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Hooks & Runs

Hooks & Runs

By: A podcast about baseball music and culture.
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About this listen

Hooks & Runs is a podcast about baseball, music and culture. Our podcast includes interviews with news makers in the sports and music world plus commentary from the co-hosts on interesting current and historical events. Hooks & Runs releases a new episodes every Thursday (more or less).

© 2026 Craig Estlinbaum
Baseball & Softball Music Social Sciences
Episodes
  • 281 - "A Most Dramatic Diamond Struggle"
    Mar 16 2026

    On July 10, 1932, after playing 3 double headers in 3 days, Connie Mack's Philadelphia A's faced the Cleveland Indians at Cleveland's League Park. Craziness ensued. The game and players set records that have never been, and are unlikely to be, broken or even approached.

    This is the story of that game.

    We discuss our sources after the outro music.

    Errata: The opening game at Cleveland Stadium was July 31, 1932, not July 21st. Connie Mack was ejected from one game as manager - September 6, 1895, at the Polo Grounds in New York, while manager for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

    Consider supporting Hooks & Runs by purchasing books, including those featured in this episode (if any were), through our store at Bookshop.org. Here's the link. https://bookshop.org/shop/hooksandruns.

    Hooks & Runs - https://hooksandruns.buzzsprout.com
    Email: hooksandruns@protonmail.com
    Craig on Bluesky (@craigest.bsky.social)
    Rex (Krazy Karl's Music Emporium) on Facebook
    https://www.facebook.com/people/Krazy-Karlz-Music-Emporium/100063801500293/
    Hosts Emeriti:
    Andrew Eckhoff on TikTok
    https://www.tiktok.com/@hofffest
    Eric on Facebook
    https://www.facebook.com/ichaboderic/
    Music: "Warrior of Light" by ikolics (via Premium Beat)
    www.premiumbeat.com/artist/ikoliks
    This podcast and this episode are copyright Craig Estlinbaum, 2026.

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    48 mins
  • 280 - Texans in the Hall: Joe Williams, Andy Cooper and Hilton Smith w/ Thomas Kern
    Mar 9 2026

    Pennsylvania native Thomas Kern has been a Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) member for over 40 years and has several biographical essays about Negro League stars during that time. Thomas joins us this episode to resume our series, "Texans in the Hall" to talk about three great Texas-born pitchers - Joe Williams, Andy Cooper and Hilton Smith. Kern introduces us to all three Texans, from their beginnings in rural Texas to the Texas amateur circuit to the Major Leagues in the Negro American or National League in the 1920s, 30s and beyond.

    Thomas Kern on SABR - https://sabr.org/authors/thomas-kern/

    Joe Williams at Baseball Reference; Andy Cooper at Baseball Reference; Hilton Smith at Baseball Reference.

    Consider supporting Hooks & Runs by purchasing books, including those featured in this episode (if any were), through our store at Bookshop.org. Here's the link. https://bookshop.org/shop/hooksandruns

    Hooks & Runs - https://hooksandruns.buzzsprout.com
    Email: hooksandruns@protonmail.com
    Craig on Bluesky (@craigest.bsky.social)
    Rex (Krazy Karl's Music Emporium) on Facebook
    https://www.facebook.com/people/Krazy-Karlz-Music-Emporium/100063801500293/
    Hosts Emeriti:
    Andrew Eckhoff on TikTok
    https://www.tiktok.com/@hofffest
    Eric on Facebook
    https://www.facebook.com/ichaboderic/
    Music: "Warrior of Light" by ikolics (via Premium Beat)
    www.premiumbeat.com/artist/ikoliks
    This podcast and this episode are copyright Craig Estlinbaum, 2026.


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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • 279 Five future generals and 1915 Army baseball w/ Dr. Stephen V. Rice, plus Ferris Fain was a gangster
    Feb 23 2026

    Dr. Stephen V. Rice joins us in the first chapter to talk about his recent article in the Baseball Research Journal, "The 1915 Army Baseball Team at West Point: Five Future Generals and an 18–3 Record." In the second chapter, a look at two-time American League batting champion Ferris Fain and his tragic post-career fall. We close the episode with a short concert review. Links:

    • The Society for American Baseball Research - www.sabr.org
    • The Fall 2025 Baseball Research Journal - https://tinyurl.com/brjf2025

    Listeners interested in previous episodes with stories about baseball, music, the military and war should search for episodes 238 (Artie Shaw and World War II), 205 (Bethlehem Steel League), 189 (Baseball players serving in the Chemical Warfare Unit), Episode 169 (Moe Berg was a spy), Episode 168 (Ted Williams and John Glenn), Episode 107 (Baseball players serving in World War II), and Episode 106 (Sam Nahim and the G.I. World Series). Our episode about Rube Waddell is No. 82.

    Consider supporting Hooks & Runs by purchasing books, including those featured in this episode (if any were), through our store at Bookshop.org. Here's the link. https://bookshop.org/shop/hooksandruns

    Hooks & Runs - https://hooksandruns.buzzsprout.com
    Email: hooksandruns@protonmail.com
    Craig on Bluesky (@craigest.bsky.social)
    Rex (Krazy Karl's Music Emporium) on Facebook
    https://www.facebook.com/people/Krazy-Karlz-Music-Emporium/100063801500293/
    Hosts Emeriti:
    Andrew Eckhoff on TikTok
    https://www.tiktok.com/@hofffest
    Eric on Facebook
    https://www.facebook.com/ichaboderic/
    Music: "Warrior of Light" by ikolics (via Premium Beat)
    www.premiumbeat.com/artist/ikoliks
    This podcast and this episode are copyright Craig Estlinbaum, 2026.



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    52 mins
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