This Week In Baseball History
345 episodes - English - Latest episode: 15 days ago - ★★★★ - 224 ratingsThis Week In Baseball History is a weekly podcast devoted to the history of baseball, hosted by Mike Bates and Bill Parker, the co-founders of The Platoon Advantage and writers on many fine websites.
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Episodes
Episode 329 - Fox On The Sox
April 12, 2024 04:19 - 1 hour - 107 MBWas Nellie Fox overrated by old school types who voted him into the Hall of Fame? Or is he undervalued by today's modern metrics that rank him as one off the weakest members of that exclusive club of players? The answer, most likely, is yes to both questions. But he was never more valuable than he was 65 years ago this week, when he collected five hits, including an uncharacteristic homer on Opening Day, kicking off the White Sox drive for the AL pennant in style. Mike and Bill look back at ...
Episode 328 - His Grace, Duke Edwin Snider
April 05, 2024 04:32 - 1 hour - 114 MBOvershadowed by the greatness of Willie Mays and Mickey Mantle, the third of the holy trio of Golden Age, New York-based center fielders, Duke Snider, was a marvel in his own right. A five tool player whose short peak rivaled Willie's for the title of the best player in the National League and pushed the Dodgers to their first championship. But all good things come to an end and, 61 years ago this week, the Dodgers sold him to the Mets. Mike and Bill look back at the incredible career of the...
Episode 327 - Sammy Sosa Takes the Crosstown Express
March 29, 2024 03:46 - 1 hour - 111 MBThe Cubs might not be willing to acknowledge it today, but it was 32 years ago this week that they acquired one of the greatest players in franchise history, trading away aging slugger George Bell for a dynamic, young Sammy Sosa. Sosa would go on to challenge for the single season home run record, club more than 600 career bombs, and win an MVP. Mike and Bill look back at Sosa's incredible rise, somewhat inexplicable fall, and try to figure out why the Cubs still pretend that he never existe...
Episode 326 - Judy Johnson Refuses To Go Gray Gracefully
March 22, 2024 04:56 - 1 hour - 122 MBIt was the most expensive trade in Negro League history. It was also specificallly designed to be the killing strike that finished off the Pittsburgh Crawfords. Finally, it ended the career of Hall of Fame third baseman Judy Johnson, who refused to report to the Homestead Grays when he and Josh Gibson were traded there 87 years ago this week. Mike and Bill look back at the Hall of Fame lives of Judy Johnson and Cumberland Posey, and the history of the Grays that brought about this historic d...
Episode 325 - Baseball Beyond Borders (with Michael Clair)
March 08, 2024 06:03 - 1 hour - 115 MBFrom the very beginning of the National League, baseball's overlords have attempted to grow the sport beyond America's borders. These efforts have met with varying levels of success over the years, but it's clear that baseball has never been more popular abroad than it is in 2024. Our guest this week, MLB.com's manager of storytelling Michael Clair, has a new newsletter that highlights the international game wherever it's being played and is making sure we'll know where the next generation o...
Episode 324 - Baseball In the Little Big Apple (with special guest Kevin Baker
March 01, 2024 06:31 - 1 hour - 126 MBFor as long as it has existed, baseball has been intertwined with New York City, with the two developing alongside one another into American institutions. With special guest Kevin Baker, author of The New York Game: Baseball and the Rise of a New City, Mike and Bill trace the history of the sport in the greatest city in the world, how New York politics shaped it, and how some of the greatest players and managers in history found their way to New York and made it their own. Plus, happy birt...
Episode 37 Rerun - Danny Gardella and the Mexican League Declare War
February 23, 2024 04:38 - 48 minutes - 67.2 MBMajor League Baseball rarely faces a realistic challenge to its hegemony, but, 72 years ago this week, Danny Gardella became the first American-born player to sign with Jorge Pasquel's Mexican League, touching off a short war that challenged the reserve clause, increased salaries at home and abroad, and wound up ending both Gardella's career and the Mexican League's independence. Mike and Bill examine Gardella's life, Pasquel's insurgency, MLB's response, and the court battle that followed.
Episode 323 - No Less, Nomo
February 16, 2024 06:32 - 1 hour - 117 MBCompared to some of the other Japanese pitchers who have transitioned to the United States, Hideo Nomo's American career seems relatively short and underwhelming. But the impact it had on two nations, how players move between leagues, and what fans can expect is immeasurable. After signing with the Dodgers 29 years ago this week, Hideo Nomo went on to prove that Japanese players could indeed thrive in the US, and paved the way for everyone who came affter. Mike and Bill look back at the Torn...
Episode 322 - Two Of Life's Three Constants
February 09, 2024 04:10 - 1 hour - 85.2 MBWith Mike's attention divided this week, Bill suggested a scaled down episode where the boys focus on birthdays and memorials for the recently departed. And so, happy birthday to Smoky Burgess and Germany Schaefer! And farewell to Chuck Harrison, Dick Thoenen, Ryan Minor, and Carlos Pulido.
Episode 85 (Rerun) - Roy Campanella Misses A Turn
February 02, 2024 03:47 - 56 minutes - 77.1 MBDespite being acknowledged as one of the all time greats and a very deserving Hall of Famer, Roy Campanella's career doesn't get the appreciation it deserves because of its late start due to segregation and early finish due to an auto accident 61 years ago this week that left him paralyzed. Mike and Bill dig into his career and life at all its stages and come to love the man as much as it seems everyone else did. Also, happy birthday to George Burns and Tony Mullane.
Episode 321 - Mike and a Mate: The Return of Steven Goldman!
January 26, 2024 04:31 - 1 hour - 141 MBWith Bill on vacation, Mike welcomes walking baseball encyclopedia Steven Goldman (@gostevengoldman) in for a chat. They talk about Steve's podcast, The Infinite Inning, returning to a weekly format, what makes a great baseball story, the worst teams in history and, of course, Casey Stengel. Steve also plays Yankees roullette with some fun names from the past. Plus, happy birthday to Blix Donnelly! And farewell to Bob Allen and Ken MacKenzie.
Episode 320 - Welcome Home, Cecil Fielder!
January 19, 2024 06:12 - 1 hour - 118 MBWhen Cecil Fielder returned from a year in Japan, 34 years agoo this week, it was without fanfare. But by the end of 1990, after slamming 51 homers, Fielder had become one of the most iconic faces in baseball. His time at the top of the spoort would be short, however, and Mike and Bill look back at why. Plus, happy birthday to Delino DeShields and Smead Jolley. And farewell to Larry Miggins, Dave Wehrmeister, Joe Hicks and Vic Davalillo
Episode 319 - Jay Jaffe Returns! (with special guest Jay Jaffe)
January 12, 2024 04:54 - 1 hour - 141 MBIt's still Hall of Fame season for, like, one more week, so Mike and Bill sit down with Fangraphs Senior Writer Jay Jaffe, inventor of JAWS, the preeminent tool to evaluate potential Hall of Famers, to talk about the current ballot, the chances of the first time candidate, and how the process has changed as its become more transparent and contentious. They also discuss Jay's own choices, as he has long been deemed a responsible adult worth of a vote. Plus, happy birthday to Topper Rigney a...
Episode 318 - Rogers, Over the Threshold and Into the Hall of Fame
January 05, 2024 06:05 - 1 hour - 122 MBOne of the greatest and one of the ornriest players in baseball history, Rogers Hornsby presents a conundrum. Too good not to want on your team, but so disruptive that he was traded in three straight offseasons and wore out his welcome quickly, even for teams that desperately needed him. What was his deal? Mike and Bill look back at his controversial life and career to try to figure that out.
Episode 317 - The Hall of Fame Ballot, 2024
December 22, 2023 05:58 - 1 hour - 136 MBWith their scheduled guest ailing, Mike and Bill take a thorough look at all the candidates on this year's Hall of Fame ballot and decide they're probably going to need more votes. Plus, happy birthday to Cy Williams and Leo Cardenas!
Episode 316 (Repost) - The Cubs Get the Finger(s)
December 15, 2023 14:57 - 1 hour - 125 MBWhen life hands you lemons, make lemonade. And when life mangles your hand, learn a curveball. That was the path to greatness for legendary Cubs right hander Mordecai Brown, whose handicap wound up baffling National Leauge hitters for the better part of a decade. 120 years ago this week, Brown was acquired by Cubbies, who rode him to two championships before age and injury wore him down. Mike and Bill look back at one of the great superstars of the early 20th century and the accidents that m...
Episode 315 - Lou Piniella Finds a Home
December 08, 2023 06:26 - 1 hour - 121 MBSweet Lou was never an apt nickname for Lou Piniella, whose fiery temper and aggressive play earned him respect and fear around the game after he joined the Yankees 50 years ago this week, and became an essential cog in their dynasty in the late '70s and early '80s. But Lou's career would stretch far beyond his time in pinstripes and lead him tantalizingly close to the Hall of Fame as one of the most highly regarded managers of the 1990s and 2000s. Mike and Bill look back at Lou's 50 years i...
Episode 314 - All is Golden For Al Rosen
December 01, 2023 05:19 - 1 hour - 123 MBBecause his peak was so short, Al Lopez is often overlooked when we think about the great sluggers of the 1950s. But no one could ignore his incredible season in 1953 when, 70 years ago this week, he became just the second player to be unanimously voted AL MVP. Mike and Bill look back at Rosen's short on-field career, surprising impact on the game in the '70s and '80s, and the antisemitism he beat back to make all of it happen. Plus, happy birthday to Fred Tenney and Bob Tewksbury!
Episode 313.5 - A Couple Announcements and a Farewell
November 24, 2023 04:02 - 10 minutes - 14.8 MBMike and Bill briefly have some podcast related announcments and Thanksgiving well-wishes up top and then say farewell to the great Willie Hernandez.
Episode 313 - One Random Game II
November 17, 2023 04:52 - 1 hour - 113 MBWith a dearth of interesting topics this week, Mike and Bill fire up the random number generator and provide the annotated story of the Montreal Expos visit to Cincinnati on May 1, 1976 against the Big Red Machine. Would the machine break down? Or would the Expos get steamrolled? And, most importantly, can anyone think of a first baseman whose name is also a body part? Plus, happy birthday to Greg Gagne and Kent Bottenfield.
Episode 312 - Dale Does It Again
November 10, 2023 05:01 - 1 hour - 109 MBHe was one of the best players of the 1980s and, 40 years ago this week, became one of only 13 players in baseball history to win back-to-back MVP Awards. But Dale Murphy is still on the outside looking in at the Baseball Hall of Fame. What happened to knock him off the road to immortality? Mike and Bill look back at his career to find out. Plus, happy birthday to Greasy Neale and Bill Bruton!
Episode 174 (Rerun) -- Lefty O'Doul Goes Back to Japan (with Special Guest Yuriko Gamo Romer)
November 01, 2023 03:08 - 1 hour - 146 MBMike got an unexpected opportunity to attend a World Series game this week, so we're going back to this time of year in 2020 for this week's episode. When relations between the United States and Japan broke down in the prelude to WWII, no one was more despondent than Lefty O'Doul, who had fallen in love with and become an unlikely icon in the island nation. As the two nations tried to repair their relationship, Lefty was called on 71 years ago this week to begin a goodwill tour with his San ...
Episode 311 - The Blue Jays' Biggest Fly
October 27, 2023 02:42 - 1 hour - 129 MBThe most important hit in Blue Jays history came 30 years ago this week when Joe Carter launched a walk-off three run home run down the left field line off of embattled Phillies reliever Mitch Williams in Game 6 of the World Series. It remains one of just two home runs that have ever ended a Fall Classic, and an indelible moment that came to define '90s baseball almost as much as Kirk Gibson's defined the '80s. Mike and Bill go through the long roads two very likable clubs (at the time, at l...
Episode 310 - The Impossible Happens
October 20, 2023 03:09 - 1 hour - 130 MBHe was supposed to be too injured to run. But you don't need to run when you hit a baseball as far as Kirk Gibson did 35 years ago this week, when he hit a flat-footed pinch-hit, walk off home run against the most dominant pitcher and team in baseball, setting the stage for a tremendous World Series upset. Mike and Bill talk all about that moment, the series that surrounded it, and how the two clubs got there as they revisit one of the most vivid memories of their childhoods. Plus, happy b...
Episode 309 - The 2003 NLCS Is Up In the Air
October 13, 2023 04:03 - 1 hour - 134 MBIf the foul pop off Luis Castillo's bat in Game 6 of the NLCS had landed a foot either way, the life of one ordinary Cubs fan would have remained anonymous and thoroughly normal. Instead, 20 years ago this week, that fan was thrust into a maelstrom of controversy he didn't deserve when the Marlins took advantage and staged a massive comeback at Wrigley Field with the help of several culprits on the Cubs, all far more culpable than Steve Bartman ever could have been. Mike and Bill look back a...
Episode 308 - Enter the World's Series
October 06, 2023 03:57 - 1 hour - 115 MB120 years ago this week, Barney Dreyfuss's big idea came to fruition, as his Pirates took on the Boston Americans from the upstart American League to try to prove the NL's dominance. But a funny thing happened, as the Junior Circuit champs would turn the tables and legitimize the new enterprise with an underdog victory. How would they do it? Listen to this episode, and to Mike and Bill hilariously try to pronounce Deacon Phillippe's last name to find out. Plus, happy birthday to Jeff Rear...
Episode 307.5 - RIP Brooks Robinson and Tim Wakefield
October 03, 2023 00:52 - 42 minutes - 58.2 MBIn honor of two great ballplayers who have fallen in the past week, Mike and Bill re-release portions of episodes 253 and 162, which catalogue the lives of the great Brooks Robinson and TIm Wakefield
Episode 307 - Orel Hershiser Streaks!
September 29, 2023 03:52 - 1 hour - 113 MBHe looked, according to so many, like a choir boy. But on a pitcher's mound, with a ball in his hand, Orel Hershiser became Tommy Lasorda's bulldog. And his bite was never stronger than it was 35 years ago this week, as he finished off his record-setting 59 consecutive scoreless innings streak to set a new standard for dominance that has yet to be matched. Mike and Bill look back at one of the finest pitching performances of all time and see how Hershiser combined exceptional pitching with e...
Episode 306 - The Cubs Meet Their Mister
September 22, 2023 04:02 - 1 hour - 95.2 MBHas there ever been a player as inextricably linked to his team as Ernie Banks was to the Chicago Cubs? Perhaps not. That beautiful, tragic relationship began 70 years ago this week when Banks suited up for the first time for the team he'd come to represent as Mr. Cub, the first black player to play for the Northsiders. Mike and Bill go back through the bifurcated career of one of baseball's best shortstops and, due to injury, one of its most average first basemen. Plus, happy birthday to ...
Episode 305 - Our Idiot Brothers, Part 2
September 15, 2023 04:01 - 1 hour - 121 MBIt remains hard, at times to be brothers. We covered that back in January with a set of siblings who fell well short of their illustrious kin. But there are still so many bad (or just mediocre) brothers out there! So Mike and Bill go back to the well to find more stories of those who just never could measure up. On this anniversary of Larry Yount not actually throwing a pitch in his one and only game, get ready for Cansecos, Boyers, Torres, O'Connors, Delahantys and, yes, Younts. Plus, ha...
Episode 166 - No-Nos No More!
September 08, 2023 04:04 - 1 hour - 108 MBWhen is a no-hitter not a no-hitter? When Fay Vincent decided, 32 years ago this week, that it shouldn't be. Specifically, he decreed that any no-hitters shorter than nine full innings or that was broken up after the ninth no longer counted, consigning 50 no-hitters to the dustbin of history. That's where Mike and Bill found them in this re-run from 2020, polished them up, and presented them for your enjoyment. Plus, happy birthday to Tug McGraw and Ed Konetchy!
Episode 304 - Ya Gotta Believe!
September 01, 2023 04:05 - 1 hour - 114 MB50 years ago this week, the Mets lost and fell back into the cellar in the National League East. Five short weeks later, they would finish the season at the top. And then, shortly thereafter, facing the A's in the World Series. Mike and Bill look back at one of the most remarkable and unlikely comebacks of all time, and just how the Mets turned a joke of a slogan into the rallying cry of all rallying cries. Plus, happy birthday to Bing Miller and Ernie Broglio!
Episode 303 - Juan Bad Day
August 25, 2023 01:46 - 1 hour - 113 MBThe Joker thinks all it takes to turn a good man bad is one bad day. And, in the eyes of many baseball fans, that's what happened to Juan Marichal 58 years ago this week when he attacked Dodgers catcher Johnny Roseboro with his bat. But this incident was so much more complicated than a hotheaded ballplayer losing control, and Marichal's exceptional career cannot fairly be boiled down to his worst day. Mike and Bill detail the life of The Dominican Dandy to explain why. Plus, happy birthday...
Episode 164 (Rerun) - The Death of Ray Chapman
August 18, 2023 04:18 - 1 hour - 109 MBRay Chapman was the toast of Cleveland, until 103 years ago this week, when his life was tragically cut short by a Carl Mays fastball that crushed in his skull. Mike and Bill go through the lives of the star-crossed pair who would become forever linked in the history of the game, and the ramifications of Chapman's death on his city, his team, his family, and his killer. Plus, happy birthday to Baby Doll Jacobson and Tiny Bonham.
Episode 302 - We Give Up
August 11, 2023 02:41 - 1 hour - 134 MBIt's hard enough to lose when you straight up get beat on the field. But when circumstances conspire to prevent you from even being able too compete? That's especially frustrating. That's what happened to the Dodgers 28 years ago this week, when a misguided promotion, questionable umpiring, and a mob mentality led to the last forfeit in baseball history to date. Mike and Bill take that as the impetus to look back at the only five games that have been forfeited since 1954, and the wild and di...
Episode 301 - Two Bad Big Apples (with special guest Chris Donnelly)
August 04, 2023 02:39 - 1 hour - 145 MBAs hard as it might be to believe in 2023 (he says with the sarcasm dripping in his voice) there once was a time when New York City was not particularly pleased with its two representatives in the American and National Leagues. In the early '90s, as Chris Donnelly (@cdonnelly81) chronicles in his book Road to Nowhere, both the Mets and the Yankees had hit the skids. But their paths from there diverged over the next few years, and Chris tells Mike and Bill all about how one team managed to re...
Episode 300 - SABR Pirate Radio with Mike Veeck
July 24, 2023 03:25 - 1 hour - 118 MBUnlikely as it seemed seven years ago, here we are at episode 300. And to celebrate, Mike and Bill and Mike Duncan present a special interview from the recently completed SABR convention with the great Mike Veeck, the son of Bill Veeck, owner of the St. Paul Saints and Charleston River Dogs, business doer, book writer, fun haver, and family man. Look for him later this year playing his father in the Netflix documentary The Saint of Second Chances but, before that, listen to him here as he ta...
Episode 299.5 - SABR Pirate Radio with Dan Levitt and Adam Darowski
July 18, 2023 03:56 - 1 hour - 98.6 MBIn their second installment from this year's SABR Convention in Chicago, Mike and Mike and Bill talked to a couple people you're familiar with if you've listened to the podcast. Dan Levitt (@dlevs1), co-author of Intentional Balk: Baseball's Thin Line Between Innovation and Cheating returns to talk about how owners and GMs consistently circumvented the rules to keep promising players from winding up on the rosters of other big league clubs in the early part of the 20th century. Then, Sports ...
Episode 299 - SABR Pirate Radio with Kat Williams and Katie Krall
July 12, 2023 02:34 - 1 hour - 95.4 MBOnce again, Mike and Bill join forces with Mike Duncan to talk to some of the most exciting people at the SABR convention. This year, we kick off with Kat Williams, professor, historian, author, President of the International Women’s Baseball Center, and consultant for the Amazon Prime series A League of Their Own. After talking with her about her journey, her connection to Maybelle Blair, and the future of women's baseball, they speak to someone who is part of that future. Katie Krall, Seni...
Episode 56 (Rerun) - A League Almost Their Own (with special guest Frankie de la Cretaz)
July 07, 2023 12:54 - 1 hour - 89.9 MBThe All American Girls Professional Baseball League gave women an unprecedented chance to organize and play professional baseball. But, as special guest Frankie de la Cretaz (@thefrankiedlc) points out, it also worked to obscure its queer players with rigid "femininity standards" and rules against fraternization. Using obituaries and an amazingly timed interview, Frankie was able to recover some of that lost history before it's gone forever, and discusses it with Mike and Bill. Also, happy b...
Episode 298 - Chicago Chicanery, or It's 3 Minutes To Midnight Somewhere
June 30, 2023 03:31 - 1 hour - 114 MBWith the White Sox threatening to leave the Windy City and abscond to Tampa if they didn't get a new stadium 35 years ago this week, and with the Illinois legislative session winding down to the end of its session and the funding bill a few votes short, he weirdest thing happened. Time, on (and only on) the floor of the state legislature, stopped for three whole minutes, giving the Governor and House Majority Leader time to rally the support necessary to pass the bill. In honor of this mirac...
Episode 297 - 12 Straight Hits in 1930
June 23, 2023 03:01 - 1 hour - 92.4 MBWhat are the odds of a coin flip coming up heads 12 times in a row. Seriously, we're asking. Because we're not good at math. But it's pretty darn unlikely. So what are the chances of a team essentially doing that, getting 12 straight hits? Probably even less likely. But this week, 93 years ago, the Brooklyn Robins did just that too blow a game wide open against the Pirates. Mike and Bill go through the twelve hits and the players involved, marveling at the improbability of this group in part...
Episode 296 - The Browns Get a Goose For Their Heine
June 16, 2023 03:33 - 1 hour - 113 MBLike a binary star system, Goose Goslin and Heine Manush kept circling each other throughout their careers, but probably never moreso than when the Browns sent Manush and General Crowder to the Senators 93 years ago this week for Goslin. Mike and Bill look back at the surprisingly intertwined lives of two Hall of Fame outfielders. Plus, happy birthday to Charlie Hollocher and Ernie Whitt!
Episode 295 - Greg Proops's Giants
June 09, 2023 03:11 - 1 hour - 132 MBWith Bill sidelined this week, Mike talks to comedian, improvisor and actor Greg Proops about growing up as a Giants fan in San Francisco in the 1960s and 70s. Mays! Marichal! McCovey! And Alous galore! And, of course, the mystery that was Candlestick Park. Plus, happy birthday to Billy Hunter!
Episode 294 - Even Babe Ruth Comes to an End Eventually
June 02, 2023 01:38 - 1 hour - 140 MBWe've talked about Babe Ruth before, but not about the end. This episode covers the Babe from 1933--right after his last championship and maybe most famous moment--through the end of his career and way-too-short life. Also, happy birthday to Carlos Zambrano and Bill Doran!
Episode 50 Rerun - The Beaning of Mickey Cochrane
May 26, 2023 01:28 - 1 hour - 86.5 MBBy any objective measure, Mickey Cochrane is one of the greatest players in the history of baseball, despite his career ending prematurely 81 years ago this week, when his skull was fractured by an errant Bump Hadley fastball. In this classic episode from 2018, Mike and Bill look at Cochrane's life and career, and the tragic incident that cut short both his playing and managerial career, and threatened his life. Also, happy birthday to Augie Galan and Kent Hrbek!
Episode 293 - A Ballplayer Wears Many Hats (with special guest Michael Clair)
May 19, 2023 04:21 - 1 hour - 122 MBSince almost the beginning of baseball, they have been there, perched atop the domes of American athletes. The hat. The cap. The lid. But it wasn't always thus, and it wasn't always the caps we see on the field today. Special guest Michael Clair (@michaelsclair), of MLB.com, joins Mike and Bill to talk about his recent article, The Long Strange History of the Baseball Cap, and about how ballplayers' oldest accessory (other than the bat itself) was introduced and changed over time. Plus, ha...
Episode 292 - Feeling the Vida Blues
May 12, 2023 01:49 - 1 hour - 94.7 MBVida Blue was, for a moment, the best pitcher in the world, and then carved out an excellent career beyond that. With his recent passing, Mike and Bill explore the surprisingly contentious career of one of 1970s greatest pitchers, and how his battles with Charlie Finley directed much of his career. Plus, happy birthday to Steve Braun and Claude Raymond!
Episode 200 (Re-run) - The Twins' Killer
May 05, 2023 15:57 - 1 hour - 100 MBWith the podcast coming up on Episode 300 and Mike in an existential pit of terribleness this week, we're re-running our joyous and celebratory 200th episode, in which we tell the story of the great Harmon Killebrew, and are joined by actual baseball legends Carlos Baerga, Jerry Reuss, Willie Wilson, Gary Matthews Sr, and Fred Lynn.
Episode 291 - An O's and 21 Start in 1988
April 28, 2023 02:16 - 1 hour - 111 MBLosing streaks are no fun. So are slow starts. And when you combine them, and the go on for nearly a month? Well, that's about the worst thing ever, as the Baltimore Orioles discovered 35 years ago this week, when they completed their record-settingly pathetic 21 game losing streak to open the 1988 season. Just how can a team go so wrong? Mike and Bill volunteer to sift through the ashes and find out. Plus, happy birthday to Dolph Camilli and Sal Maglie!