Past Ball Podcast

Jackie Mitchell: The Teen Who Struck Out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig

🎙️ Jackie Mitchell: The Teen Who Struck Out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig The Pastball Podcast – Where Baseball’s Forgotten Legends Come Back to Life. 🔊 LISTEN NOW In 1931, a 17-year-old girl named Jackie Mitchell stepped onto the mound to face two of baseball’s most feared hitters—Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig—and what happened next became the stuff of legend. In this jaw-dropping episode of The Pastball Podcast, we tell the almost-too-wild-to-be-true story of the teenage phenom who struck out two Hall of Famers back-to-back during an exhibition game with the New York Yankees. ⚾ Was it real or a publicity stunt? 🎟️ What role did circus promoter and team owner Joe Engel play? 💔 Why did MLB ban women from signing contracts shortly after her appearance? 📜 How has Jackie Mitchell’s legacy been remembered—or forgotten? 🎧 You’ll hear: A deep dive into the facts behind the fable. Real newspaper headlines and rare commentary from the era. Why Mitchell’s story still matters nearly a century later. How this moment challenged gender roles in sports—and still inspires athletes today. 💪 Perfect for: Baseball fans, women in sports advocates, history buffs, feminist trailblazer stans, and anyone who loves a David vs. Goliath story—except this time, David wore a ponytail and threw heat. 🟢 Stream it now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever legends live. Some say it was staged. Others say it was history. You’ll have to decide for yourself.

The Wildest Trade in Baseball: Kekich and Peterson Swap Wives

🎙️ The Wildest Trade in Baseball: Kekich and Peterson Swap Wives The Pastball Podcast – Baseball’s Strangest Stories, One Episode at a Time. 🔊 LISTEN NOW 🔊 This is the baseball story so strange, it sounds made up—except it’s 100% real. In this episode of The Pastball Podcast, we dive deep into one of the most bizarre and talked-about off-the-field trades in Major League Baseball history: the 1973 wife swap between New York Yankees pitchers Mike Kekich and Fritz Peterson. That's right—they literally traded families. 🎧 What went down behind the scenes? 💔 How did teammates, fans, and the media react? 👀 Did the swap stick, or was it a total train wreck? ⚾ What did this scandal mean for the Yankees and their careers? We explore the chaos, consequences, and controversy of the Kekich-Peterson story—from spring training shockwaves to lifelong fallout—and break down how this unforgettable moment became a permanent footnote in baseball lore. 💥 Why You’ll Want to Listen: True baseball weirdness that goes way beyond the game. Unfiltered takes on how it changed MLB locker rooms forever. Real quotes, rare interviews, and the lasting pop culture buzz. The kind of story you won’t believe actually happened—until you hear it. 🧢 Ideal for: Baseball fans, history junkies, Yankees loyalists, sports drama lovers, and anyone who thinks trades are just about stats and contracts.

Fernandomania! The Rise of Fernando Valenzuela

This episode of the Pastball Podcast is all about "Fernandomania"—the electrifying phenomenon that swept through baseball in 1981. Host Matt explores the meteoric rise of Fernando Valenzuela, the 20-year-old Mexican phenom whose dazzling screwball and captivating presence ignited a cultural movement. From his remarkable 8-0 start with five shutouts and an ERA under 1.00, to the packed stands at Dodger Stadium filled with sombrero-wearing fans, Valenzuela transcended the game. Discover how he not only dominated on the field, winning both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards in the same season, but also became a powerful symbol of pride and representation for the Latino community, forever changing the landscape of baseball.

The Class of '93: MLB’s Expansion Gamble

On this episode of the Pastball Podcast, host Matt takes us back to 1993, a pivotal year that forever altered the landscape of Major League Baseball. After a 16-year hiatus, MLB expanded its reach, welcoming two new franchises: the Colorado Rockies and the Florida Marlins. Matt dives into the unique challenges and opportunities of this expansion, exploring how the wild expansion draft unfolded and the strategic choices made by both teams. From the Rockies' high-altitude sluggers like Vinny Castilla and Dante Bichette to the Marlins' quick ascent to a World Series title in just their fifth season with fan favorites like "Mr. Marlin" Jeff Conine, discover how these two ambitious newcomers quickly carved out their own identities and left an undeniable mark on the league.

The Greatest Collapse: The 1964 Philadelphia Phillies

This week on the Pastball Podcast, host Matt revisits one of baseball's most infamous unravelings: the 1964 Philadelphia Phillies. On September 20th, with just 12 games left, the Phillies held a commanding 6.5-game lead in the National League, seemingly destined for the pennant. What followed was an unthinkable ten-game losing streak, as manager Gene Mauch relentlessly pitched aces Jim Bunning and Chris Short on short rest, ultimately costing the team the division title. Was it overmanaging, immense pressure, player fatigue, or simply bad luck that led to this monumental choke? Join Matt as he dissects the factors behind this epic collapse, a historical moment that left an indelible mark on both the Phillies franchise and the strategic handling of pennant races for years to come.