Lost Ballparks

Johnnie B. "Dusty" Baker Jr. joins Lost Ballparks to discuss his new book, Crossroads, and reflects on his early years with the Atlanta Braves, being mentored by Hank Aaron, sitting in hotel rooms with "the hammer" and Satchel Paige listening to unforgettable stories. He also takes us inside one of the most iconic moments in sports history, standing on deck as Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's all-time home run record in Atlanta in 1974. Dusty offers a deeply personal perspective on Aaron's historic achievement, the racism and death threats Aaron endured during the chase, and one unforgettable moment that happened as Aaron crossed the plate.Send us Fan Mail

This episode is especially meaningful for me. Years ago, I painted a portrait of my father-in-law’s favorite player, Juan Marichal, in his iconic high-kick windup. Today, that same painting hangs in Marichal’s home—and I had the honor of sitting down with him for this conversation.From 1960–1975, Juan Marichal was one of the greatest pitchers in baseball: 243 wins, 244 complete games, 52 shutouts, a lifetime 2.89 ERA, and 10 All-Star selections. He won more games in the 1960s than Bob Gibson or Sandy Koufax, and Hall of Famers like Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, and Pete Rose all called him one of the toughest pitchers they ever faced.In this episode, Marichal reflects on his childhood in the Dominican Republic, the racism he faced early in his career, unforgettable moments at Candlestick Park, racing frogs with teammates, the 1962 World Series against the Yankees, and his pride in becoming the first Dominican-born player inducted into the Hall of Fame.Send us Fan Mail

(This episode was recorded in 2022). We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!Jon Miller, the longtime voice of the San Francisco Giants has been broadcasting major league baseball games for nearly 50 years.  For 2 decades he and Joe Morgan called the ESPN Sunday Night Game of the Week. Naturally, after a career of that length, he has been to many old Lost Ballparks and he is sharing his first hand experiences on this week's episode. Send us Fan Mail

(This episode was recorded in 2022). We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!As a 15 year old freshmen, he stood 5’7 and weighed 128 pounds. He batted 9th on his Aberdeen High School Team and finished the season hitting .128. Who would have believed that he would one day grow into a 6’4, 225 pound Baseball Hall of Famer?!  Cal Ripken, Jr. finished his career a 19 time All-Star, AL Rookie of the Year, 2x AL MVP.  He collected 3,184 hits, 431 home runs, was a 2x Gold Glove winner, 8x silver slugger, World Champion, played in the most consecutive games (2,632)  and was a 2007 inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame.Send us Fan Mail

(This episode was recorded in 2024). We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!From the dusty sandlots of Pottstown, PA to the storied ballparks that served as the backdrop to his remarkable career, 98 year old baseball legend and 1952 AL MVP Bobby Shantz looks back on his improbable path to the major leagues. Grab your peanuts and cracker jack and listen to one of the great stories from the golden age of baseball. Send us Fan Mail

(This episode was recorded in 2021). We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!There are only 2 living members of the Brooklyn Dodgers who played in and won the 1955 World Series; pitchers Roger Craig and Carl Erskine. Erskine, our first guest on Lost Ballparks, won 122 games for the Dodgers between 1948-1959. He was an All-Star, World Champion and author of 2 no-hitters. Oh, by the way, he struck out Mickey Mantle 4 times. In one game! He also played at Ebbets Field, the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium and he's here, at 95 years young, to talk about it all! Send us Fan Mail

(This episode was recorded in 2022). We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!Bob Costas has hosted 12 Olympics, 7 Super Bowls, 7 World Series, 10 NBA Finals, has won 29 Emmys (more than any other sportscaster in history) and a Baseball Hall of Fame Ford C. Frick winner. What a thrill it was to talk old ballparks with him!Send us Fan Mail

(This episode was recorded in 2022). We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!Jim Palmer won 268 games in his big league career. He appeared in 6 World Series and won 3. He was a 3x Cy Young Award winner, 4x Gold Glove winner, won at least 20 games in 8 different seasons and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990. And oh by the way, he is the only pitcher in baseball history to win a World Series game in 3 different decades! Send us Fan Mail

(This episode was recorded in 2022 and re-released when Dave Parker was elected to the Hall of Fame). We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!Breaking news: Thrilled to announce tonight the Classic Era Baseball Committee has elected Dave Parker and Dick Allen to the Baseball Hall of Fame. He will be inducted next year!! Here is our interview with Parker from March of 2022. Hope you enjoy it and congratulations to the Cobra (and Allen) on an achievement that is long overdue!Send us Fan Mail

(This episode was recorded in 2022). We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!Dale Murphy was a 7X All-Star, 2X NL MVP, 5X Gold Glove winner, 4X silver slugger award winner. He finished his 18 year career with 2,111 hits and 398 home runs and is a member of the Atlanta Braves Hall of Fame.Send us Fan Mail

(This episode was recorded in December, 2024). We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!On this month's episode I’m honored to talk with a man who has been the heartbeat of Cleveland baseball for 35 years—Tom Hamilton, the legendary voice of the Cleveland Indians and Guardians. Hear his baseball beginnings, including the first game he ever attended as a kid, the quirks and character that made Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium one of a kind, and the city’s transformation with the opening of Jacobs Field in 1994.And of course, we revisit those incredible Cleveland teams of the mid-‘90s—teams that had the whole city glued to their radios, with Tom’s iconic calls providing the soundtrack to those magical Ohio summers.From the vast expanse of Municipal Stadium to the unforgettable debut of ‘The Jake,’ and the moments that united a city, this is one conversation I can't wait to share with you.Update: 12/11/24 - Tom has been named the Ford C. Frick Award Winner and will take his place in the broadcast wing of the Hall of Fame in 2025!!Send us Fan Mail

(This episode was recorded in 2022). We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!On this episode Hall of Famer and Chicago Cub legend Billy Williams joins me to talk about the day in 1956 he found out he was going to be signed by the Cubs, the life changing comment that Rogers Hornsby made to him and Ron Santo, his incredible  experiences with Buck O'Neil and Satchel Paige and his first hand account of playing in baseball's great old, lost ballparks.Send us Fan Mail

(This episode was recorded in 2022). We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!From 1970-2010 Nancy Faust was the organist for the Chicago White Sox. She was a trailblazer who made music an integral part of the ballpark experience. When Harry Caray first sang "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" at Comiskey Park, Nancy was playing the organ for him. She was the first to play "Na Na Hey Hey Goodbye" as an opposing pitcher walked off the field or after a White Sox home run. She is a Chicago treasure! Send us Fan Mail

(This episode was recorded in 2024). We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!Rocky Colavito finished his career with 374 HR's and he played in 9 All-Star Games. Now 90 years young,  Rocky joins me on this episode to talk about his 1st game at the Polo Grounds, his tryout at Yankee Stadium, his love for Cleveland & the wedding gift the team gave him & his wife that he'll never forget!Send us Fan Mail

(This episode was recorded in 2022). We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!Bobby Richardson joins me on this week's episode of the Lost Ballparks podcast. Richardson was the 2nd basemen for the NY Yankees from 1955-1966. He was selected to 7 All-Star teams, played in 7 world series (winning 3 in ’58, ’61 and ’62), was the 1960 World Series MVP, a  5x Gold Glove winner and has many stories to share about Mickey Mantle, Old Yankee Stadium, Forbes Field and the crazy night that Billy Martin had in 1957 that changed Richardson's life forever!Click here for Bobby's book.Send us Fan Mail

(This episode was recorded in 2023). We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!Extra Innings Episode: Johnny Bench  joins me on this episode to talk about the first MLB game he ever attended, memories of Cincinnati's Crosley Field, what Willie Mays told him at the Astrodome in 1968, his 1971 All-Star game home run at Tiger Stadium and obeying his Mom during the 1972 NLCS at Riverfront Stadium.Send us Fan Mail

(This episode was recorded in 2023). We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!Ozzie Smith, "The Wizard of Oz" was a 15X All-Star, World Champion, 13X Gold Glover, NL Silver Slugger and a first ballot baseball Hall of Famer! And on the season 4 premiere of the LB podcast he is talking about growing up across from L.A.'s Wrigley Field, his first game at Dodger Stadium, first MLB hit at Candlestick Park and memories of Busch Stadium in St. Louis!Send us Fan Mail

(This episode was recorded in 2022). We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!Red Sox Hall of Famer Rico Petrocelli joins me on this episode to talk about the 1967 "Impossible Dream" Boston Red Sox, his memories of growing up in Brooklyn going to Dodger games at Ebbets Field and the story of how Fenway  almost became a lost ballpark!Click here to check out Rico's book "Tales from the Dugout" (The 1967 Boston Red Sox).Send us Fan Mail

(This episode was recorded in 2022). We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!John Asalon was a member of the Cincinnati Reds grounds crew at Riverfront Stadium from 1972-1979. He had a front row seat for some of the biggest games in baseball history. This week, he gives us an inside look at Crosley Field (games he attended as a kid), Riverfront Stadium (where he worked as a teenager) and the Big Red Machine. It's a completely unique perspective that only someone who worked so closely with the team during that decade could provide. Enjoy!Send us Fan Mail

Originally recorded in 2023.We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!Fred Lynn was a 9X All-Star and the first player in baseball history to win Rookie of the Year, MVP and a Gold Glove in the same year! He joins me on the season finale to talk about the first game he attended as a kid, all things Fenway Park, that special 1975 Red Sox team, his first All-Star game at County Stadium in Milwaukee, the crazy event that probably cost the Angels the '82 ALCS and much more!Send us Fan Mail

Originally recorded in 2023.We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!Jon Miller, the longtime voice of the San Francisco Giants makes his return visit to Lost Ballparks. His first appearance on the podcast quickly became the most downloaded episode in LB podcast history. He is gracious enough to join once again sharing more of his first hand experiences of broadcasting at some of baseball's iconic lost ballparks.Send us Fan Mail

Originally recorded in 2022.We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!Rod Carew was a lifetime .328 hitter. He finished his 19 year career with 3,053 hits, was the AL Rookie of the Year in 1967, an 18X All-Star - all as a starter, all in a row,  won an AL MVP trophy in 1977, was a 7x batting champion (only Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner had more) and was a first ballot inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame and he is our guest on the Lost Ballparks Podcast! Send us Fan Mail

Originally recorded in 2022.We’re curating the most downloaded episodes for new listeners discovering Lost Ballparks. If you’re a longtime listener, thank you for being part of this incredible community!Dave Van Horne was the play-by-play voice for the Montreal Expos, from their inception in 1969 - 2000. He joins us to talk about those early Expos teams, Jarry Park (the Expos first home) and all of the unique characteristics of that old ballpark and team that made them both feel uniquely a part of the great city of Montreal. Send us Fan Mail

85-year-old former MLB umpire Terry Tata spent 27 years in the big leagues (1973-1999) calling the action behind the plate. From 3 All-Star Games and 4 World Series to 5 no-hitters and one of baseball’s longest games, he’s here to pull back the curtain on the toughest—and most thankless—job in the game.Send us Fan Mail

Legendary sportswriter Jane Leavy is my guest on this month's episode of Lost Ballparks. We’re gonna relive Sandy Koufax’s perfect game at Dodger Stadium in ’65 that was so expertly chronicled in her bestselling biography A Lefty’s Legacy, and hear some bold potentially game changing ideas from her latest book: Make Me Commissioner: I Know What’s Wrong With Baseball and How to Fix It. Send us Fan Mail

It’s been 50 years since Philadelphia’s Connie Mack Stadium was torn down—but thanks to longtime Phillies PR man Larry Shenk, "The Baron", it springs back to life in this episode. Larry spent decades behind the scenes with the Phillies, and his memory is an absolute time machine. A baseball encyclopedia. From the crack of the bat to the roar of the crowd in North Philly, Larry paints a vivid picture of what it was like inside one of baseball’s great lost ballparks. He also shares untold stories about the legends (Schmidt, Rose, Carlton) he worked with and the golden age of the game most fans never got to see. Sometimes the best storytellers aren’t the ones on the field—but the ones just beyond the dugout.Send us Fan Mail

Hip-hop icon and Rock N Roll HOFer Chuck D joins the podcast to remember baseball legend Dave Parker—The Cobra. Chuck reflects on Parker’s impact on the game, his cultural legacy, and what it meant to narrate Cobra at Twilight, the powerful documentary about Parker’s life and battle with Parkinson's.Send us Fan Mail

Dave Bristol just turned 92 on June 23rd—and he’s packed a lifetime of baseball into those years. A member of the Reds Hall of Fame, Bristol managed Cincinnati in the late ’60s before leading the Brewers, Braves, and Giants, and later coaching with the Expos and Phillies. Born in Macon, Georgia, he's one of the game's great storytellers, with decades of dugout memories to share. Enjoy this journey back to baseball's golden era.Send us Fan Mail

This month on Lost Ballparks, our guest is Dennis Clotworthy, Al Kaline’s Last Bat Boy. Dennis grew up across the street from Tiger Stadium and eventually worked inside its walls. In our conversation, Dennis brings the old ballpark to life with incredible detail—describing everything from creaky trap doors to the magic of Gate 16, the heavy barn door that opened a hidden world below field level and the old, slick hardwood floors of the clubhouses, worn smooth and marked with metal spike impressions left by generations of legends.  His journey, which began in the unlikely setting of Malta, takes him to Detroit, where he chases a dream that leads to jobs as a junior usher, clubhouse attendant, visiting team's bat boy, and ultimately, bat boy for the Tigers. Along the way, he rubbed shoulders with legends like Brooks Robinson, Reggie Jackson, Nolan Ryan and, of course, Al Kaline. If you’ve ever dreamed of being a batboy at one of baseball’s most storied old ballparks, this episode is for you.Send us Fan Mail

Before there was a SportsCenter… before ESPN became a juggernaut… there was George Grande—sitting behind a desk, ushering in a new era of sports television with some of the the very first words ever spoken on the network. But his story doesn’t begin there. He played alongside Tom Seaver at USC, interned for Vin Scully, called games for the Yankees, Cardinals, and Reds, and for 31 summers was the voice of baseball immortality as the host of the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. He’s shared dugouts with legends, airwaves with icons, and memories with millions. This month, he shares them with us. Send us Fan Mail

He started as a batboy at old Seals Stadium in 1958 and spent the next 65 years inside the Giants clubhouse at Candlestick Park and beyond. Along the way, he became great friends with Willie Mays, found himself at a private dinner where a legendary singer answered the door, had an unexpected run-in with a Hollywood cowboy at spring training, "borrowed" something from Bob Uecker and even ran the clubhouse for the biggest band in the world. This month on Lost Ballparks, longtime Giants clubhouse manager Mike Murphy shares stories you won’t believe. Send us Fan Mail

Baseball is in Buddy Bell’s blood. Growing up, he spent his days at Crosley Field watching his dad, Gus Bell, play for the Reds and later roamed County Stadium when Gus was traded to the Milwaukee Braves. In this episode, Buddy shares stories of his childhood in the game, the special way his dad let him know he made a great play, a life-changing moment in the parking lot at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, his first All-Star Game in 1973, and the unforgettable highlight of his career when he finally put on a Reds uniform in 1985.Send us Fan Mail

Bob Uecker was more than just a baseball legend—he was a cultural icon, a Hall of Fame broadcaster, and one of the most beloved personalities in sports history. In this special tribute episode, MLB Network’s Matt Vasgersian, Hall of Famers Rollie Fingers, Ted Simmons, and Paul Molitor share their favorite Ueck stories. From his playing days to the broadcast booth, and of course, his unforgettable moments in pop culture, this is a celebration of “Mr. Baseball”.Send us Fan Mail

Relive the magic of baseball’s golden age through the incredible story of Jackie Brandt, a player who shared the field with legends like Stan Musial, Willie Mays, Willie McCovey, Brooks Robinson and Eddie Mathews. With a career spanning 12 unforgettable years (1956–1967), Brandt played in some of the most iconic ballparks in history—Polo Grounds, Sportsman’s Park, Ebbets Field and Connie Mack Stadium. In this episode, Jackie, now 90, shares his unique experiences, colorful stories and what it was like to be part of an era that defined America’s pastime. Send us Fan Mail

This month on Lost Ballparks, Ken "Hawk" Harrelson joins us with stories as colorful as his career.  From meeting Mickey Mantle as a kid to helping save Fenway, playing with Satchel Paige, and even catching the eye of Frank Sinatra, Hawk's stories are legendary. Hear how a twist of fate before Game 7 of the ’67 World Series might have cost the Red Sox their title, and relive highlights from his 9-year big league career and 33 years in the White Sox broadcast booth. Grab some peanuts and cracker jack—Hawk Harrelson joins us on Lost Ballparks!Send us Fan Mail

On this episode, I'm joined by Ernie Whitt, catcher from the 1977 inaugural Toronto Blue Jays team. He shares stories about some of the historic minor league ballparks he played in, the American League ballparks of the 70s and 80s, his first MLB hit, and the early days of the Blue Jays at Exhibition Stadium. Plus, Ernie reflects on two unforgettable things Dwight Evans and Carlton Fisk did for him that he'll never forget.Send us Fan Mail

Pete Rose has passed away at the age of 83. Just a few weeks ago, he left me a message that I'd like to share with you. Rest in peace, Pete.Send us Fan Mail

Jerry Schwab is my guest on this months Lost Ballparks podcast. From 1946-1957, Jerry and his family lived in an apartment underneath the LF grandstands at the Polo Grounds. His Dad, Matty was the head groundskeeper for the New York Giants. His story is a rare glimpse into a world that few have ever seen; personal relationships with legends of the game, hidden passages, tunnels beneath the stands and the dugouts and clubhouses where history was written.Send us Fan Mail

Denny Matthews, the Royals Hall of Fame Voice, has been calling games in Kansas City since the team's first game in 1969! This is his 56th year with the Royals. He joins me on this month's episode of the Lost Ballparks podcast to talk about K.C.'s Municipal Stadium, The "K",  all things Royals, the first MLB game he ever attended and the ingenious strategy he used to get the Royals job!Send us Fan Mail

Denny McLain, 2X Cy Young Award winner, 3X All-Star, AL MVP, 1968 World Champion and the last pitcher in the big leagues to win 30 games in a season, is my guest on this month's episode. Wait 'til you hear why his Mom chose not to let him sign with the Yankees! We're also talking about his first hand experiences in some of baseball's iconic ballparks and of course that magical 1968 season for the Detroit Tigers!Send us Fan Mail

At 99 years old (he'll turn 100 in September), The Reverend William "Bill" Greason is the oldest living member of the Negro Leagues. From his heroic service in World War II to his career in the Negro Leagues and Major League Baseball, Greason's journey is one of courage, determination, and a remarkable, unwavering spirit of gratitude.  Enjoy my conversation with a true American hero!Send us Fan Mail

Pat Hughes, who was elected to the broadcast wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame last year has broadcast more than 6,000 games over a 40+ year career. The longtime radio voice of the Chicago Cubs joins me on this month's episode to reminisce about the first big league game he ever attended and to share his many vivid ballpark memories of Candlestick, Yankee Stadium, Comiskey Park, Tiger Stadium, the Metrodome, County Stadium, Municipal Stadium and Wrigley Field.Send us Fan Mail

Several months ago, I recorded an interview with the late Larry Lucchino. In addition to being an executive for the Orioles, Padres and Red Sox, Lucchino was a ballpark design revolutionary who ushered in the wave of retro ballparks beginning with Camden Yards. On this week's special episode of the Lost Ballparks podcast, Lucchino tells how the park of his youth, Forbes Field, inspired him to build Camden Yards and Petco Park. Listen now at lostballparks.com or search "Lost Ballparks" wherever you stream podcasts.Send us Fan Mail

Steve Vucinich spent 54 years with the Oakland A’s working as a peanut vendor, a ballboy, and eventually the clubhouse manager.  The much beloved member of the Athletics was inducted into the Oakland A’s Hall of Fame in 2022. He was a part of the team for 7 different decades and has many stories to tell on this month's episode!Send us Fan Mail

Pete Weber, the voice of the minor league Buffalo Bisons (1983-1995),  called many games at historic War Memorial Stadium. He was there while they filmed "The Natural" and joins me on this episode to offer behind the scenes details about that all-time great baseball movie. We also spend time remembering some of the quirks and oddities of baseball's lost minor league ballparks.Send us Fan Mail

Hall of Famer Fergie Jenkins joins me to recount the "when" and "where" of attending his first MLB game, the unconventional method his Dad used to make him a strong pitcher, the trials of playing  in minor league ballparks of the segregated south in the early 1960's, the baseball legend he admired growing up who would become his roommate and surviving 10 cent beer night at Cleveland's Municipal Stadium!Send us Fan Mail

Mike McDermott began his career at Dodger Stadium as the visiting team batboy in the mid 1960's. He later transitioned to batting practice pitcher for the Dodgers; a position he held for 30 years! He joins me on this episode to talk about a Hall of Famer whose kindness he'll never forget, the time at Candlestick where he caused the game to be stopped and memories of many old, lost ballparks, including a particular goose bump inducing moment at Yankee Stadium.Send us Fan Mail

Hall of Famer Ted Simmons joins me on this episode to talk about the first big league game his Dad took him to at Briggs Stadium (later named Tiger Stadium), coming back to play there as a major leaguer, catching Bob Gibson's only no-hitter at Three Rivers Stadium and the day he hitched a ride with a rock-n-roll legend.Send us Fan Mail

Warren Brown's first job was working in the Red's clubhouse at Crosley Field. When the Reds moved into Riverfront Stadium in the middle of the 1970 season, he became one of their batboys. "Brownie" has great stories and wonderful memories to share of both ballparks, Sparky Anderson and the Big Red Machine.Send us Fan Mail

Rick Dempsey, a member of the Orioles HOF,  joins me on this episode to talk about some of the great Lost American League ballparks of the 70's and 80's, his little league manager who turned out to be ______!!! the stadium where he nearly lost his life, and of course the '83 World Series (he was MVP) and the goose bump inducing '88 World Series! This is one of my all-time favorite interviews. Hope you enjoy it!Send us Fan Mail