Episode 312 - Jackie Jensen, The 'Golden Boy' to the 'Grounded Boy'

Jeff and Mark open the episode by diving into some Pacific Northwest baseball deep-cuts, starting with the 14-year career of Darnell Coles and the search for his possible lone existing mural. They cover a run of opening day oddities, including Tuffy Rhodes’ three-homer barrage against Doc Gooden in '94 and Harry Caray’s confusion over fans spending their honeymoon at Wrigley Field. The guys also look at the current state of Rookie of the Year droughts for the Padres and Guardians and mourn the loss of the MLB.tv discount to the "ESPN corporate machine." The main feature covers the complex life of Jackie Jensen, the only man to play in a Rose Bowl, a World Series, and an MLB All-Star Game. From his "Golden Boy" status at Cal to being the hand-picked successor to Joe DiMaggio—only to be usurped by Mickey Mantle—the story follows Jensen's MVP peak in Boston and the paralyzing "AV-Phobia" that eventually forced him out of the game. The episode closes with a high-stakes Wax Pack Heroes battle featuring 2003 Topps. 00:00 Welcome 01:23 The Darnell Coles Deep-Dive 04:59 Opening Day '94: Tuffy Rhodes vs. Doc Gooden 07:59 Harry Caray Questions the Youth of America 11:30 ROTY Droughts 15:07 RIP MLB.tv Discounts and Sunday Night Local Broadcasts 18:39 Main Story: The Life and Legend of Jackie Jensen 44:36 Wax Pack Heroes: Big Hurt, Albert Pujols, and a Chris Snelling 55:36 Wrap-Up Connect With Us YouTube: www.youtube.com/@twostrikenoise Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/twostrikenoise BlueSky: @twostrikenoise.bsky.social Email: [email protected] Support a Great Cause: Don't let your common cards collect dust! Donate them to help spark a child's interest in the game at http://commons4kids.org/. #baseballhistory #mlb #baseball #Yankees #RedSox #Cal #BaseballCards #TwoStrikeNoise