In this bonus segment, Tri-City ValleyCats vice president and general manager Matt Callahan discusses the history of bobbleheads in minor league baseball, the ValleyCats' process behind deciding who will be permanently immortalized as a member of the team's bobblehead lineup, and the roots of the 'Mayor's Race' event familiar to Capital Region baseball fans.

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Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

Visit troystorypod.com for upcoming episodes, guests, and bonus content.

Connect with Troy Story on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter)

In the second half our our interview, Matt explains the ValleyCats' move to the independent Frontier League, and the obstacles the club overcame during COVID and the contraction of Major League Baseball’s (MLB) minor league system. We also dig into the archives to explore Troy’s deep links to baseball’s earliest days, including the first-ever grand slam in MLB history, hit by a Troy Trojan right here in Rensselaer County.

If you haven’t heard part 1 of Chapter 05, we strongly recommend you go back and check out the first half.

Show Notes:

• Tri-City ValleyCats (Official Website)
• Remembering the long-ago major league history of Troy, N.Y. (ESPN.com)
• Grondahl: Historian finds first grand slam in MLB history — in Rensselaer (Times Union)

Subscribe for email updates on upcoming guests, chapters, and special bonus content.

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

Visit troystorypod.com for upcoming episodes, guests, and bonus content.

Connect with Troy Story on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter)

Looking for baseball puns? Well, you’ve come to the right place! This week, we're thrilled to have Matt Callahan, VP and General Manager of the Tri-City ValleyCats as our guest for Chapter 05. We talk all things Gatos, including what fans can expect during this month’s home opener at The Joe in Troy, New York, the team’s now-22 seasons in the Collar City, and the challenges of running day-to-day operations for a minor league baseball team.

This episode also features a preview of a very special clip from a future chapter of Troy Story: A Podcast for the Collar City that will revisit a major concert in Collar City history: Metallica at the RPI Field House, March 1989 (and includes an opportunity for you to be part of the podcast).

Subscribe for email updates on upcoming guests, chapters, and special bonus content.

Credits:

Produced, edited, and hosted by John Salka
Theme music by Steven J. Goldman, Four Legs Records

Visit troystorypod.com for upcoming episodes, guests, and bonus content.

Connect with Troy Story on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter)