ObscureBall

In the mid-late 19th century, people were playing a few different bat and ball games. Baseball eventually emerged as fan favorite and this is the story of how that happened.

This episode played out over a two and a half year period. Through conversations, research, and some field work, Origins tells three different stories in a single episode.

To support future ObscureBall stories, please consider making a donation.

DONATE 

INSIDE THE EPISODE

How Baseball Happened by Tom Gilbert

21st Century Townball

21st Century Townball Podcast

Duke Homestead

Wyhteville Statesman In the News

Some Bio on Abner Doubleday

MUSIC

Blue Dot Sessions

Storyblocks

As work on new episodes continue, here's an episode from a show I produce for Castos called Audience. My work with castos takes me behind the scenes of all different kinds of cool audip projects and a while back I got to profile a really cool podcast called Northwoods Baseball Sleep Radio.

So with the permission of Castos, I'm sharing that episode with you here. It was first published on August 4, 2022 and was produced, narrated and editied by me. 

If you enjoy behind the scenes looks at creative work, then Audience is worth checking out. Full spidoes can be found at the link below

audiencepodcast.fm

sleepbaseball.com

Today the World Series is one of the most recognizable institutions in all of sports. When it debuted in 1903 it was met with widespread acclaim from sports writers and baseball fans all over America.

For all of its successful, the World Series was almost dead on arrival. Petty grudges, cut throat business practices and difficult personalities almost derailed the whole thing.

LINKS

Support the Show 

Don Jensen's McGraw Bio for SABR

"Called Out" A Novel of Baseball and America in 1908 by Floyd Sullivan

Cindy Thomson's Website

Audience by Castos

MUSIC

Blue Dot Sessions

Storyblocks

 Sources

https://newspaperarchive.com/waterbury-evening-democrat-oct-07-1904-p-9/

https://newspaperarchive.com/boston-post-oct-14-1903-p-5/

https://web.archive.org/web/20061206071020/http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/B/Brush_John_T.stm

https://archive.ph/20080617183524/http://www.athomeplate.com/alforms.shtml

https://thisgreatgame.com/1902-baseball-history/

https://thisgreatgame.com/1904-baseball-history/

https://sabr.org/gamesproj/game/june-28-1902-little-napoleon-vs-the-czar-john-mcgraw-suspended-by-ban-johnson-after-outburst/

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/frank-farrell/

https://newspaperarchive.com/oneonta-daily-star-feb-11-1926-p-1/

http://www.sportsology.com/not-how-you-start-yankee-beginnings/

https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-tribune-aug-01-1904-p-18/

https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-times-oct-04-1904-p-6/

https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-times-oct-07-1904-p-7/

https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1919/06/21/issue.html

https://newspaperarchive.com/savannah-morning-news-sep-18-1904-p-16/

On April 29, 1904 Barbados Joe Walcott and Dixie Kid met for what was a historically significant boxing match. It was only the second time two black fighters competed for the Welterweight title. For 20 rounds, spectators watched as the two fighters duked it out. 

Then Referee Dick Sullivan did something that was truly baffling...

Links:

Knuckles and Gloves 

Patrick Connor on Twitter 

ObscureBall on Twitter 

Obscureball Websites 

Storyblocks

Sources:

http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/21091

https://boxrec.com/en/referee/569900

http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/walcott-j.h

http://www.cyberboxingzone.com/boxing/dixiekid.htm

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1989-07-08-sp-2705-story.html

https://www.thefightcity.com/the-barbados-demon/

https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-sun-may-01-1904-p-13/

https://newspaperarchive.com/bakersfield-daily-californian-apr-30-1904-p-5/

https://epdf.pub/hitters-dancers-and-ring-magicians-seven-boxers-of-the-golden-age-and-their-chal.html

https://newspaperarchive.com/san-francisco-call-apr-30-1904-p-11/

Coming soon:

Support the Show

obscureballpod.com

On August 30, 1904 32 runners set off to compete in the Olympic Marathon in St. Louis. Only 13 would finish. This poorly planned event would be one of the worst sporting events of all time. Cramps, dehydration, wild dogs, hallucinatios, stomach hemorrrages, car wrekcs and scandal all took place that afternoon.

In fact, it was just one of several sporting events in 1904 marked by scandal and trechary. And in this three part serires we'll explore three of those events.

In this episode Dr. Peter Kastor, Author and Professor of History and American Cultural Studies discusses how the legacy 1904 World's Fair, how white supremecy influenced the event and the legacy it's left. David Gunn shares his epxerience running in marathons juxtaposed with the 1904 race.

Support the Show 

Sources:

Sports-Reference

https://web.archive.org/web/20200417171704/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1904/ATH/mens-marathon.html

Jon Bois Video Essay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4AhABManTw

Abott Kahler (Karen Abbot) Smithsonian Article

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-1904-olympic-marathon-may-have-been-the-strangest-ever-14910747/

The 1904 Anthropology Days and Olympic Games 

edited by Susan Brownnell 

As work on new stories continues you can check out Obscure History. Hosted by Josh, it's a weekly podcast that explores obscure historical events. On this episode, which first aired on August 23, 2021, Josh explores what he calls, 'The worst game ever played.'

All other episodes of Obscure History can be found anywhere you get your podcasts. 

To help support this effort to tell great audio stories, please consider donating by clicking HERE

Listen to previous episodes at obscureballpod.com 

More About Adam

darowski.com 

@adarowski

Sports-Reference

sports-reference.com 

Seamheads 

seamheads.com 

The 1914 Giro D'Italia was by virtually every metric, the worst bike race in history. 81 Riders entered the race. Only eight finished. There were floods, mud, rain, blizzards, injuries, sabotage, cheating, attempted bribery and all manner of insanity during a brutal 2,000 mile race lasting 15 days. 

Links

ObscureBall Website

Girnimo! Riding the Bery Terrbile 1914 Tour of Italy by Time Moore

Podium Cafe Article by Fergal McKay 

Small League Productions 

3 Clips 

Viewed through a certain lens, the Indianapolis Clowns can be seen as an inpsiring success story. As a black team in the segregated south they managed to endear fans of all races and all walks of life to their uniuqe fusion of comedy and baseball. But in reality, the their story is far more nuanced, complicated and misunderstood.

Small League Productions

Larry Tye

Negro League Baseball Museum

Brian Carroll 

Story Blocks

Hyped Podcast

Castos Mobil App

Image Credit:  Kansas Hstorical Society, Fair Use Image