Podcasts about veeck

August 24, 1989, Pete Rose signs an agreement that bans him from baseball permanently. Commissioner Bart Giamatti announces that the agreement does not contain either “an admission or a denial” that Rose bet on baseball games. The ruling will prevent Rose from seeking employment in the major leagues.August 24, 1971, Ernie Banks of the Chicago Cubs hits his 512th and final career home run. Banks' homer helps the Cubs to a 5-4 victory.How many fans wish they had a owner like this? August 24, 1951, St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck pulls off another one of his famous stunts. Veeck allows over 1,000 fans to act as “managers” during a game at Sportsman's Park. The fans use placards to vote on lineup and strategy decisions.August 24, 1969, the expansion Seattle Pilots trade knuckleballing pitcher Jim Bouton to the Houston Astros for pitchers Dooley Womack and Roric Harrison. Bouton will become a celebrity one year later when his book, "Ball Four", is published and becomes a best-seller.Joe Glenn catches baseball's best hitters:Left fielder Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox pitches the last two innings in a 12-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers. Williams allows three hits and one run but strikes out Tiger slugger Rudy York. Joe Glenn, who caught Babe Ruth's last pitching appearance in 1933, is Williams'catcher.1919 - Cleveland pitcher Ray Caldwell is flattened by a bolt of lightning in his debut with the team. He recovers to get the final out of the game, and defeats Philadelphia, 2-1.Historical Recap performed by:Robyn Newton from - Robyn SaysThis Day In Baseball is Sponsored by - www.vintagebaseballreflections.com - Join the membership today and listen to 50 years of baseball history told to you by the folks who were there! As a special offer, all our listeners can use the term - thisdayinbaseball at the membership check out.

August 24, 1989, Pete Rose signs an agreement that bans him from baseball permanently. Commissioner Bart Giamatti announces that the agreement does not contain either “an admission or a denial” that Rose bet on baseball games. The ruling will prevent Rose from seeking employment in the major leagues.August 24, 1971, Ernie Banks of the Chicago Cubs hits his 512th and final career home run. Banks' homer helps the Cubs to a 5-4 victory.How many fans wish they had a owner like this? August 24, 1951, St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck pulls off another one of his famous stunts. Veeck allows over 1,000 fans to act as “managers” during a game at Sportsman's Park. The fans use placards to vote on lineup and strategy decisions.August 24, 1969, the expansion Seattle Pilots trade knuckleballing pitcher Jim Bouton to the Houston Astros for pitchers Dooley Womack and Roric Harrison. Bouton will become a celebrity one year later when his book, "Ball Four", is published and becomes a best-seller.Joe Glenn catches baseball's best hitters:Left fielder Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox pitches the last two innings in a 12-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers. Williams allows three hits and one run but strikes out Tiger slugger Rudy York. Joe Glenn, who caught Babe Ruth's last pitching appearance in 1933, is Williams'catcher.1919 - Cleveland pitcher Ray Caldwell is flattened by a bolt of lightning in his debut with the team. He recovers to get the final out of the game, and defeats Philadelphia, 2-1.Historical Recap performed by:Robyn Newton from - Robyn SaysThis Day In Baseball is Sponsored by - www.vintagebaseballreflections.com - Join the membership today and listen to 50 years of baseball history told to you by the folks who were there! As a special offer, all our listeners can use the term - thisdayinbaseball at the membership check out.

“It's incumbent upon all of us to be change ready, to be curious, to always be learning because this overestimated technology today will truly be delivering huge results tomorrow.” - Alan Veeck, CEO & Founder at Summit Procurement There are very few voices in procurement right now – or businesses in general, for that matter – who are raising the flag that all of the fear, enthusiasm, and hand-wringing over AI's growing influence might be one big, collective overreaction.  Alan Veeck, CEO & Founder at Summit Procurement, is one such voice. In this episode, he shares with Philip Ideson why his contrarian attitude toward AI has little to do with his belief that AI will indeed revolutionize the space. Alan explains how decades of seeing other technology hype cycles come and go have given him a more measured outlook for innovative or emerging digital breakthroughs (including generative AI) and why he thinks other procurement leaders should dial down the frenzy around AI that likely isn't doing their teams, or the business, any favors.  In this conversation, Alan also talks about: Why he thinks AI is not going to disrupt the procurement job market nearly as much or as quickly as many people think How to separate the overblown capabilities from real-world use cases where AI can genuinely move the needle for procurement today How CPOs can embrace AI and maximize its impact without leading their teams, and the business, down a rabbit hole of new solutions and platforms that cause more problems than they solve Links: Subscribe to This Week in Procurement Alan Veeck on LinkedIn Alan Veeck on Twitter

Business owners can learn an important lesson from its origins. Steve Sipress, entrepreneur, marketing, advertising, sales, tips, ideas, help, wow, strategy, small business owner, direct response, tactics, success, profits, growth, results, marketing consultant, baseball, major, league, MLB, spring, training, drucker, innovation, cost, Veck, Veeck, Grapefruit, Cactus, League, Florida, Arizona, Phoenix,

The Saint of Second Chances is now available on Netflix. Link to film Rundown: [Intro] Josh's quick recap of The Saint of Second Chances, a must watch for Chicago White Sox fans [2:50] Night Train Veeck joins the show and shares what the filming experience was like [5:42] Why did Night Train get into the family business? [7:13] The lessons learned and wisdom bestowed from Mike Veeck to Night Train of the Disco Demolition Night [10:38] Why the family business model works [13:31] Night Train's experience working for Fan Engagement with the Chicago White Sox [19:14] What it's like to boss Mike Veeck around? [21:02] Night Train's experience learning how to operate an Australian Cricket league [26:01] Veeck family now part owners of Northern Ireland Football League club, Larne FC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode, Dan Wallach talks with Mike Veeck, who is a former Major League executive and Minor League owner known for his creative marketing and promotions. Mike is a third-generation baseball man, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, William Veeck Sr., and his father, Hall of Famer Bill Veeck. Follow MBH on facebook, twitter, and instagram @shoelesspodcast and sign up for the email newsletter at shoelesspodcast.substack.com Don't forget to rate, review, and listen on iTunes, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, or your favorite podcast app. Thanks to: Ryan Starinsky for the opening theme and his acoustic version of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" Randy Moore for his baseball organ version of "Kingpin" by Get Married Gary Cieradkowski at www.studiogaryc.com for creating the artwork Mike Veeck My mom

Ben Lindbergh and Meg Rowley banter about the abrupt end of Kim Ng's tenure as the general manager of the Miami Marlins, Alyssa Nakken interviewing for the Giants' manager job, the Rangers taking a 2-0 lead on the Astros in the ALCS, and the new Netflix documentary The Saint of Second Chances. Then (48:12) Ben […]

Dan introduces us to the Veeck family before Tony wows us with his Top 5 European Observations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ben chats about a Mike Veeck documentary, Tyler and Sam look at new champions and Biloxi manager Mike Guerrero speaks about a loaded roster. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On August 24, 1989, Pete Rose signs an agreement that bans him from baseball permanently. Commissioner Bart Giamatti announces that the agreement does not contain either “an admission or a denial” that Rose bet on baseball games. The ruling will prevent Rose from seeking employment in the major leagues.On August 24, 1971, Ernie Banks of the Chicago Cubs hits his 512th and final career home run. Banks' homer helps the Cubs to a 5-4 victory.How many fans wish they had a owner like this? August 24, 1951, St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck pulls off another one of his famous stunts. Veeck allows over 1,000 fans to act as “managers” during a game at Sportsman's Park. The fans use placards to vote on lineup and strategy decisions.August 24, 1969, the expansion Seattle Pilots trade knuckleballing pitcher Jim Bouton to the Houston Astros for pitchers Dooley Womack and Roric Harrison. Bouton will become a celebrity one year later when his book, "Ball Four", is published and becomes a best-seller.Joe Glenn catches baseball's best hitters:Left fielder Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox pitches the last two innings in a 12-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers. Williams allows three hits and one run but strikes out Tiger slugger Rudy York. Joe Glenn, who caught Babe Ruth's last pitching appearance in 1933, is Williams'catcher.1919 - Cleveland pitcher Ray Caldwell is flattened by a bolt of lightning in his debut with the team. He recovers to get the final out of the game, and defeats Philadelphia, 2-1.Historical Recap performed by:Robyn Newton from - Robyn SaysThis Day In Baseball is Sponsored by - www.vintagebaseballreflections.com - Join the membership today and listen to 50 years of baseball history told to you by the folks who were there! As a special offer, all our listeners can use the term - thisdayinbaseball at the membership check out.

1948 - The Indians stun the baseball world by signing Satchel Paige, veteran Negro League pitcher. The move is ridiculed by some as a Bill Veeck publicity stunt, and J.G. Taylor Spink in The Sporting News editorializes, "Veeck has gone too far in his quest for publicity [...] To sign a hurler at Paige's age is to demean the standards of baseball in the big circuits." The 42-year-old Paige will answer the critics in his first game tomorrow, getting a relief decision in a 8 - 6 win over New York in a doubleheader sweep. He will finish at 6 - 1. Paige is the oldest player to debut in the majors, but not the first 40-year-old: Chuck Hostetler in 1944 was 40. 1964 - Johnny Callison's 9th-inning 3-run home run off Dick Radatz caps a 4-run rally and gives the National League a 7 - 4 win in the All-Star Game at Shea Stadium. This evens the series at 17.1971: In his Baseball Hall of Fame induction speech in 1966, Ted Williams made a strong plea for inclusion of Negro league stars in the Hall. After the publication of Robert Peterson's landmark book Only the Ball was White in 1970, the Hall of Fame found itself under renewed pressure to find a way to honor Negro league players who would have been in the Hall had they not been barred from the major leagues due to the color of their skin. On July 7 1971 - Commissioner Bowie Kuhn announces that players from the Negro Leagues elected to the Hall of Fame will be given full membership in the museum. It had been previously announced that they would be honored in a separate wing, Satchel Paige was the first Negro League player inducted in 1971. In total there are 35 players and exeutives who have been elected to the Hall of Fame from the Negro Leagues. 2005 - The sports of baseball and softball are dropped from the for the 2012 Olympic Games scheduled to take place in London. It is the first time in 69 years that events have been cut from the games. There is criticism that these events are American-dominated, though the Cuban national team won Gold in 2004 and Australia won Silver. Japan and South Korea have appeared in the Silver Medal game in the past as well. Another reason given is that top professional players do not always appear, though Nippon Pro Baseball and the Korea Baseball Organization have routinely sent their top stars, as does the Cuban National League.Historical Recap performed by:Robyn Newton from - Robyn SaysTrivia is provided by -Horseshide TriviaThis Day In Baseball is Sponsored by - www.vintagebaseballreflections.com - Join the membership today and listen to 50 years of baseball history told to you by the folks who were there! As a special offer, all our listeners can use the term - thisdayinbaseball at the membership check out.

This episode of Willets Pen is brought to you by alabamatrucknuts.com. It's very difficult to come up with a tagline for alabamatrucknuts.com because it's alabamatrucknuts.com, which is already quite intriguing, so we'll just say alabamatrucknuts.com again — that's alabamatrucknuts.com.One note on this show — an actual show note — is that we were wrong about Bill Veeck, who did not own the Cubs. Bill Veeck Sr. was president of the Cubs when the Veeck of Veeck as in Wreck was young, and returned to Cubs fandom after selling the White Sox… in part because Major League Baseball rejected the man who was Veeck's first choice to own the White Sox when he sold the club to Jerry Reinsdorf in 1980.That was Eddie DeBartolo Jr., best known these days as the former owner of the 49ers until getting caught up in a classic scandal over a Louisiana riverboat gambling license and $400,000 in dirty money, which cost him the team, and brought him back into the spotlight in 2020 when he got a pardon from Donald Trump.Jerry Reinsdorf was the second choice in the White Sox sale, and if it hadn't been him, the next bid was Charles Dolan, uncle of now-Guardians owner Paul Dolan, failed bidder for the Red Sox in 2002 to John Henry, and father of… still another Dolan.We're going to need to have a Britt episode where we ponder the DeBartolo-owned White Sox, and how they might not have avoided being an embarrassing trash fire of an organization, but they probably would've been a different and more fun embarrassing trash fire of an organization. That's the Chicago way. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willetspen.substack.com/subscribe

Recording at a time when each league has played two LCS games, SSS duty geezer Leigh Allan and his son and west coast correspondent, Will, delve into playoff baseball, with the added touch that one of Will's softball teammates works in the Dodgers' office and could report on the dirge-like atmosphere after the Padres beat the allegedly best team in the game. Of course, that loss took some heat off the White Sox, who went from the most disappointing team in the majors to just the most disappointing regular-season team in the majors. Admiration for the quality of play in the playoffs, and hope the White Sox have been paying attention to the novel concepts of good defense, solid fundamentals and hustle, eventually gave way to talking about our own team. At that point, enthusiasm went downhill a tad, what with having no faith the Sox front office will be cleared out and that the same dumb decisions will be made with regard to a new manager and player changes. Naturally, any small spark of hope gets rapidly crushed when you look at how much payroll is already obligated for 2023, and how incompetently that money has been spent. But, hey, that's what being a Sox fan is all about. As the great Bill Veeck put it: “If there is any justice in this world, to be a White Sox fan frees a man from any other form of penance.” Of course, we have Veeck to blame for selling the team to Jerry Reinsdorf. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Chuck Garfien sits down with baseball visionary Mike Veeck, son of former White Sox owner Bill Veeck to talk about the game's past, present and future. They discuss how his idea of Disco Demolition became the best and worst promotion in baseball history, how actor Bill Murray saved Veeck's baseball career, why the pitch clock will be a huge win for baseball, what MLB should do to improve the game going forward and more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

 In a feat of protective coloration as successful as the zebra's stripes, the mid-20th century baseball clubowner Bill Veeck portrayed himself as hardball's class clown, sending a midget to gat for the St Louis Browns and making the Chicago White Sox pioneers in Latino hiring, but Ellis Simani of Pro Publica tells us, Veeck invented a tax trick that has saved his real team -- the owners --billions. It explains how one NBA owner paid taxes on his $650 million annual income at a lower rate than a woman who sells beer at his arena.

It's been 73 years since the Cleveland Baseball Team won a World Series. And while it might be little consolation to the Cleveland faithful, that 1948 team was worthy of a compelling book. So on today's episode, I'm joined by baseball author Luke Epplin who has written the compelling book that squad deserves. It's called Our Team: The Epic Story of Four Men and the World Series That Changed Baseball. In it, Epplin recounts the three-team pennant race that summer, the one game playoff victory over the Red Sox that gave Cleveland the pennant, and how they became the first integrated team in baseball to win a World Series. But more than that, it's a story about four of the most fascinating Hall of Famers in history. Larry Doby broke the American League's color barrier the previous year and 1948 is when he put his name on the map. 42 year old Satchel Paige had spent his entire career journeying through the Negro Leagues and that summer, he proved to the nation that he still had it. After creating his own legend as the all-American success story, Bob Feller saw his reputation start to dim in the year of his team's greatest triumph. And through it all, Bill Veeck ran the show and made baseball a better game for everyone. You'll really love this discussion and you'll love the book! Order Our Team here. Twitter: @KenSchultz_ @LukeEpplin Insta: @kenthinguy @lepplin Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eds continues with Part 2 of his telling of the tale of a man who baseball tried but ultimately failed to ostracize, Bill Veeck. We pick up the story again as Bill realizes his defeat in St Louis and attempts to leave town with the Browns, but the baseball establishment let Veeck know their true feelings for him when they forced him to part with his team. But he knew of no other life and he would be "back beneath the arc lights" before too long in his sweet home Chicago where not even another brush with death could keep him out of the owners box. 

Souhan talks Rodgers, Packers, Vikings, and Twins, then chats with Saints owner Mike Veeck about music and baseball.

Souhan talks Rodgers, Packers, Vikings, and Twins, then chats with Saints owner Mike Veeck about music and baseball.#skol #MNTwins 

Eds tells Sean part 1 of 2 to the tale of the man who was one of the few people in the world of baseball who could hold a candle the eccentricity of Charles Finley. William Louis Veeck Jr. was destined for a life in baseball spending his early days working the concession stands of Wrigley Field, and then the next 6 decades in and out of the owners boxes of 4 different franchise at 5 separate times. In that time Veeck set attendance records across the league, changed the world of baseball promotion, and in the end was ostracized for it.

For the first time in Tater Tots history, a baseball figure who has hit exactly zero home runs graces our airwaves. It is baseball's own greatest showman, Bill Veeck, who we discussed last week for his unfortunate flop with Disco Demolition Night. Never fear! In this episode we discuss Bill Veeck's greatest triumphs, including the signing of Eddie Gaedel, Grandstand Manager Day, and his advocacy on behalf of Curt Flood which brought us modern free agency. These are just a few examples of the ways in which Veeck has impacted the game we love, and they are probably not even the best ones. You'll have to tune in to find out more!! DONATE to Baseball For All FOLLOW us on Twitter LIKE us on Facebook EMAIL us Our theme music is "The Littlest League Possible" by Guided By Voices and our artwork is by Shelby Criswell

In this episode, Adam talks shop with Michael Veeck, co-owner of five minor league baseball teams including the Charleston RiverDogs. From baseball to business, Adam and Mike cover it all. History, comedy, strategy, Bill Murray, and more! Listen in to this All American episode and remember what makes this country so great in the first place.   They talk about how Mike got into the world of baseball (and the important role his father played in that).  Adam picks Mike's brain on business, growth, and personal happiness.  Mike reminds us that be it baseball or business, humility and having fun along the way will take you far!

Today we are covering August 19 – 25, we are going to be talking about – Jimmie Foxx pitching career, Gooden early excellence, Bill Veek grand stand moment, Yogi Berra and the harmonica, Juan Marichal and John Roseboro fight and the professional pinch hitter Matt Stairs.   If you love the history of the game, and relate all your stories in life to baseball, and you tend to get goose bumps, grim and even water your eyes a bit when Ray Kinsela asks his Dad to play catch. You are truly at the right place. This podcast is part of thisdayinbaseball.com, if you love baseball history, no matter who you search for you are going to find great nuggets of information.   TRIVIA: What owner once bought a jackass as a team mascot and named it after himself? He also had a nickname :The Wizard of ODD. On August 19, 1945 – In game two of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds, 37-year-old slugger Jimmie Foxx makes his first major league start, pitching the first seven innings for the Philadelphia Phillies at Shide Park. He leaves with a 4 – 1 lead, and Andy Karl saves Foxx’s only decision, a 6 – 2 final.  Here is his stat line his ERA in 10 appearances is 1.52, ERA+ was 243, batters only hit .171 with a .479 OPS and of the 76 batters that faced Foxx not one of them was able to get an extra base hit. The only black mark was 14 Base on Balls vs 10 K’s. Foxx also known as “The Beast” had always wanted to pitch, he was a star hurler in High School. However it was the WAR and the end of his career that really gave him a chance. After the 1944 seasons he appeared in only 15 games, but the War gave him another chance as he signed with the Phillies for a final go round. The 3 Time MVP was not fairing any better so they last place Phillies gave him a shot on the mound, and Foxx the future Hall of Famer. Foxx made the most of it to finish his spectacular career.      On August 20, 1964 — During a bus ride after a Chicago White Sox sweep the Yankee’s 4 straight, Mickey Mantle misinformed his teammate Phil Linz who had been playing Mary Had a Little Lamb on his harmonica that their manager Yogi Berra had asked for the harmonica to be played louder, when in fact he asked him to stop, a confrontation occurs on the back of the team bus between the skipper, and the utility player. As told Mel Stottlemyre a rookie at the time - “Yogi told Phil he was going to shove the harmonica up his ass if he kept playing — plus a few other things. I don't know if it scared Phil but he tossed the harmonica toward Yogi, who slapped it out of the air and whacked it off Joe Pepitone's knee. Linz apologized the next day and he was fined $200, With a bus full of reports the event was well well-publicized Linz apologized the next day and he was fined $200. Some say that seeing that side of Berra fired up the third-place team, , to a successful pennant run, but may have reinforced the perception Berra had lost control of the team with so much dissension on the club, leading to his dismissal after Game 7 of the World Series. Yogi had many Yogisms, here is one I will think about allot, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll wind up somewhere else”   On August 21, 2010 — Matt Stairs sets the career record for pinch-hit home runs when he goes deep off Ernesto Frieri in the eighth inning of a 6-5 loss in Milwaukee. The two-run shot over the Miller Park right field fence, his twenty-first round-tripper coming off the bench, moves the premier pinch-hitter ahead of Cliff Johnson.   Matt stairs is 1 of only 5 Canadian born players to hit 200 homeruns, and he has the record for a position player playing for 12 different teams and 13 franchises. He played for the Expos and Nationals. His pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning of Game 4 in the 2008 National League Championship Series off the Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Jonathan Broxton was called "one of the most memorable home runs in Phillies history" On April 12, 2009, Stairs' game-winning home run against the Colorado Rockies was the last home run called by legendary broadcaster Harry Kalas, who died unexpectedly less than 24 hours later. Matt Stairs is a great what if – he didn’t get regular at bats until age 29, if he had been in the right situation at age 22-23 both  Bill James and Joe Posnanski feel he could have been Hall of Fame material.   On August 22, 1965, After Juan Marichal had knocked down Maury Wills and Ron Fairly in the top of the third, John Roseboro signaled for Sandy Koufax to retaliate in the bottom of the inning. It didn’t work. “Koufax was constitutionally incapable of throwing at anyone’s head,” Roseboro wrote in his 1978 autobiography, “so I decided to take matters into my own hands.” Roseboro was throwing the ball too close to his head while returning throws to Koufax. Marichal complains to the umpire about the throws and then the two square off, that is when MArichal hits Roseboro over the head with a bat. Marichal was suspended for eight games and fined $1,750. Roseboro filed a lawsuit, asking for $110,000 in damages, but settled for about $7,000. He reportedly needed 14 stitches to close the wound on his head. It truly was one of the ugliest events in baseball history. For many the story ends there – In a SF Chronicle article Barbra Roseboro his widow said, In restaurants, over the phone with clients, at the hospital where he lay dying, John Roseboro couldn’t escape the questions. “People would come up to us at dinner and say, ‘Please tell us about the fight with Marichal,’” the catcher’s widow said recently from her office in Beverly Hills. “He would always accept his responsibility for that incident. He’d say: ‘I provoked it. I threw that ball too close to Juan’s ear.’” It was however Roseboro who helped Marichal transition into Dodger blue in 1975, they made peace at an old timers game in the 1970’s and Roseboro wife’s PR firm helped Marichal cross the line to get into Cooperstown when they felt the legacy of the fight was hurting him after missing for a second time. Roseboro’s widow speaks almost as fondly of Marichal. “After my husband passed away, Juan would call to check up on me and my daughter every six months or so,” she said. It is a great story how two people with differences and an ugly incident can come together to make peace.   On August 23, 1982, Gaylord Perry of the Seattle Mariners is caught putting a foreign substance on the ball. Long suspected of throwing a “spitball,” Perry is ejected from a game for the first and only time in his career. From Peter Gammons: Against the Red Sox. In the seventh inning, down 1-0 with the bases loaded and two out and facing Rick Miller, who was his nemesis, he threw a pitch that dropped measurably. Umpire Dave Phillips, one of the most respected umpires of the era, jumped out from behind home plate and ejected Gaylord. There was some argument from Perry and M’s manager Rene Lachemann, but it sure seemed obvious to all of us in the building that there was a very mysterious flight pattern to the pitch. But the reason Perry was ejected was a warning he got in the top of the fourth inning. And that was, well, divine intervention. Red Sox outfielder Reid Nichols asked Phillips to check the ball. Phillips did, found some substance, and issued the warning. Nichols said, “in the bottom of the third inning I was standing at my position in left field and a voice came to me reminding of the scripture that ‘no weapon formed against thee shall prosper.’ So when I got up to the plate in the next inning, I asked the umpire to check the ball.”   On August 24, 1951 — In another of Bill Veeck’s legendary public relations stunts, “Fans Managers’ Night,” the Browns defeat the Athletics, 5 – 3. The Browns’ coaches hold up placards for 1115 fans, who vote “yes” or “no” on the options given them. Manager Zack Taylor sits in a box behind the dugout with two fans who monitor the voting. Adding to the festivities is Max Patkin, the clown prince of baseball, who coaches at first base for several innings. Sherm Lollar voted in to start behind the plate instead of Matt Batts, has three hits including a homer, and Hank Arft, also voted in, knocks home two. Gus Zernial’s 28th home run accounts for all the A’s runs. When the stunt was announced on August 15, A’s GM Art Ehlers bitterly denounced it as “farcical.”   So, just how did the managers do? In his autobiography, Veeck -- As in Wreck, the Browns owner wrote of the Grandstand Managers' performance, "Never has a game been called better." And, though Veeck was certainly prone to hyperbole, he had a point: The managers correctly decided to leave Garver in the game, and they even voted to play back for a double play with runners on first and third with one out in the first inning -- while Athletics second baseman Pete Suter obliged by grounding into a double play. The Grandstand Managers only made one glaring mistake in the game. After tying the game with a single in the first inning, the group instructed Arft to steal second base with two outs. Unfortunately, the Athletics apparently saw the move coming, and Arft was thrown out easily to end the inning.   How many fans wish they had Veeck as the owner? In 2003 during the playoff game when the A’s were playing the Red Sox, I sat in front of a guy who yelled for Grady Little to put in Trot Nixon for 6 innings. When he finally did, Nixon hit a game winning 2 run homerun in the 11th.     My Dad used to say the sadest words ever spoken are oh what could have been stories - On August 25, 1985 — At the age of 20 years, 9 months, 9 days, Dwight Gooden becomes the youngest 20-game winner ever when the Mets beat San Diego at Shea Stadium, 9-3. Doc is 27 days younger than former Indian hurler Bob Feller, who accomplished the feat with Cleveland in 1939. He will win the NL Cy Young Award and the pitching Triple Crown, compiling a 24–4 record and a league-leading 1.53 ERA, 268 strikeouts, and 16 complete games in 1985. In 86 he will the Mets win the 1986 World Series. Sadly, Gooden remained an effective pitcher in subsequent years, but he will only once have an era under 3, and never win more than 13 games in a season after age 26. His career was ultimately derailed by cocaine and alcohol addiction. I hope you enjoyed the daily rewind and before we give you the trivia answer here is a word from our sponsor . . .   Trivia Answer – TRIVIA: What owner once bought a jackass as a team mascot and named it after himself? He also had a nickname :The Wizard of ODD. He also had a mechanical Rabbit to bring baseballs to umpires, and once tried to get Vida Blue to change his name to “True.” Charlie O. Finley, his 3 time World Champion Oakland A’s team bonding was against Finley himself with his legendary tight fisted ways. I hope you enjoyed the show, remember to check out the show notes. We link to the players mentioned, years, other articles. You can find us on on Social media just look for This Day In Baseball. If you have time to give us a review or feed back that would be appreciated as well. See you at the ball park!    

Huge lineup today: Mitch Lawerence on the draft, Mike Veeck in-studio, Jonny Athletic on the Wolves, Lavelle Neal on the Twins, Russo Radio on the Wild draft. Dr. Dan's Inbox as well! Too much show!

Huge lineup today: Mitch Lawerence on the draft, Mike Veeck in-studio, Jonny Athletic on the Wolves, Lavelle Neal on the Twins, Russo Radio on the Wild draft. Dr. Dan's Inbox as well! Too much show!

Roy Sievers was one of the most clutch hitters in baseball history. In fact, Sievers, who won the 1949 American League Rookie of the Year with the St. Louis Browns, hit nearly a quarter of his 318 career homeruns in the eighth inning or later. But, becoming a clutch hitter almost didn’t happen. After winning the ROY in 1949, Sievers fell into a slump and that was followed by a devastating right-shoulder injury that almost cost him his career. In fact, during the four-year stretch of 1950 through 1953, Sievers played in just 247 games and hit just 19 homeruns. But, Browns owner Bill Veeck worked hard with Sievers to help him overcome the injury, and Sievers did just that. After Veeck sold the Browns, the team moved to Baltimore and Sievers was traded to the Washington Senators. Great news for Washington, not so good for the new Baltimore Orioles. Sievers, not only recovered, he became one of the most feared sluggers in baseball. Over the course of the next 10-years, Sievers connected for 275 homeruns including an American League leading and career best 42 in 1957 to go along with 114 RBI. Sievers was named to five all-star teams and three times finished in the top-5 for MVP voting. Greg Wolf, the co-Director of the BioProject for SABR, and a frequent guest on Sports’ Forgotten Heroes, returns to the podcast for a wonderful discussion on Sievers, the Browns, Bill Veeck and more. Wolf, by the way, just finished working on a new book, “Wrigley Field, The Friendly Confines at Clark and Addison” and you can pick up a copy by visiting SABR.org or Amazon.   Links: Sports' Forgotten Heroes website Sports' Forgotten Heroes Patreon Page Sports' Forgotten Heroes twitter ©2019 Sports' Forgotten Heroes

Hal Naragon is a baseball treasure. At age 90, the former major league catcher spun baseball yarns of catching Bob Feller, playing in the 1954 World Series, and later coaching the Detroit Tigers to 1968 World Series victory on the Baseball Happenings Podcast.Click here to listen on SpotifySigning with the legendary Bill VeeckNaragon signed with the Cleveland Indians after attending an open tryout during the summer of 1946; however, there was just one problem — he was still in high school. This led to his first meeting with the legendary Bill Veeck.“I found that when I filled out the application it said you had to be out of high school,” Naragon said during his 2019 interview. “They wanted to sign me and I got nervous then because I knew that I shouldn't have been there, but my dad said that we would go back up and talk to Mr. Veeck. “Mr. Veeck said to my dad, ‘We'd like to sign your son.’ My dad said, ‘I have to tell you he has not graduated from high school yet ... and he thought that this would be a good time to see if he had an ability to play professional baseball.’”Hal Naragon 1956 Topps / ToppsVeeck’s keen eye would not allow Naragon to walk away that quickly. He extended an olive branch to the elder Naragon, and the two came to a gentleman’s agreement for the Indians to have the first crack at his son when he graduated.“Well after you graduate will you give us a chance to talk to him?" Veeck asked. "My dad said, ‘Will a handshake do?’ They shook hands and they got me out of the ballpark.”Naragon's major league debutNaragon kept his word and signed with the Indians in 1947. He moved quickly through their minor league system, and by the time he was 22 he was in the major leagues. He eagerly recalled the September day in 1951 when he singled off Virgil Trucks in his first major league at-bat.“I know it was a chilly day and they called me in from the bullpen,” he said. “Naturally I was a little nervous, but usually by the time you get to the plate you get yourself together and do what you can do.” He played a few more games during his September call-up, and then the Marines quickly grabbed him to serve in the Korean War. While many players suffered from losing their peak years to military service, Naragon returned right in time to take part in Cleveland’s record-breaking 1954 World Series run.Catching Bob FellerNow that he had an entire big league season in front of him, Naragon was able to learn from the best in the game. His pitching staff included Hall of Famers Bob Feller, Bob Lemon, Early Wynn, and Hal Newhouser. With that staff, it was easy to understand why the Indians won a then-record 111 games in 1954. For a rookie, catching Feller was one of the highlights of his career. “When I saw Feller he wasn't really in his prime, but still he had he had a good movement on his ball, a good curveball, and his fastball still was moving,” he said. Playing in the 1954 World SeriesNaragon hit .238 as Jim Hegan’s backup en route to the Indians facing the New York Giants in the 1954 World Series. He did not figure he would get much action, but with the Indians behind in Game Three, manager Al Lopez summoned Naragon as a late inning defensive replacement. “You know, I was hoping that I would get in one,” he said. “When I was called up out of the bullpen to come in, I, of course, felt a little on edge at first but then I kinda settled down. I liked to be able to play in a World Series.” Witnessing Willie Mays' CatchWhile the Giants swept the Indians courtesy of Dusty Rhodes peppering the short right field porch in the Polo Grounds, I couldn’t bring up the 1954 World Series without asking Naragon about perhaps the most famous catch of all-time. We revisited Willie Mays’ devastating over the shoulder grab of Vic Wertz smash during Game One.“You didn't think that much about it at first of the catch,” he said. “He did turn around and throw a nice ball into the infield. I don't know whether we even talked about it, but you knew Vic Wertz hit the ball and you thought, ‘Oh my goodness this is going to go out the ballpark.’ Well, then Mays catches it and you just say, 'Well, he's a good outfielder.'"While Naragon said that he felt Larry Doby made tougher catches than Mays' World Series spectacle, years later he was able to recognize its historical greatness.“I guess when looking back on it eventually you decide, ‘Hey that was one heck of a good catch.’”Throughout his time with the Indians, Naragon built deep connections with many of his teammates, bonded by their train rides traversing the American League. He shared a lesser-known World Series story that involved one of his early Indians mentors, Dale Mitchell. A career .312 hitter, Mitchell unfortunately, is best recognized for making the last out of Don Larsen’s 1956 World Series perfect game. Well after the game, the first person Mitchell reached out to was his friend, Hal Naragon. “He called me that evening,” he said. “I asked him about it and I told him I thought the ball looked a little outside. He said he thought so too.”Larry Doby's lighter side The nonagenarian reached deep into his bag of stories to share a lighthearted tale of an unintentional slip of the tongue he had with Larry Doby. Fortunately, his pioneering teammate found humor during the awkward moment.“I remember that we were playing one game, the sky was kind of high, and the ball was kind of tough to pick up right away,” he said. “He sat down beside of me and said to me, 'Gee it is really tough to pick up that ball.’ … I said, ‘Larry, why don't you go ahead and put on some of that black stuff underneath your eye?’ Once I realized what I said, I looked at Larry and he is busting out laughing you know, because he was a dark man, but he knew what I getting to.”Herb Score's InjuryPlaying with the Indians in the second half of the 1950s decade as they started to rebuild after their Hall of Fame stars retired, Naragon was able to witness their young stars blossom. Cleveland’s prized pitching prospect was Herb Score, a flame-throwing lefty that many expected to carry on Bob Feller’s legacy. In his first two seasons, Score led the American League in strikeouts with a 36-19 won-loss record. As 1957 started, Score looked like he was en route to another spectacular season; however, that all changed when New York Yankees infielder Gil McDougald stepped to the plate during a May 7th game. McDougald sent a line drive back through the box that smashed Score directly in the face. He watched with his teammates in horror as a bloody Score tried to hold his face together. The gruesome injury kept Score out for the rest of the season and derailed a once promising career. Naragon insisted that it was arm troubles and not the line drive that kept him from regaining his mound dominance. “You know what, that didn't hurt his career,” he said. “Basically, he threw just as hard after it as he did before he got hit. He would tell you that [too]. I think what happened, he hurt his arm a little bit and that hurt him. As far as when he got back, he had the same velocity and a good breaking curveball. He didn't blame anyone that he couldn't pitch later just as well afterward.”Score was not the only talent that Naragon watched bloom during his Cleveland tenure. Both Roger Maris and Rocky Colavito were rookies that Dale Mitchell told him to keep his eyes on, both impressing with their power hitting and defense. Ted Williams' thoughtful gestureWhile he had a multitude of fond memories of the superstars he played with in Cleveland, he was also excited to share a favorite Ted Williams story. It was one that had nothing to do with his on-field exploits.“I asked Ted Williams that I would like to have a picture of him and he said to me, ‘When you get to Boston, you ask Vince the clubhouse guy and I will remember, and he will remember to get you a picture.’“When I got to Boston, I kind of forgot that I asked Ted Williams [for the picture]. I was there leaning against the wall watching him hit and when he got through hitting, he came over and said, ‘I sent that picture over to you.’ Sure enough, when I went into the clubhouse, that picture was there. I thought, 'My goodness a big-time star like that remembers something like that!'”In 1959, the Indians traded Naragon to the Washington Senators where he stayed with the franchise as they moved to Minnesota in 1961. After finishing his playing career in 1962, he stayed with the Twins as a coach, helping to guide them to the 1965 World Series where they lost in seven games to the Los Angeles Dodgers. 1968 Detroit Tigers World Series VictoryAfter his success with the Twins, he followed his good friend and pitching coach Johnny Sain to the Detroit Tigers. After two unsuccessful trips as a player and a coach, he was finally able to get a World Series ring when the Tigers won the 1968 World Series. “That was a good team,” he said. “They would hit in the clutch … they got hits when it really counts, they were good defensive players, and they always had a lot of fun.”Hal Naragon Tigers card courtesy of Mr. Naragon In 2018, as the oldest living alumni of the 1968 championship team, the Tigers invited Naragon and his wife to Detroit to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their World Series victory. He basked in the opportunity to rejoice once more with his former players.“We had a great time,” he said. “They invited us over to that and they really did a nice job for us.”Naragon left coaching after the 1969 season to take over a local sporting goods store in his hometown of Barberton, Ohio. He ran the store from 1974 until his 1990 retirement. The town paid a massive tribute to their native son when they named Barberton High School’s baseball field Naragon Field in his honor in 2006.

Host Robert Land uncovers a long lost interview he did with Major League Baseball's original Game of the Week voice Buddy Blattner. You'll hear a little told Ted Williams story and Blattner discusses: 1) The early days of baseball on TV 2) Hall of Fame partner Dizzy Dean 3) Bill Veeck and Eddie Gaedel 4) His career as an MLB player 5) Becoming World Table Tennis Champ at 16 6) George Brett and the Royals 7) Vin Scully's Genius Email Info@HoustonSportsTalk.net for questions or comments. Like ‘Houston Sports Talk’ on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @HSTPodcast

What do cornflakes, nylon stockings, exploding scoreboards, baseball jerseys, and disco all have in common? Bill Veeck used them all to get fans into ballparks. And he changed baseball thanks to his visionary marketing and promotional strategies. But he wasn't just a showman. Bill's advocacy of African Americans in the MLB, along with his support for player rights, guarantees his status as one of the great baseball visionaries. Chapter 1: In His Father's Image (1:42) Chapter 2: Promoter Extraordinaire (5:53) Chapter 3: The Abe Lincoln of Baseball (20:02) Chapter 4: Baseball's Visionary (32:16) Support the show financially by going to anchor.fm/rounders. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook & Twitter @RoundersPodcast --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/rounders/message

In this episode, the Goods from the Woods Boys are all by their lonesome talking about the great disco crossover trend of the late-1970's in which hard-edge rock artists all began making Studio 54-style dance records. We start with the Chicago White Sox's "Disco Demolition Night" debacle, the Rolling Stones' "Miss You", and then we go on down the line from there analyzing some of the best known (and the most obscure) disco crossover records ever made. This episode is hilarious and we can't wait for y'all to hear it. Follow the show @TheGoodsPod  Rivers is @RiversLangley  Dr. Pat is @PM_Reilly  Mr. Goodnight is @SepulvedaCowboy  Pick up a Goods from the Woods t-shirt at: http://prowrestlingtees.com/TheGoodsPod

A drunken collection of rambling, including but not limited to: Bill Veecks antics Proposed Rule Changes NFL Draft (The Browns are so bad) Music: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music Guests: Byrnes Gregory, Ethan Nichols, Ryne Sandberg/some other last name

On the 88th episode of the pod, Jill and Adam read through a few listener emails and offer book recommendations based on what you, the listener, has been reading. If you'd like some recommendations just email professionalbooknerds@overdrive.com with what you're reading or follow us on Twitter!    We then dive into all the big books coming out in February and have a mini excitement-panic attack over how amazing the audiobook of Lincoln in the Bardo is going to be. All books discussed can be found below (click on the titles to sample them). Take a listen!    Reader Advisory picks and recommendations:   Reader James's picks   Stabbing Set with Sapphires by L. A. Nisula   The Domino Lady by Lars Anderson   Skin Game by Tonia Brown   Storm of Chains by Jeremiah D. Schmidt   The Book Nerds recommendations for James (and you!)   The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher   The Parasol Protectorate series by Gail Carriger   The Dream Engine Series by Sean Platt and Johnny B. Truant   The IceFire Trilogy by Patty Jansen   Reader Andrea's picks   Sweet Breath of Memory by Ariella Cohen   A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro   The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova   The Book Nerds recommendations for Andrea (and you!)   The Splintered series by A. G. Howard   The Scarlet series by A. C. Gaughen   The Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova   The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins   Reader Tina's picks   Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay   Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie   The Girl Before by JP Delaney   The Book Nerds recommendations for Tina (and you!)   The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena   The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware   Reader Jessie's picks   Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult   Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan   The Book Nerds recommendations for Jessie (and you!)   Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult   Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult   Run by Ann Patchett   Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson   Carsick by John Waters   Veeck as in Wreck by Bill Veeck & Ed Linn   Other Books Discussed   Caraval by Stephanie Garber   Carve the Mark by Veronica Roth   The full list of books coming out in February we're most excited about   Highlights:   Lincoln in the Bardo (the audiobook especially)   Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman   A Separation by Katie Kitamura   Pachinko Min Jin Lee   The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen   King's Cage by Victoria Aveyard   The Conjuring of Light by V. E. Schwab   The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas   Say Hello! Find OverDrive on Facebook at OverDriveforLibraries and Twitter at @ProBookNerds. Email us directly at professionalbooknerds@overdrive.com   Music "Buddy" provided royalty free from www.bensound.com   Podcast Overview We're not just book nerds: we're professional book nerds and the staff librarians who work at OverDrive, the leading app for eBooks and audiobooks available through public libraries and schools. Hear about the best books we've read, get personalized recommendations, and learn about the hottest books coming out that we can't wait to dive into. For more great reads, find OverDrive on Facebook and Twitter.

BREAKING NEWS from the distant past, live from the future! The HoF voting happened like 24 hours after we recorded this. Listen and hear how prescient we are! (SPOILER: not very much). Also check yourself before you Veeck yourself as we introduce a new recurring bit. Hilarity!    Listen to this pod if you want to hear about Matt's Friendship Hall of Fame, First Ballot Baseball Dad, Get Off My Lawn, Fernando Rodney!, Sportswriter Rectum EVP, The 3 Habits of Highly Unsuccessful HoF Ballots, The Cantankerous Murray Chass, The Tyranny of Metrics, The Ferocity of Youth-Adjacentness, Tim Raines Fist Fight, Horse Amphetamines, Roger Clemens' Secret Moon Base, and The Lizard People Leagues. Also baseball!    SUBSCRIBE on iTunes and Stitcher, @ThatBBShow on Twitter, Lizard People! 

This episode was inspired by the book "Marketing Your Dreams - Business and Life Lessons from Bill Veeck" - Pat Williams12 Commandments of Baseball to Apply in Business This episode is all about what baseball can teach you about business. Bill Veeck was baseball's marketing genius, he promoted the game like no other person before him or since. If you would like to read more about Bill checkout his book, "Veeck as in Wreck". We dive into Bill's 12 Commandments and take a look at how they can be used today. We know that there are not too many of you, who own your own baseball team, but we do know that a good many of you, have businesses, are looking to get into business, and want to learn more about marketing and promotion. This episode is for you and if you are a sports fan, well that is just an added bonus! Bill Veeck owned the St. Louis Browns, Cleveland Indians, and the Chicago White Sox (twice). Learn all about Veeck's confidence and courage and his willingness to take risks! In this episode: Why your attitude is the most important piece of your business life Why you should take your business more seriously than yourself Why developing an alter-ego is so important Learn the power of teamwork See why Bill Veeck was ahead of his time in many aspects of life Why you should live by your philosophy Find out the one trait that Patty completely disagrees with Mr. Veeck When is the best time to listen Why you should stop and smell the roses How to create buzz and how a baseball genius can help your business If you aren't having fun - don't continue to do it Have a sense of humor Discover how Veeck was able to deal with so many different types of people Resources:  How to be like Jackie Robinson - Pat WilliamsPat Williams Motivational Speaker http://www.bossfreesociety.com   

This week on IAQ Radio we welcome a respected industry veteran Mr. Alan Veeck, CAFS, NCTII. Al is Executive Director of the National Air Filtration Association (NAFA) which is headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is a 1969 graduate of Butler University in Indianapolis, IN, with a degree in Business Adm. He began his 3rd career in the air filtration business in 1985 with Tidewater Air Filter as Vice President of Sales. While with Tidewater, Al was elected President of the National Air Filtration Association (NAFA) in 1999. He also served and worked on the committee that wrote the first book on air filtration, NAFA Guide to Air Filtration, and was part of the first group of NAFA members to pass the national accreditation exam to become a NAFA Certified Air Filter Specialist (CAFS). Mr. Veeck also worked on the committee to write the second text for NAFA entitled, Installation, Operation and Maintenance of Air Filtration Systems. When he retired from the filter industry in 2002, NAFA was searching for someone to manage the national trade association and asked Al to take the position. With prior experience in association work, Al accepted and has been NAFA's Executive Director ever since. He is a member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) since 1985 and headed ASHRAE TC2.4 of which he is still a voting member, and a member of International Facility Management Association (IFMA) since 1998. He is the recipient of both the NAFA Distinguished Service Award and the ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer and Distinguished Service Award. LEARN MORE about IEQ and filtration including a review of the recent NAFA document titled "HVAC filtration and the Wells-Riley approach to assessing risks of infectious airborne diseases" this week on IAQ Radio!

This week on IAQ Radio we welcome a respected industry veteran Mr. Alan Veeck, CAFS, NCTII. Al is Executive Director of the National Air Filtration Association (NAFA) which is headquartered in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is a 1969 graduate of Butler University in Indianapolis, IN, with a degree in Business Adm. He began his 3rd career in the air filtration business in 1985 with Tidewater Air Filter as Vice President of Sales. While with Tidewater, Al was elected President of the National Air Filtration Association (NAFA) in 1999. He also served and worked on the committee that wrote the first book on air filtration, NAFA Guide to Air Filtration, and was part of the first group of NAFA members to pass the national accreditation exam to become a NAFA Certified Air Filter Specialist (CAFS). Mr. Veeck also worked on the committee to write the second text for NAFA entitled, Installation, Operation and Maintenance of Air Filtration Systems. When he retired from the filter industry in 2002, NAFA was searching for someone to manage the national trade association and asked Al to take the position. With prior experience in association work, Al accepted and has been NAFA's Executive Director ever since. He is a member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) since 1985 and headed ASHRAE TC2.4 of which he is still a voting member, and a member of International Facility Management Association (IFMA) since 1998. He is the recipient of both the NAFA Distinguished Service Award and the ASHRAE Distinguished Lecturer and Distinguished Service Award. LEARN MORE about IEQ and filtration including a review of the recent NAFA document titled "HVAC filtration and the Wells-Riley approach to assessing risks of infectious airborne diseases" this week on IAQ Radio!

WARNING: BASEBALL NERD EDITION   I recommended that we mock "Veeck - As In Wreck" solely after reading the first chapter, which is quite disturbing and has to do with exploitation of little people. However, it turns out that Bill Veeck was a pretty rad dude for a crazy man. However, his autobiography sucks. I will warn you in advance, this is an episode for baseball nerds and people who just really like to hear me get things wrong and be corrected. If you are not interested in either thing, you might not dig this one so much. But that's cuz you're a dork. Anyway, stay tuned next week as we get back into genre fiction and other nerd-friendly topics, okay? And now please bear with us as Tim and I engage in a long discussion about a game we love where 40-year old steroid freaks hit a tiny ball with a big wooden stick. Bumper Music: "Bye Bye Baby" SF Giants Fight Song. "Baseball" by Kenny Franks, "One Man, Five Tools" by Puig Destoyer

Mike Veeck is part of baseball marketing lore. Veeck is third in the fourth generation of marketing geniuses which have graced baseball since William Louis Veeck Sr. became president of the Chicago Cubs in 1919 and created Ladies Day, bringing out more women to the ballpark. Not to be outdone, Mike Veeck's father, Bill Veeck, was famous for "umpireless games" and sending 3-foot-7-inch Eddie Gaedel to the plate in a game. Now, Mike is the resident baseball marketing genius, running several minor league franchises including the independent St. Paul Saints, which has a pig deliver baseballs to the umpire and had "Senator Larry Craig Bobblefoot Night." Mike Veeck talks about some of the aspects of sports marketing, as well as why major and minor league humor isn't really that different, but that its more about implementation. The "Fun Is Good" author & czar suggests that while social media has some great communications factors for teams, the live experience needs to be pushed harder with more customer service and fan access to heroes in order to thrive in the new sports economy of the digital age. Twitter: @MikeVeeck

  John Kuhn talks about how his minor league career was built on learning from the best, that being Mike Veeck. Kuhn discusses how it is more than just sales and promotions in the stands that drives out fans, but also how the experience extends to the bathrooms and concessions stands. Kuhn talks about the differences between affiliated and independent ball, as well as the Fort Myers market, home of the 4:30 buffet.

If the name sounds familiar, it’s not your imagination. The Veeck moniker is almost a baseball legend thanks to the efforts of Night Train’s grandfather (Bill) and his father (Mike). But Night Train is no slouch himself, the man learned his crazy minor league marketing as part of The First Family of Fun, working for the family’s Charleston RiverDogs as their sales manager/promotions for 12 years, working everywhere from sales, promotions to the grounds crew and gameday operations. Now at the Chicago White Sox, a franchise that his grandfather once owned, Night Train is a group sales executive with a rising future. Night Train discusses his family history, the story behind his nickname, and what the fans really want when they go to a ball game. Twitter: VeeckAsInWreck A companion to this podcast is a minicast exclusive to premium subscribers, where Veeck talks "Online Competition"

Mention the name Bill Veeck to a baseball fan and what will likely come to mind is the back-and-white image of three-foot, seven-inch Eddie Gaedel at the plate of a Major League game, swimming in his St. Louis Browns uniform, the opposing catcher having just caught a pitch well over his head. Gaedel’s sole appearance for the Browns in 1951 is part of the lore of baseball, and it is often cited as the prime example of Veeck’s antics and his irreverence as a team owner.  As owner of the Browns, the Cleveland Indians, and the Chicago White Sox, as well as owner of the minor-league Milwaukee Brewers and executive for the Chicago Cubs, Veeck was famous–and infamous–for his promotions and publicity stunts. Veeck wanted to bring people to the ballpark, and he was willing to try any scheme to do that: giving away 100 dollar coins frozen in a block of ice, serving free breakfast cereal for morning games, inviting fans to bring their detested disco records for an on-field demolition, or sending a midget into a Major League game. Paul Dickson‘s new biography of the owner, Bill Veeck: Baseball’s Greatest Maverick (Walker & Company, 2012), shows that there was far more to Veeck than Gaedel at the bat, Disco Demolition Night, or any other promotional stunt. Veeck had a genuine interest in serving his customers, in making a day at the ballpark an enjoyable experience for the whole family. The owners of the time judged his schemes as insults to the game. Even more than that, they resented Veeck’s willingness to mix with fans at the stadium gate and in the bleacher seats. Eventually, baseball’s owners came to recognize the wisdom of this so-called showman. The fan-friendly ballpark experience of today owes much to Bill Veeck’s innovations, from wider seats and widely available restrooms to specialty foods and promotional giveaways. At the very least, Veeck should be remembered for directing the renovations of Wrigley Field in 1936-37, a project that included building a brick wall in the outfield and planting ivy at its base (the Chinese Elms planted by the scoreboard didn’t survive the famous winds at the North Side park). But perhaps Veeck’s greatest legacy was his commitment to the integration of baseball. As Paul explains in the book and the interview, Veeck had a bold plan to introduce black players into the Major Leagues already in 1942. League officials, however, intervened to scuttle the plan. Five years later, just eleven weeks after Jackie Robinson first stepped onto the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Veeck signed Larry Doby to the Cleveland Indians, making him the first black player in the American League. The following year, he signed the legendary pitcher of the Negro Leagues, Satchel Paige. And in 1949, Cleveland had 11 black and Latino players in spring training as well as African Americans working in the front office, the stadium staff, and the grounds crew. Veeck was indeed a maverick and a showman, but he was also a man of principle and resolve. Not many owners of sports teams merit such a description. Nor could many owners be the subject of such an illuminating and entertaining biography. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mention the name Bill Veeck to a baseball fan and what will likely come to mind is the back-and-white image of three-foot, seven-inch Eddie Gaedel at the plate of a Major League game, swimming in his St. Louis Browns uniform, the opposing catcher having just caught a pitch well over his head. Gaedel’s sole appearance for the Browns in 1951 is part of the lore of baseball, and it is often cited as the prime example of Veeck’s antics and his irreverence as a team owner.  As owner of the Browns, the Cleveland Indians, and the Chicago White Sox, as well as owner of the minor-league Milwaukee Brewers and executive for the Chicago Cubs, Veeck was famous–and infamous–for his promotions and publicity stunts. Veeck wanted to bring people to the ballpark, and he was willing to try any scheme to do that: giving away 100 dollar coins frozen in a block of ice, serving free breakfast cereal for morning games, inviting fans to bring their detested disco records for an on-field demolition, or sending a midget into a Major League game. Paul Dickson‘s new biography of the owner, Bill Veeck: Baseball’s Greatest Maverick (Walker & Company, 2012), shows that there was far more to Veeck than Gaedel at the bat, Disco Demolition Night, or any other promotional stunt. Veeck had a genuine interest in serving his customers, in making a day at the ballpark an enjoyable experience for the whole family. The owners of the time judged his schemes as insults to the game. Even more than that, they resented Veeck’s willingness to mix with fans at the stadium gate and in the bleacher seats. Eventually, baseball’s owners came to recognize the wisdom of this so-called showman. The fan-friendly ballpark experience of today owes much to Bill Veeck’s innovations, from wider seats and widely available restrooms to specialty foods and promotional giveaways. At the very least, Veeck should be remembered for directing the renovations of Wrigley Field in 1936-37, a project that included building a brick wall in the outfield and planting ivy at its base (the Chinese Elms planted by the scoreboard didn’t survive the famous winds at the North Side park). But perhaps Veeck’s greatest legacy was his commitment to the integration of baseball. As Paul explains in the book and the interview, Veeck had a bold plan to introduce black players into the Major Leagues already in 1942. League officials, however, intervened to scuttle the plan. Five years later, just eleven weeks after Jackie Robinson first stepped onto the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Veeck signed Larry Doby to the Cleveland Indians, making him the first black player in the American League. The following year, he signed the legendary pitcher of the Negro Leagues, Satchel Paige. And in 1949, Cleveland had 11 black and Latino players in spring training as well as African Americans working in the front office, the stadium staff, and the grounds crew. Veeck was indeed a maverick and a showman, but he was also a man of principle and resolve. Not many owners of sports teams merit such a description. Nor could many owners be the subject of such an illuminating and entertaining biography. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mention the name Bill Veeck to a baseball fan and what will likely come to mind is the back-and-white image of three-foot, seven-inch Eddie Gaedel at the plate of a Major League game, swimming in his St. Louis Browns uniform, the opposing catcher having just caught a pitch well over his head. Gaedel’s sole appearance for the Browns in 1951 is part of the lore of baseball, and it is often cited as the prime example of Veeck’s antics and his irreverence as a team owner.  As owner of the Browns, the Cleveland Indians, and the Chicago White Sox, as well as owner of the minor-league Milwaukee Brewers and executive for the Chicago Cubs, Veeck was famous–and infamous–for his promotions and publicity stunts. Veeck wanted to bring people to the ballpark, and he was willing to try any scheme to do that: giving away 100 dollar coins frozen in a block of ice, serving free breakfast cereal for morning games, inviting fans to bring their detested disco records for an on-field demolition, or sending a midget into a Major League game. Paul Dickson‘s new biography of the owner, Bill Veeck: Baseball’s Greatest Maverick (Walker & Company, 2012), shows that there was far more to Veeck than Gaedel at the bat, Disco Demolition Night, or any other promotional stunt. Veeck had a genuine interest in serving his customers, in making a day at the ballpark an enjoyable experience for the whole family. The owners of the time judged his schemes as insults to the game. Even more than that, they resented Veeck’s willingness to mix with fans at the stadium gate and in the bleacher seats. Eventually, baseball’s owners came to recognize the wisdom of this so-called showman. The fan-friendly ballpark experience of today owes much to Bill Veeck’s innovations, from wider seats and widely available restrooms to specialty foods and promotional giveaways. At the very least, Veeck should be remembered for directing the renovations of Wrigley Field in 1936-37, a project that included building a brick wall in the outfield and planting ivy at its base (the Chinese Elms planted by the scoreboard didn’t survive the famous winds at the North Side park). But perhaps Veeck’s greatest legacy was his commitment to the integration of baseball. As Paul explains in the book and the interview, Veeck had a bold plan to introduce black players into the Major Leagues already in 1942. League officials, however, intervened to scuttle the plan. Five years later, just eleven weeks after Jackie Robinson first stepped onto the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Veeck signed Larry Doby to the Cleveland Indians, making him the first black player in the American League. The following year, he signed the legendary pitcher of the Negro Leagues, Satchel Paige. And in 1949, Cleveland had 11 black and Latino players in spring training as well as African Americans working in the front office, the stadium staff, and the grounds crew. Veeck was indeed a maverick and a showman, but he was also a man of principle and resolve. Not many owners of sports teams merit such a description. Nor could many owners be the subject of such an illuminating and entertaining biography. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices