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Episode 184 – The Long Life of Tommy Lasorda

They don’t make ’em like Tommy Lasorda anymore. And we mean that in the both the best and worst way possible. One of the biggest characters in baseball history, the legendary Dodgers manager left this Earth at the age of 93, leaving behind a complicated legacy. Mike and Bill tease out his unlikely path to…

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Episode 92 – The Owners Cave In ’76 (with special guest Marc Normandin)

The road to end the reserve clause was a long one that got a little easier 43 years ago this week, when the owners ended the lockout they’d imposed to protest the oncoming free agency. Marc Normandin (@Marc_Normandin) joins us to discuss the lockout, the contentious labor history between players and owners, and his latest…

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Episode 94 – Dennis Eckersley Gets a New Job

Once one of the best starters in baseball, 32 years ago this week Dennis Eckersley began a new chapter in what would become a Hall of Fame career when he was traded to the Oakland A’s and became the first modern closer. Mike and Bill cover both halves of Eckersley’s long and impressive career, and…

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Episode 93 – Melissa Ludtke Wins (with special guest Liz Roscher)

During the World Series in 1977, Melissa Ludtke, a credentialed writer for Sports Illustrated, was denied entrance to the teams’ clubhouses in the wake of Game 6, while her male colleagues were invited in with open arms. This touched off a legal battle that ended 40 years ago, when the courts ordered MLB to provide…

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Episode 98 – Rickey Becomes the Greatest

One of the most dynamic players of all time, Rickey Henderson still has many fans polarized. But everyone seems to agree that he was the best leadoff man and base stealer in baseball history. And, it was 28 years ago this week that he cemented those titles with his 939th career steal, breaking Lou Brock’s…