The Hall of Very Good Podcast

The Hall of Very Good Podcast is focused on you, the fan. Each week, Shawn Anderson and Lou Olsen sit down and talk to people in and around the game of baseball that help make America's Pastime great.

Episode 460: Matt Burns 05/06/2025

Episode 460: Matt Burns Baseball road tripper Matt Burns joins the boys to talk about his upcoming Midwest adventure with his dad, the extensive planning that goes into , how he prepares for the unexpected, his favorite ballpark food and how a random game in 2019 got the whole thing started. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/36450395

Episode 459: Ramone Russell 04/29/2025

Episode 459: Ramone Russell Ramone Russell, one of the creative minds behind MLB The Show, joins the boys to talk about his lengthy job title (technically, he’s the Director of Product Development, Communications, and Brand Strategy for San Diego Studio), his lifelong love of video games, the importance of getting the inclusion of The Negro Leagues as accurate as possible, his go-to player and, yeah, exploding birds. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/36331130

Episode 458: Dick Perez and Marq Evans 04/22/2025

Episode 458: Dick Perez and Marq Evans Baseball painter Dick Perez and director Marq Evans join the boys to talk about Dick’s legendary career, re-working one of his pieces for Ichiro, beefing with Joe DiMaggio, who was his favorite Diamond King, whether or not he is the world’s most reproduced artists (he very well might be!) and, of course, Marq’s new documentary “”. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/36258350

Episode 457: Laura Hirai 04/15/2025

Episode 457: Laura Hirai Women’s baseball pioneer Laura Hirai joins the boys to talk about growing up an Ichiro fan in Japan, how she ended up as the first ever ball girl for the New York Yankees, being on the field for the 2019 London Series, wearing Brett Gardner’s pants, hanging out with CC Sabathia (along with some royals?) and her current gig as a pitching coach. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/36117145

Episode 456: Roy Wood Jr. 04/08/2025

Episode 456: Roy Wood Jr. Roy Wood Jr., host of “Have I Got News for You” on CNN, returns to talk to the boys about working with Amber Ruffin and Michael Ian Black, whether or not he’s still basking in the glow of last year’s Rickwood Classic, the storylines he’s following so far this baseball season, the return of Sammy Sosa to the Cubs and, for some reason, that time Colonel Sanders found himself in a gunfight. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/36047815

Episode 455: Perry Barber 04/01/2025

Episode 455: Perry Barber Legendary umpire Perry Barber returns to talk to the boys about breaking glass ceilings and blazing trails...but this time with a twist. One of the boys is replaced by his daughter. Gasp! This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/35921705

Episode 454: Lloyd Kaufman 03/25/2025

Episode 454: Lloyd Kaufman Troma founder Lloyd Kaufman returns to drop a lot of names and talk to the boys about (kinda), Hands Across Tromerica, whether or not that really is him in the trailer for the new “Superman” movie, the“Toxic Avenger” re-make and, for some reason, the tragic death of Jayne Mansfield. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/35847955

Episode 453: Dr. Kat Williams 03/18/2025

Episode 453: Dr. Kat Williams Dr. Kat Williams, author of , joins the boys to talk about the movie that changed her life, how she discovered the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, befriending Maybelle Blair (and ultimately penning her biography) and her quest to have Rockford, Illinois, finally recognized as “the cradle of baseball”. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/35741490

Episode 452: Jeff Pearlman 03/11/2025

Episode 452: Jeff Pearlman New York Times bestselling author Jeff Pearlman returns to talk to the boys about why he loves TikTok, , the countdown to his , whether or not he and Academy Award winner Adrien Brody have beef and to answer the question everyone is curious about…where is Jodi Cohen? This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/35585385

Episode 451: Perry Barber 02/25/2025

Episode 451: Perry Barber The legendary Perry Barber returns to talk to the boys about her four decades behind the plate, whether or not we’re getting closer to a female umpire in the Major Leagues, her friendship with Chicago folk singer Steve Goodman, hanging out with Hillary Clinton and that crazy summer fifty years ago that put her front and center with Lorne Michaels, Chevy Chase and the “Not Ready for Primetime Players”. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/35398740

Episode 450: William Brashler 02/19/2025

Episode 450: William Brashler Author William Brashler joins the boys to talk about how basketball and a random phone call to James “Cool Papa” Bell provided inspiration for The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings, the biggest difference between his book and the movie (thanks Billy Dee Williams!), being on set with Richard Pryor and hanging out in Chicago with James Earl Ray, er…Jones. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/35316170

Episode 449: Vanessa Ivy Rose 02/11/2025

Episode 449: Vanessa Ivy Rose founder Vanessa Ivy Rose returns to talk to the boys about her most recent business venture, her friendship with Negro Leagues legend Ron “Schoolboy” Teasley, the recent shelving of Netflix’s proposed Prince documentary, her (and Lou’s) phenomenal taste in shoes and, for some reason, Shawn’s horrific fit game. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/35218055

Minisode: The Missing World Series Ring 02/09/2025

Minisode: The Missing World Series Ring POP QUIZ. What do you get when you combine a handful of professional athletes, copious amounts of alcohol and one crazy night at a SuperBowl party? Kevin Millar and Josh Booty join the boys to talk about that time one of them borrowed the other’s World Series ring to impress some fellow revelers. To listen to the entire interview with Josh Booty, . To listen to the entire interview with Kevin Millar, . This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/35207350

Episode 448: Jason Vass 01/28/2025

Episode 448: Jason Vass Ken Griffey Junior supercollector Jason Vass joins the boys to talk about the staggering number of different Griffey cards he has in his collection, whether or not he collects Senior the rest of the family, shares the story behind the biggest item in his Griffey collection, that time he was offered a pair of Junior’s pants and how a personal connection with the Hall of Famer saved his life. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/35021020

Episode 447: Jay Jaffe 01/17/2025

Episode 447: Jay Jaffe Baseball Hall of Fame guru Jay Jaffe joins the boys for the seventh time to break down his 2025 (and 2026!) ballot, explain his issues with the Era Committee, introduce the world to the Hall of Broken Pitchers, crack the code of “what’s the deal with A-Rod” and share that one player that he’d really, really like to see in Cooperstown. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/34878515

Episode 446: Jimmy Parker 01/08/2025

Episode 446: Jimmy Parker Jimmy Parker, the heart and soul of Beauty of a Game, joins the boys to talk about the role Dale Murphy played in making him love baseball, working behind-the-scenes alongside the Greenville Drive, his appreciation of the art of Jack Davis, movie posters and some of the best (and worst) baseball players on the big screen. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/34769480

Rewind: Ice Cold Kenny 01/01/2025

Rewind: Ice Cold Kenny To celebrate being the most listened to episode of 2024, longtime (and now former) Oakland A’s beer vendor Ice Cold Kenny joins the boys to talk about following his dad and uncle into the family business, the demise of his beloved franchise, whether or not he will be following them to Sacramento and (ultimately) Las Vegas, what that final game at the Coliseum was like, did he take anything home with him and, finally…who is Tom Alfredo? Episode originally aired October 1, 2024. This week’s podcast was brought to you by and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/34667420

Episode 445: Don Pitsch 12/25/2024

Episode 445: Don Pitsch Just in time for Christmas, Lou’s best friend in the world, Don Pitsch, joins the boys to talk about New Year’s Resolutions, getting married at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, the inevitability of Ichiro Suzuki entering the Hall of Fame unanimously, bringing back and spending time with Rickey Henderson at the Field of Dreams movie site in Dyersville, Iowa. As a bonus, the fellas reveal the top ten most-downloaded episodes from 2024. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/34613020

Episode 444: Jon Shestakofsky 12/03/2024

Episode 444: Jon Shestakofsky Jon Shestakofsky, the Vice President of Communications and Education at the National Baseball Hall of Fame, returns to talk to the boys to talk about how (and if) the Hall can plan additions to the collection, some of the oddball items that have recently crossed his proverbial desk, the museum’s latest exhibit, Souls of the Game, whether or not any more “Honey Boy” Evans trophies have materialized and will he really be sending the cops after Lou…and, if so, why? This week’s podcast was brought to you by and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/34198775

Episode 443: Brandon Steiner 11/19/2024

Episode 443: Brandon Steiner Brandon Steiner, founder of Steiner Sports and , returns to talk to the boys about what’s hot in the collectible world right, give an update on the sports card industry, reveals which slugger has his attention (HINT: it’s NOT Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani) and not wanting to “re-heat the same old soup”. This week’s podcast was brought to you by and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/33989477

Episode 442: Simeon Lipman 11/05/2024

Episode 442: Simeon Lipman Pop culture specialist and longtime appraiser Simeon Lipman returns to talk to the boys about the unique connection between baseball and historical memorabilia, the amazing foresight of Hall of Fame catcher Ray Schalk, that time he hung out with a certain former U.S. president, the recent grail piece he picked up for his personal collection and remembers the excellence of Fernando Valenzuela. This week’s podcast was brought to you by and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/33786432

Episode 441: Jimmy Lonetti 10/29/2024

Episode 441: Jimmy Lonetti Baseball glove repair specialist Jimmy Lonetti joins the boys to talk about when he got his start and, most importantly, the moment he realized he was good at what he was doing, moving from the garage to the nation’s only brick and mortar location of its kind, what prompted the recent uptick in interest, the worst thing you can do to your mitt and if he misses his old gig delivering mail. This week’s podcast was brought to you by and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/33627112

Episode 440: Colin Barnicle 10/22/2024

Episode 440: Colin Barnicle Award-winning documentarian Colin Barnicle joins the boys to talk about “The Comeback”, splitting producing duties with his brother Nick, the 2004 Boston Red Sox breaking The Barnicle Curse (true story), working for the team during their 2007 World Series run, being tormented by Tim Wakefield and whether or not the world was a better place with Alex Rodriguez NOT in BeanTown. This week’s podcast was brought to you by and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/33536277

Episode 439: Robert Wuhl 10/15/2024

Episode 439: Robert Wuhl Award-winning writer and actor Robert Wuhl returns (again!) to talk to the boys about his role in the movie “Saturday Night”, whether or not there were bigger plans for Alexander Knox in “Batman”, re-caps his 2024 Major League Baseball season predictions, shares what he would do if he was commissioner for a day and, because he’s polite, listens to Shawn’s horrific take on Mike Trout. This week’s podcast was brought to you by and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/33440927

Episode 438: Ice Cold Kenny 10/01/2024

Episode 438: Ice Cold Kenny Longtime (and now former) Oakland A’s beer vendor Ice Cold Kenny joins the boys to talk about following his dad and uncle into the family business, the demise of his beloved franchise, whether or not he will be following them to Sacramento and (ultimately) Las Vegas, what that final game at the Coliseum was like, did he take anything home with him and, finally…who is Tom Alfredo? This week’s podcast was brought to you by and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/33257342

Episode 437: Don August 09/24/2024

Episode 437: Don August Former Milwaukee Brewers pitcher and author Don August returns to talk to the boys about turning his international baseball career into the book, , what countries had the best (and the most interesting) food, whether or not he’s surprised by what his former big league is doing this season and how he’d pitch to Shohei Ohtani. This week’s podcast was brought to you by and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/33160572

Episode 436: Ron Hassey 09/17/2024

Episode 436: Ron Hassey Longtime Major League catcher (and man Mother Nature fears) Ron Hassey joins the boys to talk about being the only player to catch two perfect games, where he was for one of the most iconic home runs of all-time (spoiler alert: it was behind the plate), the earthquake that interrupted the 1989 World Series, whether or not brushback pitchers need to return and inadvertently appearing in two movies. This week’s podcast was brought to you by and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/33055672

Episode 435: Phil LaMarr 09/10/2024

Episode 435: Phil LaMarr “Mad TV” original and voice actor extraordinaire Phil LaMarr joins the boys to talk about the role(s) he is most remembered for, how he ended up as Marvin in “Pulp Fiction”, acting alongside Samuel L. Jackson and George Carlin, being a lifelong Los Angeles Dodgers fan and whether or not he should watch “Mr. 3000”. This week’s podcast was brought to you by and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/32967712

Episode 434: Eitan Levine 09/03/2024

Episode 434: Eitan Levine Comedian and Guinness World Record holder Eitan Levine joins the boys to talk about his the best (and worst) ballparks he’s visited during his journey, hanging out with Benny Agbayani, why you should donate your Cybertruck, Bobby Bonilla Day and the importance of avoiding the “Reverse Grimace”. This week’s podcast was brought to you by and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/32788507

Episode 433: Graig Kreindler (Part Two) 08/27/2024

Episode 433: Graig Kreindler (Part Two) To finish off the unprecedented back-to-back, Graig Kreindler joins the boys to answer questions from the Twittersphere (and relationship website, The Knot!), help establish The Jennifer Connelly Appreciation Society, speculate about what a third Tim Burton “Batman” movie could have been and learns who Lou’s least favorite actors are. This week’s podcast was brought to you by and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/32754247

The Hall of Very Good Podcast

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