Backwards K Pod

This week, we dig into the complex history of the 14th oldest ballpark in the Major Leagues, T-Mobile Park in Seattle Washington. With the deteriorating Kingdome literally falling apart, and after years of behind the scenes political wrangling by the King County Council, The Mariners ownership group, as well as the tax paying citizens of Seattle. The future health of the franchise, finally had stability with a great retro-throwback style crib of their own, with the modern amenities. The state of the art yard was opened in July of 1999, after five years of challenging and sometimes contentious planning and construction. Since then, it has become one of the premier facilities for the Major League Baseball brand.
#SeattleMariners #SeattlePilots #SicksField #KingDome #Ichiro #FelixHernandez #EdgarMartinez #KenGriffeyJr #RandyJohnson #KingCounty#GaryLocke #RefuseToLose #SlateGorton #NormRice #SafecoField TMobilePark #DaveNiehaus

Hideo Nomo could have stayed in Japan and played ball. Made alot of money, and enjoyed his fame, but he wanted more for himself. His move to play in America, was an attack on the Japanese baseball establishment, but it also promoted thought for not only future Japanes ballers, but the whole entire Asian-Pacific rim, as he offered a pathway of least resistance, to playing the best of the best.
He was willing to risk his ruputation back home. He was willing to risk all that he had accomplished as a baseball superstar in Japan. He was willing to put it all on the line, without really knowing if he would be successful. But he believed in himself. He had very little to gain, and everything to lose.
This week we discuss the career of the baseball pioneer, Hideo Nomo, who's impact on Major League Baseball, changed the game forever, and for the better.
#MasinoriMorakami #HideoNomo #KintetsuBuffalo #MasatoYoshii #AkiraOgi #NankaiHawks #SanFranciscoGiants #LosAngelesDodgers #KeishiSuzuki #ShigetosiHasagawa #DonNomura #ArnTellum #RandyJohnson #ShoheiOhtani #HidekiMatsui #HidekiIrabu #YuDarvish

The numbers jump right off the screen, when it comes to looking up his stats. Even in an era where power reigned supreme. His 612 home runs rank eighth on the MLB all-time rank and his 1,747 walks rank seventh. Only six player have totaled 1,700 Walks and 1,699 RBI in the history of the game; Babe Ruth, Mel Ott, Carl Yastrzmeski, Ted Williams, Barry Bonds and Thome. And yet the blue-collar kid from Peoria, Illinoise, always seemed to work hardest on something that can never be quantified; his character. This week, we examine the life and career of the prodigiously, powerful Jim Thome.
#JimThome #ClevelandIndians #TomCouston #CharlieManual #JacobsField #PhiladelphiaPhillies #ChicagoWhiteSox #LosAngelesDodgers #MinnesotaTwins #BaltimoreOrioles #MLBNetwork #Cooperstown #NationalBaseballHallOfFame

Williamsport, Pennsylvania and their little league baseball complex fields are nestled beautifully in the rolling hills of the Keystone State. Every Year in August, thousands of people from arond the wold descend on the sleepy, baseball town, to witness, the forever magical union of baseball and childhood play for two weeks. It is the sheer essence of baseball. it is everything that grown-ups aspire the game to be, before we do our best to ruin it with our involvement. It is as real as the tears that flow down a players cheeks, when he or she realizes they have come up short in their gols, and it's time to go home. This week we take a look at the history of Little League baseball and the Little League World Series in particular.
#WilliamsportPennsylvania #CarlStotz #HowardJLamaudeStadium #GeorgeBerbbie #BertBerbbie #LycomingDairy #JumboPretzel #LundyLumber #LittleLeagueBaseball

Rollie Fingers was the right player, at the right time, while playing for the right teams, to forever change the complexion of the Closer role in baseball.
When FIngers reached the majors, the Closer role was limited, as Starting Pitchers rarely left games with a lead.
But as team offenses became more powerful, after expansion in 1969, as well as the introduction of the DH in 1973, and without Tommy John Surgery as an option yet, managers throughout the game became more willing to replace Starting Pitchers in the late innings, with fresh arms.
Leading the way, during this time, was the handlebar, waxed and curved mustached Fingers, setting the standard for future generations of Closers.
#RollieFingers #SteubenvilleOhio #RanchoCucamongaCalifornia #UplandHighSchool #JohnMcNamara #HankBauer #DickWilliams #CharlieFinley #ReggieJackson #SalBando #GeneTenace #OaklandAthletics #SanDiegoPadres #MilwaukeeBrewers

Over 60 years after it's creation, the baseball board game phenomenon known as Strat-O-Matic, still has a large cult following. The impetus of the game was the brainchild of 11 year old Hal Richman, who was a ravenous stat-crazy baseball fan, with very little athletic ability himself. The young boy developed the game, as a way to escape his chaotic and difficult childhood, while generations of seamheads since then, have just used his game as an escape.
This week we will dig into the history of a game, that the young boy launched from his parent's basement. it has become a cult classic, that has influenced pro-ballers, MLB front office types, journalist, play by play icons and fans from every walk of life. it was the precursor to fantasy, roto and simulation games that are so popular today. And it gave birth to baseball sabermetrics.
#StratOMatic #HalRichman #IrvingRichman #DanPatrick #BobCostas #TimKurkjian #KeithHernandez #LennyDykstra #SaberMetrics #MLB #Baseball #BoardGame

This week, we take a look back, at the one year season, of the failed expansion franchise; the 1969 Seattle Pilots.
A lukewarm fan base, failed stadium bonds votes, a sickly temporary ballpark, insufficient capital, outrageous ticket prices, an atrocious concession deal, and no local TV broadcast....
What could possibly go wrong?
#SeattlePilots #DeweySoriano #MaxSoriano #WilliamDaly #GabePaul #CharlesFinley #SicksStadium #MarvinMilkes #JoeSchultz #KingDome #JamesBranam #EdCarlson #JoeGandy #BudSelig #JimBouton #RickAllen

This week we take a deep dive into the life and baseball career of arguably the greatest defensive third-basemen who has ever lived, and Orioles loyalist Brooks Robinson.
There is a saying where I come from and it goes; In New York, they name Candy Bars after Reggie Jackson, in Baltimore, the citizens name their children after Brooks Robinson. And that is not empty platitudes being offered up, it is a tradition that still happens today, over four generations later. He is the last of his kind, from a bygone era. Success has never compromised his moral integrity or his stand-up character. Even today he remains as auththentic and as genuine as the day he left Little Rock, Arkansas to pursue his baseball dream. This is his story....
#BrooksRobinson #BaltimoreOrioles #JimPalmer #FrankRobinson #EarlWeaver #HarryDalton #ConnieButcherRobinson #MLB #BackwardsKPod #JohnnyBench #LeeMay #TonyPerez #RobertoClemente