Baseball And Bbq

 Episode 79 is our holiday present to you, our wonderful listeners.Tim Kurkjian is a name you immediately associate with baseball.  He is is a Major League Baseball analyst on ESPN's Baseball Tonight and SportsCenter. He is also a contributor to ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com.  Before joining ESPN he was a senior writer for Sports Illustrated.  He has wonderful stories to share, including one involving Cal Ripken Jr.  During our conversation he mentions the thrill he gets from the opportunity to sit alongside former Major League players and we in turn get a thrill from speaking with him.Kevin Sandridge is the outstanding host of the BBQ Beat podcast.  He is a lover of all things barbecue and enjoys providing listeners with tons of information from the world of barbecue.  This includes talks on products, recipes, and introducing his audience to the eclectic mix of people associated with barbecue.  We thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Kevin.  For more on Kevin and barbecue go to https://bbqbeat.com.The episode

Celebrate our glorious three-year anniversary with episode 78.We begin and end the episode with several celebratory anniversary messages and in the middle of it all, we release our long awaited and highly anticipated interview with a Hollywood legend.Robert Wuhl is an actor, comedian and writer.  He is the creator and star of the television series, Arliss in which he played sports agent, Arliss Michaels.  He has had roles in some incredibly iconic movies, including Good Morning Vietnam, Bull Durham, Batman, and The Bodyguard.  Other movies in which he has appeared include The Hollywood Knights, Flashdance, Blaze, Missing Pieces, Mistress, Blue Chips, and Cobb.  He has appeared on The Dating Game and The $10,0000 Pyramid and has had several other writing credits and television roles, including his one-man-show, Assume the Position with Mr. Wuhl and Assume the Position 201 with Mr. Wuhl.  Robert is a big and extremely knowledgeable baseball fan who also has enjoyed his share of barbecue so you know he was a gre

 Episode 77 is a huge bonus.Bryan Gryka and Bob Wechsler are two incredibly entertaining guests, and we did not want to wait any longer to release our wonderful interview, so we are releasing a bonus episode.Bryan is the executive chef and newest owner of Milt's Barbecue for the Perplexed in Chicago, Illinois, but call him what he really is, an outstanding pitmaster.  Milt's is a kosher barbecue restaurant located near Wrigley Field and is enjoyed by both kosher and non-kosher diners.  Go to http://www.miltsbbq.com for more information.Bob is a contributor to jewishbaseballmuseum.com, which proudly showcases the rich relationship between Jews and baseball and the impact each has had on the other.  It is a fascinating website filled with baseball history you will love whether or not you are Jewish. Go to http://jewishbaseballmuseum.com and enjoy yourself. The conversation was packed with tons of baseball and barbecue talk, and we are so very lucky to have spoken with two extremely knowledgeable and fascinating

Episode 76 will make you very happy.  Tim Reazor may be one of the few people who can make a discussion on cutting boards interesting as well as entertaining.  As co-founder of Fifth and Cherry, makers of beautiful premium handcrafted wooden cutting boards, he has a fascinating story to tell. Tim served 10 years in the military and was deployed three times in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and we are extremely grateful for his service.  He has a keen business sense and believes in building a brand based on outstanding products and customer service.  We are so fortunate to have found him and the special company he runs with his wife, Tanya.  Please enjoy our conversation and then go to https://fifthandcherry.com to shop for their cutting boards which are truly works of art and will make wonderful holiday gifts. Jim Overmyer is the author of Cum Posey of the Homestead Grays:  A Biography of the Negro Leagues Owner and Hall of Famer.  Jim is a baseball history author specializing in the Negro Leagues. A prol

It's episode 75 and you ain't seen nothing yet.  Chad Ward is an incredible story teller and if you thought part 1 of our interview was fun and entertaining then be prepared to enjoy part 2 as much, or dare we say, even more.  Chad is the director of marketing for Traeger Pellet Grills as well as the pitmaster and owner of the award winning, Whiskey Bent BBQ competition team.  Listen to all these stories and then try to decide which is your favorite.  We love them all and hope you will too. We certainly think Chad is an outstanding guest.  Jason Turbow is the author of They Bled Blue: Fernandomania, Strike-Season Mayhem, and the Weirdest Championship Baseball Had Ever Seen: The 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers. There are some teams that become part of baseball lore with stories that are endlessly entertaining. Whether you think you know all there is to know about this team and their miraculous season or are just learning about it, this book is an an absolutely delightful read and Jason is another incredible guest. Yo

 Bonus Episode!  Bonus Episode!Jay Horwitz is the New York Mets beloved, longtime public relations director and as much a part of the franchise as any of the hundreds of players who have taken the field. His humble nature precludes him from admitting to the preceding, but he has spent a lifetime perfecting his dream job and has become a major part of this storied franchise, becoming a friend and mentor to many of the players and personnel. He has written an incredible book, Mr. Met: How a Sports-Mad Kid from Jersey Became Like Family to Generations of Big Leaguers. We had a wonderful time interviewing Jay as well as reading the book and hope you will enjoy this very special bonus episode. We conclude the show with the song, "Ace & Bobo" from our friends Dave Dresser and Shel Krakofsky.Don't forget to go to http://www.baseballbbq.com for grill tools and clothing for barbecue and baseball fans and https://fifthandcherry.com for their wonderful handmade cutting boards. Part 2 of our Chad Ward interview will

Our Halloween episode is filled with a few tricks and plenty of treats.  Ralph Carhart is the author of The Hall Ball: One Fan's Journey to Unite Cooperstown Immortals with a Single Baseball. Is there a guest better suited for a Halloween episode then someone whose book includes photos of the gravestones of Major League Baseball Hall of Fame members? Ralph tells stories of his many adventures working to have a baseball he found in Cooperstown, New York photographed with all the living Hall of Fame members and then photographed at the graves of the deceased Hall of Fame members, as well as some other places for those whose final resting places are a bit more difficult to explain. Enjoy the stories and then treat yourself by purchasing the book. Chad Ward wears so many hats, wearing each one so well, that it is difficult to try and summarize who he is in one small paragraph.  As director of marketing for Traeger Pellet Grills, he helps to promote a product which has created a whole new way of cooking barbecue. 

Fascinating conversations with wonderful guests. Mike Nola is the official historian of the Shoeless Joe Jackson's Virtual Hall of Fame, http://www.blackbetsy.com/shoeless.html and we had the pleasure of learning a great amount on one of the biggest known names in baseball history. We were joined by our friend Gary Mack from Mets Musings and The Baseball Talk Radio Show as we all got the chance to learn the truth about one of the game's legendary characters where facts and myths are often confused. Mike tells it like it is or rather like it was and he is a great source for information on Jackson's fascinating history which even included owning a barbecue restaurant. Emily Detwiler is the CEO of the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS) https://www.kcbs.us/ and as she was happy to point out, is a proud baseball mom coming from a family extremely involved in the game as her son, husband, and brother-in-law are all involved in baseball. Her  love of baseball and barbecue makes her a very special guest as we discus

A team chemistry filled episode.  Joan Ryan is an award-winning journalist and author of five books. We were extremely fortunate to discuss her latest effort, Intangibles: Unlocking the Science and Soul of Team Chemistry. The book explains team chemistry through incredible interviews and stories helping to demystify this very real phenomenon. Are you a cynic; a non-believer? You won't be once you hear this interview with Joan, a sports journalist who has covered every major sporting event from the Super Bowl and the World Series to the Olympics and championship fights. Her sports columns and features earned 13 Associated Press Sports Editors Awards, the National Headliner Award, the Women's Sports Foundation's Journalism Award, and the prestigious Edgar A. Poe Award. She is a member of the Pandemic Baseball Book Club and her book is a must-read and treasure to have as part of your home library. Michael Mullen and Brett Mandel join us briefly to discuss their company, Baseball BBQ, https://baseballbbq.com and

Launching a new show introduction while hosting some incredible guests.  Be prepared to be amazed.  Dave Dresser and Shel Krakofsky make beautiful music which has become integral to the show while providing us with an incredible ending for most episodes. They have gifted us an awesome introduction which will make you smile and sing along. We wouldn't dream of playing it for the first time without having them on and that's just what we have done as the musician and the poet return to the show which proudly introduced the world to their song, "Baseball Always Brings You Home."Doug Scheiding is back for part two of the interview that everyone is talking about. Part one merely scratched the surface of a life that is filled with two great passions, baseball and barbecue. In this part, Doug will talk about Traeger Pellet Grills, provide cooking tips, including talk on sauces and rubs. He also entertains with his favorite baseball moments and some talk on his beloved Chicago Cubs. One interview, divided into two par

Just when you thought the show couldn't get any better, episode 69 comes along with two amazing guests.John Shea had the enviable task of working with, perhaps the greatest baseball player ever, Willie Mays, as they wrote, 24: Life Stories and Lessons from the Say Hey Kid.  The book is filled with wonderful stories and thoughts from the mind of an American icon, treasure, and hero.  Willie Mays, was a major-league center fielder for 22 seasons with the New York Giants, San Francisco Giants, and New York Mets, as well as playing for the Birmingham Black Barons in the Negro Leagues.  He hit 660 home runs, collected 3,283 hits, stole 338 bases, earned 12 Gold Glove Awards, played in 24 All-Star Games, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1979.  Not every author could handle the daunting task of working with an icon whose life's work could fill volumes, but Shea, an award-winning national baseball writer at the San Francisco Chronicle and author of four baseball books was more than able to handle th

Episode 68 is finally here and definitely worth the wait.Jeff Rice known to all as Ricer, is one of the special people we are extremely fortunate to meet in the world of barbecue. Look up his channel, Dead Broke BBQ on YouTube and you will discover incredible videos as well as a Sunday night live show, BBQ Tavern Talk where he interviews some of the most intriguing people from the barbecue community. His cooking knowledge and radiant personality are not only on display on his YouTube channel, but also on the BBQ Central Show where he is one of the monthly featured embedded correspondents. Enjoy part two of this interview and then explore his YouTube channel, Dead Broke BBQ.D. B. Firstman has written the wonderfully fun and interesting book, Hall of Name:  Baseball's Most Magnificent Monikers from The Only Nolan to Van Lingle Mungo and More.   The book pays homage to some of the great "names" in baseball history as each player profiled has general demographic information, etymology/definition of each part of t

Episode 67 will hopefully satisfy that insatiable hunger for baseball and barbecue which we try to so hard to feed.Jon Pessah took on a huge task by writing a book on one of baseball's most beloved icon's, whose reputation and life's work are part of historical lore.  It is a project which could overwhelm some authors, but not Jon Pessah.  In Yogi:  A Life Behind the Mask, we are witness to the story of Yogi Berra, from his humble beginnings through his 10 World Series Championships and the remainder of his life, where he becomes as large as—or maybe even larger—than the game itself.  Pessah shows the real Yogi, warts and all, but more importantly, we get to see one of our favorite characters of the game for whom he really was.  His interview will make you want to buy the book, and Yogi:  A Life Behind the Mask is one you will definitely be glad to add to your collection.Jeff Rice known to all as Ricer, is one of the special people we are extremely fortunate to meet in the world of barbecue. Look up his chann

Episode 66 features two great guests who will bring happiness to barbecue and baseball lovers everywhere.Ed Randolph is a restaurateur, cookbook author, and award-winning pitmaster,   His two books, Smoked:  One Man's Journey to Find Incredible Recipes, Standout Pitmasters and the Stories Behind Them and Showstopping BBQ with Your Traeger Grill:  Standout Recipes for Your Wood Pellet Cooker from an Award-Winning Pitmaster are required reading for barbecue lovers and anyone who wants to take their barbecue skills  up a notch or more.  If all that is not enough, he is also a winner of the Food Network's, Chopped. Michael Stahl is a freelance journalist, writer, editor, and the co-author of, Big Sexy:  Bartolo Colon In His Own Words.  There is no denying that Colon is one of baseball's more colorful characters and his love for the game is apparent every time he takes the mound or approaches home plate.  Fans of Big Sexy will never forget his first and only home run and some of his wonderful fielding plays.  Mich

Episode 65 is guaranteed to satisfy baseball and barbecue lovers.Bob Kendrick, president of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, https://nlbm.com/ was our very first podcast guest, and we are thrilled that he is back to talk more baseball history.  He is a wonderful storyteller, and we ask him about the African American baseball players who were the first to play on each of the 16 teams in existence after Jackie Robinson first broke baseball's color barrier in 1947.  There is not much Bob does not know about baseball history, so we throw in some more questions, including our thirst for knowledge about the great Oscar Charleston. This year marks the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the Negro Leagues and Jeff and Len both tip our caps as a show of admiration and respect.Michael Mullen and Brett Mandel are joining us for the first time, but our devoted listeners should already be very familiar with their company, Baseball BBQ, https://baseballbbq.com/ as we have been promoting their wo

Episode 64 features three great guests, two outstanding interviews and one spectacular musical ending.  Ryan Cooper and Sean Ludwig are back by popular demand and make a triumphant return.  Ryan is founder of the BBQ Tourist website, https://bbqtourist.com, dedicated to  celebrating the best barbecue in America.  Sean is the founder of NYC BBQ,  http://www.nycbbq.com, a website and newsletter with news and information on all things barbecue in the NYC metro area.  Together they are the co-founders of The Smoke Sheet, https://www.bbqnewsletter.com, a weekly email that curates the latest national barbecue news, upcoming events, top recipes, and so much more.  Their knowledge is extensive and the love they have for barbecue is infectious.  We thoroughly enjoy every opportunity to have them on. Brad Balukjian took the road trip of a lifetime and makes a stop on our show to discuss the journey which he eloquently writes about in perfect detail in, The Wax Pack:  On the Open Road in Search of Baseball's Afterlife. 

Episode 63 is an interview trifecta and contains more excitement than many can handle, but be daring and give it a try.Wayne Randazzo is a treat to listen to.  As one half of the New York Mets radio broadcast team, along with Howie Rose, he paints a word picture so clearly, vividly, and beautifully, that all you need to do is close your eyes and you are instantly transported to a prime stadium seat.  Add that to his broad knowledge and wonderful stories and you have a broadcast you are not soon to forget, as well as an interview you will truly enjoy. It's the Kyle Halvorson and Martin Earl interview, Part 2.  They represent Thermoworks, the leading manufacturer of numerous temperature devices. Thermoworks award winning products are incredibly unique and quite different than any other devices available today and both Kyle and Martin are wonderful spokespersons.  If you are into cool gadgets and love talking about the latest technology then this is for you.Chris Lopresti also known as C-Lo is a broadcaster who

Episode 62 features some very special guests.Ed Hearn was a member of the 1986 World Champion New York Mets, but that is just a small part of who this amazing person is.  Listen to our conversation with Ed and you will understand why his presentations impact countless lives and why he was the awarded the prestigious Certified Speaking Professional (CSP) designation from the National Speakers Association.Kyle Halvorson and Martin Earl represent Thermoworks, the leading manufacturer of numerous temperature devices. Thermoworks award winning products are incredibly unique and quite different than any other devices available today and both Kyle and Martin are wonderful spokespersons.  If you are into cool gadgets and love talking about the latest technology then this is for you.We once again conclude the show with the wonderful song, "Baseball Always Brings You Home" from Dave Dresser and Shel Krakofsky.Please know how much we appreciate our listeners.  We hope that all of you are staying safe.If you would like t

Episode 61 is SUPERSIZED as we bring you an exciting, but rarely turned, triple play.Brett Topel is a prolific author (When Shea Was Home:  The Story of the 1975 Mets, Yankees, Giants, and Jets; So You Think You're a New York Mets Fan?; Miracle Moments in New York Mets History: Simply the Best:  The Story of the 1929-31 Philadelphia Athletics) and makes his triumphant return to the show to discuss the world of baseball as well as to promote his newest project, BT Talks Baseball which features fantastic video interviews and some other rather fun features.  Episodes can be found on YouTube and the website, www.bttalksbaseball.com.  Watch just one episode and you will be hooked.Ray Sheehan is someone who's name is becoming synonymous with high quality barbecue products.  As the founder of  BBQ Buddha, he has managed to venture into a world dominated by large sauce making companies and carve out a niche as a premium sauce and rub company.  His products win awards, but more importantly they bring delight to the ta

If you are missing baseball while wondering what the future may look like for a possible 2020 Major League Baseball season then this is a can't miss episode.Episode 60 is one week early as portions are quite timely, extremely relevant, and need to be heard.Darren Heitner is the founder of Heitner Legal; representing athletes, agents, entertainers, small businesses and large corporations.He is the author of the book, How to Play the Game:  What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know.He also created and hosts the exceptionally entertaining podcast, How to Play the Game, which covers sports business and sports law related issues.His views and opinions are well thought out, informative, and even include talk regarding his grilling exploits. We once again conclude the show with the wonderful song, "Baseball Always Brings You Home" from Dave Dresser and Shel Krakofsky.Please know how much we appreciate our listeners.  We hope that all of you are staying safe.If you would like to contact the show, we would love to hear