Good Seats Still Available

We use up our remaining MTA MetroCard credit this week for a sit-down with baseball author/historian Chris Donnelly — whose new book "Get Your Tokens Ready: The Late 1990s Road to the Subway Series" represents the final installment of his intriguing trilogy charting the divergent, yet intertwined sagas of the Mets and Yankees from the mid-1980s through 2000's historic “Subway Series.” Donnelly's previous works — "Doc, Donnie, the Kid, and Billy Brawl: How the 1985 Mets and Yankees Fought for New York's Baseball Soul" and "Road to Nowhere: The Early 1990s Collapse and Rebuild of New York City Baseball" — set the stage.   But now, with “Tokens,” he delivers the most in-depth look ever at how the late-1990s Yankees rose to dynasty status while the Mets clawed their way back from irrelevance — culminating in a tightly contested World Series showdown that defined a generation of New York baseball fans. We explore how the Yankees became the undisputed kings of New York, the Mets' dramatic resurgence, and what the 2000 cross-town showdown meant for the city's baseball soul -- some four decades after the Giants and Dodgers abandoned Gotham for the California coast.  + + +    SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/good-seats-still-avalable?ref_id=35106 BUY THE BOOKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!):   "Get Your Tokens Ready: The Late 1990s Road to the Subway Series": https://amzn.to/3HBihSD  "Road to Nowhere: The Early 1990s Collapse and Rebuild of New York City Baseball": https://amzn.to/4koT4cR "Doc, Donnie, the Kid, and Billy Brawl: How the 1985 Mets and Yankees Fought for New York's Baseball Soul": https://amzn.to/3StBKan   SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats   Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old Fort Baseball Co. (15% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://www.oldfortbaseballco.com/?ref=seats Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE   417 Helmets (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://417helmets.com/?wpam_id=3 FIND AND FOLLOW: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/GoodSeatsStillAvailable Web: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/good-seats-still-available/

We welcome to our microphones award-winning author, cultural critic and Washington University in St. Louis professor Gerald Early, whose new book "Play Harder: The Triumph of Black Baseball in America" is a sweeping chronicle of Black Americans' extraordinary influence on the game of baseball — from the sport's formative days in the wake of the Civil War, through the heyday of the Negro Leagues, to the modern era. A leading voice in the conversation about race, sports, and American identity, Early also served as an advisor to the National Baseball Hall of Fame's landmark new exhibit, Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball. Together, the book and exhibit offer a timely and powerful retelling of baseball's past — one that acknowledges long-overlooked figures like Moses Fleetwood Walker, Rube Foster, and Cool Papa Bell, and reexamines well-known legends like Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Barry Bonds through a deeper historical lens. We discuss how Play Harder arrives at a moment of renewed focus on the Negro Leagues, as Major League Baseball officially recognizes them as major leagues and integrates their stats into the game's official record.  Early explains why this recognition matters, how the Negro Leagues shaped Black identity and community, and what the story of Black baseball says about America itself. + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/good-seats-still-avalable?ref_id=35106 BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!):  "Play Harder: The Triumph of Black Baseball in America": https://amzn.to/4dzBmRj   SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old Fort Baseball Co. (15% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://www.oldfortbaseballco.com/?ref=seats 417 Helmets (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://417helmets.com/?wpam_id=3 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE FIND AND FOLLOW: Linktree: https://linktr.ee/GoodSeatsStillAvailable Web: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/good-seats-still-available/

Lacrosse is more than just a sport; it's a mirror — one that reflects the history, tensions, and contradictions of America itself. So posits acclaimed sports journalist/renowned Sports Illustrated Senior Writer S.L. Price on this week's episode, as we explore his impressive new book "The American Game: History and Hope in the Country of Lacrosse" — a sweeping chronicle of the Indigenous origins, elite entrenchment, and modern upheaval of America's truest "oldest sport.” From its sacred beginnings among the Native American (and First Nations) Haudenosaune — where the “Creator's Game” served as both spiritual expression and a form of conflict resolution — to its adoption and reshaping by white elites in Ivy League corridors, lacrosse has long occupied a complicated cultural space. Price brings us inside this uniquely American paradox: a sport that's simultaneously expanding at lightning speed, yet reckoning with the deep scars of exclusion, privilege, and violence. We dive into lacrosse's turbulent professional history, including the shaky rise and fall of multiple pro leagues, the game's fraught image in the wake of high-profile scandals, and the symbolic power of the Iroquois Nationals playing as a sovereign team on the world stage. Along the way, Price shares stories of legendary figures like Jim Brown, Kyle Harrison, Lyle Thompson, and Oren Lyons — voices who have reshaped what lacrosse means, and who it belongs to. This isn't just a conversation about sports — it's about race, class, identity, and what it means to belong in America. If you think you know lacrosse, think again. + + +    SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/good-seats-still-avalable?ref_id=35106   SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old Fort Baseball Co. (15% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://www.oldfortbaseballco.com/?ref=seats 417 Helmets (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://417helmets.com/?wpam_id=3 Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE FIND AND FOLLOW: Web: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/good-seats-still-available/

Though it seems like only yesterday, this season marks the 40th anniversary of one of baseball's most misunderstood and overshadowed Fall Classics - the surprisingly competitive seven-game 1985 World Series.  While most remember the all-Missouri "Show-Me Series" for umpire Don Denkinger's blown call at first base in Game 6, baseball historian Marshall Garvey joins us to discuss why that single moment, while a significant turning point, shouldn't define what was otherwise a colorfully spirited battle between two well-matched in-state rivals.  In his new book, "Interstate '85: The Kansas City Royals, the St. Louis Cardinals, and the Show-Me Showdown That Rewrote Baseball History," Garvey peels back four decades of myth and oversight to uncover the full, rich tapestry of the "I-70 Series" — a provincial, emotionally charged showdown between two teams forever linked by more than just geography. Through more than two dozen exclusive interviews with key figures like George Brett, Ozzie Smith, Bud Black, and even Don Denkinger himself, Garvey explores the human stories, cultural context, and remarkable on-field drama that have long deserved more attention. + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/stores/good-seats-still-avalable?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old Fort Baseball Co. (15% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://www.oldfortbaseballco.com/?ref=seats 417 Helmets (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://417helmets.com/?wpam_id=3 Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE FIND AND FOLLOW: Web: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/good-seats-still-available/

In a surprise move that instantly reshapes the league's historical narrative, the National Football League last month announced it will now officially incorporate statistics from the upstart All-America Football Conference (AAFC), the short-lived but impactful rival professional football league that operated from 1946 to 1949.  The decision brings long-overdue recognition to the achievements of several prominent players from the mid-20th century and results in the revision of several long-standing records in the NFL's official record books. Renowned early pro football historian Ken Crippen ("The All-America Football Conference: Players, Coaches, Records, Games and Awards" and "The Original Buffalo Bills: A History of the All-America Football Conference Team") returns to the show (after a seven-year absence) to help us break down the NFL owners' decision to finally recognize the AAFC, as well as the historical significance of the move - which further burnishes the statistical legacies of star players like Y.A. Tittle (Baltimore Colts), Mac Speedie and Otto Graham (Cleveland Browns); Cleveland's iconic Paul Brown; and, most obviously the original Browns franchise - the only league champion the AAFC ever knew. Plus, the bizarre story of how the original AAFC statistical records were providentially rescued from a New York City dumpster shortly after the announcement of the merger with the NFL in 1949!    + + + SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106   SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old Fort Baseball Co. (15% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://www.oldfortbaseballco.com/?ref=seats Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE 417 Helmets (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://417helmets.com/?wpam_id=3 FIND AND FOLLOW: Web: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/

This week, we're thrilled to welcome a true legend of grit and perseverance — former NFL quarterback Dan Pastorini ("Taking Flak: Life In The Fast Lane"). Born and raised in the Bay Area, Pastorini made his mark early at Bellarmine College Prep before starring at nearby Santa Clara University, where he etched his name into the school's record books and shined as the Most Outstanding Player of the 1971 East-West Shrine Game. Drafted third overall by the Houston Oilers during the famed "Year of the Quarterback" in 1971, Pastorini became a symbol of toughness and innovation — famously pioneering the use of the flak jacket to play through brutal injuries. During his nine seasons with the Oilers, Pastorini led the team through the beloved "Luv Ya Blue" era under coach Bum Phillips, playing alongside greats like Earl Campbell and Elvin Bethea. His leadership helped fuel dramatic playoff victories and brought Houston to the brink of Super Bowl glory in both 1978 and 1979. It's a revealing conversation, which includes Pastorini thoughts about: His upbringing, early sports dreams, and why he chose football over a potential MLB career after being drafted by the New York Mets. Life in the NFL trenches: the hits he took, the historic games he played, and the deep bond he formed with the city of Houston. The controversial 1979 AFC Championship loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers — and the call that still sparks debate. His transition to Top Fuel drag racing, where he broke barriers once again by winning major NHRA events and clocking speeds over 270 mph, AND His passion for giving back through the Be An Angel Foundation and reflections on a life lived at full throttle. From quarterback to drag racer, businessman to philanthropist, Dan Pastorini's story is one of resilience, reinvention, and heart. + + + SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106   SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE 417 Helmets (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://417helmets.com/?wpam_id=3 GRILL LIKE A PRO: Dan Pastorini's Texas Style BBQ Rubs & Spices: https://dpqualityfoods.com/ GIVE UNTIL IT HURTS: Be An Angel Fund: https://beanangel.org/ FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/

Live and direct from Pottsdam, it's the one-and-only Karl-Heinz Granitza — the prolific German striker who became the face of the North American Soccer League's iconic Chicago Sting -- and a transformative figure in American soccer during his seven outdoor seasons across the late 1970s & early 1980s.   A 2003 National Soccer Hall of Fame inductee and one of the NASL's all-time leading scorers, Granitza opens up about his remarkable journey from West Berlin to the Windy City -- where his powerful left foot, fiery personality, and unshakable will to win helped ignite a soccer revolution in the US. Granitza shares the challenges of joining the Sting in 1978, a year that began with a record-setting 10-game losing streak, only to pivot dramatically under mid-season replacement coach Willy Roy. With a new influx of German talent and a renewed sense of purpose, Granitza led a cultural and competitive shift that culminated in one of the most exciting eras in Chicago pro sports history. Among the stops: the tension-filled triumph of the NASL's 1981 Soccer Bowl championship match, where the Sting edged the star-studded New York Cosmos in a nail-biting, scoreless encounter that culminated in a dramatic tie-breaking shootout. Granitza recounts the euphoric aftermath: Chicago's first major pro sports championship in nearly two decades, a ticker-tape parade attended by over 100,000 fans, and the moment he realized that soccer had finally taken root in America's heartland. We dive into Granitza's reputation as both a clutch performer and a demanding teammate; with humor and honesty, he reflects on his passionate leadership style — his perfectionism, on-field outbursts, and deep loyalty to teammates like Arno Steffenhagen, Ingo Peter, and Pato Margetic. We also explore Granitza's dominance in the 1980s indoor game (for both the NASL and MISL versions of the Sting, as well as the American Indoor Soccer Association's Chicago Power), his record-setting scoring streaks, and his perspective on the bittersweet demise of the NASL -- especially the (often overlooked) legacy it still provides today's American soccer landscape. + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE 417 Helmets (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://417helmets.com/?wpam_id=3 FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/

It's a bucket-list conversation this week with legendary sports broadcaster Jim Lampley as he shares insights and anecdotes from his new memoir, "It Happened!: A Uniquely Lucky Life in Sports Television."  With a career spanning five decades, Lampley takes us behind the scenes of some of the most indelible moments in modern-day sports broadcasting, offering a first-person, blow-by-blow account of history-making assignments, iconic calls, and never-before-told stories - including:   Becoming the first live sideline reporter for a nationally televised college football game; Rising to ABC Sports heir apparency behind legends like Jim McKay and Howard Cosell; Covering an astonishing 14 Olympic Games across multiple networks, including ABC, NBC, and Turner; AND Hosting HBO's Wimbledon telecasts and reaching Hall of Fame status as the 30-year voice of HBO World Championship Boxing (including his unforgettable call during George Foreman's miraculous victory over Michael Moorer) BUT, OF COURSE, we naturally drag "Lamps" back to some of his more “forgotten” stops made along the way, including: Play-by-play and studio host for the original USFL; First-ever host at ground-breaking all-sports radio station WFAN/New York; AND Local news anchor at CBS's Los Angeles O&O flagship KCBS-TV  + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats 417 Helmets (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://417helmets.com/?wpam_id=3 BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "It Happened!: A Uniquely Lucky Life in Sports Television.": https://amzn.to/42ecyKF FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/

It's our long-overdue dive into one of the most controversial stories in National Football League history — the tale of the Pottsville Maroons and its stolen 1925 championship — with ESPN journalist and author David Fleming, whose acclaimed 2007 book "Breaker Boys: The NFL's Greatest Team and the Stolen 1925 Championship" is newly apropos on the 100th anniversary of what many consider to be pro football's most egregious historical blunder. Fleming guides us through the dramatic rise and fall of the Maroons — an Eastern Pennsylvania coal-country semi-pro team born of grit, visionary coaching, and the raw determination of hard-working, hardscrabble working-class miners/players/characters, like Tony 'The Human Howitzer' Latone. We'll trace how this unlikely squad stormed into the NFL in 1925, defeated its powerhouse Chicago Cardinals in the ostensible title game, and then toppled a heavily-favored University of Notre Dame "Four Horsemen" squad in a much-hyped exhibition match. But their moment of triumph became their undoing. The NFL suspended the team for allegedly violating territorial rights for the game — a charge hotly contested to this day — and stripped them of the title. Instead, the Cardinals were awarded the championship, and Pottsville was left with nothing but heartbreak. Hear how the Maroons' win over the Fighting Irish actually helped legitimize a still-fledgling NFL — and how the league "repaid" them with what many call the worst injustice in pro football history. We'll explore the political maneuvering behind the decision, the 100-year fight for redemption, and what it reveals about the NFL's ownership power dynamics, both then and now. + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats 417 Helmets (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://417helmets.com/?wpam_id=3 BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "Breaker Boys: The NFL's Greatest Team and the Stolen 1925 Championship": https://amzn.to/43C5atA FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/

We boot up our trusty Flux Capacitor this week for a trip back to 1978 -- a year when baseball provided a much-needed escape for a nation in flux. We sit down with David Krell, author of "1978: Baseball and America in the Disco Era," to relive one of Major League Baseball's most unforgettable seasons — one filled with historic milestones, dramatic showdowns, and larger-than-life personalities. From Bucky Dent's legendary home run that crushed Red Sox fans' hearts to Reggie Jackson's World Series heroics, 1978 was a year of baseball drama at its finest. We discuss Ron Guidry's dominance (25-3, 1.74 ERA), Pete Rose's 44-game hit streak, Tom Seaver's one-and-only no-hitter, and Willie McCovey's 500th home run — all set against the cultural backdrop of disco fever, bell-bottoms, gas-guzzling cars, and Hollywood 1950s-era escapist nostalgia. Beyond the ballpark, America found itself beset with post-Watergate political disillusionment, confronted with rapidly rising economic inflation, and mired in a stubbornly persistent energy crisis. Krell takes us on a deep dive into how baseball intertwined with the era's biggest moments, making 1978 not just a great season, but a reflection of the times. So, dust off your turntable, crank up some Bee Gees, and join us for a conversation that captures the magic, madness, and milestones of 1978 — both on and off the field. + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats 417 Helmets (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://417helmets.com/?wpam_id=3 BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "1978: Baseball and America in the Disco Era": https://amzn.to/43z1yIW FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/

Sports historian Josh Elias stops by for a deep unraveling of the often misunderstood story behind the 1949 merger that created the National Basketball Association (NBA) as we know it today.  Drawing from his historically essential 2024 book The Birth of the Modern NBA: Pro Basketball in the Year of the Merger, 1949-1950, Elias takes us back to the pivotal moment when the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (NBL) merged, uniting disparate big-city teams with small-town clubs - and setting the stage for professional basketball's future in the US. We dive into the tensions between East Coast metropolises and Midwestern industrial towns; the unexpected power struggles between the last BAA champion (and superstar George Mikan-led) Minneapolis Lakers and the final NBL winning Anderson (Indiana) Packers; and the NBA's early challenges with segregation, cultural divides, and an uncertain post-WWII American economy. Elias also shares some of the wildest and most fascinating anecdotes from his research, including mob-connected team owners, bizarre halftime performances, airport mishaps, and brushes with history-making figures like Jackie Robinson, Chuck Connors, and even a young pre-politics Gerald R. Ford. Step back in time to revisit the NBA's chaotic, colorful, and often overlooked first season - one that shaped the league for generations to come.  + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats 417 Helmets (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://417helmets.com/?wpam_id=3 BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "The Birth of the Modern NBA: Pro Basketball in the Year of the Merger, 1949-1950" : https://amzn.to/41PRnx6 FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/

We go North of the border this week for the curious story of the dramatic and chaotic origins of the National Hockey League with hockey historian and long-time Windsor Star sports columnist Bob Duff ("The First Season: 1917-18 and the Birth of the NHL"). While today's NHL is a global powerhouse celebrating over a century of hockey history, its very first season (1917-18) was a near disaster. Born out of a backroom maneuver to oust controversial Toronto owner Eddie Livingstone, the league's inaugural outing was anything but smooth.  From a player shortage caused by World War I conscription, to the sudden collapse of the four-team-league's Montreal Wanderers after their arena burned down, to competition from the rival Pacific Coast Hockey Association, to various threats of revenge from Livingstone - the NHL teetered on the edge of failure. And yet, against all odds, it survived. "The Duffer" walks us through that unlikely initial NHL season, the struggles that nearly ended it before it truly began, and the league's first-ever Stanley Cup championship - as the "Toronto Hockey Club" (or was it "Arenas" or "Torontos"?) bested the PCHA's Vancouver Millionaires in a best-of-five final. + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW:  Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106   SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "The First Season: 1917-18 and the Birth of the NHL": https://amzn.to/3XQ1bFR FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/

America's pastime has long been more than just a game - it's a reflection of the country itself. But what happens when the heart and soul of small-town baseball is threatened by the forces of modern sports economics?  We sit down with New York Times-bestselling author ("The Prisoner in His Palace") and former Army Ranger Will Bardenwerper to discuss his new book "Homestand: Small Town Baseball and the Fight for the Soul of America" - a poignant memoir that explores the fate of minor league baseball in Batavia, New York, and what it reveals about the state of America today. Bardenwerper takes us behind the scenes of a declining Rust Belt town's fight to keep its baseball tradition alive after Major League Baseball's contraction of Batavia's beloved Muckdogs (née Clippers, Pirates, Trojans & Indians) - along with its history-laden circuit, the Class-A New York-Penn League - in 2020.  Through rich storytelling and a cast of unforgettable characters, Bardenwerper paints a picture of resilience, community, and the enduring magic of the game. As Batavia fights to keep baseball alive, Homestand captures not just the town's defiance in the face of MLB's power grab, but also the broader struggles of small-town America against economic forces beyond its control.   We also explore Bardenwerper's unique perspective as a veteran, journalist, and author - connecting themes of war, political division, and the still uniquely unifying power of a simple summer night at the ballpark.   + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "Homestand: Small Town Baseball and the Fight for the Soul of America": https://amzn.to/4iCbYeQ FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/

Strap in and try to keep up, as we attempt to follow the peripatetic 58-year journey of one of the NBA's most wandering franchises - with New York-area sports beat reporter Rick Laughland ("A History of the Nets: From Teaneck to Brooklyn"). Today's Brooklyn Nets club began its life in 1967 as the New Jersey Americans - a charter member of the American Basketball Association, playing at the Teaneck Armory.  A year later, they moved to Long Island (LI Arena, then Island Garden, then Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum) to become the New York Nets, winning two ABA championships (1974, 1976) behind superstar Julius Erving.  Absorbed into the NBA in 1976, the team struggled financially and was forced to sell Erving, leading to early-season struggles. In 1977, they relocated to the Garden State as the New Jersey Nets, playing at Rutgers Athletic Center (now Jersey Mike's Arena) before moving to Brendan Byrne (aka Meadowlands) Arena in 1981.   After almost becoming the "Swamp Dragons" in 1994, the early 2000s saw breakthrough success with Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin, and Richard Jefferson - making back-to-back NBA Finals runs in 2002 and 2003.  Before a brief move to Newark's Prudential Center (2010–12), the team relocated to Brooklyn's purpose-built Barclays Center, with a complete franchise name, logo and color-scheme rebrand.  Initially building around Deron Williams, they later pursued star power with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, followed by Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden in 2019–2021. Still bereft of an elusive NBA title, will the Nets continue to ply their trade in Brooklyn - or will they eventually return to their nomadic ways? + + +    SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2   BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): " A History of the Nets: From Teaneck to Brooklyn": https://amzn.to/41oxSev FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/

We're positively kvelling over the brand new anthology from this week's guest Eric Gouldsberry - "Our Life and Times with the Earthquakes" - which vividly (and lovingly) portrays the thrilling early days of the original San Jose Earthquakes franchise (1974-84) of the old North American Soccer League, and the transformative impact it brought to the Bay Area's fast-growing Santa Clara Valley. Through his personal journey as a devoted fan and with never-before-seen images captured by his father - "official unofficial" team photographer Ray Gouldsberry - Eric brings to life the magic of a team that ignited an untapped soccer fan base in the South Bay and helped define the 1970s-era pro version of the "beautiful game" in America. We explore the club's ingenious marketing tactics, pioneering players, eclectic fans, and the various highs and lows of the original Earthquakes both on and off the field - all set against the meteoric rise and ultimate collapse of the enigmatic NASL. It's all here: cozy Spartan Stadium, its painted field, cheer instigator (and Episode 7 guest) "Krazy" George, the "Shakers," indoors at the Cow Palace - plus, the little-known origin story of 1978's expansion Oakland Stompers and the intense-but-brief rivalry that time forgot! + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW:  Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2   BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "Our Life and Times With the Earthquakes: Images and Memories from the Glory Days of San Jose's Original Pro Soccer Team": https://amzn.to/4i2YVmI FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/

After a decidedly meh NBA All-Star Weekend, we rewind back to one of the league's most influential historical tributaries - the American Basketball Association (1967-76) - and the criminally little-known story of how its demise left a generation of pioneering pro players out in the cold. Michael Husain is the writer, director, and co-producer of the groundbreaking documentary The Waiting Game - which spotlights the relentless efforts of the determined non-profit Dropping Dimes, as it fights to help reclaim the overdue benefits and back pay the forgotten star athletes of the ABA were promised as part of their absorption into the NBA in 1976. It's a story of players who helped shape the style, pace and culture of modern basketball, but now struggle to afford life-saving medications, avoid eviction, and secure basic financial stability - even as the NBA rakes in over $10 billion annually.  Husain shares exclusive insights into the making of the film, the enduring legacy of the ABA, and the still-ongoing battle for justice and recognition for its players, and their contributions to the evolution of the game. + + +  SUPPORT THE SHOW:  Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106   SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE   SEE THE MOVIE: "The Waiting Game": https://www.thewaitinggamemovie.com/ SUPPORT THE CAUSE: Dropping Dimes Foundation: https://droppingdimes.org/ FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/

We hearken back to baseball's humble beginnings this week, as author/historian Jeff Orens ("Selling Baseball: How Superstars George Wright and Albert Spalding Impacted Sports in America") takes us on a journey through the late 19th century, when the game was rapidly evolving from a casual pastime to America's national sport - with two larger-than-life figures at the center of its transformation. In Orens' telling, players-turned-sports-businessmen George Wright (Cincinnati Red Stockings, Boston Red Stockings, Boston Red Caps, Providence Grays, and later, Wright & Ditson Co.), and Albert Spalding (Rockford Forest Citys, Boston Red Stockings, Chicago White Stockings, and his eponymous sporting goods company still in business today) were the first superstars of "professional" baseball - driven by a competitive rivalry on the field and complementary marketing skills off it, helping modernize the game/industry we know today. And our conversation doesn't shy away from controversy, either. We'll delve into Wright's and Spalding's roles in perpetuating the infamous "Doubleday myth," which erroneously credited Civil War hero Abner Doubleday with inventing baseball. Orens provides insight into how these influential figures helped legitimize this false narrative, shaping/tainting baseball's origin story for generations to come. + + +  SUPPORT THE SHOW:  Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE   BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "Selling Baseball: How Superstars George Wright and Albert Spalding Impacted Sports in America": https://amzn.to/4jTm7VW FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/

Ain't no stoppin' us now this week as we lay down the indoor soccer turf and roll out the red carpet for one of the Major Indoor Soccer League's steeliest defenders and long-time St. Louis Steamers fan favorite Carl Rose. Known best for his seven stellar seasons (1979-86) with the MISL's most commercially successful franchise, Rose actually began his pro indoor career along with the debut of the league itself (1978-79) as a member of the inaugural title-winning New York Arrows.   A two-time indoor All-Star, Rose earlier plied his soccer trade outdoors with the Canadian National Soccer League's Toronto Emerald - including call ups for the nation's 1975 Pan-American and 1976 Olympic squads, alongside future NASL & MISL teammates Jack Brand, Bob Bolitho, Peter Roe, Tino Lettieri, Wes McLeod, and Jimmy McLoughlin. We tackle all of that and lots more - including Rose's challenges overcoming a serious career-ending injury and becoming a standout youth coach in St. Louis - as well as his hot takes on the state of the game in the US. His new memoir "A Resilient Spirit" is a great read, and is available wherever good books are found (or the link below!). + + +  SUPPORT THE SHOW:  Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE   BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "A Resilient Spirit" (2024): https://amzn.to/4guvJDI FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/

We throw another Duraflame into the hot stove this week for a look back at the sterling, but oddly overlooked career of one of baseball's greatest "golden age" hitters.  Biographer Jerry Grillo ("Big Cat: The Life of Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Mize") helps us sort out the intriguing story of batting titan Johnny Mize - whose 15-year major league journey playing for the St. Louis Cardinals, the New York version of the Giants and five World Series-winning seasons (1949-53) with the New York Yankees - generated ten All-Star Game appearances, and a plethora of National League titles in home runs (4x), RBIs (3x) and hitting (1939) - despite missing three full seasons (1943-45) for wartime service with the US Navy. Widely considered a cinch for the Hall of Fame upon his retirement in 1953, Mize's path to Cooperstown instead took 28 years until a Veterans Committee vote in 1981 finally brought him into the pantheon of the sport's greats. Find out why the pride of Demorest, Georgia's road to baseball immortality took so long, why one of the sport's greatest underappreciated hitters unquestionably belongs in the Hall - and how the "Big Cat" unwittingly helped influence today's billion-dollar trading card industry! + + +  SUPPORT THE SHOW:  Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106   SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE   BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "Big Cat: The Life of Baseball Hall of Famer Johnny Mize" (2024): https://amzn.to/3CeKNrb   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

[While Tim gets off the mat after a bout with a vaccine-resistant strain of the flu this week, we go back to April 2018 for this classic ARCHIVE RE-RELEASE with the pied piper of classic football history!] Upton Bell grew up at the knee of the National Football League's second-ever commissioner – his father, the legendary Bert Bell – who not only saved professional football from financial ruin in the aftermath of World War II, but also became one of its greatest innovators.  Originator of the iconic phrase “on any given Sunday,” the senior Bell created lasting contributions to the NFL, such as the first pro football draft, scheduling parity, television revenue-sharing, and sudden-death overtime. For the junior Upton, it was a priceless childhood amidst pro football's formative years – begun while watching his father draw up the league schedule each year using dominoes at the kitchen table – steeped in the personalities, lore, and economic pragmatism of a game that would ultimately dominate the American professional sports landscape like no other. In a seemingly preordained career, Upton Bell (Present at the Creation: My Life in the NFL and the Rise of America's Game) has been an owner (the wacky World Football League's Charlotte Hornets), a general manager (the NFL's New England [née AFL Boston] Patriots), a player personnel director (the 1960s NFL-dominant Baltimore Colts), and long-time sports commentator/talk radio host – remaining a true and insightful “football guy” throughout. In this very revealing conversation, Bell joins Tim Hanlon to discuss his personal and professional journey through the sport he loves; the lessons learned and insights gleaned from his unique purview into the pro game's coming-of-age era; the current state of the NFL and where it might be headed; and heretofore untold stories about the stranger-than-fiction WFL. + + +  SUPPORT THE SHOW:  Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Present at the Creation: My Life in the NFL and the Rise of America's Game (2017): https://amzn.to/40FW7Ww SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

Spurred on by a hugely intriguing article in The Athletic penned last November by Episode 274 guest Pablo Maurer (as well as another by Guardian soccer writer Jack Williams back in 2016), we delve into the fascinating story of the visionary, yet controversial 1990s American pro soccer league that never was - League 1 America - with its mastermind Jim Paglia.  Born in the wake of the 1989 awarding of the 1994 FIFA World Cup to the United States, League 1 America was an ambitious attempt to reimagine a post-Cup pro soccer league for an American audience that gravitated toward fast-paced, high-scoring sports like football and basketball. Paglia's vision centered on blending traditional soccer elements with entertainment-focused innovations and dedicated mall-like facilities, aiming to build a league that prioritized marketability and fan engagement above all else. The league's format featured radical rule changes, including shootouts to resolve ties, shortened match durations, and scoring modifications to encourage more goals and continuous action. Paglia also planned to lean heavily on corporate sponsorships, creating a business model that integrated entertainment and commercial viability, with aspirations of competing against America's major sports leagues for both fans and television audiences. Despite its innovative ideas, League 1 America never materialized. The league faced a skeptical sporting landscape, with the demise of the North American Soccer League in the mid-1980s still fresh in the public's memory and doubts about soccer's viability as a mainstream American sport. Financial hurdles, coupled with resistance from soccer traditionalists and a lack of institutional support, doomed the project before it could get off the ground. Critics dismissed Paglia's vision as an overly commercialized distortion of soccer's essence, while fans of the global game balked at the Americanized rule changes. Yet, the story of League 1 America remains a fascinating “what if” in the history of U.S. soccer. A number of its ideas - especially the building of experience-driven soccer-specific stadiums - can be seen in today's Major League Soccer.  Paglia's efforts highlighted both the challenges and opportunities of growing soccer in the U.S., underscoring the tension between preserving the sport's global traditions and adapting it to local tastes. Today, as soccer continues its steady rise in America, League 1 America serves as a reminder of the bold experimentation and resilience that helped lay the groundwork for the sport's future. + + +  SUPPORT THE SHOW:  Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE    FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

Renowned Presidential speechwriter-turned-sports-historian Curt Smith joins the podcast this week for an erudite look at the not-so-obvious concentricity between the story of baseball in America with both the growth of broadcasting and the evolution of electoral politics.   Drawing from some of his most seminal works on baseball history - most notably 1987's iconic Voices of the Game, the anthological Memories from the Microphone, and the newly updated-in-paperback The Presidents and the Pastime - Smith helps put the game into richer cultural perspective, with astute observations of its unmistakable intertwinement with media and government. + + +  SUPPORT THE SHOW:  Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 BUY THE BOOKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Voices of the Game: The Acclaimed Chronicle of Baseball Radio and Television Broadcasting - from 1921 to the Present (1992): https://amzn.to/4gYnvV0 Memories from the Microphone: A Century of Baseball Broadcasting (2021): https://amzn.to/4h6cVvr The Presidents and the Pastime: The History of Baseball and the White House (2024): https://amzn.to/4gTMQ2E   SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

It's our year-end Holiday Roundtable Spectacular - featuring a look back at the year's newest additions to "what used-to-be" in professional sports (RIP MLB's "Oakland" Athletics & the NHL's Arizona Coyotes), and a predictive glimpse into what might be in store for 2025 - with two of our favorite fellow defunct sports enthusiasts: Steve Holroyd (Crossecheck, Philly Classics & Episodes 92, 109, 149, 188 & 248); and Paul Reeths (OurSportsCentral.com, StatsCrew.com & Episode 46). Buckle up for our yearly mélange of amusement and bemusement at the fringes of the pro sports establishment, as we simultaneously marvel at and lament some of the most curious events of the past year, debate who and what might be next to stumble into oblivion, and conjecture about future scenarios for the next generation of defunct and otherwise forgotten pro sports teams and leagues - including: Spring football's unified UFL Arena Football League 2.0 RIP (and Arena Football One 2025) MLB's now-Sacramento-and-someday-Las Vegas (maybe) Athletics The NHL's Utah Hockey Club (fka Arizona [née Phoenix] Coyotes, via the WHA's original Winnipeg Jets) Major League Cricket Baseball's genre-bending Savannah Bananas - and its soon-to-launch Banana Ball Championship League Indoor soccer's new Baller League Premier League Lacrosse's pivot to city teams and a new women's division The new League One Volleyball (LOVB) takes on the 2nd-year Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF) NWSL soccer PWHL hockey PLUS: Can Diamond Baseball Holdings (41 MiLB teams and counting!) be stopped? AND: Will Michael Jordan, et al. break up the NASCAR stock car monopoly? + + +  SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE    FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

It's a holiday gift-wrapped conversation with American soccer pioneer and US National Soccer Hall of Famer Johnny Moore - whose professional career as a player and coach across the original versions of both the North American Soccer League (San Jose Earthquakes, Oakland Stompers), and Major Indoor Soccer League (Detroit Lightning, San Francisco Fog, Phoenix Inferno & a one-game/one-goal stint with the Kansas City Comets), and as General Manager of the original Major League Soccer incarnation of the 'Quakes (formerly Clash, now Houston Dynamo) - is the stuff of legend. Also: the "outlaw" 1969 Oakland/California Clippers; San Francisco's infamous Cow Palace; the mid-70s US Men's National Team; the real origin story of the NASL 35-yard line (and Shootout); and how Mexico's Club America almost became another Chivas USA. + + +  SUPPORT THE SHOW:  Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "Soccer Fever: A Year With the San Jose Earthquakes" (1977): https://amzn.to/3BTrNy1   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

We welcome pro football historian (and Buffalo Bills memorabilia patron) Greg Tranter ("The Providence Steam Roller: New England's First NFL Team") to our microphones this week for a look back at the oft-forgotten Providence Steam Roller - which competed in the early-days National Football League from 1925-31. Based in Providence, RI, the Steam Roller holds a unique place in gridiron history as the first and only team from the Ocean State to win an NFL championship. The team's unusual name reflected the industrial character of the region and was derived from a local steamroller manufacturer. The Steam Roller played their home games primarily at the Cycledrome, an outdoor stadium primarily designed for bicycle races, which provided a distinctive playing venue. In inclement weather, the team occasionally used the Providence Auditorium, making them one of the few teams to ever host an indoor NFL game. The club was renowned for its tough, physical play -especially in 1928 when, under the leadership of player/coach Jimmy Conzelman, the Steam Roller achieved its greatest success by winning a closely contested (and ultimately board room-decided) NFL title over the Frankford (PA) Yellow Jackets. Despite their championship success, the Steam Roller struggled with the financial challenges common to early NFL teams, particularly during the Great Depression. In 1931, the franchise folded due to declining attendance and steepening losses at gate. Though short-lived, the Providence Steam Roller left a lasting legacy as a reminder of the NFL's early days, when the league was still establishing itself in small and mid-sized cities across the United States. + + +  SUPPORT THE SHOW:  Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "The Providence Steam Roller: New England's First NFL Team" (2024): https://amzn.to/3ZVBTb9 FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

We jump aboard this NFL season's biggest bandwagon with a look back at one of the league's most enduring, yet historically mediocre franchises - and the only club operational for the entirety of the post-AFL era to never appear in the Super Bowl. Bill Morris ("The Lions Finally Roar: The Ford Family. The Detroit Lions, And The Road To Redemption In The NFL") joins the podcast to help us wallow in the colorful, but supremely confounding history of pro football's Detroit Lions - especially during the last 60+ years of family majority ownership begun in earnest by William Clay Ford Sr. back in 1963. From the "Curse of Bobby Layne" to Billy Sims, from Barry Sanders to Matt Millen, and from the Pontiac Silverdome to 2008's historic 0-16 season - it's all here!  Plus, we speculate whether this year will finally see the Lions return to NFL championship glory. + + +  SUPPORT THE SHOW:  Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "The Lions Finally Roar: The Ford Family. The Detroit Lions, And The Road To Redemption In The NFL" (2024): https://amzn.to/3ZJmVES   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

Former NBA All-Star Michael Ray Richardson and his co-author Jacob Uitti (Banned: How I Squandered an All-Star NBA Career Before Finding My Redemption) join the show to discuss Richardson's riveting new memoir that chronicles his extraordinary journey on and off the basketball court. Hailed as “the next Walt Frazier” coming out of the University of Montana as a first-round pick (fourth overall) in the 1978 NBA Draft, "Sugar" was a force to be reckoned with, leading the league in both assists and steals in just his second season - still New York Knicks team records to this day - and earning four All-Star appearances and two All-Defensive team honors. But behind the scenes, his career was overshadowed by personal struggles with drugs and alcohol, leading to a historic lifetime ban from the NBA in 1986 while a member of the New Jersey Nets. Richardson shares how he rebounded from that moment, finding redemption through subsequent stints as a player and coach in places like the CBA (Albany Patroons, Oklahoma Cavalry); USBL (Long Island Knights); Premiere Basketball League; and a prolific 14-year professional league run in Europe, where he guided teams to championships and redefined his legacy.  Now running youth basketball clinics and reflecting on his journey, Richardson proves that resilience and accountability can turn even the darkest chapters into a comeback story. SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "Banned: How I Squandered an All-Star NBA Career Before Finding My Redemption" (2024): https://amzn.to/3B2Knn7   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

Baseball history writer Scott Longert ("Love and Loss: The Short Life of Ray Chapman"), joins the show for an in-depth look at the life and legacy of Cleveland Indians shortstop Ray Chapman (1891-1920) whose tragic story continues to resonate more than a century later. Chapman rose from humble beginnings to become one of the American League's top shortstops of the 1910s. His exceptional talent on the field, coupled with his marriage to heiress Kathleen Daly, positioned him for a life of privilege and success. Yet, his promising future was cruelly cut short during the 1920 pennant race when a high fastball from Yankees pitcher Carl Mays tragically ended his life. Longert goes beyond the familiar narrative of Chapman's untimely death to paint a broader picture of his remarkable yet brief life, from his rise as a baseball star to his pivotal role in what would ultimately become the Indians' first-ever World Series championship season. Longert also explores the heartbreaking ripple effects of the tragedy, including the devastating toll on his widow and young daughter. Join us as we delve into Chapman's enduring legacy as a Cleveland icon, the chilling events of that fateful game, and his lasting impact on baseball and its history. + + + SUPPORT THE SHOW:  Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "Love and Loss: The Short Life of Ray Chapman" (2024): https://amzn.to/4eMGCA7   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

Author/biographer Debbie Sorensen (Beyond the Jump Shot: The Elevated Life of Kenny Sailors) delves into the story of basketball pioneer Kenny Sailors (1921–2016), one of the most unheralded influencers in both the collegiate and pro game. Widely credited with popularizing the modern-day jump shot, Sailors first stunned audiences in the early 1940s when he elevated mid-air to shoot over taller defenders - a revolutionary move in an era dominated by set shots. His innovation not only expanded offensive possibilities but also became a fundamental skill in basketball at all levels.   As a standout player for the University of Wyoming, Sailors led his team to the NCAA Championship in 1943, earning Most Outstanding Player honors. His game-changing jump shot helped transform basketball into the fast-paced, dynamic sport we recognize today. After serving in World War II, Sailors had a successful professional career in the ascendant Basketball Association of America (BAA) - most notably with the Cleveland Rebels and Providence Steamrollers - as well as in the first two years of the NBA (the original NBL-absorbed Denver Nuggets, and BAA-originated Boston Celtics & Baltimore Bullets). Beyond his contributions on the court, Sailors was an advocate for youth sports and the importance of education, spending decades mentoring young athletes. His legacy is celebrated not only for his role in evolving the sport but also for his character and sportsmanship. Inducted into the National Collegiate Hall of Fame in 2012, Kenny Sailors remains a towering figure in basketball history - though, criminally, still not in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.  + + + SUPPORT THE SHOW:  Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Merch: https://www.teepublic.com/?ref_id=35106 SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "Beyond the Jump Shot: The Elevated Life of Kenny Sailors" (2024): https://amzn.to/3Vko1ob STREAM THE DOCUMENTARY (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "Jump Shot: The Kenny Sailors Story" (2022): https://amzn.to/40TFtmO  FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstillavailable.com X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

We gear up for the impending launch of the new six-team Women's Pro Baseball League (set to debut in summer of 2026) with another look back at the original All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (1943-54) with sports history writer Jim Sargent. In "We Were the All-American Girls" (2013), Sargent culled insights from over three dozen interviews with former AAGPBL players, detailing the league's evolution from underhand pitching with a 12-inch ball in 1943 to overhand pitching and a standard baseball by 1954, its final year. Conducted between 1995 and 2012, these interviews captured memorable games, career highlights, and the deep bonds among players, opponents, and fans. Many players also reflected on how the 1992 film A League of Their Own revived the league's legacy, reigniting public interest nearly 40 years after its last game. In "The South Bend Blue Sox: A History of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Team and Its Players" (2011), Sargent describes the league through the eyes of the players and management of the South Bend Blue Sox - one of only two teams to play all 12 seasons of the league's existence, including two titles (1951 & 1952). + + + SUPPORT THE SHOW:  Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE   BUY THE BOOKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "We Were the All-American Girls: Interviews with Players of the AAGPBL" (2013): https://amzn.to/3ADXc79 "The South Bend Blue Sox: A History of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Team and Its Players" (2011): https://amzn.to/4fCBy1Q FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/goodseatsstill.bsky.social Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

With apologies to ice hockey's legendary Lord Stanley, no sport is more synonymous with the awarding of championship cups than soccer.   Long ingrained in the international culture of the sport, the hardware that overwhelmingly awaits the various victors of league titles (e.g., Italy's Serie A Coppa Campioni d'Italia or North America's MLS Cup); major club tournaments (like England's FA Cup or the US' Open Cup); and important international competitions (such as CONCACAF's gaudy Gold Cup and the planet's ultimate prize, the FIFA World Cup) is an often-iconic "cup" - even if the form factor doesn't even resemble one. We go in the opposite direction this week with soccer author Simon Turner ("Tinpot: Football's Forgotten Tournaments") as we celebrate some of the lesser-known and now-defunct soccer cups of the past - including three with intriguing American connections: the 1976 Bicentennial Cup; the 1990s US Cup; and England's rollicking MISL-inspired "Soccer Six" indoor tournament. + + + SUPPORT THE SHOW:  Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable   SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE   BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "Tinpot: Football's Forgotten Tournaments " (2024): https://amzn.to/3UA3pYu   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

Voice of America news editor and Pittsburgh native Dan Joseph ("Behind the Yoi: The Life of Myron Cope, Legendary Pittsburgh Steelers Broadcaster") joins the podcast this week for a deep dive into the legacy of one of pro football's most unique broadcast voices. Myron Cope (1929-2008) served as the radio color commentator for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers from 1970 to 2005, becoming an irreplaceable voice in NFL broadcasting. Known for his distinctive, gravelly tone and catchphrases like “Yoi!” and “Okle-dokle,” Cope's excitement and unapologetic support for the Steelers led fans to mute their TVs and tune into his radio broadcasts. His career extended beyond game days, with his pioneering evening talk show dominating Pittsburgh's airwaves for over two decades and earning him the honor of being the first pro football announcer inducted into the National Radio Hall of Fame. Born and raised in Pittsburgh to Lithuanian Jewish parents, Cope initially pursued journalism, writing for publications such as Sports Illustrated. But it was through the airwaves that he truly captured fans' hearts. In 1975, Cope created the "Terrible Towel" - a gold towel Steelers fans waved in support of their team - which became a powerful emblem of Steelers Nation. His contributions to the team's lore also include co-naming 1972's “Immaculate Reception,” forever tying him to one of the NFL's most iconic plays. Beyond broadcasting, Cope's legacy reflects his dedication to his family and community. He donated all Terrible Towel royalties to the care facility where his son, born with brain damage, still resides. Over his lifetime, Cope raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for children with disabilities, underscoring the kindness and loyalty that endeared him to Pittsburgh and solidified his place in sports history. + + + SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Yinzylvania (20% off promo code: GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE): https://yinzylvania.com/GOODSEATSSTILLAVAILABLE Old School Shirts.com (10% off promo code: GOODSEATS): https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (10% off promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2   BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "Behind the Yoi: The Life of Myron Cope, Legendary Pittsburgh Steelers Broadcaster" (2024): https://amzn.to/3O2CbWZ   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads:  https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

John Madden (1936-2021) was more than a football icon - he embodied the sport itself. As the unmistakable voice of the NFL for nearly 30 years, he brought America's game into TV living rooms across the country. His name became synonymous with football, not just through his legendary broadcast career, but also as the face of his eponymous "Madden" video game franchise. On the field, he was a coaching mastermind, holding the highest career winning percentage of any NFL coach - achieved exclusively with one club, the AFL-then-NFL Oakland Raiders (1969-78). Madden's influence reshaped how fans experienced football, both on screen and in person. But there was another side to Madden, known only to those in the San Francisco Bay Area - where he not only grew up and resided, but also where he shared a daily ritual for nearly four decades - a morning chat with his local radio station. To the nation's fans, Madden was the booming voice of Sunday pro football, but to Bay Area listeners, he was also their neighbor, engaging in lighthearted, often profound conversations about life beyond the gridiron. These radio segments offered him a break from the spotlight, where he revealed a more personal and down-to-earth side to his personality. In "Mornings with Madden: My Radio Life With An American Legend," former KCBS-AM/FM morning news anchor Stan Bunger—the radio host who spent over fifteen years in daily conversation with Madden - presents a rare, intimate look at the man behind the legend. Drawing from thousands of recordings and personal memories, Bunger reveals a different Madden: a devoted father, loving husband, bad golfer, dog owner, and fan of roadside diners. Off-screen, Madden pondered life's simple joys and frustrations with the same humor and passion that captivated millions on TV. + + + SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2   BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "Mornings with Madden: My Radio Life With An American Legend" (2024): https://amzn.to/3UhWG5l   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

Legendary sports broadcaster Tom Hammond ("Races, Games, and Olympic Dreams: A Sportscaster's Life") joins host Tim Hanlon for a myriad of career memories from his nearly 35-year journey calling top-tier league packages and prime events for NBC Sports. Plucked from regional sportscasting obscurity in 1984 for a one-time stall reporting gig as part of the network's telecast of the inaugural Breeders' Cup, Hammond performed so well that an NBC executive offered him a chance to call Sunday NFL/AFC football games on the spot.  The broadcast launched Hammond's multi-decade career with NBC Sports and a pathway to the top levels of American television sportscasting -including other major properties like the NBA, Notre Dame football, horse racing's Triple Crown, and perhaps most memorably, an astounding 13 different Olympic Games (summer and winter) calling marquee events such as gymnastics, track and field, and figure skating. But of course, we can't let Hammond forget his time as the lead voice for the network's curious, but ultimately ill-fated AFL on NBC arena football adventure from 2003-06! + + +   SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2     BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "Races, Games, and Olympic Dreams: A Sportscaster's Life" (2024): https://amzn.to/3NqmzMm   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

Baltimore-based music historian and unwitting baseball biographer Tim Newby ("The Original Louisville Slugger: The Life and Times of Forgotten Baseball Legend Pete Browning") joins the show to delve deep into the story of one of the most formidable baseball players of the 19th century, whose mastery with a bat is still paying dividends today. Over his 13-year career (including now-defunct stops like the American Association's Louisville Eclipse/Colonels and the Players' League's Cleveland Infants), inveterate power-hitter Pete Browning claimed three batting titles and consistently ranked among the top hitters of his time - immortalized as the namesake and inspiration for the iconic Louisville Slugger bat, which was first custom-made for him by the Hillerich & Bradsby Company.  Known as "The Gladiator," Browning was famous not only for his batting skills but for his unusual habits - refusing to slide, balancing on one leg, drinking tabasco sauce, and naming his bats after biblical figures - all in pursuit of improving his game. Behind the theatrics, though, lay a more tragic reality. Browning suffered from mastoiditis, a painful condition that gradually took his hearing and hindered his education and career, ultimately leading him to self-medicate with alcohol. His larger-than-life personality, coupled with embellished newspaper accounts, only added to the myth surrounding him. Newby helps us dance around the thin line between fact and fiction of Browning's life - including why the "Louisville Slugger" is not (yet?) in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.   + + +   SPONSOR THANKS (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats     BUY THE BOOK (AND SUPPORT THE SHOW!): "The Original Louisville Slugger: The Life and Times of Forgotten Baseball Legend Pete Browning" (2024): https://amzn.to/3NbdIyd   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

Despite their name, the Harlem Globetrotters weren't originally from New York's Harlem neighborhood, nor did they start out as true world travellers. This all-Black basketball team, founded by Jewish immigrant Abe Saperstein, originated on Chicago's South Side and began touring the Midwest rather humbly in Saperstein's unheated Ford Model T. With his sharp promotional skills and the players' incredible talent, the Globetrotters quickly grew into an international sensation. Author-brothers Mark & Matt Jacob ("Globetrotter: How Abe Saperstein Shook Up the World of Sports") step into the box office this week to discuss their definitive new biography of Saperstein, a diminutive visionary whose outsized innovations made a profound impact on basketball - and beyond. Starting in the 1920s, the Globetrotters battled everything from harsh weather to rampant racism, all while building an iconic reputation for excellence and comedy that would captivate audiences worldwide. But Saperstein's influence stretched far beyond the Globetrotters. He helped keep baseball's Negro Leagues alive, was a force in getting pitching great Satchel Paige his shot at the majors, and befriended Olympic star Jesse Owens when he fell on hard times. When Saperstein was denied an opportunity to own an NBA franchise, he started the rival American Basketball League, where he helped pioneer the three-point shot, now a staple of the modern game. + + +   SPONSOR THANKS: Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2   READ EARLY AND OFTEN: "Globetrotter: How Abe Saperstein Shook Up the World of Sports" (2024): https://amzn.to/3TNDFaM FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

With the Mets th-i-i-i-i-s close to a rare MLB playoff berth this season, we do our best not to jinx their chances with a look back at the local New York post-game TV show synonymous with the club's first 32 years in Gotham with sports reporter/author Mark Rosenman ("Down on the Korner: Ralph Kiner and Kiner's Korner"). "Kiner's Korner" was a beloved postgame interview show that became a staple of New York Mets broadcasts from the team's inception in 1962  through the 1990s. Hosted by Hall of Fame player and broadcaster Ralph Kiner, the show aired on WOR-TV (now WWOR-TV) after Mets games and occasionally before them. Known for its relaxed and casual style, "Kiner's Korner" gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at their favorite players, with Kiner interviewing the star of the game, reviewing key highlights, and updating scores from other games. The show was both informative and lighthearted, often showcasing Kiner's warmth, humor, and legendary on-air in-game malapropisms. The name "Kiner's Korner" was a nod to the left-field seats at Forbes Field, where Kiner hit many of his home runs during his Hall of Fame career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. These seats, once known as "Greenberg's Gardens" for Kiner's predecessor Hank Greenberg, were renamed "Kiner's Korner" after Kiner's meteoric rise in baseball. The show maintained a simple, intimate format, with players reflecting on their performances, sharing stories, and connecting with fans on a personal level, which helped strengthen Kiner's bond with baseball enthusiasts across generations. Despite its low-key production, the show became a cherished part of Mets culture, especially as it captured memorable moments from New York baseball history. + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: Kiner's Korner.com T-Shirt (from TeePublic): https://bit.ly/3ZRZo5l Kiner's Korner - Unisex T-Shirt (from 1986d): https://bit.ly/4gAFDF5 "Good Seats" Show & Defunct Team Merch (from TeePublic):  http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY SPONSOR THANKS: Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats   READ EARLY AND OFTEN: "Down on the Korner: Ralph Kiner and Kiner's Korner" (2016): https://amzn.to/3MUcszb FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

From the tough streets of Louisville's Smoketown to corporate success, former college hoops standout and American Basketball Association pro George Tinsley's life is a testament to resilience and opportunity.    In his inspiring new memoir "Catch as Catch Can: Building a Legacy by Finding Opportunity in Every Obstacle," Tinsley shares his journey from poverty in the racially divided South to three-time (1966, '68 & '69) NCAA champion (Division II Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers), ABA player (Washington Caps, Kentucky Colonels & The Floridians), and successful business owner.   After transitioning from basketball, Tinsley built a restaurant empire from humble corporate training beginnings at Kentucky Fried Chicken (including regular promotional work with founder Colonel Halrland Sanders himself), overcoming setbacks like a devastating fire. Beyond business, Tinsley reflects on family, faith, and personal loss, offering a powerful message of determination and the ability to turn obstacles into opportunities.   + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Show & Defunct Team Merch:  http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY SPONSOR THANKS: Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats   READ EARLY AND OFTEN: Catch as Catch Can: Building a Legacy by Finding Opportunity in Every Obstacle (2024): https://amzn.to/3B64yQK FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

Metroplex restauranteur and armchair football historian Mike Cobern (Wards of the League: The Untold Story of the First NFL Team in Dallas) joins for a deep dive into the mostly forgotten saga of the 1952 Dallas Texans, the one-year wonder that has nearly vanished from the annals of National Football League history.   Before the Cowboys became "America's Team," the NFL's Dallas Texans were nobody's team!   + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Show & Defunct Team Merch:  http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY   SPONSOR THANKS: Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2     READ EARLY AND OFTEN: Wards of the League: The Untold Story of the First NFL Team in Dallas (2024): https://amzn.to/3XA3u03   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

Syracuse University communications professor and former Emmy award-winning ESPN producer Dennis Deninger ("The Football Game That Changed America: How the NFL Created a National Holiday") joins the show to take us through the origin story and unlikely sociological trajectory of the Super Bowl - pro football's annual championship extravaganza that morphed from uncertain beginnings during the late 1960s AFL-NFL merger into one of America's dominant cultural touchstones.   From the book's dust jacket: The Super Bowl has changed what was just another wintry Sunday into America's unofficial holiday. It's the biggest entertainment event of the year. It's the most important advertising event of the year. It is the biggest gambling event of the year. More Americans watch this game than vote in presidential elections. How did this all happen? In "The Football Game That Changed America," Dennis Deninger reveals how the Super Bowl went from almost being canceled after its first two years to becoming an ingrained part of American life. He tells the story of how this colossal event came to be—including the challenges, stumbles, and amusing surprises along the way—and details the game's incredible impact well beyond the sports world, touching virtually every facet of life in the United States. + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Show & Defunct Team Merch:  http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY SPONSOR THANKS: Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats   READ EARLY AND OFTEN: The Football Game That Changed America: How the NFL Created a National Holiday (2024): https://amzn.to/4cRKGhn   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

The date: June 14, 1974   The place: Cleveland's venerable Municipal Stadium   The event: an evening regular-season game between MLB's Cleveland Indians & Texas Rangers   The added attraction: "Ten Cent Beer Night"   The result: one of baseball history's (and American sports') most notorious promotional fiascos   Cleveland native Scott Jarrett ("Ten Cent Beer Night: The Complete Guide to the Riot That Helped Save Baseball in Cleveland") joins the show this week to go deep into the night that changed baseball in The Forest City forever - and is still vividly remembered 50 years afterward with equal parts revulsion and amusement by those who were there (and many more who were not!).   + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Show & Defunct Team Merch:  http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY SPONSOR THANKS: Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 READ EARLY AND OFTEN: Ten Cent Beer Night: The Complete Guide to the Riot That Helped Save Baseball in Cleveland (2024): https://amzn.to/3MntQw5   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

We raise our sports history IQ a few points this week with an enlightening conversation around the broader cultural importance and underlying social significance of the very venues in which our favorite games are played - with Columbia University professor Frank Guridy ("The Stadium: An American History of Politics, Protest, and Play").   The book's promotional intro sets it up best:   "What comes to mind when we think of stadiums in the United States? For most of us, it's entertainment: football games, Taylor Swift concerts, monster truck rallies, and rodeos. But as historian Frank Guridy reveals in The Stadium, over the past 150 years, they have also been where people gather to wrestle over defining the soul of America.    "From the wooden ballparks of the 19th century to today's glass and steel mega-stadiums, these buildings have been the public squares where Americans push and pull over issues of race, class, gender, and sexual inequalities. In The Stadium, Guridy writes of its remarkable role as a space of protest and politics—not just play—and tells the dramatic people's history of American life."   This discussion will make you think differently about the places where big time sports are played - both in terms of what they have represented in the past, as well as what they may portend for the future.   + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Show & Defunct Team Merch:  http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY SPONSOR THANKS: Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2   READ EARLY AND OFTEN: The Stadium: An American History of Politics, Protest, and Play (2024): https://amzn.to/3YTdBOH FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

Buckle up for a wild ride through some of the most forgotten franchises in recent minor league hockey history - with a colorful lifer who literally fought his way to becoming the NHL's oldest (32) opening-day rookie (with the Boston Bruins), only to see it all fall apart to a concussion after just three games.   This is the raw and savage story of Bobby Robins ("Sex, Drugs, Pucks, and Souls: A Savage Memoir"), whose decade-long odyssey across minor league outposts in places like Binghamton, NY (AHL Senators); Jesenice, Slovenia (HK Acroni); Bakersfield, CA (ECHL Condors); Hoffman Estates, IL (ECHL Chicago Express); and most notably, the Bruins' AHL affiliate in Providence - reveals a troubled, often tortured, personal journey that threatened to derail not only a promising career on the ice, but also his life off of it.   + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: "Good Seats" Show & Defunct Team Merch:  http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable   SPONSOR THANKS: Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2     READ EARLY AND OFTEN: Sex, Drugs, Pucks, and Souls: A Savage Memoir (2024): https://amzn.to/3WZ6lPP   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

We head back to the diamond this week for a look into the "extraordinarily ordinary" baseball life of 1950s-era infielder Danny O'Connell with biographer Steve Wiegand ("The Uncommon Life of Danny O'Connell: A Tale of Baseball Cards, "Average Players," and the True Value of America's Game"). Wiegand's story is a rich exploration of a player often overlooked in history due to his status as a "common" card in the world of sports memorabilia. However, the book delves far deeper than his on-field statistics, offering a comprehensive look at his life and contributions. O'Connell's story spans from his upbringing in Paterson, NJ, through his professional baseball career during the sport's "Golden Era" - including notable stops with forgotten franchises like the Milwaukee version of the Braves, the New York Giants (including the franchise's move to San Francisco in 1958), the first two seasons of the second version of the Washington Senators (now today's Texas Rangers), and even a 1963 managerial stint with the long-forgotten minor league York (PA) White Roses - to his varied endeavors beyond the field, including singing, shuffleboard, and public speaking. Wiegand paints a vivid picture of O'Connell's life, contextualizing it within the broader landscape of post-war America and the evolution of baseball card collecting. The narrative challenges the notion of what it means to be "average" - highlighting O'Connell's "ordinary" baseball achievements and the human spirit embodied in his journey. It critiques the reduction of lives to mere statistics or collectible items and celebrates the overlooked heroes of baseball, urging readers to reevaluate what makes a life truly extraordinary​. + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: "Good Seats" Show & Defunct Team Merch:  http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable   SPONSOR THANKS: Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats   READ EARLY AND OFTEN: The Uncommon Life of Danny O'Connell: A Tale of Baseball Cards, "Average Players," and the True Value of America's Game (2024): https://amzn.to/3WNrtIO   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

New York sports broadcast veterans Scott Orgera and Howie Karpin ("976-1313: How Sports Phone Launched Careers and Broke New Ground") join to help us wax nostalgic about the ground-breaking 1970s telephone service Sports Phone.   From the dust jacket of "976-1313": "Sports Phone set out to change the way scores and breaking news were consumed, and in turn ended up setting the tone for the up-to-the-second updates we take for granted today. Found among those who called the service home are some of the most well-known broadcasters, reporters, public address announcers, and other prominent media figures — as well as several who've been successful in Hollywood and the music industry. A veritable breeding ground for these now-polished professionals, the dial-up platform that once handled 50 million calls in a year churned out talent at a level likely not seen before or since. "Brought to you by media veterans Scott Orgera and Sports Phone alum Howie Karpin, "976-1313: How Sports Phone Launched Careers and Broke New Ground" features never-before-told tales of triumph and tragedy, a mix of hilarity, inspiration, and regret from the broadcasting hopefuls and sports junkies that comprised the brains and voices behind the pioneering operation. If you were assembling an All-Star team of media personnel, you'd only have to look as far as Sports Phone's ranks. "As colorful as that cast of characters was, those who dialed 976-1313 regularly had their own yarns to spin. They form a tapestry of hardcore fans, award-winning actors, well-known comedians, impulsive gamblers, Broadway singers, and infamous mobsters, each with captivating stories told within these pages." + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: "Good Seats" Show & Defunct Team Merch:  http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable   SPONSOR THANKS: Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats   READ EARLY AND OFTEN: 976-1313: How Sports Phone Launched Careers and Broke New Ground (2024): https://amzn.to/4dlrtp6   FIND AND FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

[One last dip into the vault before a flood of new episodes beginning next week; from 2020, our revealing conversation with a pro hockey great - and Atlanta Flames original!} For 1970s-era NHL hockey fans who remember the eight-year adventure known as the Atlanta Flames, few are likely to forget Dan Bouchard.  A tenacious, slightly eccentric and occasionally fight-prone French-Canadian goalie, “Bouch” was an immediate standout between the pipes for the NHL's first-ever Deep South franchise (platooning with fellow Quebecois & expansion draftee Phil Myre during the club's first five seasons) – and a survivor in a league where hard-nosed hockey was the norm and where good goalies were at a premium. Bouchard's big-league call-up to the Flames in 1972 came amidst a frantic period of NHL franchise expansion and relocation driven in large part by the arrival of the challenger World Hockey Association – which debuted alongside Atlanta (and the NY Islanders) that season.  And while the collective memory of the original Flames remains muddied by a woeful post-season record (reliably exiting the playoffs in the first round, despite qualifying six out of their eight seasons), as well as a then (and still?) persistent narrative of Southerners' native distaste for ice hockey – Bouchard and Atlanta were actually more competitive and popular than many of the NHL's other 1970s forays in places like Kansas City, Oakland, Denver, and Cleveland. When Nelson Skalbania bought the Flames and moved them to Calgary in 1980, most in Atlanta and around the league assumed that the well-publicized financial struggles of the team and owner Tom Cousins (who also controlled the Omni arena and the NBA Hawks) were to blame. But as Bouchard outlines in this revealing conversation, an explosive league-wide issue was festering behind the scenes – of which he was uniquely aware and determined to address – regardless of the potential consequences to his playing career. Bouch walks us through an eye-opening story that wends its way through the defunct Quebec Nordiques (including the infamous “Good Friday Massacre” vs. the Montreal Canadiens in 1984), the original Winnipeg Jets, the scandalous downfall of a pro hockey Hall of Famer, and fighting for legendary player/coach Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion both on – and off – the ice. + + + SUPPORT THE SHOW Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable "Good Seats" Show & Defunct Team Merch:  http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY SPONSOR THANKS Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats   FIND & FOLLOW Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

[By popular request, an archive re-release from August 2018, featuring our extraordinary conversation with one of the central figures of the original North American Soccer League - from its chaotic formation in 1968 to its untimely demise in 1985.] + + + Soccer America columnist (and Episode #6 guest) Paul Gardner summed up this week's National Soccer Hall of Fame guest in his May 2015 commentary: “The debt owed by American soccer to Clive Toye is a vast one. It is not too much of an exaggeration to say, flatly, that without Toye's blind faith in the sport in the 1970s, pro soccer in the USA would have withered and died. Yes, Phil Woosnam and Lamar Hunt and Bob Hermann were there too. But in those unpromising years it was Toye's voice -- it came in a steady flow of ridiculously optimistic press releases and grandiose plans for a future that few others even dared to ponder -- that called loudest. “The New York Cosmos general manager credited with turning that league's fortunes around when he signed Pele to a contract in 1975. Toye, who was born in England and came to the United States in 1967 at the age of 33, was president of three North American Soccer League teams – the Cosmos, Chicago Sting and Toronto Blizzard – and general manager of the [original National Professional Soccer League and subsequent NASL] Baltimore Bays.  [He] was an official of the NASL in helping it through its crisis year of 1969 and in its final months in 1985 – and helped to found the third American Soccer League in 1988. “There has always been the spirit of a showman in Toye, and surely it was that spirit that enabled Toye to overlook the virtual collapse of the old North American Soccer League and to see instead a glittering future for the sport in the USA, even to declare to anyone who was listening -- and not many were in those days -- the preposterous notion that the USA should begin preparing to stage the World Cup. “And when the NASL, by the skin of its teeth and by the mad devotion of Toye et al., did survive, it was Toye who gave the reborn league its glittering image with his invention of the Cosmos, with his canny maneuvering and dealing, who brought Pele and Beckenbauer to New York.  Showmanship indeed.” Toye (A Kick in the Grass: The Slow Rise and Quick Demise of the NASL; Anywhere in the World) joins host Tim Hanlon for a lyrical and anecdote-filled journey through the pro league that he helped create, later put to rest, and which ultimately shored up the long-term foundation of the “beautiful game” in America. + + + SUPPORT THE SHOW: "Good Seats" Show & Defunct Team Merch:  http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable BUY/READ EARLY & OFTEN:  A Kick in the Grass: The Slow Rise and Quick Demise of the NASL (2006): https://amzn.to/3Ln1KAt Anywhere in the World (2015): https://amzn.to/3Y3TD3A SPONSOR THANKS: Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats   FIND & FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

[An archive re-release favorite from September 2017, featuring one of professional baseball's most enigmatic leagues!] Inc. Editor-at-Large David Whitford (Extra Innings: A Season in the Senior League) joins host Tim Hanlon to retrace his journalistic odyssey covering the inaugural season of the short-lived, Florida-based Senior Professional Baseball Association (SPBA) in the winter of 1989-90.  Whitford recalls the early-career events leading up to his plum writing assignment, and the process by which he went about chronicling this unique, but ultimately ill-fated eight-team circuit for former pro players over the age of 35 (32 for catchers).  Despite half the franchises folding after the first 72-game season (and the rest of the league mid-way through the second), the Senior League afforded dozens of former big-league players and managers what Whitford dubbed a "life-after-death fantasy" – one that attracted both stars and journeymen alike for a chance to either stay fresh for one last shot in the Show, recapture past on-field glories, or simply earn some needed money.  Whitford highlights a wide array of characters he met while covering the SBPA, including: Founder Jim Morley, the thirty-something hustler who erroneously believed a senior league could generate cash flow sufficient to sustain his debt-ridden real-estate empire; Commissioner Curt Flood, the indefatigable player's union representative  who broke Major League Baseball's reserve clause, but sacrificed his career in the process;  Pitcher Wayne Garland, the former Cleveland ace and early free-agent beneficiary who risked permanent shoulder damage by coming back to play pro ball after a five-year layoff; Ex-Padres/Astros fastballer (and pioneer descendant) Danny Boone, who reinvented himself into a knuckleball specialist, and improbably made it back to the bigs with Baltimore in 1990 following the SPBA season; AND  A veritable who's who of former big-name major league stars – each with their own personal reasons for returning to the diamonds:  Bobby Bonds, Joaquin Andujar, Vida Blue, Rollie Fingers, Ferguson Jenkins, Dave Kingman, Bill “Spaceman” Lee, Graig Nettles, Mickey Rivers, and even manager Earl Weaver – just to name a few. + + + SUPPORT THE SHOW: "Good Seats" Show & Defunct Team Merch:  http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable   SPONSOR THANKS: Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats   BUY/READ EARLY & OFTEN:  Extra Innings: A Season in the Senior League (2024): https://amzn.to/4cfkRbs   FIND & FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

Most US and Canadian domestic soccer fans are certain that the second incarnation of the North American Soccer League (2011-17) officially met its untimely demise in early 2018, just a few months after the first-year San Francisco Deltas beat the New York Cosmos in the 2017 Soccer Bowl - and amidst a seemingly desperate/last-minute antitrust lawsuit alleging collusion between US Soccer and Major League Soccer to keep the league down.   While the NASL hasn't played another game since, the lawsuit - largely ideated and funded by spurned billionaire/Cosmos owner Rocco Commisso - is still very much alive, and now officially headed to trial beginning January 6th of next year.    At issue: whether the governing body of soccer in the US and/or its officially designated top-tier professional league conspired to exclude the NASL from Division I-sanctioned play, and schemed to monopolize the market for men's pro soccer.   At stake: the future direction, competitive landscape and legal structure of American professional soccer.   We get a full primer on the history, rationale and likely outcomes of this stealthily persistent case, with UCLA law school professor, sports/soccer legal expert (and 1970s-era ASL Cleveland Cobras fan) Steven Bank - whose influential Twitter/X feed is an essential follow on all things law + soccer.    + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: "Good Seats" Show & Defunct Team Merch:  http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable   SPONSOR THANKS: Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats   FIND & FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

We celebrate the legendary career and outsized influence of one of baseball's most recognized voices, with veteran LA sportswriter Tom Hoffarth (Perfect Eloquence: An Appreciation of Vin Scully). From the "Early Days" dustjacket:   "When Vin Scully passed away in 2022, the city of Los Angeles lost its soundtrack. If you were able to deliver a eulogy for him, what might it include? What impact did he have on you? What do you carry forward from his legacy?    "Sixty-seven essayists—one representing each season of his career calling games for the Los Angeles Dodgers, from 1950 through 2016—reflect on the ways his professional and private life influenced them. The contributions include a range of stories and remembrances from those who knew and followed him. The consensus of the contributions is that Scully's actions spoke louder than his well-recognized words. "This collection includes fellow broadcasters as well as historians, players, journalists, celebrities, and others connected to the game of baseball, with each piece introduced by sports journalist Tom Hoffarth. Readers can consider Scully's life through common themes: his sincerity, his humility, his professionalism, his passion for his faith, his devotion to his family, his insistence on remembering and giving context to important moments in the history of not just the game but the world in general, all wrapped up in a gift for weaving storytelling with accurate reporting, fellowship with performance art, humor, and connection."   [P.S. - As mentioned in this week's episode, check out this amazing 2016 conversation between Scully and the late Willie Mays, who passed away last week at the age of 93.]   + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: "Good Seats" Show & Defunct Team Merch:  http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable   SPONSOR THANKS: Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2 Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats   BUY/READ EARLY & OFTEN:  Perfect Eloquence: An Appreciation of Vin Scully (2024): https://amzn.to/4cfkRbs   FIND & FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable

It's time to fire up the old Jerrold cable box for a trip back to the pre-launch and early first on-air days of cable TV's pioneering Entertainment and Sports Programming Network - better known as ESPN - with founding producer and channel memoirist Peter Fox ("The Early Days of ESPN: 300 Daydreams and Nightmares"). From the "Early Days" dustjacket: "The tales of early ESPN people who gambled their careers while critics carped that “all-sports television will never work” are full of guile, luck, fear, fun, and unbridled optimism. As ESPN's founding executive producer, Peter Fox was privy to some spectacular professional efforts by a cadre of Connecticut locals who made the dream real.  "The first 300 days of the fledgling network were filled with mayhem, on-air gaffes, and the slowest instant replay in television. What started as a humble idea in the late spring of 1978 to capitalize on the brand-new mania for UConn men's basketball soon morphed into ESPN and a plan to begin airing a series of “test broadcasts” in the fall.  "This is the story of the early days at ESPN, told by one on the network's launching pad, and how a conversation over a couple of martinis in 1978 led to the creation of a broadcast juggernaut. + + +   SUPPORT THE SHOW: "Good Seats" Show & Defunct Team Merch:  http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable   SPONSOR THANKS: Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2   BUY/READ EARLY & OFTEN: The Early Days of ESPN: 300 Daydreams and Nightmares (2024): https://amzn.to/3xalQdX   FIND & FOLLOW: Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/ X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/ Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable