Backwards K Pod

Wichita Klu Klux Klan #6 vs. Wichita Monrovians

The all-black baseball team, the Wichita Monrovians, existed in an era, where much of their historical record of team exploits, and stats have been lost in time. But their legacy endures after almost 100 years, because of their victory over the domestic terrorist organization, the Wichita Klu Klux Klan #6 baseball team in 1925. #JakeRobinson #WichitaMonrovians #KluKluxKlan #WesternColoredLeague #ThomasJeffersonYoung #NewtJoseph @AndyCooper #IslandPark #AckermanIsland #JosephAckerman #ArkansasRiver #WonderlandAmusementPark #GiantThriller

Rod Carew

For a generation of American League baseball fans, Rod Carew was the definition of a batting champion. The owner of a career .328 batting average, and 3,053 hits, to go along with his seven batting titles, and 18 All-Star nods, Carew tormented American League hurlers, with a smooth swing, from a crouched stance, his lightning fast wrist and impeccible hand-eye coordination. From his birth on a segregated train, to his abusive childhood, his escape from his father to New York City, his rise through the major leagues, and the tragedy that has befallen Carew after his magnificent career had ended, I take you through every chapter of this amazing story. It is a tale of rising above abject poverty through will and incredible discipline. It is a story of hope, sorrow, immense sadness, resurrection and triumph. This is the story of Rod Carew. #BrooksRobinson #TimWakefield #RodCarew #MinnesotaTwins #CaliforniaAngels #ClarkGriffith #MonroeKatz #BillyMartin #GeneMauch #MichelleCarew #RhondaCarew #KonradReuland #MaryReuland

Michael Jack Schmidt; Two Bad Knees, And A Dream

He led the National League in home runs eight times. He also led the league in in OPS and extra base hits five times, as well as RBI's four times. He was awarded six Silver Slugger Awards for offensive excellence, and 10 Gold Gloves for his defensive excellence, the most by any player in National League history who has manned the Hot Corner. He is Michael Jack Schmidt, the switch-hitting Short Stop kid, out of Dayton, Ohio, with two bad knees and a baseball dream. And arguably, the greatest all-around third basemen who ever lived. #MichaelJackSchmidt #PhiladelphiaPhillies #LoisSchmidt #JackSchmidt #PhillipsAquaticClub #JacksDriveIn #FairViewHighSchool #OhioBobcats #SteveYeager #TonyLucadella #BobWren #GeorgeBrett #PaulOwens #DallasGreen #DannyOzark #BobbyWine #PeteRose #JoeMorgan #TonyPerez #SteveCarlton #TugMcGraw #DaveKingman #HarryKalas

Ryne Sandberg; Ryno

"Kid Natural" Ryne Sandberg let his glove, bat and legs, do his talking on the baseball diamond. By the time his 16 year career was completed, Sandberg's play had announced him as one of the greatest second basemen, to ever play the game of baseball. The Cubs' fans affectionately nicknamed him Ryno, and he quickly became their fan-favorite champion during the 1980's. A hard-working ballplayer, who could do no wrong on the field. The consumate gentleman baseball players for the ages. This week we examine the life and career, of the great Ryne Sandberg. #RyneSandberg #PhiladelphiaPhillies #ChicagoCubs #TerrapinStation #BruceSutter #HarryCarrey #BillHarper #WilburMooseJohnson #DallasGreen #RyneSandberg #IvanDeJesus #LarryBowa #JulioFranco #JuanSamuel #BillGiles #YoshKowano #ErnieBanks #RonSanto #LeeElia #JimFrey #GaryMatthews #AndreDawson #TomBrokaw #JoeMorgan

Roly-Poly Mickey Lolich

This week, BKP celebrates the 83rd birthday, of the living legend, and Detroit Tigers' fan-favorite pitcher, Mickey Lolich. Although he is most recognized for his 1968, World Series MVP heroics, that saw him out-duel Cardinals' Ace Bob Gibson for the championship prize, it is way too easy to forget that his 2,832 career strikeouts, are still the third most by a southpaw, behind only Steve Carlton and the "Big Unit" Randy Johnson. He was a durable Clysdale, that finished close to 40% of his starts, hurling195 Complete Games and 40 shutouts, in his 16 year career. This is the story of "Roly-Poly" Mickey Lolich.
#MickeyLolich #DetroitTigers #BillFreehan #SchoolboyRowe #WhiteyFord #PortlandBeavers #JohnnyPesky #JimCampbell #KnoxvilleSmokies #FrankCarswell #GerryStaley #BobScheffing #RickFerrell #CharlieDressen #JohnnySain #JoyceFeenor #GeorgeScott #DennyMcLain #BobGibson #StLouisCardinals #LouBrock #CurtFlood #AlKaline

Baseball Movie Review; Chasing 3,000 BKP Bonus Pod

This week, Jake is joined in the dojo, with Omar Gobby, as they critique the movie Chasing 3,000. An Independant film, released in 2007, about the journey of Mickey Sitka (played by Trevor Morgan), and his younger brother Roger Sitka (Rory Caulkin), who has muscular dystrophy, from California to Pittsburgh in 1972, to watch their baseball idol, Roberto Clemente chase the magical 3,000 hit benchmark. Told through the eyes of an older Mickey Sitka, played by Ray Liotta.
#ChasingThreeThousand #3000 #RobertoClemente #RayLiotta #RoryCaulkin #LaurenHolly #SeymourCassell #TrevorMorgan #MickeySitka #RogerSitka #ChuckIreland #MEmittWalsh

T-Mobile Park

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; The Tornado

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