Mark Zubizarreta is a life-long Texas Rangers fan and the founder of Friendly Baseball in North Texas. From his early days selling hot dogs at The Ballpark in Arlington to witnessing his Rangers clinch a World Series title, and starting a grassroots pickup ball movement, Mark shares his unique perspective on what makes baseball more than just a game.
On each episode of The Baseball Bucket List Podcast we chat with a different fan about their favorite baseball memories, bucket list items, and what the game means to them.
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Most Recent Episodes
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Episode 141 — Karen Cordaway: From New Mom to Baseball Fan, The Beauty of Unplanned Adventures, & Watching the City Become “Boston Strong”
Karen Cordaway from Connecticut found her passion for baseball as a new mom in the early 2000s. Her Red Sox fandom included an emotional connection to the team, a firsthand experience of being at Fenway the day of the Boston City Marathon bombing, and witnessing the city’s unity to become Boston Strong.
Episode 140 — Andy Littleton: Heartbreak, Hope, & Healing Through Baseball
Andy Littleton grew up in Tucson, Arizona as a fan of the Oakland A’s. Despite being a fan of the Athletics as a kid, Andy now cheers for the Chicago Cubs – a change spurred by a poignant and personal story of loss and remembrance.
Extra Innings: Patrick Montgomery Shares Candid Stories of Ballplayers Who Didn’t Live Up to the Hype
Patrick Montgomery rejoins the show to discuss his upcoming book, Baseball’s Great Expectations, which explores why some highly anticipated baseball players fail to live up to the hype. Drawing from interviews with players, their families, and coaches the book investigates the tangible and intangible reasons behind a player’s inability to excel.
Episode 139 – Dixie Tourangeau: Play Ball! Calendar, The Arky Vaughan for The Hall Committee, & The Only Triple Play / Grand Slam Combo in History
Dixie Tourangeau, hailing from Central Massachusetts, has an intriguing twist to his allegiance in the age-old Red Sox-Yankees rivalry due to his unique approach to baseball fandom and his deep involvement with SABR. As the creator of the Play Ball Calendar for nearly 25 years, Dixie has contributed significantly to educating fans about baseball history and may have even influenced Hall of Fame elections. Beyond witnessing three no-hitters live, Dixie has also experienced a singular event in baseball history.
Episode 138 — Gary Livingston: College Baseball Radio, the Inner Workings of the Texas League, & The Campaign to Bring Back Bat Night!
Gary Livingston is a Chicago Cubs fan living near San Antonio, Texas. We dive into Gary’s love for the game, rooted in his Chicago upbringing and fueled by memorable experiences like attending his first game at Wrigley Field on bat night.
Gary shares his experiences working in minor league baseball, covering everything from college radio to interning with the Texas Rangers, and working in the Double-A Texas League.
Older Episodes
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Episode 133 —Jorge Diaz: A Unique Way of Tracking Parks, Practicing with the Pros as a Kid, & Answering an Age-Old Question About Athletes’ Finances
All Episodes / Episode 133 —Jorge Diaz: A Unique Way of Tracking Parks, Practicing with the Pros as a Kid, & Answering an Age-Old Question About Athletes’ Finances Jorge Diaz is a Mets fan currently living in Tampa, Florida. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, he...
Episode 132 — Ted Weiner: Learning to Play in a Pasture, Umpiring “Old Guys”, & Finally Organizing The Childhood Card Collection
All Episodes / Episode 132 — Ted Weiner: Learning to Play in a Pasture, Umpiring “Old Guys”, & Finally Organizing The Childhood Card Collection Ted Weiner is a life-long Baltimore Orioles fan from Germantown, Maryland who recently began traveling to visit MLB...
Episode 131 — Marc Cheatham: Witnessing History, Seeing a No-No with Your Son, & Starting Black Baseball Mixtape
All Episodes / Episode 131 — Marc Cheatham: Witnessing History, Seeing a No-No with Your Son, & Starting Black Baseball Mixtape Marc Cheatham, aka Cheats, is a life-long Baltimore Orioles fan from Richmond, Virginia. Cheats is the founder of The Black Baseball...
Episode 130 — Tyler Petersen: The A’s (Athletics), B’s (Ballers), & C’s (Community) of Baseball in Oakland
All Episodes / Episode 130 — Tyler Petersen: The A’s (Athletics), B’s (Ballers), & C’s (Community) of Baseball in Oakland Tyler Petersen is the Assistant General Manager of the Oakland Ballers. The B’s are a brand new Pioneer League team who will play their...
Episode 129 — Melissa Ludtke: Working for Sports Illustrated, Gaining Equal Access in Baseball, & Finding a Way to Make Things Happen
All Episodes / Episode 129 — Melissa Ludtke: Working for Sports Illustrated, Gaining Equal Access in Baseball, & Finding a Way to Make Things Happen Melissa Ludtke is a life-long Red Sox fan from Cambridge, Massachusetts and a former baseball reporter/researcher...
Episode 128 — Zach Beeson: Arizona Fall League, Year-Round Baseball, & Connecting to Cultures Through Baseball
All Episodes / Episode 128 — Zach Beeson: Arizona Fall League, Year-Round Baseball, & Connecting to Cultures Through Baseball Zach Beeson is an Angels fan currently living in Eastern Indiana. He’s visited over 180 ballparks and does a great job of documenting his...
Episode 127 — Brad Balukjian: Junk Wax Packs, 30 Year Old Gum, & Viewing America Through a Windshield
All Episodes / Episode 127 — Brad Balukjian: Junk Wax Packs, 30 Year Old Gum, & Viewing American Through a Windshield Brad Balukjian is a life-long Phillies fan and the author of the LA Times Best Seller The Wax Pack. The premise behind the book is simple. Brad...
Episode 126 — Thankful for Baseball
All Episodes / Episode 126 — Thankful for Baseball In this special Thanksgiving episode, hear directly from baseball fans why they are thankful for the game of baseball. In order of appearance: Charles Dennis: @51stubs Victor DiTommaso Derek Malinowski: @ChicagoDerek7...
Episode 125 — Bob Fontaine Jr: Scouting as a Family Business, Signing Future Hall of Famers, & Getting to Know the People Behind the Players
All Episodes / Episode 125 — Bob Fontaine Jr: Scouting as a Family Business, Signing Future Hall of Famers, & Getting to Know the People Behind the Players Bob Fontaine Jr. is a former MLB scout known for signing several big time players including Ozzie Smith,...
Episode 124 — Taylor Robinson: Running a Ball Team’s Social Media, Seeing a World Series Walk-Off, & Following Through on a Mid-Season Promise
All Episodes / Episode 124 — Taylor Robinson: Running a Ball Team’s Social Media, Seeing a World Series Walk-Off, & Following Through on a Mid-Season Promise Taylor Robinson is a life-long Texas Rangers fan currently living in Keller, Texas. We chat about how she...