290 - Baseball's First Worst to First: the 1890 Louisville Cyclones w/ Perry T. Cooper

Author Perry T. Cooper is our guest this week. Cooper's new book, "The 1890 Louisville Cyclones: Major League Baseball's Original Worst-to-First Team" (McFarland, March 2026). Louisville finished the 1889 American Association season with 27 wins, 111 losses, the first Major League team to lose 100 games during a campaign. Under new manager Jack Chapman, Louisville rebounded in 1890 to first place in the AA and an 88-44 record. Cooper regales listeners in this interview with stories about the characters on this team and the untamed baseball world in the 1890s. The 1890 Louisville Cyclones at McFarland Press.https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-1890-louisville-cyclones/Find the book at most online retailers - the book is not presently available in physical form at Bookshop.org, but can be purchased as an ebook there.Consider supporting Hooks & Runs by purchasing books, including those featured in this episode (if available), through our store at Bookshop.org. Here's the link. https://bookshop.org/shop/hooksandruns.Hooks & Runs - https://hooksandruns.buzzsprout.comEmail: [email protected] on Bluesky (@craigest.bsky.social)Rex (Krazy Karl's Music Emporium) on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/people/Krazy-Karlz-Music-Emporium/100063801500293/Hosts Emeriti:Andrew Eckhoff on TikTokhttps://www.tiktok.com/@hofffestEric on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/ichaboderic/Music: "Warrior of Light" by ikolics (via Premium Beat)   www.premiumbeat.com/artist/ikoliksThis podcast and this episode are copyright Craig Estlinbaum, 2026.