281: Guess Who Really Invented Baseball?!

On this week’s episode of Long Gone, the boys discuss the Dodgers’ handling of Shohei Ohtani’s injury and whether the decision to let the situation linger could ultimately come back to haunt them in October. With the postseason approaching, how much could Ohtani’s health impact the Dodgers’ chances of making another World Series run? Afterwards, the boys address the elephant in the room: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s disastrous season. Has Vladdy simply regressed? Has his massive contract changed anything? And just how concerned should Toronto be about its franchise cornerstone moving forward? The boys examine what has gone wrong and give two thumbs down to Blue Jays fans for giving Guerrero a standing ovation after finally hitting his first home run at home this season. Later, baseball author and historian Thomas W. Gilbert joins the show to discuss his new book, Death in the Strike Zone: The Mystery of America's First Baseball Hero. Gilbert dives into the mysterious life and death of James Creighton, one of baseball’s earliest stars, while exploring the origins of the game itself, who and what actually invented baseball, and debunking some of the myths that have become part of the sport’s lore. The boys round out the show with the season finale of Fantasy Factory before keeping things rolling with Collection Corner. ————————————————————— Go get Thomas W. Gilbert’s NEW book everywhere: Death in the Strike Zone: The Mystery of America's First Baseball Hero - https://a.co/d/06lJDOlJ ————————————————————— This episode is brought to you by Market Movers! Want to spot the next breakout card before it explodes? Market Movers gives you lightning-fast access to pricing on over 7 million sports and TCG cards, powered by real, verified sales data from every major marketplace including eBay, Fanatics Collect, Goldin, Heritage, and more. https://www.marketmoversapp.com/ —————————————————————— A podcast with two buddies who throw and don't let up! Michael Dault and co-host Steve Ford. Each week the boys dive into MLB, college ball, fantasy baseball, and the collecting world — all with a nostalgic, passionate tone that true fans recognize. From unique guest interviews to games played and hot takes, this is a baseball show unlike any other. —————————————————————— FOLLOW THE POD AND THE BOYS Instagram: @longgonepodcast | @michaeljdault | @stephen.ford02 Twitter: @longgonepodcast | @michaeljdault Facebook: /michael.dault | /stephen.b.ford.7 LISTEN Long Gone YT: / @longgonethepodcast Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/long-gone/id1647436999 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5qprGsbPS1MVygM3CUaGI7?si=9456471b476e4891 LONG GONE’S YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://youtube.com/@longgonethepodcast?si=cIMCc8mbpm8xH3PY ——————————————————————