Rounding Third | Presented by BadderSports

Rounding Third

🎙️⚾ Rounding Third is a nostalgic journey into the heart of baseball, hosted by Peter Lemieux. Each episode explores the game’s rich history—through personal stories, lived experiences, and reflections on why baseball continues to enchant fans across generations. This isn’t just about stats or star players—it’s about the soul of the game. From kitchen table conversations with his sons Todd and Brandon to deep dives into baseball’s beauty, complexity, and enduring spirit, Peter invites you to see the sport through new eyes. 💭 Relive iconic and forgotten moments 📖 Hear firsthand accounts from someone who lived them 🤩 Discover why baseball still captures our imaginations 🗣️ Feel like you’re part of the conversation Subscribe to Rounding Third and be transported to baseball’s past—one pitch, one story at a time. 🌐 Part of the Batter Sports Network – where stories make the game.

  1. Jun 3

    Bobby Valentine: Champion Dancer, Controversial Manager

    The New York Mets just put Bobby Valentine and Lee Mazzilli into the Mets Hall of Fame, and most fans still know Bobby for one thing: the fake mustache. Peter Lemieux of Rounding Third tells the rest of the story, the parts most people have no idea about. Yes, we cover the famous Mustache Game from June 9, 1999, when Valentine was ejected against the Blue Jays at Shea Stadium and snuck back into the dugout wearing eye black and fake glasses. But that is where most people stop, and that is where the real story begins. Long before the majors, Bobby Valentine was an all state high school star in football, baseball, and track at Rippowam in Stamford, Connecticut, setting state records that still stand. He was also a champion ballroom dancer who performed at the opening of the 1964 World's Fair. He went on to USC, signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, won minor league MVP honors two seasons running, and built a lifelong friendship with manager Tommy Lasorda. His playing days were those of a respected journeyman, but his time as a manager was anything but quiet. From the Texas Rangers to the New York Mets, to a championship in Japan with the Chiba Lotte Marines, to a turbulent season with the Boston Red Sox, his drive to win followed him everywhere. He later became athletic director at Sacred Heart University, where a 57,000 square foot recreation center now carries his name, and in 2021 he ran for mayor of Stamford and came up just short. Bobby Valentine is a lot more than the mustache guy. This is the fuller story, and a tip of the hat to an extraordinary athlete and human being. CHAPTERS 0:00 Why tell the Bobby Valentine story now 0:36 The Mustache Game, June 9, 1999 1:54 The side of Bobby most people never knew 2:06 All state star at Rippowam High School 3:09 Champion ballroom dancer 3:43 USC and signing with the Dodgers 4:01 A respected journeyman in the majors 4:24 Minor league MVP and Tommy Lasorda 5:18 Injuries 5:31 Managing: Rangers, Japan, and the Mets 6:00 Controversy with the Mets and Red Sox 7:23 Sacred Heart and the Bobby Valentine Center 8:55 Running for mayor of Stamford 9:31 More than the Mustache Man If you love baseball stories like this one, hit like and subscribe to Rounding Third for more. Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@RoundingThirdPodcast Listen to the podcast: [paste your Apple Podcasts / Spotify / website links here] #BobbyValentine #Mets #BaseballHistory

    11 min
  2. 10/04/2025

    A Lousy Poem Puts People in the Hall of Fame

    A poem shouldn’t decide Cooperstown… right? In this episode of Rounding Third, Peter Lemieux digs into the Chicago Cubs’ famous double-play combo—Tinker, Evers, and Chance—and asks whether a catchy 8-line verse helped carry three good players into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Along the way, we revisit the 1908 Merkle game, the Cubs’ World Series run, and why debates over who belongs in Cooperstown never die. What you’ll get: • The real story behind “Tinker to Evers to Chance” and the 1908 Cubs • Why narrative vs. numbers still shapes Hall voting • Quick hits on Kenny Lofton, Keith Hernandez, Barry Bonds, Pete Rose, and Shoeless Joe 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:16 The Baseball Hall of Fame: A Tradition of Debate 01:15 Controversial Figures in the Hall of Fame 01:54 Today's Focus: Questionable Hall of Fame Inductees 03:10 The Chicago Cubs: A History of Highs and Lows 06:02 Tinker, Evers, and Chance: The Poem That Made Them Famous 10:30 Analyzing the Stats: Do They Belong in the Hall of Fame? 13:48 Conclusion: The Hall of Fame Debate Continues If you love baseball history and smart Hall of Fame debates, you’ll enjoy this one. 👉 Subscribe for more baseball stories from Rounding Third on BadderSports. 💬 Drop your take: Who’s in the Hall but shouldn’t be—and who’s out but should be in? #RoundingThird #BadderSports #MLBHistory #ChicagoCubs #HallOfFame 🔔 Subscribe for powerful stories of forgotten legends, iconic moments, and the untold heart of baseball — only on BadderSports. 🎙️ More from BadderSports: @swingbadderpodcast @hoopandtheharm @RoundingThirdPodcast @CampusToContracts @TheToddPod @ShortHandedPodcast ⚾ Discover more at https://www.baddersports.com

    16 min
  3. 09/19/2025

    Casey Stengel’s Grapefruit Prank: The Wild Origin of Spring Training

    Baseball lore doesn’t get better than this: Casey Stengel, a stunt pilot named Ruth Law, one unlucky manager, and a flying grapefruit that helped give spring training its nickname. Peter Lemieux of Rounding Third (BadderSports) unpacks the prank—and the legend—plus Casey’s ties to DiMaggio, Mantle, Billy Martin, the Yankees, and the lovable early Mets. 00:00 Introduction to Casey Stengel 00:56 Casey Stengel's Playing Career 03:21 Casey Stengel's Managerial Career 04:47 Casey Stengel and Billy Martin 05:46 The Yankees Era 08:10 The New York Mets Era 08:47 Casey Stengel's Famous Quotes 09:27 The Grapefruit League Prank 14:20 Conclusion and Farewell What you’ll hear: • Stengel the player: National League years, .284 AVG, inside-the-park HR • Stengel the manager: seven titles with the Yankees; the early Mets years • The prank: Wilbert “Uncle Robbie” Robinson, Ruth Law, and a very messy catch • Three classic Stengel quotes you’ll want to steal • Why this story still shapes baseball’s spring mythology Enjoy the nostalgia? Like, subscribe, and drop your favorite Casey story in the comments. #CaseyStengel #BaseballHistory #Yankees #Mets #GrapefruitLeague 🔔 Subscribe for powerful stories of forgotten legends, iconic moments, and the untold heart of baseball — only on BadderSports. 🎙️ More from BadderSports: @swingbadderpodcast @hoopandtheharm @RoundingThirdPodcast @CampusToContracts @TheToddPod @ShortHandedPodcast ⚾ Discover more at https://www.baddersports.com

    15 min
  4. 08/29/2025

    Who Was Smokey Joe and Why Did Baseball Forget Him?

    Get to know Smokey Joe Williams—the 6’4” right-hander whose fastball terrified hitters, whose barnstorming record humbled MLB greats, and whose legend grew despite baseball’s color line. In this Rounding Third story episode, Peter Lemieux walks through Smokey Joe’s meteoric rise, his duels with stars like Walter Johnson, and the road that ended with a 1999 Hall of Fame induction. 00:00 Today's Story 00:25 The Historic First Pitch by President Taft 02:24 Walter Johnson: The Big Train 04:02 Introducing Smokey Joe Williams 05:17 Smokey Joe's Legendary Career 07:57 Legacy and Recognition 10:11 Conclusion and Call to Action What you’ll learn • How Opening Day 1910 (President Taft’s first pitch) sets the stage for Walter Johnson vs. Smokey Joe.  • Why contemporaries said the ball “exploded” out of Smokey Joe’s hand (Ty Cobb’s praise).  • Barnstorming receipts: wins vs. Grover Cleveland Alexander, Chief Bender, Rube Marquard, and even a 1–0 loss while throwing a no-hitter.  • Smokey Joe vs. Satchel Paige (1–0 classic) and his late-career perspective when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier.  Why this matters Baseball history isn’t complete without the Negro Leagues. Williams’s dominance—strikeouts, complete games, and success against championship MLB teams—puts him in the conversation with the greatest pitchers ever. 🔔 Subscribe for powerful stories of forgotten legends, iconic moments, and the untold heart of baseball — only on BadderSports. 🎙️ More from BadderSports: @swingbadderpodcast @hoopandtheharm @RoundingThirdPodcast @CampusToContracts @TheToddPod @ShortHandedPodcast ⚾ Discover more at https://www.baddersports.com

    11 min

About

🎙️⚾ Rounding Third is a nostalgic journey into the heart of baseball, hosted by Peter Lemieux. Each episode explores the game’s rich history—through personal stories, lived experiences, and reflections on why baseball continues to enchant fans across generations. This isn’t just about stats or star players—it’s about the soul of the game. From kitchen table conversations with his sons Todd and Brandon to deep dives into baseball’s beauty, complexity, and enduring spirit, Peter invites you to see the sport through new eyes. 💭 Relive iconic and forgotten moments 📖 Hear firsthand accounts from someone who lived them 🤩 Discover why baseball still captures our imaginations 🗣️ Feel like you’re part of the conversation Subscribe to Rounding Third and be transported to baseball’s past—one pitch, one story at a time. 🌐 Part of the Batter Sports Network – where stories make the game.