Lost Ballparks
"Lost Ballparks", with Mike Koser, is a podcast that takes you on a journey to the golden age of baseball's lost ballparks as told by the players, broadcasters, batboys, clubhouse managers, groundskeepers, umpires and fans who provide firsthand accounts of what it was like to spend a summer afternoon at Ebbets Field, the Polo Grounds, Forbes Field, Yankee Stadium, Comiskey Park, Crosley Field and many more.
Episodes
Jon Miller, the longtime voice of the San Francisco Giants makes his return visit to Lost Ballparks. His first appearance on the podcast quickly became the most downloaded episode in LB podcast history. He is gracious enough to join us one more time for the series finale sharing his first hand experiences of broadcasting at some of baseball's iconic lost ballparks.
Support the showMike McDermott began his career at Dodger Stadium as the visiting team batboy in the mid 1960's. He later transitioned to batting practice pitcher for the Dodgers; a position he held for 30 years! He joins me on this episode to talk about a Hall of Famer whose kindness he'll never forget, the time at Candlestick where he caused the game to be stopped and memories of many old, lost ballparks, including a particular goose b...
Hall of Famer Ted Simmons joins me on this episode to talk about the first big league game his Dad took him to at Briggs Stadium (later named Tiger Stadium), coming back to play there as a major leaguer, catching Bob Gibson's only no-hitter at Three Rivers Stadium and the day he hitched a ride with a rock-n-roll legend.
Support the showWarren Brown's first job was working in the Red's clubhouse at Crosley Field. When the Reds moved into Riverfront Stadium in the middle of the 1970 season, he became one of their batboys. "Brownie" has great stories and wonderful memories to share of both ballparks, Sparky Anderson and the Big Red Machine.
Support the showRick Dempsey, a member of the Orioles HOF, joins me on this episode to talk about some of the great Lost American League ballparks of the 70's and 80's, his little league manager who turned out to be ______!!! the stadium where he nearly lost his life, and of course the '83 World Series (he was MVP) and the goose bump inducing '88 World Series! This is one of my all-time favorite interviews. Hope you enjoy it!
S...On this Extra Innings episode, Steve Garvey talks about the day he became a Brooklyn Dodger batboy in 1956, the first MLB game he attended as a teenager at Tiger Stadium and his walk off home run to win game 4 of the '84 NLCS that made him a San Diego legend!
Support the showOn this episode of the Lost Ballparks podcast, Kent Hrbek, a member of the Twins Hall of Fame, joins me to talk about growing up a short bike ride away from Metropolitan Stadium, what it was like playing for the Twins in the ballpark he grew up going to, the challenges and joys of playing in the Metrodome, his practical joking teammates and of course, being a part of the first Twins championship.
Support the show7X Emmy Winner and longtime ESPN host (Sports Look/Up Close), Roy Firestone joins me on this episode to talk about his love for Old Miami Stadium, his days as a Baltimore Orioles batboy, his lifelong friendship with Brooks Robinson, the day he walked through an abandoned Memorial Stadium with Johnny Unitas and his once-in-a-lifetime interview with members of the 500 HR club (Ted Williams, Ernie Banks, Reggie Jackson, Mike Schmidt a...
George Toma, 94, has been doing groundskeeping since he was 12 years old. That’s 82 years! The man nicknamed, the "Sodfather" and "the Nitty Gritty Dirt Man" joins me on this episode to talk about being the head groundskeeper in Kansas City at Municipal Stadium for colorful owner Charlie Finley (in the 1950's and 60's), then Royals Stadium. He has advised and been a part of the grounds installation an...
Lost Ballparks Extra Innings: In this extra innings episode HOFer Reggie Jackson shares details of the first major league game he ever attended as a kid; where it was, who he was with, the teams playing that day and who his favorite player was.
Support the showSteve Stone was an All-Star, a Cy Young award winner (He won 25 games in 1980!), and for the past 4 decades has worked in the broadcast booth; first for the Cubs alongside Hall of Famer Harry Caray and since 2005 he has been calling games for the White Sox. He shares vivid details of Comiskey, Wrigley Field, Memorial Stadium, Candlestick and Municipal Stadium and of course some of the best Harry Caray stories I've ever heard! ...
Art Shamsky was a key member of the 1969 World Champion New York Mets. He joins me on this episode to talk about that magical year and what it was like playing with Tom Seaver, Pete Rose and Frank Robinson in those Lost Ballparks of the 60's - Forbes Field, Connie Mack Stadium, Crosley Field, the Astrodome and Shea Stadium.
Click here for Art Shamsky's book: After the Miracle: The Lasting Brotherhood of the &apo...
Extra Innings Episode: Rollie Fingers, a 7X All-Star, 3X World Champion, MVP, Cy Young winner and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, joins me on this episode to talk about the first MLB game he attended as a kid, his 2 favorite ballparks to pitch in, "Harvey" the mechanical rabbit, historic Rickwood Field, and the 3 days he spent as a member of the Boston Red Sox.
Support the showAndy Strasberg is the author of My 1961. Andy grew up in the Bronx and unlike all of his friends who were Mickey Mantle fans, Strasberg loved Roger Maris. In 1961 he began to make daily journal entries that chronicled his life as a 13 year old Yankee fan, trips to Yankee Stadium with his Father and friends and vivid details of his dreams to 1. Meet Roger Maris. 2. Be given a game used bat by Roger Maris. 3. Be given one of Roger&ap...
Rick Rizzs has been calling Seattle Mariners baseball games since 1983! On this episode he talks about growing up in Chicago attending games at Comiskey Park, paying dues in minor league broadcasting, feeling like he could die at any minute calling games at old Cleveland Stadium, the unique peculiarities of Tiger Stadium and the Mariners historic run in 1995.
Support the showExtra Innings Episode: Johnny Bench joins me on this episode to talk about the first MLB game he ever attended, memories of Cincinnati's Crosley Field, what Willie Mays told him at the Astrodome in 1968, his 1971 All-Star game home run at Tiger Stadium and obeying his Mom during the 1972 NLCS at Riverfront Stadium.
Support the showJack Morris was 254 game winner, a 5x All-Star, 4X World Champion, 1991 World Series MVP and a 2018 inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame. On the premiere episode of season 5, Morris joins me to talk about growing up going to Metropolitan Stadium, his love for the most terrifying sport in human history, pitching at Comiskey Park, Jack Murphy, Tiger Stadium, that magical 1984 season and his return to Minnesota to play for his home...
Fred Lynn was a 9X All-Star and the first player in baseball history to win Rookie of the Year, MVP and a Gold Glove in the same year! He joins me on the season finale to talk about the first game he attended as a kid, all things Fenway Park, that special 1975 Red Sox team, his first All-Star game at County Stadium in Milwaukee, the crazy event that probably cost the Angels the '82 ALCS and much more!
Support the showTommy John, a 4X All-Star, played 26 seasons in the big leagues racking up 288 wins! He joins me on this week's episode to talk about attending games at Crosley Field as a kid, pitching at Municipal Stadium when he was 18, funny stories of Tommy Lasorda and the surgery that bears his name and revolutionized the pitching position forever!
Support the showAuthor Rick Vaughn spent more than 30 years working as a baseball executive for the Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Rays. I just finished his new book "100 years of Baseball on St. Petersburg's Waterfront", a fascinating account of Florida's west coast city (Al Lang Field/Stadium) hosting some of baseball's all-time greats, Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Bob Gibson and so man...
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