ObscureBall

A Conversation About Immaculate Grid (and a preview for Our Beloved Medium)

Small League Productions — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 20:28:06 +0000

Stuart speaks with Adam Darowski from Sports-Reference about how they aquired the game, Immaculate Grid. There's also a preview for a new Audio Documentary, to be relased as a podcast in 2025.

Support OBM Pod: https://ourbelovedmedium.com/

Immaculate Grid: https://www.immaculategrid.com/

Sports Reference: https://www.sports-reference.com/

Origins

Small League Productions — Mon, 26 Feb 2024 12:00:00 +0000

In the mid-late 19th century, people were playing a few different bat and ball games. Baseball eventually emerged as fan favorite and this is the story of how that happened.

This episode played out over a two and a half year period. Through conversations, research, and some field work, Origins tells three different stories in a single episode.

To support future ObscureBall stories, please consider making a donation.

DONATE

INSIDE THE EPISODE

How Baseball Happened by Tom Gilbe rt

21st Century Townball

21st Century Townball Podcast

Duke Homestead

Wyhteville Statesman In the News

Some Bio on Abner Doubleday

MUSIC

Blue Dot Sessions

Storyblocks

Audience by Castos Re-Air: Realism in Audio Fiction

Small League Productions — Mon, 01 May 2023 14:04:37 +0000

As work on new episodes continue, here's an episode from a show I produce for Castos called Audience. My work with castos takes me behind the scenes of all different kinds of cool audip projects and a while back I got to profile a really cool podcast called Northwoods Baseball Sleep Radio.

So with the permission of Castos, I'm sharing that episode with you here. It was first published on August 4, 2022 and was produced, narrated and editied by me.

If you enjoy behind the scenes looks at creative work, then Audience is worth checking out. Full spidoes can be found at the link below

audiencepodcast.fm

sleepbaseball.com

Circa 1904 Chapter 3: The Grudge

Small League Productions — Thu, 30 Mar 2023 11:55:00 +0000

Today the World Series is one of the most recognizable institutions in all of sports. When it debuted in 1903 it was met with widespread acclaim from sports writers and baseball fans all over America.

For all of its successful, the World Series was almost dead on arrival. Petty grudges, cut throat business practices and difficult personalities almost derailed the whole thing.

LINKS

Support the Show

Don Jensen's McGraw Bio for SABR

"Called Out" A Novel of Baseball and America in 1908 by Floyd Sullivan

Cindy Thomson's Website

Audience by Castos

MUSIC

Blue Dot Sessions

Storyblocks

Sources

https://newspaperarchive.com/waterbury-evening-democrat-oct-07-1904-p-9/

https://newspaperarchive.com/boston-post-oct-14-1903-p-5/

https://web.archive.org/web/20061206071020/http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/B/Brush_John_T.stm

https://archive.ph/20080617183524/http://www.athomeplate.com/alforms.shtml

https://thisgreatgame.com/1902-baseball-history/

https://thisgreatgame.com/1904-baseball-history/

https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/june-28-1902-little-napoleon-vs-the-czar-john-mcgraw-suspended-by-ban-johnson-after-outburst/

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/frank-farrell/

https://newspaperarchive.com/oneonta-daily-star-feb-11-1926-p-1/

http://www.sportsology.com/not-how-you-start-yankee-beginnings/

https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-tribune-aug-01-1904-p-18/

https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-times-oct-04-1904-p-6/

https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-times-oct-07-1904-p-7/

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1919/06/21/issue.html

https://newspaperarchive.com/savannah-morning-news-sep-18-1904-p-16/

https://www.nytimes.com/1994/09/11/sports/series-that-never-was-90-years-ago-event-was-canceled-because-owners-feud.html

https://newspaperarchive.com/washington-post-aug-14-1904-p-63/

Circa 1904 Chapter 2: The Bad Ref

Small League Productions — Fri, 04 Nov 2022 10:10:00 +0000

On April 29, 1904 Barbados Joe Walcott and Dixie Kid met for what was a historically significant boxing match. It was only the second time two black fighters competed for the Welterweight title. For 20 rounds, spectators watched as the two fighters duked it out.

Then Referee Dick Sullivan did something that was truly baffling...

Links:

Knuckles and Gloves

Patrick Connor on Twitter

ObscureBall on Twitter

Obscureball Websites

Storyblocks

Sources:

http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/21091

https://boxrec.com/en/referee/569900

http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/walcott-j.h

http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/dixiekid.htm

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-07-08-sp-2705-story.html

https://www.thefightcity.com/the-barbados-demon/

https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-sun-may-01-1904-p-13/

https://newspaperarchive.com/bakersfield-daily-californian-apr-30-1904-p-5/

https://epdf.pub/hitters-dancers-and-ring-magicians-seven-boxers-of-the-golden-age-and-their-chal.html

https://newspaperarchive.com/san-francisco-call-apr-30-1904-p-11/

Coming Soon: Circa 1904 Chapter 2: The Bad Ref

Small League Productions — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 22:08:00 +0000

Coming soon:

Support the Show

obscureballpod.com

Circa 1904 Chapter I: Hell Race

Small League Productions — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 11:36:00 +0000

On August 30, 1904 32 runners set off to compete in the Olympic Marathon in St. Louis. Only 13 would finish. This poorly planned event would be one of the worst sporting events of all time. Cramps, dehydration, wild dogs, hallucinatios, stomach hemorrrages, car wrekcs and scandal all took place that afternoon.

In fact, it was just one of several sporting events in 1904 marked by scandal and trechary. And in this three part serires we'll explore three of those events.

In this episode Dr. Peter Kastor, Author and Professor of History and American Cultural Studies discusses how the legacy 1904 World's Fair, how white supremecy influenced the event and the legacy it's left. David Gunn shares his epxerience running in marathons juxtaposed with the 1904 race.

Support the Show

Sources:

Sports-Reference

https://web.archive.org/web/20200417171704/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1904/ATH/mens-marathon.html

Jon Bois Video Essay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4AhABManTw

Abott Kahler (Karen Abbot) Smithsonian Article

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-1904-olympic-marathon-may-have-been-the-strangest-ever-14910747/

The 1904 Anthropology Days and Olympic Games

edited by Susan Brownnell

From Obscure History- The 1945 Atom Bowl

Small League Productions — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 03:15:00 +0000

As work on new stories continues you can check out Obscure History. Hosted by Josh, it's a weekly podcast that explores obscure historical events. On this episode, which first aired on August 23, 2021, Josh explores what he calls, 'The worst game ever played.'

All other episodes of Obscure History can be found anywhere you get your podcasts.

An Update, A Conversation with Sports-Reference and a Mini Story

Small League Productions — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 07:14:00 +0000

To help support this effort to tell great audio stories, please consider donating by clicking HERE

Listen to previous episodes at obscureballpod.com

More About Adam

Sports-Reference

Seamheads

Such is Fame

Small League Productions — Mon, 17 Jan 2022 08:35:00 +0000

The 1914 Giro D'Italia was by virtually every metric, the worst bike race in history. 81 Riders entered the race. Only eight finished. There were floods, mud, rain, blizzards, injuries, sabotage, cheating, attempted bribery and all manner of insanity during a brutal 2,000 mile race lasting 15 days.

Links

ObscureBall Website

Girnimo! Riding the Bery Terrbile 1914 Tour of Italy by Time Moore

Podium Cafe Article by Fergal McKay

Small League Productions

3 Clips

Bring In the Clowns

Small League Productions — Fri, 06 Aug 2021 11:15:00 +0000

Viewed through a certain lens, the Indianapolis Clowns can be seen as an inpsiring success story. As a black team in the segregated south they managed to endear fans of all races and all walks of life to their uniuqe fusion of comedy and baseball. But in reality, the their story is far more nuanced, complicated and misunderstood.

Small League Productions

Larry Tye

Negro League Baseball Museum

Image Credit: Kansas Hstorical Society, Fair Use Image

Take Nothing For Granted

Small League Productions — Thu, 01 Apr 2021 02:59:00 +0000

1908 was a tumultuous year in baseball. It was a tumultuous year in America. On September 23, a single base running error set off one of the most bizarre chain of events in sports history. Bribery, arson, blackmail, forbidden romance, attempted kidnapping, organized Crime, and two of the best pennant races of all time all collided in just a few weeks.

Links

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Small League Productions
Alexander's Wood Emporium
Storyblocks

Contributors

Stew Thornley
Floyd Sullivan, Author of Called Out
Olivia Carteaux
David Gunn

Sources:

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/harry-pulliam/
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/merklfr01.shtml
https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/NY1/NY1190810080.shtml
https://goldenrankings.com/baseballmemorablegamesarticle.htm
https://thisgreatgame.com/1908-baseball-history/

42 Red

Small League Productions — Fri, 15 Jan 2021 02:53:00 +0000

When a plane carrying 11 members of the VVS Moscow Hockey Club crashed, everyone on board died. Then came the cover up...

Contributions from:

Brendan Daniel
James Nickles

Links:
Russian Football News

Small League Productions

Storyblocks

Happy

Small League Productions — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 08:09:00 +0000

The backstory of how a folksy, quick witted, singing politician from rural Kentucky helped integrate professional baseball

The Negro League Baseball Museum

nlbm.com

Terry Bohn's SABR Page
sabr.org/authors/terry-bohn/

Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral Histories, University of Kentucky Libraries
https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/

Chandler, Albert Benjamin, interview by William J. Marshall. September 03, 1980, A. B. "Happy" Chandler: Desegregation of Major League Baseball Oral History Project, Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.

Small League Productions
smallleaguestu.com

StoryBlocks
storyblocks.com

This Is ObscureBall

Small League Productions — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 10:38:00 +0000

smallleaguestu.com

Home Field Advantage

Small League Productions — Mon, 19 Oct 2020 04:24:00 +0000

As Baseball stadiums go, The Metrodome was quirky as they come. But did The Minnesota Twins manipulate the conditions to their advantage?

Small League Productions

Alexander's Wood Emporium

Music for this episode was provided by Storyblocks

Hall of Shame

Small League Productions — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 11:24:00 +0000

To the average baseball fan Mel Hall was a mediocre ballplayer with an outsized ego. To his victims, he was sexual predator and destructive figure.

ObscureBall is produced by Small League Productions
Music for this episode is brought to you by Storyblocks

Greg Hanlon's piece, The Many Crimes of Mel Hall

RAINN, Sexual Assault Hotline

Image Credit: Getty Images

What's The Use?

Small League Productions — Tue, 26 May 2020 10:25:00 +0000

In 1900, more than a century before The Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox got in trouble for electronically stealing signs, a man named Pearce Chiles orchestrated a complex scheme to steal signs from opposing teams. Also, he went to jail for another thing he did THEN busted out and tried to play baseball again. Classic stuff. Bob LeMoine from The Society For American Baseball Research also helped out with this episode.

ObscureBall is produced by Small League Productions
Music for this episode is brought to you by Storyblocks
Bob LeMoine also contributed to this episode and you can read more about his research by visiting his SABR articles

Other references:

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/038d8ca7

The Guy Called Slim

Small League Productions — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 04:26:00 +0000

As one of baseball's most prolific alcoholics, Ray "Slim" Caldwell was also a low-key talented player. But the right-handed pitcher is perhaps best known for the bizarre events of August 24, 1919.

ObscureBall is produced by Small League Productions
Music for this episode is brought to you by Storyblocks

The Autumn Wind

Small League Productions — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 05:27:00 +0000

This episode is an abbreviated and by no means an all inclusive history of The Oakland Raiders

ObscureBall is produced by Small League Productions
Music for this episode is brought to you by Storyblocks
Closing music credits: Doug Hoyer via Audioblocks

The Club is Open

Small League Productions — Tue, 14 Jan 2020 11:15:00 +0000

Before he was the high kicking, heavy drinking, prolific song writing front man of Guided By Voices, Robert Pollard was a star athlete who once threw a no hitter at Wright State.

ObscureBall is produced by Small League Productions
Music for this episode is brought to you by Storyblocks

The System

Small League Productions — Mon, 09 Dec 2019 10:28:00 +0000

Scoring 100 points in a basketball game seems impossible. But there's a formula that can help a player do just that

ObscureBall is produced by Small League Productions

Bob Short Stinks

Small League Productions — Mon, 07 Oct 2019 06:30:00 +0000

When Bob Short decided to move the Washington Senators from D.C to Texas...fans didn't take it particularly well

Writer and journalist Dan Epstein is featured on this episode and you can visit his website here. His book, Big Hair Plastic Grass is also available on audiobook via Blackstone Audio. Music for this episode was provided by Audioblocks and broadcast clips can be found here.

ObscureBall is produced by Small League Productions
Music for this episode is brought to you by Storyblocks
Closing Music Credits: Doug Hoyer via Audioblocks

Big Ed Delahanty

Small League Productions — Thu, 06 Jun 2019 07:40:00 +0000

Big Ed Delahanty was one of baseball's earliest home run hitters. But on July 2, 1903 he died under bizarre circumstances. What actually happened?

ObscureBall is produced by Small League Productions
Music for this episode is brought to you by Storyblocks