Dusty Baker: A Memoir in Baseball and Life

Dusty Baker: A Memoir in Baseball and Life

Author: Commonwealth Club of California July 23, 2026 Duration: 1:08:17
Join us in-person or online as legendary baseball player and manager Dusty Baker explores his extraordinary career, one filled with invaluable lessons on perseverance, leadership, and how to live life meaningfully on the field and off.Dusty Baker walked with baseball legends and became one himself. After he signed with the Braves in 1968 at the age of 19 (against his father’s wishes), no less than the great Hank Aaron promised to take Baker under his wing. Mentored by Aaron, Orlando Cepeda and Willie Mays, Baker became a premier hitter, helping take the Dodgers to a World Series victory in 1981. Along the way he spent 10 seasons as the manager of the San Francisco Giants from 1993-2002. He would later lead the Houston Astros to a championship in 2002.Baker has been respected by generations, and has come to embody the spirit of the sport. He explores this in his new book Crossroads, which delves into the mind of one of baseball’s mavericks: a curious, inquisitive thinker whose deep interest in the worlds of music, wine and the simpler joys of life charts a journey of success, struggle, faith and perseverance. Don’t miss this chance to hear from a true American original, who counts among his friends presidents and dignitaries, bluesmen and artists. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For nearly a century, the Commonwealth Club of California Podcast has served as a vital platform for civic dialogue, directly from the nation's largest public affairs forum. Each episode captures live, thoughtful conversations with leading voices from across the political spectrum and various fields, all committed to exploring the most pressing issues of our time. As a nonpartisan and nonprofit operation, the Club’s priority is substance over soundbite, fostering a depth of discussion that is increasingly rare. You’ll hear authors, policymakers, scientists, and cultural figures engage in nuanced debates and detailed analyses, reflecting a genuine diversity of perspectives. This isn't just a recording of events; it's an ongoing, accessible chronicle of American and global thought. The audio you find in this podcast feed originates from the longest-running weekly radio broadcast of its kind in the United States, a tradition started in 1924, now shared with a modern audience. Updated frequently throughout the week, the feed ensures you have direct access to a forum where complex ideas about government, society, and current events are given the time and respect they deserve. Tune in for a consistently enlightening experience that challenges assumptions and provides context far beyond the daily headlines.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Commonwealth Club of California Podcast
Podcast Episodes
CLIMATE ONE: It’s Too Damn Hot… So What Can We Do? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:09
We all complain about the heat, yet it's a climate threat we routinely underestimate. In the U.S., extreme heat kills more people each year than floods, fires and hurricanes combined. About 16,000 excess deaths were reco…
Ninety-Two: The Silent Revolt No One Saw Coming [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:43
Join us for an evening of film, data and dialogue exploring one of the most consequential workforce questions of our time, featuring the documentary Ninety-Two: The Silent Revolt No One Saw Coming. Black women are among…
Tremendous Telescopes: The Future of American Space Observation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:16
For 500 years, telescopes have opened windows on the cosmos with increasing power and precision. Beginning with the historic telescopes funded by Andrew Carnegie and built by George Ellery Hale atop Pasadena’s Mount Wils…
Investing in a Resilient Future: From Climate Finance to Human Health [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:56
Natural and human-made extreme weather events are disrupting food systems worldwide, threatening the long-term economic stability and health of already vulnerable populations. Across the globe, 80 percent of the poorest…
Ecocivilization: Making a World That Works for Al [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:59
It has been said that it is easier to imagine the end of the world than it is to imagine the end of capitalism. Yet Jeremy Lent says that is what this historical moment urgently calls for. As climate chaos, inequality an…