Backwards K Pod

Forbes Field; The House Of Thrills

In 1909, after the rise of Shibe Park in Philadelphia, for the A's a year ealier, Keystone State rival Pittsburgh, at the behest of Pirates owner Barney Dreyfuss, decides they would like to build an MLB crib, that will surpass the magnificence and splendor that Shibe had to offer.
The result was the massive, yet palatial baseball cathedral known as Forbes FIeld.
From 1909 to 1970, Forbes Field was the stage, for the Fightin Buccos, and held some of the biggest moments, stars and baseball stories, the game has ever had to offer.
#PittsburghPirates #PittsburghAlleghanys #ExpositionPark #ShibePark #BarneyDreyfuss #PieTraynor #ArkyVaugh #LloydWaner #PaulWaner #HonusWagner #WalterJohnson #BabeRuth #LouGehrig #BillMazeroski #WillieStargell #RobertoClemente #ElroyFace #VernLaw #DickGroat #BillVirdon #RalphTerry #BobPrince #DannyMurtaugh #YogiBerra #PITT #PittsburghCrawfords #HomesteadGrays

Backwards K Bonus Pod: Mysterious Moe Berg

In 1938, German scientist split the atom for the first time, and the nuclear age is born. The Nazis give the task of building the Atomic Bomb to Nobel Peace prize-winning nuclear physicist Werner Heisenberg. In response to the threat of Hitler with nuclear weapons, the United States government devises a plan to send someone after the German scientist to ascertain the validity of the intelligence recieved, and assassinate Werner Heisenberg if it is credible... The person they tab for this mission is, former MLB back-up catcher, Moe Berg.
#MoeBerg #OSS #CIA #RaySchalk #FranklinDelanoRoosevelt #BrooklynRobins #ChicagoWhiteSox #ClevelandIndians #BostonRedSox #AdolphHitler #WashingtonSenators #BabeRuth #LouGehrig #JimmyFoxx #WernerHeisenberg

The Black Aces

This week we take a look at one of baseball's most exclusive fraternity; The Black Aces.
This was the brainchild of former MLB pitcher Mudcat Grant, who had the vision of recognizing the rarest of all baseball breeds the African-American pitcher.
To qualify for induction into this group, you have to be an African-American pitcher, who has 20 or more wins in a season'
There are currently 15 members in the Black Aces. It is both a celebration of the journey of the black pitcher, after Jackie smashed the "gentlemen's agreement", as well as designed to provoke thought.
I also give you three current pitchers in the Majors right now, who may be on the doorstep of joining this amazing group of men.
#DonNewcombe #SamJones #BobGibson #MudcatGrant #EarlWilson #FergusonJenkins #VidaBlue #AlDowning #JRRichard #MikeNorris #DaveStewart #DwightGooden #CCSabathia #DontrelleWillis #DavidPrice

Thurman Munson; The Captain

When Yankees catcher Thurman Munson died in a fiery plane crash, in his prime, at the young age of 32, he left behind a decade of brilliance and domination at his position, that has rarely been seen before or since in the game's illustrious history.
From his younger days of excelling in three sports, and being offered scholarships to two of them, to his rise through the ranks at Kent State University, to his eventual journey that would lead him to righting the New York Yankees ship, that had taken on water while under the ownerships of the CBS Television Network.
We cover his timultuous relationships with The Boss George Stienbrenner, Reggie Jackson and Carlton Fisk, as well as the tragic end of the Yankees first on-field Captain since Lou Gehrig in the 1920's.
I also present an airtight case why he should be forever enshrined with the dominant catchers of his era, Johnny Bench, Carlton Fisk and Ted Simmons. All this and more on this week's Backwards K Pod.
#ThurmanMunson #KentStateUniversity #NewYorkYankees #BobbyMurcer #DianaMunson #GraigNettles #GeorgeSteinbrenner #ReggieJackson #SparkyAnderson #JohnnyBench #CarltonFisk #RedSox #Orioles #CatfishHunter #BillyMartin #JimPalmer

Jacobs’ Field

Throughout the 1980's, the Cleveland Indians and their fan base, were eager to flee from the antiquated, concrete, multi-purpose monstrosity that was Municipal Stadium.
For almost a decade, civic leaders and the Cuyahoga County citizens of Ohio, could not agree on the funding for a new domed baseball/football stadium.
By 1992, a sin-tax is proposed, voted on and passed with the slimmest of margins, for a brand new crib for the Tribe. The responsibilities for the new Gateway site creation. was eventually handed over to famed baseball stadium architecture firm, HOK Sports, who is coming off of the raving success of their recent ground-breaking creations in Baltimore and South Chicago.
In a nod to Cleveland's blue-collar work ethic culture, HOK was able to deliver a modern day, retro, baseball cathedral, that would revitalize and re-energize a slowly dying city and a beleagured fan base.
The result was a rousing success, as the fans and team, developed a symbiotic relationship, with the now 10th oldest baseball stadium in the majors.
#ClevelandIndians #ClevelandGuardians #JacobsField #ProgressiveField #MannyRamierez #JimThome #EddieMurray #KennyLofton #CharlesNagy #DennisMartinez #BillClinton #GradySizemore #JobaChamberlain #ClevelandCavaliers

Martin Dihigo: El Inmortal

In today's modern era of the game, the baseball universe has been rightfully amazed by the versatile brilliance of Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani.
However many decades ago, there was a ballplayer that was even more versatile, doing things the great Ohtani could only dream of accomplishing.
This week I dive into the shrouded mystery that is Martin Dihigo. The most decorated baseball player to ever play the game, as he is housed in FOUR Baseball Hall Of Fames around the world.
He played all nine positions on the field at a high level. In 1938, he out-duels Negro League legend Satchel Paige, for the Mexican League Pennant, and hits the game-winning walk-off dong.
He finishes that year with a 18-2 record with a .92 ERA and wins the batting title with a .387 batting average... at all NINE positions. He is the greatest Cuban player to ever live, and arguably the greatest player ever, even though segregation would victimize him probably worse than any other player of his era. To this day his greatness has been lost in the shadows of many of his own Negro League contemporaries due to awful stat keeping and the Cuban Socialist Revolution.
#MartinDihigo #ElInmortal #TheMaestro #SatchelPaige #SchoolboyTaylor #WillieWells #OscarCharleston #JohnHenryLloyd #NYCubanGiants #FidelCastro #CubanRevolution

Morganna The Kissing Bandit; Short Stop Bonus Pod

In 2003, Sports Illustrated compared Morganna Roberts' female measurements, to that of a first-place hockey team record, 60-24-39.
In 1969, at Crosley Field in Cincinnati, Ohio, she would begin one of the most endearing baseball traditions throughout the 70's, 80's and 90's, when she hopped the railing and ran out to Center Fielder Pete Rose, to give him a kiss on a $5 dare with her friends. The next day, a writer for the Cincinnati Enquirer, dubbed her Morganna The Kissing Bandit, and a legend was born.
From her meager, horriffic beginnings and being homeless in Baltimore City, eating out of trashcans. To becoming one of the biggest baseball spectacles of the era and running a multi-million dollar business. This is the amazing story, of the gift that was the Kissing Bandit.
#MorgannaCottrellRoberts #MorgannaTheKissingBandit #PeteRose #GeorgeBrett #SteveGarvey #CalRipkenJr #LenBarker #DonMattingly #NolanRyan #DickieThon

George Brett

For three decades, George Brett was the standard by which other hitters of his era were measured, as he seemingly mastered the art of barreling up line drive shots to the outfield gaps.
He was the youngest of four brothers, who all played professional baseball, including his brother Ken, who pitched in the Major Leagues.
Very few players, especially in the current free agency era, are synonymous with one team, the way George is with the Kansas City Royals.
He was a throwback classic, who was amiable, self-deprecating and at times volatile and combative.
This is his srory.
#GeorgeBrett #KenBrett #KansasCityRoyals #ScottMcGregor #WillieWilson #HalMcRae #JackMcKeon #WhiteyHerzog #JimFrey #DickHowser #NewYorkYankees #GooseGossage #BillyMartin #GraigNettles #CatfishHunter #ULWashington #PineTarGame