274 - "I Thought I'd Given Up the Circus:" Baseball Promotions w/ Joseph Natalicchio

274 - "I Thought I'd Given Up the Circus:" Baseball Promotions w/ Joseph Natalicchio

Author: A podcast about baseball, music and culture. December 12, 2025 Duration: 46:19
Joseph Natalicchio is the author of "Baseball's Most Outrageous Promotions: From Wedlock and Headlock Day to Disco Demolition Night" (McFarland 2025), released earlier in December. This is a wonderful book - we discuss everything from Disco Demolition Night to the night fans tore apart a ballpark while game played on to why baseball promotions have gotten so boring! Joseph was a gracious guest and we hope you enjoy this chat. Here is the link to the book at McFarland (link above): https...

You might find yourself wondering how a perfect double play and a classic guitar riff are connected, or what a stadium anthem says about the year it topped the charts. That’s the kind of territory explored on Hooks & Runs. This isn't just a series of interviews, though you’ll hear conversations with fascinating figures from the sports and music industries. It’s also a place for thoughtful commentary, where the co-hosts draw lines between the crack of a bat and a cultural moment, between a legendary concert and a legendary season. They dig into both current headlines and forgotten history, finding the stories where pop culture and the national pastime intersect. Each episode feels like a relaxed, insightful conversation that could start with a baseball statistic and end with a music theory debate. New installments of this podcast arrive roughly every Thursday, offering a consistent dose of their unique blend. If you’ve ever felt that the narratives of baseball and the rhythms of music speak a similar language, this podcast provides the commentary to translate.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

Hooks & Runs
Podcast Episodes
226 - Baseball's Most Unusual Feats [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:30
This episode was recorded on November 5. Craig and Rex analyze some of baseball's rarest achievements, ranging from Johnny Vander Meer's back to back no-hitters, Fernando Tatis belting two grand slams in the same inning…
224 - The Professor's Mysterious Concoction [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:27
Craig and Rex contemplate the end of the 2024 baseball season as the Dodgers took the first three World Series games from the Yankees. They then turn their attention to the 1949 film "It Happens Every Spring," starring R…
223 - Close But No Cigar II: Barry Bonds, 1,996 RBI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:30
Five players in MLB history have driven in 2,000 run in their career. Barry Bonds concluded his amazing 22-year career 4 RBI short of 2,000. This week we examine Bonds' career and try to find out how he came up short. Al…
221 - The 1964 Philadelphia Phillies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:43
After beating the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium 3-2 to wrap up a 6-4 road trip, the Phillies cam home leading the National League by 6.5 games with 12 games to play. What followed remains the most dramatic late-s…
218 - The Flying Dutchman, Honus Wagner w/ Arthur D. Hittner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:33
Our guest this week is Arthur D. Hittner, author of "Honus Wagner, The Life of Baseball's Flying Dutchman," Revised Edition (McFarland, 2024). Originally published in 1996, Hittner's book won the prestigious Seymour Meda…
217 - We are Getting Worried About Justin Verlander [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:15
Justin Verlander is struggling in his latest return from the injury list. Roger Maris would have celebrated his 90th birthday in the 10th -- he died in 1985. We noticed a lot of pretty famous people were born or grew up…