&M Univ. Press 2019), which was released in paperback in August.  "You Saw Me on the Radio" at Texas A&M Univ. Press50s and 60s Rock & Roll with Dave South at KAMUMore about Wounded Warrior ProjectPlease consider supporting Hooks & Runs by purchasing books, including those featured in this episode (if any were), through our store at Bookshop.org. Here's the link. https://bookshop.org/shop/hooksandruns  Hooks & Runs - https://hooksandruns.buzzsprout.com Email: hooksandruns@protonmail.com Craig on Bluesky (@craigest.bsky.social) Rex (Krazy Karl's Music Emporium) on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/people/Krazy-Karlz-Music-Emporium/100063801500293/ Hosts Emeriti: Andrew Eckhoff on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hofffest Eric on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ichaboderic/ Music: "Warrior of Light" by ikolics (via Premium Beat)    www.premiumbeat.com/artist/ikoliks This podcast and this episode are copyright Craig Estlinbaum, 2025.

    51 min

  4. NOV 23

    271 - Hard Caps, Soft Caps, Salary Floors and Baseball Cards

    This week on the podcast - a bizarre ending to a high school football game, the soon to be expired Collective Bargaining Agreement has baseball fans scrambling to learn about salary caps, and we open another set of baseball cards. Errata: Greg Maddux finished his career with 355 wins. The pitchers named plus Warren Spahn and Kid Nichols had more. Tom Prince's "short career" lasted 17 manor league seasons, but Prince only played in 579 games. He managed in one game for the Pirates in 2019. Steve Lyons once famously slid into first base and to remove the dirt started removing his pants, until he remembered people were watching. Craig was thinking of Greg Harris, for some reason, of which there were two of which one (Greg A. Harris) was ambidextrous. Harris pitched both left and right handed in one game in 1995.  Please consider supporting Hooks & Runs by purchasing books, including those featured in this episode (if any were), through our store at Bookshop.org. Here's the link. https://bookshop.org/shop/hooksandruns  Hooks & Runs - https://hooksandruns.buzzsprout.com Email: hooksandruns@protonmail.com Craig on Bluesky (@craigest.bsky.social) Rex (Krazy Karl's Music Emporium) on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/people/Krazy-Karlz-Music-Emporium/100063801500293/ Hosts Emeriti: Andrew Eckhoff on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hofffest Eric on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ichaboderic/ Music: "Warrior of Light" by ikolics (via Premium Beat)    www.premiumbeat.com/artist/ikoliks This podcast and this episode are copyright Craig Estlinbaum, 2025.

    40 min

  5. NOV 16

    270 - "Second Base? That's My Best Position!" w/ Trenidad Hubbard

    Trenidad Hubbard played 10 Major League seasons in a 19-year professional baseball career. A Chicago native, Hubbard played college ball at Southern University, was drafted by Houston in the 12th round in 1986, and climbed through the ranks to make his Major League debut in 1993 with Colorado. We had a lot of laughs looking back on his career and were inspired by Trenidad's positive attitude and grateful spirit.  Trenidad's apparel company is GameFace USA.  He is affiliated with the Players' Alliance, The Hank Aaron Invitational and the annual HBCU Swingman Classic on All-Star weekend. Please consider supporting Hooks & Runs by purchasing books, including those featured in this episode (if any were), through our store at Bookshop.org. Here's the link. https://bookshop.org/shop/hooksandruns  Hooks & Runs - https://hooksandruns.buzzsprout.com Email: hooksandruns@protonmail.com Craig on Bluesky (@craigest.bsky.social) Rex (Krazy Karl's Music Emporium) on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/people/Krazy-Karlz-Music-Emporium/100063801500293/ Hosts Emeriti: Andrew Eckhoff on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hofffest Eric on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ichaboderic/ Music: "Warrior of Light" by ikolics (via Premium Beat)    www.premiumbeat.com/artist/ikoliks This podcast and this episode are copyright Craig Estlinbaum, 2025.

    49 min

  6. NOV 6

    269 - Ralph Branca: Baseball's Everyman w/ Bob Mitchell

    Bob Mitchell is a retired professor, award winning advertising creative and tennis teaching pro. He has published 13 books and countless essays and articles, including his most recent book, "Ralph Branca and the Meaning of Life" (McFarland Press 2025). Join us this episode as we take our time machine back to Coogan's Bluff, October 3, 1951, and the pitch that changed everything. (Branca was the Dodger pitcher that thew Giant outfielder Bobby Thomson the fateful pitch that Thomson hit into the bleachers for a walk-off three-run home run that put the Giants into the 1951 World Series). Bob Mitchell's website - https://www.bobmitchellbooks.com/home/ You can purchase "Ralph Branca and the Meaning of Life from the publisher, McFarland Press, from any boodstore or online book seller, or from our affiliate link at bookshop.org below. Please consider supporting Hooks & Runs by purchasing books, including those featured in this episode (if any were), through our store at Bookshop.org. Here's the link. https://bookshop.org/shop/hooksandruns  Hooks & Runs - https://hooksandruns.buzzsprout.com Email: hooksandruns@protonmail.com Craig on Bluesky (@craigest.bsky.social) Rex (Krazy Karl's Music Emporium) on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/people/Krazy-Karlz-Music-Emporium/100063801500293/ Hosts Emeriti: Andrew Eckhoff on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hofffest Eric on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ichaboderic/ Music: "Warrior of Light" by ikolics (via Premium Beat)    www.premiumbeat.com/artist/ikoliks This podcast and this episode are copyright Craig Estlinbaum, 2025.

    49 min

  7. NOV 1

    268 - Baseball & Music w/ Bill Nowlin

    Bill Nowlin was a co-founder of Rounder Records in the early 1960s and is a co-founder of Down the Road Records. He most recently co-edited "Native American Major Leaguers," (Society for American Baseball Research, 2025), with  Rob Daugherty. Also this episode, MTV is closing it's music stations, Craig went to see Turnstile and our favorite records from the third quarter, 2025. Bill Nowlin: Down the Road Records https://www.downtheroadrecords.com/ "Native American Major Leaguers" at SABR https://sabr.org/latest/sabr-digital-library-native-american-major-leaguers/ Errata: The original name of the Cleveland Guardians was the Columbus Buckeyes in 1896. The Cleveland Blues were National League team from 1879 to 1884. The team was merged into the Brooklyn Greys in 1885. Episodes mentioned: 138 - Béisbol, Fiestas y Monster Dogs w/ Jesús Granados https://www.buzzsprout.com/875794/episodes/12208260 Please consider supporting Hooks & Runs by purchasing books, including those featured in this episode (if any were), through our store at Bookshop.org. Here's the link. https://bookshop.org/shop/hooksandruns  Hooks & Runs - https://hooksandruns.buzzsprout.com Email: hooksandruns@protonmail.com Craig on Bluesky (@craigest.bsky.social) Rex (Krazy Karl's Music Emporium) on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/people/Krazy-Karlz-Music-Emporium/100063801500293/ Hosts Emeriti: Andrew Eckhoff on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hofffest Eric on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ichaboderic/ Music: "Warrior of Light" by ikolics (via Premium Beat)    www.premiumbeat.com/artist/ikoliks This podcast and this episode are copyright Craig Estlinbaum, 2025.

    1h 2m

  8. OCT 22

    267 - The 1971 Astros and the Art of What If w/ Samuel Barrett

    Samuel Barrett is author of "Orange Crush: The Neglected 1971 Houston Astros" (Huntsville Independent Press 2025). Barrett examines the series of questionable player deals Houston GM Spec Richardson orchestrated during his tenure and attempts to undue the damage to show that with merely competent management, Houston's 1971 team may well have been something special indeed.  In this episode we mentioned our interview with Roger Metzger in episode 133. Please consider supporting Hooks & Runs by purchasing books, including those featured in this episode (if any were), through our store at Bookshop.org. Here's the link. https://bookshop.org/shop/hooksandruns  Hooks & Runs - https://hooksandruns.buzzsprout.com Email: hooksandruns@protonmail.com Craig on Bluesky (@craigest.bsky.social) Rex (Krazy Karl's Music Emporium) on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/people/Krazy-Karlz-Music-Emporium/100063801500293/ Hosts Emeriti: Andrew Eckhoff on TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@hofffest Eric on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ichaboderic/ Music: "Warrior of Light" by ikolics (via Premium Beat)    www.premiumbeat.com/artist/ikoliks This podcast and this episode are copyright Craig Estlinbaum, 2025.

    53 min
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4.9
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Hooks & Runs is a podcast about baseball, music and culture. Our podcast includes interviews with news makers in the sports and music world plus commentary from the co-hosts on interesting current and historical events. Hooks & Runs releases a new episodes every Thursday (more or less).

Information

  • Creator
    A podcast about baseball, music and culture.
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    226
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Craig Estlinbaum
  • Show Website
    Hooks & Runs