Backwards K Pod

Charlie Hustle; Pete Rose

The curtain has been drawn on the 2024 MLB season, with the Texas Rangers abdicating their throne in favor of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who beat the New York Yankees in five games, to claim the crown of baseball champion in this year's Fall Classic. Jake opens the show with an analytical breakdown of what happened during the history making championship victory, and what to look forward to in the upcoming Hot Stove offseason. Notorious November kicks off with a month of BKP profile-bios of some of baseball's more controversial topics. Thise week we start the month off, with a posthumous dig into the life and career of baseball's all-time HIt KIng, the exiled pariah Pete Rose. No player in any sport ever maximized as much production from their god-given skills. A pugnacious catalyst who played in more winning games than any other player in the history of the game, and he played each one of them with Game Seven of the World Series intensity. He was the rare player who could blow through an 162 game season, with a do or die reckless abandon in each contest. Unfortunately, the same attributes that endeared him to millions of fans, for his style of play, would be the same characteristics that precipitated his fall from grace, when the icon violates baseball's cardinal sin of betting on the game, while serving as the manager for the Cincinnati Reds. #PeterEdwardRose #AndersonFerryOhio #RayFosse #HarryFrancisRose #LaverneBloebaumRose #WesternHillsHighSchool #BuddyBlebaum #AsaBrooks #TonyPerez #DonBlassingame #CharlieHustle #SparkyAnderson #BigRedMachine #EricShow #JohnDowd #DowdReport #BartGiamantti

The BIG UNIT; Randy Johnson

This week we do a deep tissue autopsy on the life and career of the "Big Unit" Randy Johson. As a youngster in the game, his tall stature created problems and setbacks to his immense potential and development. After some sage advice from Strikeout king Nolan Ryan, and after the tragic death of his father, Randy changes his approach to the game, and becomes one of the most dominant left-handed pitchers in the history of the game. In a 22 season career, The "Big Unit" would lead his league in strikeouts nine times, earn four ERA titles, record 100 complete games with 37 shutouts, finish with over 300 career wins and be the starting pitcher in four All Star games. #RandyJohnson #TheBigUnit #WalnurCreekCalifornia #LivermoreHighSchool #AtlantaBraves #USCTrojans #MarkMcGwire #RodDedeaux #MontrealExpos #JoeKerrigan #RickWilliams #SeattleMariners #MarkLangston #HoustonAstros #ArizonaDiamondbacks #CurtSchilling #NewYorkYankees #SanFranciscoGiants #JakeRobinson #LetsTalkBaseballPodcastNetwork #BackwardsKPod

The History Of Baseball In San Diego

For over 100 years, the cries of baseball fever have echoed across the San Diego County region in Southern California. From Oceanside to Otay, from the neighborhood sandlots to the engineering marvel, that is PETCO Park. Baseball has been an integral part of the San Diego sports conscious, that stretches all the way back to May of 1871, when the game is introduced to the city, with it's first recorded game, out in the town plaza. While most of today's San Diegans know the major league Padres best, since their inception into the Major Leagues in 1969, there are over 60 years of rich baseball heritage, from their minor league predecessor, the Padres of the Pacific Coast League. This week, i examine the city's timultuous love affair with the sport, and the humble roots of this connection. As well as the baseball life of the three ballparks, that have dominated the San Diego baseball landscape through the years; Lane Field, Jack Murphy Stadium and the modern day baseball cathedral PETCO Park, #SanDiegoPadres #LaneField #JackMurphyStadium #PetcoPark #SanDiegoTribune #SchillersAndMurthas #ThePickwicks #SanDiegoElectrics #BayCityClub #GeorgeMarston #WWAvrill #LutherDummyTaylor #PacificCoastLeague #HollywoodStars #BobLane #CabrilloBaseballClub #SanDiegoBaseballManagersAssociation #TedWilliams #BobbyDoerr #JohnnyRitchie #RayKroc #TonyGwynn #BruceBochy #DickWilliams #TrevorHoffman #SteveGarvey #LarryLuchino #BackwardsKPod #JakeRobinson #LetsTalkBaseballPodcastNetwork

Sportsman Park

In the long and storied history of baseball, there have been a collection of street corners that have become synonymous with the throwback cribs that have claimed domain there. At the corner of Michigan and Trumbull once stood the iconic Tigers Stadium. 21st and Lehigh was the home of Shibe Park, You had the corner of Findlay and Western, where the Reds played at Crosley Field, and on the south side of Chicago, at the corner of 35th and Shields, stood Comiskey Park. Today that tradititon still holds firm with Clark and Addison housing the Cubs at Wrigley. To the old school St. Louis baseball fan, the corner of Grand and Dodier can be added to that list. This week we will examine the rise and fall of the structure that stood there, and housed two St. Louis MLB teams from 1860 to 1963, Sportsman Park. A plot of land, on the north side of the city, where the game takes it's roots, and fans of the game witness amazing chapters in the baseball story. #SportsmanPark #StLouis #StLouisBrowns #StLouisCardinals #GrandAvenue #DodierStreet #CharlesComiskey #AugustSolari #AugustBusch #BrownStockings #ChrisVanDerAhe #Perfectos #StanMusial #SamBreadon #UrbanShocker

The Tall Tactician; Connie Mack

This week. BKP chronicles the baseball life and career of the sport's first great manager. Cornelius MacGillicuddy, better known in the MLB universe as Connie Mack, spent 71 years in organized baseball, from 1884 to 1955 as a bare-handed catcher, a manager, a front office executive and an owner. He carried himself with a quier dignity, and he commanded respect from friends and rivals alike. Along the way through his journey, he would evolve along with the game, constructiong one of the greatest "Dead Ball Era" teams, with his dynastic Philadelphia A's, during the 1910's, as well as a second Philly dynasty with one of the more dominant "Live Ball" squads, at the end of the Roaring 20's. Statuesque, stately and slim, you could always find the "Tall Tactician" in a high starched collar business suit and tie. with a rolled up scorecard in his hand, standing on the dugout steps, observing his chess pieces out on the diamond. He was baseball" grand old gentleman, for the early generations of fans, as the young game grows into a national phenomenon. #ConnieMack #PhiladelphiaAthletics #PittsburghPirates #FederalLeague #WesternLeague #MilwaukeeBrewers #RubeWaddell ##EddiePlank #JackCoombs #ChiefBender #HermanLong #NapoleanLaJoie #EddieCollins #JackBarry ##FrankBaker #BenShibe #BanJohnson #JohnMcGraw

The Wizard; Ozzie Smith

This week we do a deep character profile bio on the Wizard, Osborne Earl Smith. Ozzie Smith was one of the few players who could beat you with just his glove, and phenomenal defensive feats. The 15 time All Star, winner of 13 consecutive Gold Gloves, is widely regarded as the greatest defensive shortstop ever, if not the greatest defender at any position, in the history of the game. From being overlooked because of his diminutive stature, to owning the shortstop stage at Busch Stadium, the Wizard's climb to baseball immortality, is a story of resillence and perseverance. #OzzieSmith #SanDiegoPadres #RayKroc #WhiteyHerzog #GaryTempleton #JackBuck #TomNiedenfuer #JeffBurroughs #LockeHighSchool #EddieMurray #CalStatePoly

The Koshien High School Baseball Tournament Of Japan

Ever since 1915, with the exception of the World War Two years, the Koshien Japanese High School Baseball Tournament has beome a national institution, with it's championship game broadcast throughout the country. pulling in millions of viewers who tune in to watch the drama unfold. The annual spring and summer tournament is the culmination of thousands of high school teams competing in regional tournaments for a coveted spot. This week we do an in-depth study of the country's most attended sporting event, where new heroes are made every year. #KoshienTournament #HanshinKoshienStadium #NishinomayaJapan #YuseiKikuchi #ShoheiOhtani #NipponProfessionalBaseballLeague #MajorLeagueBaseball #HiroshiSasaki #KyotoInternationalHighSchool #TetsuyaMizutani

The History Of Baseball In Cincinnati

In 1858, Cincinnati, Ohio is the second most populated city, per capita outside of Manhattan, New York. It is also one of the final destination spots for the Underground Railroad, freeing runaway slaves from the oppressive south, and the young and evolving sport of baseball, takes it's roots in the city. In 1869, the Cincinnati Red Stockings become the first professional baseball team in America. This week, we examine the long and storied history of baseball in the Queen City, including a rich Negro League tradition, the rise and fall of Riverfront Stadium, and the construction of today's baseball cathedral The Great American Ballpark, where the Reds have called home since 2003. #CincinnatiReds #RiverfrontStadium #GreatAmericanBallpark #CrosleyField #BigRedMachine #RedStockings #RedLegs #TownBall #BomDeBeck #WilliamCoolidge #UnionCricketClub #EdRoush #FrankRobinson #PeteRose #JoeMorgan #CincinnatiBengals #CincinnatiTigers #CharlieGrant