Episodes

  • 9: An Encore for the Express

    9: An Encore for the Express
    Apr 21 2025
    At 44 years old, Nolan Ryan took the mound on a quiet night in Texas — and delivered one of the most unforgettable performances in baseball history. No local TV. No warning. Just pure greatness. This is the story of Ryan’s seventh career no-hitter, and how, more than two decades after his World Series debut, the Ryan Express still had one last masterpiece left in the tank.

    Sports Wax is a weekly documentary that explores sports stories from yesteryear — memories of players, coaches, and teams that takes us back in time. Subscribe to get the Sports Wax newsletter.
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    21 mins
  • 8: Middle Age Man Does the Impossible

    8: Middle Age Man Does the Impossible
    Apr 7 2025
    Some sports moments are so transcendent, so unbelievable, they feel almost like fairy tales in hindsight. That's certainly the case with the 1986 Masters, where 46-year-old Jack Nicklaus made a back-nine charge for the ages, chasing down his younger competitors to win his sixth green jacket.

    Sports Wax is a weekly documentary that explores sports stories from yesteryear — memories of players, coaches, and teams that takes us back in time. Subscribe to get the Sports Wax newsletter.
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    25 mins
  • 7: Sports Wax 100 for March 28: The Night Michael Jordan Scored 69

    7: Sports Wax 100 for March 28: The Night Michael Jordan Scored 69
    Mar 28 2025
    Thirty-five years ago today, on March 28, 1990, Michael Jordan torched the Cleveland Cavaliers for a career-high 69 points — plus 18 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals — in one of the most dominant performances in NBA history. Just a year after "The Shot," MJ returned to Cleveland and delivered another all-time moment.

    This is Sports Wax 100 — the short-form companion to the Sports Wax podcast. One unforgettable moment in sports history told in 100 seconds or less.
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    2 mins
  • 6: The Football Coach Who Won March Madness

    6: The Football Coach Who Won March Madness
    Mar 21 2025
    So many incredible stories emerge from March Madness each year. In 1989, one of the most unbelievable stories took shape as the Michigan Wolverines — a team that lost its coach right before the tournament — kept winning round after round. In the end, the NCAA title was a testament to the team’s talent — and resilience.

    Sports Wax is a weekly documentary that explores sports stories from yesteryear — memories of players, coaches, and teams that takes us back in time. Subscribe to get the Sports Wax newsletter.
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    21 mins
  • 5: Olympic History (On Tape Delay)

    5: Olympic History (On Tape Delay)
    Mar 14 2025
    The Soviet Union and United States were constantly at odds — but they never actually met on the battlefield, not face to face, at least. So, when the United States and Soviet Union did meet in sports — on the field or court or ice — it was a really big deal.

    In 1980, the U.S. sent a bunch of college kids to Lake Placid for the Winter Olympics, while the Soviets sent what was widely believed to be the best team in the world.

    There was buzz leading up to the game, but nothing like today. There was no lengthy pregame show. There were no NHL players on the ice. The telecast didn’t feature any loud graphics or celebrity guests. In fact, the game didn’t even air live in the United States.

    What happened was nothing short of a miracle.

    Sports Wax is a weekly documentary that explores sports stories from yesteryear — memories of players, coaches, and teams that takes us back in time. Subscribe to get the Sports Wax newsletter.
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    22 mins
  • 4: A Shocking Upset on South Beach

    4: A Shocking Upset on South Beach
    Feb 27 2025
    Muhammad Ali is the greatest of all-time, but that wasn't always the case. Sixty-one years ago this week, he was an enormous underdog against the heavyweight champion of the world, just a mouth with no chance of winning the belt. But history is full of surprises.

    Sports Wax is a weekly documentary that explores sports stories from yesteryear — memories of players, coaches, and teams that takes us back in time. Subscribe to get the Sports Wax newsletter.
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    22 mins
  • 3: Commanders in Chief in the Crowd (5 Moments When Presidents Went to the Ballgame)

    3: Commanders in Chief in the Crowd (5 Moments When Presidents Went to the Ballgame)
    Feb 20 2025
    U.S. presidents have embraced sports as a way to connect with the American people, as a way to celebrate everyday life in America, and as a way to get things back to normal after crises. Sports have also played a unique role as comforter in times of nationwide pain. This episode, just after Lincoln's birthday and just before Washington's, is all about the relationship between presidents and our sports.

    Sports Wax is a weekly documentary that explores sports stories from yesteryear — memories of players, coaches, and teams that takes us back in time. Subscribe to get the Sports Wax newsletter.
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    19 mins
  • 2: The Valentine's Day Trade That Saved a City's Title Hopes

    2: The Valentine's Day Trade That Saved a City's Title Hopes
    Feb 12 2025
    The city of Houston went through a really tough sports run in the 1970s and 1980s. But, on Valentine's Day 30 years ago this week, the Houston Rockets make a trade to bring home a favorite son for one last shot at redemption.

    Sports Wax is a weekly documentary that explores sports stories from yesteryear — memories of players, coaches, and teams that takes us back in time. Subscribe to get the Sports Wax newsletter.
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    19 mins