In the spring of 1925, Babe Ruth suddenly collapsed in the arms of a teammate, sparking ridicule in the New York press for what became known as “The Bellyache Heard Round the World.” Stomach surgery 94 years ago this week would keep the Babe out for two months and tank the Yankees’ hopes that year….
Few trades in the modern era have altered the course of two franchises like the deal 30 years ago this week that sent Mark Langston from the Seattle Mariners to the Montreal Expos for three pitchers, one of whom was a wild, 6’10” left-hander named Randy Johnson. Obviously, Johnson would go on to become one…
For the 100th fabulous episode of TWIBH, Mike and Bill look at the short but fabulous career of Mark Fidrych, who won his first game 43 years ago this week. Birdmania swept America in 1976, reminding the country that baseball could be and should be fun. Plus, happy birthday to Stubby Overmire and Ed Wright!
There have been few pitching prospects as exciting as Herb Score, and few downfalls that have been disappointing. This week, 62 years ago, Score was struck by a line drive off the bat of Gil McDougald, knocking him out of the rest of the season and, supposedly, ruining his career. But the truth is more…
Bernard Malamud’s iconic novel The Natural has many inspirations, but its most iconic may be the shooting of Roy Hobbs. The inspiration for it occurred 70 years ago this week, when Eddie Waitkus was gunned down in his hotel by an obsessive fan. We go through the life of Waitkus, the tragic shooting that changed…
There’s a lot we don’t know about Old Hoss Radbourn, including, as it turns out, exactly how many victories he had for Providence and Boston in the 19th century. But, 128 years ago approximately this week, he won his 300th game. Mike and Bill explore Radbourn’s life, his historic 1884, and his downfall. Then they’re…
Phil and Joe Niekro went head-to-head several times over the course of their long and illustrious careers. But in an utterly bizarre coincidence, 43 years ago this week, Joe hit the only home run in his big league career in more than 1200 plate appearances off of his big brother. In an episode abbreviated by…
Few second basemen could match Cubs great Ryne Sandberg, and, of those, few could match Sandberg’s epic performance 35 years ago this week, when he singlehandedly brought his team back from the brink of defeat against Bruce Sutter and the Cardinals on national TV. With Bill off this week, Mike digs through Sandberg’s life and…
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 33rd anniversary of him signing with the Kansas City Royals, Mike and Bill look back on Bo’s careers, his downfall, his comeback,…
Very few players in the 20th century transformed the way baseball was perceived as much as Jim Bouton, the hotshot Yankees starter who, after arm injuries and a trade to the Seattle Pilots, wrote perhaps the greatest baseball book of all time. Bouton passed away last week, so Mike and Bill talk about his life,…