The Hall of Very Good Podcast (The Hall of Very Good)

Famed "Poster Boy" John Costacos joins the boys to talk about the (surprisingly) crazy world of posters and shares some of the best stories you're likely to hear all week. True statement.

Muneesh Jain, co-host of the popular Clubhouse Podcast, joins the boys to talk about his favorite (and least favorite) ballparks, reveals his new baseball crush, opens up about the recent changes to baseball and picks a side in the ongoing Madison Bumgarner-Max Muncy debate. Kinda.

Phil Hecken, deputy editor of Uni Watch, takes a break from “throwing stones” to join the boys for an "agenda-free" episode of the podcast, answers listener tweets, explains why 125 Grateful Dead shows isn’t too many, gives his thoughts on the Washington Commanders new uniforms and shares his least favorite thing about close friend Graig Kreindler.

Fresh off the 2020 induction ceremony, president and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Greg Harris joins the boys to talk about his personal journey from the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown to Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, shares the similarities (and, of course, the differences) between the two museums and their induction ceremonies, reveals his favorite piece in each museum and reveals the baseball player he’d like to see get his due.

Three-time NFL champion and FOX analyst Mark Schlereth joins the boys to talk about that time he single-handedly won SuperBowl 32, growing up in Alaska(!) a fan of Pittsburgh sports, being the father of a former Major League pitcher, the promise he made to his son Daniel when he was 12 and his diarrhea moment.

This week's episode is brought to you by Team of Dreams.

Chris Ivy, Director of Sports Auctions for Heritage, joins the boys to talk about the company’s upcoming auction and what’s hot right now in the memorabilia world, explains the art of photo matching, shares which item he wishes would cross his desk and recalls how his favorite baseball memory led him to his current career.

T. Sean Shannon, creator of Baseball Card Theater (and SNL’s Bear City!), joins the boys to talk about his lifelong obsession with bear suits and Boog Powell, hanging out with the legendary Fred Willard, one of the nicest hosts he worked with while with “Saturday Night Live” and that time he chatted up Neil Young.

Ted Giannoulas has been the only guy dressing up as The Famous San Diego Chicken for more than forty years...except for that one time.

Also, the man behind the mascot reveals the craziest thing ever asked of The Chicken.

To celebrate the start of the 2021 baseball season, two-time National League MVP Dale Murphy joins the boys to talk about his chances to make the Hall of Fame, the toughest opponents he faced as a big leaguer, catching Phil Niekro’s knuckleball and that time in 1991 when his former skipper Bobby Cox ordered Tom Glavine to hit him with a pitch.

Episode originally aired November 3, 2017.

Should-be Hall of Famer Al “Scoop” Oliver joins the boy to talk about how he would’ve handled playing during the coronavirus pandemic and why being a “creature of habit” could’ve helped him out, playing for the history-making 1971 Pittsburgh Pirates and who his closest teammates were, the toughest pitchers he faced during his career and, of course, his new book.

Toy sculptor Patrick Healey and artist/illustrator Chris Felix join the boys to talk about how two kids from Elder High School in Cincinnati ended up working for Kenner on one of the biggest toylines ever, their favorite Starting Lineup figures they’ve ever designed, the best (and worst) likenesses, the importance to get everything just right and who may or may not have been partially responsible for those super jacked Star Wars figures from the mid-90s.

Filmmaker Jeremy Newberger joins the boys to talk about his new documentary “Heading Home: The Tale of Team Israel”, details covering the World Baseball Classic and why he and his partners decided to follow the team, describes the fear of being in Israel during a terror attack and helps Shawn and Lou crack the code on what “Arrow”, “Lost” and “The Walking Dead” have in common.

Episode originally aired February 9, 2018.

1985 World Series champion and (should-be) eight-time Gold Glove Award winner Jim Sundberg joins the boys to talk about his journey from tiny Galesburg, Illinois, to the Texas Rangers, what likely cursed the Brewers prior to his arrival in Milwaukee, being part of the longest game in Major League Baseball history, playing “peacemaker” after Andre Dawson took a fastball to the face and his unlikely friendship with Hall of Famer Bill Dickey.

This week’s podcast was brought to you by Teambrown Apparel and Old Fort Baseball Co.

Award-winning sculptor Lou Cella joins the boys to talk about how he got his start in art (including the biggest influence on his career), the hardest part of the human body to sculpt, why the Ryne Sandberg statue outside Wrigley Field might be his most personal piece so far, his special connection to the family of former Seattle Mariners announcer Dave Niehaus and that time someone’s cremains ended up on one of his statues.

This week’s podcast was brought to you by Teambrown Apparel and Old Fort Baseball Co.

New York Yankees batboy-turned-author Matthew McGough joins the boys to talk about his first day on the job with the Bronx Bombers, how his book changed the batboy rules, his lasting relationship with Don Mattingly and working on the CBS show “Clubhouse”.

Charles Leerhsen, the author of Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty, joins the boys to talk about about the misconceptions surrounding baseball’s first Hall of Famer, why he thinks the world casts certain people as monsters, calls Cobb biographer Al Stump a “liar” and shares who he thinks is the greatest player he’s ever seen play.

Former big league batboy Spenser Clark joins the boys to talk about his time with the Washington Nationals, his aspirations after law school and being a gay man in Major League Baseball.

Longtime friends and uniform experts Phil Hecken and Todd Radom re-join the boys to break down their favorite teams (more specifically…their logos, jerseys and caps) taking part in this year’s Copa de la Diversión.

Also…what is a bivouac?

Actor Jim O'Heir joins the boys to talk about growing up a Chicago baseball fan, his fear of peeing in the trough at Wrigley Field and, of course, life on the set of "Parks and Recreation".

Former Major League Baseball executive Dan Evans once again joins the boys to talk about working for (and alongside) Hall of Famer Frank Thomas at the Field of Dreams movie site, gives insight as to how teams are preparing for a potential work stoppage, recalls his friendship with the late-Tom Seaver and shares how his new gig fulfills a promise he made to his mother.

Jonathan Knight, the author of The Making of Major League, joins the boys to talk about, you guessed it, the making of the popular movie, spells out its original ending (and explains how it might have invented “moneyball”), compares Wesley Snipes to Omar Epps, breaks down some plot ideas for what should-be an upcoming sequel and, along with Shawn and Lou, mentions “Mr. 3000” way too many times.

Rich Evans and Molly Willcox from the Bristol Baseball Club join the boys to talk about the history of and rise in baseball’s popularity in England, what fans of Bristol’s teams can expect this season and introduces the world to their adorably awesome mascot, Biscuit.

John Fitzgerald, founder of the Irish American Baseball Society, joins the boys to talk about how the organization came about, shares his vision for the IABS, provides an update on the Irish American Baseball Hall of Fame and gives an overall education on baseball on the Emerald Isle.

Stand-up comedian Brody Stevens joins the boys to talk about his days on the diamond, pitching at Arizona State, remembers the Hall of Fame-worthy career of the late-Roy Halladay and throws his hat in the ring to star in a re-boot of the “Major League” franchise.

To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the release of "Bull Durham", famed filmmaker Ron Shelton joins the boys to talk about the making of one of baseball's most iconic movies, his days in the minor leagues and Michael Jordan's brief stint as a professional baseball player.

Episode originally aired August 26, 2016.

TNA wrestling star Dirty Dango joins the boys to preview this year’s Hard to Kill pay-per-view, growing up a Boston Red Sox fan, his family history making bats (and syrup!), that time his grandpa played against the famed Kansas City Monarchs, debuting at WrestleMania and whether or not it was more or less nerve wracking than throwing out the first pitch prior to a Tampa Bay Rays game.

Just in time to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the movie, Roman Weinberg, the Operations Manager of the “Field of Dreams” Movie Site leads the boys on a tour of the iconic house from the film, explains the “how” and “why” the land situated on Lansing Road in Dyersville, Iowa was selected and, ultimately, how it became one of the baseball world's top tourist destinations.

Oh, Roman also tells Shawn and Lou how a random tourist from New York (kinda) led to a $3.4 million payday for the farm’s original owner!

Logan Wiening from Old Fort Baseball Co. joins the boys to talk about their shared connection with the AAGPBL, getting his start in graphic design and how that led to launching an apparel company, the popular Support Local Baseball Sticker Club, why it’s easy to hate the St. Louis Cardinals and whether or not Lou would want to hit the field as an old-timey baseball player. #supportlocalbaseball

This week’s podcast was brought to you by Teambrown Apparel and Old Fort Baseball Co.

Baseball historian and author Ralph Carhart joins the boys to talk about the incredible journey of The Hall Ball (and how that turned into book deal), what prompted his new website Bent Knees and Raised Fists, shares his plans for the upcoming 100th anniversary of The Negro Leagues and, for some reason, the extraordinary luck of The Baseball Brit, Joey Mellows.

Rich Evans and Molly Willcox from the Bristol Baseball Club join the boys (again) to talk about how they first discovered baseball and picked their favorite teams, Major League Baseball’s ongoing identity crisis, America’s problem with selective and false memories and get introduced to the story of Glenn Burke by Lou.

Jason Derr, co-host of the Tea and Topps and Ballcaps and Bagpipes podcasts, joins the boys to talk about how following the Chemical Brothers through Great Britain led to a love affair with Scotland, playing baseball in Edinburgh, the difficulties collecting cards overseas and, for some reason, that time Lou got a ticket is Glasgow.

Lifelong Baltimore Orioles fans Sam Dingman and Mac Montandon, the team behind “The Rumor” podcast, join the boys to talk about what prompted them to investigate a nearly 25-year-old story involving Cal Ripken Jr., his wife and (you guessed it) Kevin Costner.

John Owens and Dr. David Fletcher, authors of Chili Dog MVP, join the boys to talk about the new book, their individual relationships with should-be Hall of Famer Dick Allen, his chances at making it to Cooperstown, the story behind the slugger's “chili dog” game and the similarities between that 1972 Chicago White Sox team and the Bulls second three-peat.

Attorney-turned sportswriter-turned radio host-turned Peabody Award winner-turned podcaster Julie DiCaro joins the boys to talk about her deep dive into investigating the murder of James Jordan, father of NBA superstar-turned minor league baseball player-turned NBA superstar Michael Jordan for her new podcast, The Score: Behind the Headlines.

Renowned watercolorist (and fellow member of the Graig Kreindler Appreciation Society!) Kenneth Gatewood joins the boys to talk about getting his start painting Los Angeles storefronts and billboards, partying with Magic Johnson and Lawrence Taylor, impressing the legendary Muhammad Ali and, yeah, the elephant in the room…those iconic and precious Baby Sports.

Ethan Bryan, author of A Year of Playing Catch, joins the boys to talk about being a lifelong fan of (and his encounters with) Hall of Famer George Brett, visiting the “Field of Dreams” movie site in Dyersville, Iowa, with his dad and, of course, how a chilly New Year’s Day game of catch led to a 365-day journey across the Midwest and beyond!

Famed ballhawk Zack Hample joins the boys to talk about keeping track of his 8,633 baseballs, that whole A-Rod situation, getting assaulted at Yankee Stadium, and, oh yeah, hanging out with porn star Lisa Ann.

To celebrate Women in Baseball Week, Baltimore Orioles head groundskeeper Nicole Sherry joins the boys to talk about how she almost quit baseball to work at a golf course in Hawaii, gets into the specifics of creating grass patterns in the outfield, recalls shagging flies for and getting lost in the dreamy blue eyes of Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. and, yeah, brags a little (wouldn't you?) about how great her view is from her office window at Camden Yards.

This episode originally aired July 23, 2018.

Longtime Seattle sports supercollector Timothy Jenkins joins the boys to talk about his lifelong obsession with the Pilots, explains how and when he got interesting in collecting, shares some of his favorite (and unique) items, whether or not Bud Selig merch is allowed in his home, recalls quizzing his all-time favorite baseball player and reveals just how many autographed Hall of Fame baseballs he has. 

Andrea Williams, author of Baseball’s Leading Lady, joins the boys to talk about her journey of wanting to be Major League Baseball’s first female general manager to working alongside Bob Kendrick at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum to writing about African-American icons Effa Manley and Charley Pride, what it would take for Hollywood to properly honor their memory and reveals (kinda) what she’s working on next.

Mary Poppins himself, Michael Rooker, joins the boys in hopes to get them to root, root, root for the Cubbies, goes behind-the scenes of “Eight Men Out”, spills the beans on who is the better baseball player (him or “Little Chuckie” Sheen), shares which role people recognize him from the most, explains why everyone likes his “Guardians of the Galaxy” character Yondu and, lastly, gives Shawn and Lou a taste of their own medicine by asking THEM questions!

New Cleveland Indians outfielder Delino DeShields returns to talk to the boys about what he’s doing to pass the time during baseball’s work stoppage, reviews the “Sonic the Hedgehog” movie (and talks about the screening he hosted), shares his thoughts about fitting in with his new team, answers Lou’s question about whether or not Terry Francona is cool and reveals if he thinks Ohio is big enough to handle both him and his dad, Cincinnati Reds coach Delino DeShields.

Pilot-turned-actor Fred Sorenson joins the boys to talk about how he got the role of Jock Lindsey in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (and exactly how close his real life is to that of the fictional pilot), whether or not he drinks for free at the Disney Bar named after his character, who decided to outfit him with a New York Yankees cap in the film and reveals where the iconic headwear is today.

Former Major League umpire Dale Scott joins the boys to talk about his 33 seasons behind the plate, the best and worst managers (looking your way, Billy Martin) to deal with, what it’s like calling balls and strikes during a no-hitter, that final concussion that ended his career and why he and his husband Michael would never do “The Amazing Race”.

2022 women’s cheese rolling world champion Abby Lampe joins the boys to talk about how she went from NC State to historic Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire, England, for the annual Cheese Rolling Championship, how she got interested in the sport, her training regimen and whether or not she’d do it again.

Buy the exclusive 2022 Abby Lampe Cheese Rolling Champion t-shirt!

Author-turned-Cooperstown mayor-turned author Jeff Katz joins the boys to talk about Bill “The Spaceman” Lee ending up on his front porch during Hall of Fame Induction Weekend, how he became Mayor Quimby for the day and that chance encounter with Elvis Costello. Lastly…what does Milwaukee Brewers playoff baseball have in common with U2 and Nirvana? You won’t know unless you listen to the entire podcast!

Legendary catcher Johnny Bench joins the boys to share his thoughts about this year’s (potential) Hall of Fame class, his favorite things to do during his annual trip to Cooperstown, goes behind-the-scenes of the “Baseball Bunch” and speculates who should host a proposed re-boot of the popular program.

Shortstop-turned-nun Sister Toni Ann Palermo joins the boys to talk about traveling the country playing professional softball at age 11, how she ended up playing in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, borrowing Hall of Famer Phil Rizzuto’s “magic glove” and why she didn’t know about “A League of Their Own” until more than a decade after its release.

Fresh off of celebrating the 40th anniversary of “The Hatching”, Ted Giannoulas (aka The Famous San Diego Chicken) joins the boys to talk about being interviewed by the legendary Ron Burgundy, that time in 1976 when he interrupted Elvis, getting arrested at an Aerosmith concert and whether or not a memoir could be in the works.

Brandon Steiner, founder of Steiner Sports and CollectibleXchange, returns to tell the boys about that time he beat Michael Jordan, how Jordan changed the game when it comes to sports marketing, shares his thoughts on holiday gift-giving and introduces his newest venture…StarStock.

Marilyn Hetrick and daughter Elizabeth Ronie join the boys to celebrate the indelible life of supercollector (and all-around awesome dude) Bill Hetrick.

Please consider making a donation in Bill's name to the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Museum, the Negro League Baseball Museum or the Holy Savior Catholic Church Building Fund. 

As an added bonus, we remember the time Bill, co-founder of the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and Museum, joined the boys to talk about his massive collection of autographed baseballs, spending time with the likes of Warren Spahn, Vin Scully, Hank Aaron, the New York Mets famed “Million Dollar Outfield” and, of course, those late night trips to IHOP with The Famous San Diego Chicken.

Episode originally aired April 12, 2021.

Third generation broadcaster Josh Caray joins the boys to talk about sharing the booth with his father Skip and grandfather Harry, who does the best impression of his late-Hall of Fame grandfather and, of course, his new gig as the voice of the record-shattering Rocket City Trash Pandas.

New York Times bestselling author Jeff Pearlman kicks off the New Year by talking to the boys about why he chooses to write about the subjects he does, his unprecedented affinity for both Hall and Oates and 90s rock and roll and reveals his dream subject.

Actor Lew Temple joins the boys to talk about his days as a Houston Astros scout, his thoughts on steroids, his friendship with Rob Zombie and, naturally, how he ended up in Hollywood and on The Walking Dead.

Team of Dreams veteran Chris Kleveno joins the boys to talk about taking part in the annual Team of Dreams celebrity softball game (2019 marked his fourth year), what it’s like crossing off bucket list items playing alongside Hall of Famers and hitting against Charlie Sheen and introduces everyone to the magic of Steve Carlton’s RV.

On July 12, 1979, close to 50,000 baseball (and music) fans crowded Comiskey Park to show their hatred of disco music. To call what happened that night in Chicago a "mistake" would be an understatement.

Former big league infielder Greg Pryor was there and witnessed "Disco Demolition Night" firsthand.

To listen to the entire interview, CLICK HERE.

“Last Comiskey” director Matt Flesch joins the boys to talk about growing up a Chicago White Sox fan, spending his summers at 35^th Street and Shields, what inspired him and his brother Mike to document the final season at the iconic ballpark, the interview they were most excited to nail down and, of course, the one that got away!

Just in time to remember the 30th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake, filmmaker Jon Leonoudakis joins the boys to talk about growing up a San Francisco Giants fans, documenting the chaos surrounding Game Three of the 1989 World Series and his friendship with 2012 Shrine of the Eternals inductee Jim “Mudcat” Grant

Author K.P. Wee joins the boys to talk about his book The Case of Barry Bonds in the Hall of Fame, why he wasn’t surprised by the 2022 Hall of Fame election, whether or not Bonds was really the bad guy people think he is and what is it about random players like Tom Candiotti and John Cangelosi that he appreciates.

Iowa state representative J.D. Scholten joins the boys to talk about growing up the Hawkeye State’s only Brad Radke fan, getting back on the mound for the Sioux City Explorers (and how he has a gigantic plush Minion to thank), sending his cap to Cooperstown, working with Major League Baseball to end blackouts and, yeah, that bus fire.

This week’s podcast was brought to you by Teambrown Apparel and Old Fort Baseball Co.

Erin Carlson, author of No Crying in Baseball, joins the boys to talk about when she first fell in love with “A League of Their Own”, some of the controversy associated with the film, what Madonna was like on set, Rosie O’Donnell’s connection to the women of the AAGPBL, Penny Marshall’s legacy and the award-winning actress producers gave millions to leave the project.

Dan Wallach, Executive Director of the Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum in Greenville, South Carolina, joins the boys to talk about everything going on at the museum (including expansion plans!) and hanging out with everyone's favorite British baseball fans, Andy and Joey.

“Toni Stone” playwright Lydia Diamond joins the boys to talk about her personal connection to the Negro Leagues pioneer and why she chose to tell her story, what it means to have her play back on the stage, writing through her COVID-impose lockdown and, of course, growing up a baseball fan and her crush on former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Joaquin Andujar,

"I think the thing that surprises me is when September 1st comes around every year...no one really talks about it."

On September 1, 1971, the Pittsburgh Pirates fielded the first starting nine consisting of all Black and Latino players. Bruce Markusen, author of The Team That Changed Baseball, Al Oliver and Manny Sanguillen join the boys to reflect on that historic team.

Andrew Maraniss, author of the upcoming Glenn Burke biography “Singled Out”, joins the boys to talk at length about why he chose to write about Major League Baseball’s first openly gay player (and inventor of the high five), whether or not his story would make a good movie and, yeah, walks right into a return of #FredKilledRube. 

Andre Gaines, director of “After Jackie”, joins the boys to talk about his upcoming documentary and how he got involved, separates the Jackie Robinson fact from Jackie Robinson fiction, makes the Hall of Fame case for Bill White and explains how the efforts of the late-Curt Flood directly led to LeBron James making his historic “decision”.

Former Major Leaguer-turned-author Adam Greenberg joins the boys about the injury that stalled his Major League career, his long journey back to the bigs, playing for Team Israel during the World Baseball Classic, getting inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame and the awesome healing power of, wait for it…deer antlers.

To celebrate the start of the 2021 baseball season, should-be Hall of Famer Tommy John joins the boys to talk about his chances at getting into Cooperstown, the injury that nearly ended his career, his relationship with the late-Frank Jobe (and why the legendary doctor is one of the three most influential men in baseball history) and playing alongside Glenn Burke.

Episode originally aired February 28, 2017.

Gar Ryness, aka Batting Stance Guy, returns to talk to the boys about the need for a great hype man, pulls the curtain back as to why he thinks he is so good at what he does, shares how Hunter Pence has become the new Kevin Youkilis, remembers the careers of players he thought were “can’t miss” Hall of Famers and, along the way, plenty of names are dropped. Among those names…the three most handsome men Shawn has ever met.

Lastly, Gar makes a plea to his friends Randy and Jason Sklar to join the podcast.

Comedian and podcasting legend Jay Mohr joins the boys to conduct the inaugural HOVG fantasy draft. Later, Rich Grisham from Out of the Park lets everyone know who had the best team.

Just in time to celebrate the 75^th anniversary of Jackie Robinson’s debut, author and baseball historian Ralph Carhart joins the boys to talk about 42’s best (and worst) big screen portrayals, shares what it was like to interview Jackie’s daughter Sharon and, along with Lou, becomes a voluntary spokesperson for the Ireland Board of Tourism.

Check out the new SABR book Not an Easy Tale to Tell: Jackie Robinson on the Page, Stage, and Screen!

Award-winning actor and lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan Jon Hamm joins the boys to talk about growing up best friends with the son of Hall of Famer Ted Simmons, how close he came to becoming a Milwaukee Brewers fan, his favorite baseball stadiums to visit (and the food that goes along with them), the baseball role he would’ve loved to have tackled, his upcoming project with acclaimed director Ron Shelton and those three times he’s hosted “Saturday Night Live”.

Attorney-turned-sportswriter Julie talks to the the boys about her beloved Chicago Cubs, the viral "More Than Mean" YouTube video and when you can and can't call a woman "dame". Plus, Julie's first celebrity crush revealed!

Duane Rieder, the Curator and Executive Director of The Clemente Museum, joins the boys to talk about how a chance encounter with Roberto Clemente as a kid in 1971 helped shape his life and paved the way for him to devote his life to preserving the memory of the Pittsburgh Pirates legend and, of course, all the cool things he has going on with Engine House 25 Wines.

President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Bob Kendrick, joins the boys (for the third time!) to talk about the life and legacy of the late, great Mamie “Peanut” Johnson, educates Shawn as to who Rube Foster is and why he is one of the most important people in the history of the Negro Leagues and celebrates the inevitable Hall of Fame induction of longtime Atlanta Brave Chipper Jones.

Longtime San Francisco Giants public address announcer Renel Brooks-Moon joins the boys to talk about how she got her history-making gig with the team, her favorite moments from her 20-plus years in the booth, hanging out with Hall of Famers Willie Mays and Willie McCovey, where she keeps her THREE World Series rings and, of course, fangirling over Beyoncé.

New York Times bestselling author Jon Pessah joins the boys to talk about his new book Yogi: A Life Behind the Mask and the personal reasons he chose to write about the Hall of Famer, whether or not the catcher should be considered one of the faces on a New York Yankees Mount Rushmore, recalls that crazy 1998 home run chase and whether or not some of baseball’s suspected steroid users deserve a place in Cooperstown.

Three-time All-Star and current MLB analyst John Kruk joins the boys about to talk about the importance of young women playing baseball, why he took over the head coaching gig for his daughter’s softball team what it was like digging in against Randy Johnson.

British artist and painter (and Trivial Pursuit answer!) Andy Brown joins the boys to talk about when he got interested in baseball, his desire to visit and paint at all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums and that time he got a letter of approval from the Queen of England.

Bruce Prichard, host of the popular “Something to Wrestle with” podcast, joins the boys to tell them all about what happened when Pete Rose ended up in the WWF/WWE (and, subsequently, their Hall of Fame) and how he’s the perfect heel, the relationship between Wade Boggs and “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig and who came up with the ill-fated Abe “Knuckleball” Schwartz gimmick.

Episode originally aired March 3, 2017.

David Raymond, the original Phillie Phanatic, joins the boys to talk about the upcoming grand opening of the Mascot Hall of Fame, what visitors (both young and old) can expect when they walk through the doors, the creation of Gritty and the insane popularity of the new Philadelphia Flyers mascot.

New York Times bestselling author Jeff Pearlman finally returns to talk to the boys about his new book (Football for a Buck: The Crazy Rise and Crazier Demise of the USFL) and how Donald Trump paid a pivotal role in the demise of the league, shares the crazy story of Greg Fields and gives his theory as to why we’re fixated on years-old tweets and former sitcom actors bagging groceries.

Brandon Steiner, “serial entrepreneur” and founder of Steiner Sports and CollectibleXchange, joins the boys to talk about how he turned a chance encounter with Thurman Munson into a sports memorabilia empire, how much money he made off of (legally) selling grass, hanging out with Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra and where he thinks the collectible hobby is heading.

April Matthis, the star of the off-Broadway play “Toni Stone” joins the boys to talk about how she prepared to take on the role of one of the legendary Negro Leagues player and what it meant to her and her family personally, shares what it was like hanging out with Negro Leagues Baseball Museum president (and good friend of the podcast) Bob Kendrick in Kansas City, offers up what she knows about whether or not a Toni Stone movie could be in the works and, yeah, dishes on that recent Drama Desk Award nomination she received.

Rick Vaughn joins the boys to talk about his time as the public relations director for the Baltimore Orioles and Tampa Bay Rays, his current gig working with Chicago Cubs skipper Joe Maddon’s charity and, most importantly, helps Shawn and Lou begin their quest to track down the infamous Billy Ripken “Fuck Face” bat.

Former Rockford Peach Shirley Burkovich passed away March 31, 2022.

In November 2019, “Hustle” joined the boys to talk about getting her start in the AAGPBL, how she got her nickname, if she saved anything from her playing days, the status of the International Women’s Baseball Center and, of course, “A League of Their Own”.

Episode originally aired November 19, 2019.

To celebrate the start of the 2021 baseball season, 2005 Hall of Fame inductee Wade Boggs joins the boys to talk about his fear of horses, his unlikely friendship with former WWE superstar Curt Hennig (aka Mr. Perfect), that time the wrestler saved his life and, lastly, his relationship with his number one superfan.  

Episode originally aired May 14, 2020.

On the eve of reporting to Spring Training, San Francisco Giants pitching prospect Kieran Lovegrove joins the boys to talk about the day-to-day of training camp, taking the high road on social media (and how some Major League Baseball teams take the lead), playing for David Ortiz in the 2018 Futures Game and his plans for expanding America’s Pastime to his home country of South Africa.

Hall of Famer Frank Thomas returns to talk to the boys about what to watch for as we head into the playoffs, why Vlad Jr. might be the story of the year, shares his thoughts on the Field of Dreams game and discovers the bond he shares with Lou.

Fred McGriff supercollector Kenny Hillyard joins the boys to talk about how a diehard St. Louis Cardinals fan, born and raised in Texas, amasses a collection of more than 47,000 items dedicated to the “Crime Dog” (and the time it was stolen), shares what “Mrs. McGriff Collector” thinks of his obsession and whether or not they’ll be in Cooperstown this July to see Fred get inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Jason “Heavy J” Schwartz, the Manny Mota of the podcast world, joins the boys to talk about his recent trip to Cooperstown, that grail item he found at a random card store (shout out Dave and Adam’s), shares some travel tips and tricks, proposes a new exhibit for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and makes a stunning offer to listeners of The Hall of Very Good Podcast!

Two-time All-Star Dmitri Young joins the boys to talk about his extensive and pricey baseball card collection, his favorite baseball stadiums to hit (and eat) at and, finally, his obsession with WWE and professional wrestling.

To help celebrate the 30th anniversary of "A League of Their Own", filmmaker Kelly Candaele joins the boys to talk about his mother, former AAGPBL player Helen Callaghan, how his PBS documentary about the professional women's baseball league led to a call from Penny Marshall’s “people” and shares his thoughts on the upcoming Amazon series.

This episode originally aired December 1, 2020.

Actor and comedian Samm Levine joins the boys to talk about being a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, being back on the convention circuit, makes the first Reed Johnson mention in the history of the show, goes off on a certain umpire (or two) and helps craft the wonderful new podcast “Let’s Feed Sam(m) Levine”.

Peter Kerasotis, author of Alou: My Baseball Journey, joins the boys to talk about how he got his start in journalism, the journey that led to him partnering up with former Major League player and manager Felipe Alou to co-write his autobiography, Alou’s relationship with Roberto Clemente and whether or not he believes the “Dominican Jackie Robinson” deserves a spot in Cooperstown.

Jay Jaffe, author of The Cooperstown Casebook and senior writer at FanGraphs, returns to talk to the boys about the 2022 Hall of Fame class and what future candidates he’s looking forward to covering the most, what we can expect for pitchers (and relievers) on future ballots, who he thinks might be the next unanimous Hall of Famer and unwittingly names Shawn’s favorite prog rock album.

MLB Network host (and HOVG Podcast favorite) Brian Kenny re-joins the boys to talk about his guest spot on IFC's "Brockmire", breaks down 2017 storylines, reveals his pick for the worst baseball movie of all-time and etches in stone, his personal Baseball Mount Rushmore.

For an unprecedented tenth time, Cooperstown correspondent Jeff Katz joins the boys to re-cap the 2023 Hall of Fame induction ceremony, breaks down Fred McGriff and Scott Rolen’s speeches, shares his interaction with “notorious prankster” Greg Maddux, reveals who received the coveted porch invite and talks up Immaculate Grid.

Just in time to celebrate the 35th anniversary of "Batman", award-winning actor and writer Robert Wuhl returns to talk to the boys about working with Tim Burton, carpooling with Jack Nicholson, (definitely not) stealing items from the set, re-visits commissioner Rob Manfred’s rule changes and does a deep dive previewing the 2024 baseball season.