Sean and Eds Do Baseball

Sean spins a curveball, telling Eds about the life and tragic death of George 'Win' Mercer who was one of the best pitchers of the 1890's. On top of that he was a two-way player and a handsome one at that; becoming a fan favourite with the ladies of Washington whose admiration for the young hurler birthed a famous baseball legend.

As the season winds down Eds steps to the rubber and delivers a story inspired by recent events, with the tale of Coaker Triplett, who spent a lifetime on the fringes of major league baseball. A quad-A player who tore the cover off the ball and cemented his name into the history books with one explosive week that would go unmatched for another 85 years.

On the 120th anniversary Sean throws Eds the story of baseball's deadliest day; August 8th, 1903. During a two game double header between the Boston Beaneaters and the home Phillies, an incident outside the stadium would create a chain reaction of events that ended with a dozen tragically killed and hundreds more injured.

With a very special guest in Blake Murphy; Sportsnet Personality and Host of Blue Jays Talk Plus, 10am to 12pm EST and after every Jays game on Sportsnet FAN590, Eds takes to the mound and delivers a performance that goes into extras, as he tells the story of an early 20th-century squad born within the walls of a Wyoming State Prison, and the reason that area politicians kept a very watchful eye.

Sean throws a strike with the story of Sam Crane.A glove first shortstop who kept getting chance after chance to stick in the big leagues. Even after Crane committed a heinous crime, one of baseball's elite continued to go to bat for him. 

In celebration of 90 episodes (the toilet paper anniversary) Sean and Eds put their feet up and welcome award winning author and SABR member Justin McKinney to the show for a highly anticipated spot start. Justin takes to the mound and delivers a short summary of his book; "Baseball's Union Association: The Short, Strange Life of a 19th-Century Major League." (winner of SABR's 2023 Baseball Research Award.) In just one season the Union Association came and went, had some serious trials and tribulations, and a colourful cast of characters; its a wonder they made it one full season at all, and thankfully Justin is here to tell us most of the story.

Sean toes the rubber and delivers a changeup with some late break, as he tells the story of Rinku Singh. A former Olympic hopeful in javelin, Singh gives up everything to enter a baseball throwing competition, even though he had never even seen a baseball game before. Singh's life would change and he would end up in the big leagues- but not for baseball. 

Eds returns to toe the rubber with the story of two great entertainers. He begins with the life of Bud Abbott who quit school and joined the family business, following in his father's footsteps through the Northeastern Burlesque wheels, where he would meet his greatest match in Lou Costello; together they would take the entertainment by storm but not without some stormy days of their own. Nonetheless the two men gifted us with one of the greatest comedic bits the world (not just the baseball world) has ever seen.

Sean winds up and tosses a wild one with the life of Gus Weyhing. Gus was not just wild on the mound- setting the MLB record for hit batsmen- but also off the field with numerous arrests and mischieveous moments throughout the pitcher's life. 

Returning to the bump after back to back outings by Sean, Eds tells a story that is part sports documentary part true crime with the story of Brandon Martin. The former first round pick of the Tampa Bay Rays whose inner demons, which had been brushed aside in the name of his career, quickly began to re-surface after becoming one of the organization's highly touted prospects. Big Thanks to : This is MONSTERS - season 3 episode 4 (YouTube)                         Nathan Fenno - LA Times - Nov19/2020 & April 28/2017