Baseball And Bbq

Episode 99 features a Barbecue Hall of Fame member and a discussion on essential baseball people who are on the field as the game is played, but are happy to go unnoticed.Steven Raichlen is a prolific James Beard award-winning author.  The majority of his cookbooks are barbecue related, but he also writes books on other cuisines, as well as numerous magazine and newspaper articles as well as a couple of novels.  He thinks of himself as an educator and whether it is through his books, numerous television series, or the in-person courses he runs, he does an excellent job teaching.  He joined us to discuss his latest cookbook, How to Grill Vegetables:  The New Bible for Barbecuing Vegetables Over Live Fire.  With over 30 cookbooks to his name, you might think he has run out of ideas, but you would be wrong.  The recipe/book ideas keep coming and we, the food loving public, are the ultimate winners as we continue learning from all he does.  Enjoy the talk and then buy this book and every other one he has written

Episode #98 is a Bonus!  Bonus!  Bonus!Farley Dillinger is the father, Brace Dillinger is his son and together this duo shares their mutual love of baseball as they appear regularly on the podcast, Baseball PhD. Farley shares hosting duties on Baseball PhD with his co-hosts, Mark Rantala and previous Baseball and BBQ guest, Ed Kasputis. The podcast is a must-listen for baseball lovers, and the best episodes are those when Brace joins them and shares his unique opinions and baseball knowledge. We had a rousing conversation, much like baseball fans worldwide love to do. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, and it was great to hear some new perspectives. We conclude the show with the beautiful song, "Ace and Bobo" from the musician, Dave Dresser and the poet, Shel Krakofsky.We recommend you go to Fifth & Cherry, https://fifthandcherry.com for wonderful cutting boards and http://www.baseballbbq.com for grill tools and clothing for barbecue and baseball fans and the Pandemic Baseball Book Club, https://www.pbbclub

Two great guests make episode #97 a must listen.Marty Appel is a former New York Yankees public relations director and television producer, and considered the leading historian on the team’s rich history.  He is an Emmy award winner and a two-time Casey Award winner for the best baseball book of the year.  His illustrious career with the Yankees began in 1968 as he was hired to help answer Mickey Mantle’s fan mail.  He has had the honor of getting to know some of the game’s greatest names, including Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson, Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto, Billy Martin, Casey Stengel, Whitey Ford, Bobby Richardson, Elston Howard, Catfish Hunter, Graig Nettles, Thurman Munson, Lou Pinella, and Willie Randolph.  He is a baseball treasure with incredible legendary stories, and we were so lucky to discuss his amazing life which for so many years has centered around baseball.  We never hide the fact that we are fans, and we are truly honored to have had this wonderful conversation.Brie Blackford is th

Episode #96 confirms what we always say, "Baseball and BBQ goes as perfectly together as chocolate and peanut butter in a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup."George Georgiades is back for the second half of our wonderfully entertaining conversation and he appears to have saved the best for last.  Part two will have you thoroughly entertained as we hear more stories from a chef who specializes in Greek food, but has also opened a restaurant specializing in pizza.  This restaurant is in addition to his many locations for Eons.  Listen as George talks about his many adventures in the restaurant business, some working out better than others.  He also shares a story of a television cooking show contest in which he broke his own rule of "KISS" and the results were not in his favor.  This is one of the interviews which, when it ends, you will wish there was a part three.Andrew Maraniss is the author of Singled Out:  The True Story of Glenn Burke.  As a New York Times best-selling author, Andrew writes books that make you thi

We interrupt our regularly scheduled episode and give you a big bonus with episode 95 as we continue our BBQ road-trip.Anthony Mastrantonio is the owner of Dang BBQ, and we could not wait to visit and talk with someone who is making his mark in the New York barbecue scene. We met with Anthony at one of his three Long Island locations and learned the ins and outs of running a successful restaurant as well as surviving during the pandemic. We talked a lot about barbecue, but as many people like to do, he managed to talk some baseball as well. Go to https://dangbbq.com for more information and then visit his restaurant or find his food truck.  Enjoy our talk and, oh, by the way, did we happen to mention their incredible milk shakes?This episode has us zigging and zagging as we go from baseball talk to barbecue talk, read a listener letter, go back to barbecue talk and onto baseball talk and then congratulate one of the newest members of the Barbecue Hall of Fame and prior show guest, Meathead.We conclude the sho

Episode 94's first half is about a baseball legend and then the 2nd half features a cook who may one day be considered a legendary chef, especially when it comes to Greek food.Lew Freedman is the author of Cy Young:  The Baseball Life and Career.  Pitchers who win the Cy Yong award are considered the best of the best, but other than knowing that Cy Young was a great pitcher with 511 regular season career wins, what else do you really know about Denton "Cy" Young?  Lew has written a book which is filled with fascinating information and wonderful stories about the pitcher against whom all other pitchers are measured.  Lew is a veteran newspaper sportswriter as well as an author of more than 75 books and has been the recipient of over 250 journalism awards.  He brought Cy Young to life for us and hopefully this interview and his book will do the same for you.George Georgiades is a chef who now specializes in Greek food, but to get there, he has had a past filled with numerous adventures.  George is a wonderfully

Baseball, barbecue, and football?  Yes, football.  Episode 93 will make everyone happy. Nick Mangold played center in the National Football League for 11 years as a member of the New York Jets, was a seven time Pro Bowl selection and considered by many to be one of the best at his position.  He also makes one heck of a BBQ sauce and is determined to have his sauce take its place among the finest and most well known names on store shelves everywhere.  The passion with which he played football is the same passion he gives Seventy Four BBQ (74 BBQ), which are the line-up of sauces he is rolling out.  We had fun speaking with Nick regarding his playing career and how he transformed from a home kitchen sauce maker into a sauce king who is managing to make others take notice as he puts out a superb tasting product. What does family planning and a beard have to do with 74 BBQ?  Listen and you will find out.  Jerry Reuss pitched for 22 years in the Major Leagues, finishing his career with 220 wins and a World Series

Episode 92 is a big-time bonus baby.Gary Mintz is making a lot of people happy while honoring the memory of his late father. As founder of the New York Giants Preservation Society, Gary does some amazing things which bring a lot of joy to the members. One of those things is organizing weekly Zoom meetings during the Coronavirus pandemic which gives the many members a chance to talk about the team they loved while enjoying visits from various authors and other people who provide insights into the team and baseball in general. We discuss why he started the society, the player he feels is the greatest ever, Willie Mays and getting to meet him and so many other things, too numerous to list. Gary loves discussing baseball and we thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent discussing that mutual love.We conclude the show with the beautiful song, "Baseball Always Brings You Home" from the musician, Dave Dresser and the poet, Shel Krakofsky.We recommend you go to Fifth & Cherry, https://fifthandcherry.com for wonderful

Take three awesome guests, mix in two great guest hosts, and the result is an incredible episode, 91James Grubbs had so many wonderful things to say that we split the conversation into two parts so as not to miss a single word.  Known as Grubbs to millions of Netflix subscribers for his role on their eight-part reality series, The American Barbecue Showdown.  You might think being on a hit show would change him and perhaps give him a big head, but you would be wrong.  Grubbs is a down-to-earth pitmaster who loves talking about smoking meats and all things' food.  Grubbs provides wonderful insight into how the show was made and answers many of the questions we had after watching the Netflix show.  We may have initially learned about Grubbs from the show, but he is so much more than a personality filled guest on a reality show, and we had the pleasure of discovering that.  We are extremely fortunate to once again be joined by our guest co-host and outstanding pitmaster, Doug Scheiding who adds his own special f

Baseball talk, barbecue talk, and a special return visit make episode 90 one you will love.Dave Berger is the author of Take Me Out To The Ball Game: Comical And Freakish Injuries We Cannot Make Up.  Whether it is falling out of a bathtub, getting bit by spiders in a hotel room, getting bit by their mother-in-law's dog, or any number of crazy, bizarre injuries, Dave's book provides fun reading for baseball lovers. Do not judge this book just by the title. Yes, crazy and freakish injuries abound throughout its pages, but so do fascinating enjoyable facts which you will be excited to learn. Be warned, because once you begin reading you will not want to stop and that is how we felt as we discussed the book and were even pleasantly surprised to have a brief barbecue discussion.James Grubbs is known simply as Grubbs to millions of Netflix subscribers for his role on their eight-part reality series, The American Barbecue Showdown.  You might think being on a hit show would change him and perhaps give him a big head

You deserve a big bonus so we give you bonus episode 89.Anthony DiComo is the New York Mets beat writer for MLB.com and a former chairman of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s New York chapter.  He also is an analyst for the SNY television channel and a regular contributor to the MLB Network. He has co-authored the book, The Captain: A Memoir with former NY Mets third baseman David Wright on Wright's humble beginnings and illustrious baseball career which was cut short due to injuries and a physical ailment he just could not overcome. David Wright became The Captain of the team he always rooted for due to hard work and a commitment to the game he loved.Wright was a seven-time All-Star, a two-time Gold Glove Award winner, and a two-time Silver Slugger Award winner. He holds many Mets franchise records and was nicknamed "Captain America" after his performance in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. That and so much more are what he has accomplished as a player.DiComo gives us a good look at the player w

You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll learn, you'll love episode 88.Steve Ray has a lot to say, and you will want to hear it all.  We conclude our conversation which began on episode 87 with some wonderful barbecue talk.  He is the pitmaster on the Owls Nest BBQ team, owner of the Owls Nest Barbecue Supply Shop in Ooltewah, Tennessee, and he was an embedded correspondent on The BBQ Central Show. He even filled in twice as host for the BBQ Central Show. What is absolutely incredible is that Steve first became interested in barbecue when he saw the television show, BBQ Pitmasters in his 50's, and it sparked a desire which has now become an obsession. We are the fortunate ones he followed this newfound passion as we get to converse with a humble, yet extremely knowledgeable cook. Jordan Skopp is on a mission to protect you.  If you are a spectator at a baseball game, whether it's a minor league or a major league game, he feels you have the right to be safe, and he is determined to make that happen.  He is the founder

Triple plays are a rarity, but we give you one with episode 87.Marjorie Adams is the great-granddaughter of Daniel Lucius "Doc" Adams who wrote the 1857 "Laws of Base Ball" as well as creating the shortstop position and is considered to be one of baseball's founders.  The original "Laws of Base Ball" were sold at an auction in 2016 for $3.26 million.  Despite all of this, he is still not a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, but if our guest has anything to do with it, that blatant over site will soon be corrected.  This interview would not be possible without the introduction provided by our episode 86 guest, Jeff Kornhaas who we all know as Pinetar.  Pinetar sits in with us and adds his wonderful contributions to a conversation we hoped would never end.  Please enjoy our talk with someone we consider to be as close to baseball royalty as one can get.Steve Ray is known to the barbecue world for so many reasons. He is the pitmaster on the Owls Nest BBQ team, owner of the Owls Nest Barbecue Supply Shop in Ool

Episode 86 is jam-packed with barbecue and baseball history.Mikey Kay loves barbecue.  It is his passion and he does it very well.  As a talented pitmaster he is extremely willing to impart his knowledge and he is not afraid to speak his mind.  Because of that, we the listeners are very fortunate.  Mikey does not claim to know all, but he does know a lot, and he shares that with us as well as on his podcast, Man, Meat, BBQ.  We talked about how his love of barbecue started as well as his likes and dislikes.  He really knows his stuff, and you will appreciate his candor.  Go to http://www.manmeatbbq.com/ for more information.      Jeff Kornhaas is known to everyone as Pinetar. As the second guest in our baseball history/origins series, he tells us how he plays by the rules. Of course, the rules he plays by are from 1865. He is extremely personable and shares his wealth of knowledge on how the game used to be played. It is fascinating to hear what was different and what has stayed the same as the game has devel

We love our listeners and our guests so on this day of love we present you with a very special Valentine's Day episode, 85.  Bobby Valentine or as most people call him, Bobby V is one of the most loved, well known, respected, colorful, and celebrated ambassadors of the game.  His life has been what movies are made of and his incredible stories will keep you riveted. A former Major League Baseball player and manager in both the United States and Japan; he currently works as the athletic director at Sacred Heart University.  Many people know him for one game in which he was ejected and then came back in disguise, but that is a mere drop in the bucket in a career and life that is filled with special people and events.  He has worked for a man who would one day become President of the United States, been a restaurateur, a champion ballroom dancer, an ESPN baseball analyst, and manager of the New York Mets as they faced the New York Yankees in the famous Subway Series in the year 2000.We thoroughly enjoyed our con

Our guests will surprise you as the long wait for episode 84 is over and the second half of each conversation is even better than the first.Thomas W. Gilbert is the author of How Baseball Happened:  Outrageous Lies Exposed!  The True Story Revealed.  The book shatters the many myths which so many of us believe are true on baseball's origins, and it provides fascinating stories about its many true founders.  How this great game came to be the sport we love today is quite interesting and wonderful.  Thomas takes us back through time, and it is a journey you will thoroughly enjoy.  What you may not expect is the wonderful barbecue talk, and we are so glad to discuss both baseball and barbecue with Thomas.Paulie Gee took some time to discover his true passion, but once he discovered it, he never looked back. In just 10 years he has become a name synonymous with absolutely delicious pizza. The high heat which grills produce is perfect for pizza making and Paulie is considered one of the best. He says he was nervou

Episode 83 has two phenomenal guests with so much to say that we did not have the heart to end the interviews, so we split the conversations into two parts.Thomas W. Gilbert is the author of How Baseball Happened:  Outrageous Lies Exposed!  The True Story Revealed.  The book shatters the many myths which so many of us believe are true on baseball's origins, and it provides fascinating stories about its many true founders.  How this great game came to be the sport we love today is quite interesting and wonderful.  Thomas takes us back through time and it is a journey you will thoroughly enjoy.  Part two is next and includes plenty of barbecue talk.Paulie Gee took some time to discover his true passion, but once he discovered it, he never looked back.  In just 10 years he has become a name synonymous with absolutely delicious pizza.  The high heat which grills produce is perfect for pizza making and Paulie is considered one of the best.  He says he was nervous about coming on since we have had many well known g

Join us for a show you never expected, but will thoroughly enjoy, as we bring you bonus episode 82.Brian LoPinto is a lover of baseball history as well as his hometown of Paterson, New Jersey.  He has dedicated himself to the restoration of Hinchliffe Stadium where numerous historical events, many baseball related, have occurred.  This 10,000 seat stadium has been designated a National Historic Landmark and  has hosted many Negro League baseball games.  Monte Irvin, Josh Gibson, Oscar Charleston, and Cool Papa Bell all played there as well as Larry Doby, who broke the American League color barrier in 1947.  The stadium is rich, not only with baseball history, but many other wonderful events and Brian is a terrific docent  as he gives us a tour back in time.  To learn more about this amazing landmark go to http://www.hinchliffestadium.com/We once again conclude the show with the beautiful song, "Baseball Always Brings You Home" from the musician, Dave Dresser and the poet, Shel Krakofsky.We recommend you go to

They're baaack!  Two great guests return for a spirited discussion on baseball, including who should get in the MLB Hall of Fame and, of course, barbecue.Kurt Bevacqua is a 15-year Major League Baseball veteran who played for five different teams, most notably the San Diego Padres.  He not only played in the 1984 World Series, but he hit two home runs in that series.  Staying in the Major Leagues for 15 years is no easy task, but he managed to do that and excel while playing with some of the game's greats.  He knows a ton about the game, and he shares his knowledge and opinions.  He was a huge hit the first time we had him on, and we could not wait to bring him on again.Doug Scheiding makes a triumphant return and awes us with his incredible baseball knowledge. If you are familiar with his fine work as the longest running embedded correspondent on The BBQ Central Show, you know he is a rocket scientist, an award-winning pitmaster for the Rogue Cookers barbecue competition team, a Traeger Pellet Grills represe

Ring in the New Year and celebrate by listening to bonus episode 80.Howard Johnson or HoJo as millions of baseball fans affectionately call him is another of our perfect guests discussing both baseball and barbecue.  He was a member of two World Series winning teams, a three-time member of the 30-30 club, and a two-time All-Star.  With numerous baseball accolades to discuss, it may be surprising how much he loves to talk about barbecue.  Outstanding ballplayer, barbecue connoisseur, and rib-eating contest winner can all be used when discussing his life's story.  You will enjoy this interview even if you only like one of the topics, but if you like both baseball and barbecue you will absolutely love it.We once again conclude the show with the beautiful song, "Baseball Always Brings You Home" from the musician, Dave Dresser and the poet, Shel Krakofsky.We recommend you go to Fifth & Cherry, https://fifthandcherry.com for wonderful cutting boards and  http://www.baseballbbq.com for grill tools and clothing f