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 476: Cards4DR 09/16/2025

Episode 476: Cards4DR Hugh Baver and Lev Kotler-Berkowitz from join the boys to talk about reviving the quest to bring baseball cards (and sports equipment) to kids in the Dominican Republic, their efforts actually help educate as well as inspire, how you can get involved and Hugh’s unlikely friendship with Toronto Blue Jays legend Tony Fernandez and delivering the eulogy at his funeral in 2020. Click to learn how you can help! This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/38219630

Episode 475: Skip Griparis 09/10/2025

Episode 475: Skip Griparis Actor, comedian and musician, Skip Griparis returns to talk to the boys about his recent induction into the Illinois Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, hanging out with Little Richard, being invited to take part in Bob Uecker’s Celebration of Life, meeting Bob Costas, hitting the convention circuit and, for some reason, celebrity hygiene. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/38050385

Episode 474: Tom Garvey 09/02/2025

Episode 474: Tom Garvey Tom Garvey, author of , joins the boys to talk about why he went from working at Philadelphia’s Veterans Stadium to living there for more than two years, how Vietnam helped prepare him for stadium life, whether or not a movie is in the works and, naturally, the reason Pope John Paul II factors into everything. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/38017820

Episode 473: Bob Wechsler 08/26/2025

Episode 473: Bob Wechsler Baseball historian Bob Wechsler joins the boys to talk about using his 40-plus year journalism career to work telling the story of Jewish baseball players past and present, what it takes to be recognized by (sorry, Rod Carew), the museum’s unique collection of one of a kind items and whether or not it will ever find a physical home. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/37948370

Episode 472: Shawn K. Carter 08/19/2025

Episode 472: Shawn K. Carter Public Enemy’s Shawn K. Carter (aka "The Interrogator") joins the boys to talk about growing up in Pittsburgh, hanging out at Three Rivers Stadium, working for the Pirates, his relationship with Dave Parker and Dock Ellis, “The Cobra” finally getting into The Hall of Fame and his frustration that the Bucs haven’t retired number 39 yet. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/37844380

Episode 471: Jeff Katz 08/12/2025

Episode 471: Jeff Katz Fresh off Hall of Fame Induction Weekend 2025, Cooperstown correspondent Jeff “Dirty Dozen” Katz joins the boys to talk about what makes a good speech great, sharing pleasantries with Paul Molitor, his annual porch party, the excitement surrounding Ichiro in Cooperstown, whether or not we could be seeing Pete Rose in the plaque gallery and, of course, who he thinks gets in a year from now. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/37770240

Episode 470: Christopher Thorn 07/29/2025

Episode 470: Christopher Thorn Blind Melon guitarist and co-founder Christopher Thorn joins the boys to talk about traveling ballpark to ballpark with his pal, Afghan Whigs frontman Greg Dulli, the thrill of watching Dodgers Stadium fireworks from his backyard, battling nerves before performing on “Saturday Night Live”, who talked the band out of canceling their 1994 “Late Show” appearance and why, sometimes, it might be best NOT to meet your heroes. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/37559920

Episode 469: Josh Rawitch 07/23/2025

Episode 469: Josh Rawitch On the eve of the induction ceremony, Hall of Fame president Josh Rawitch joins the boys to talk about hanging out in Atlanta for the All-Star Game, that historic swing off, what he brought back to Cooperstown, the excitement surrounding the Class of 2025, the Hall’s newest exhibit and spending time with Dave Parker. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/37515120

Episode 468: Mike Santana 07/18/2025

Episode 468: Mike Santana TNA wrestling’s Mike Santana joins the boys to talk about the incredible ride he’s been on of late, headlining Slammiversary in front of friends and family at home in New York, growing up a Yankees fan, the thrill of being on the field at Yankees Stadium and...was his dad really one of the original “Bleacher Creatures”? This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/37453005

Episode 467: Nigel "The Freeze" Talton 07/08/2025

Episode 467: Nigel "The Freeze" Talton Nigel “The Freeze” Talton joins the boys to talk about going from working for the Braves at Turner Field to becoming Atlanta’s original speed demon, the thrill of becoming a bobblehead, crazy challengers, retiring at the top of his game and whether or not he could handle the harsh Green Bay winter. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/37325705

Episode 466: Jim Bintliff 07/01/2025

Episode 466: Jim Bintliff Major League Baseball’s “Mud Guy”, Jim Bintliff, joins the boys to talk about how a tragic on-field event spawned innovation, his family’s original involvement with (and eventual ownership of) Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud, what makes his particular mud the industry standard and approximately how much he harvests in a year. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/37213475

Episode 465: Matt Paxton 06/18/2025

Episode 465: Matt Paxton Longtime “Hoarders” host Matt Paxton joins the boys to talk about how he turned personal tragedy into a career, some of the coolest finds from his new show “Filthy Fortunes”, unearthing a stockpile of authentic Muhammad Ali boxing gloves, stumbling upon a John Wilkes Booth “rookie” card, the obvious reason his employee uniforms don’t have pockets and…is there really a market out there for historical hair? This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/36904585

Episode 464: Doc Martin 06/10/2025

Episode 464: Doc Martin Doc Martin joins the boys to talk about his massive collection, how his friendship with “The Genius” Lanny Poffo led to him owning (among plenty of other things) a “Macho Man” Randy Savage minor league baseball jersey, who he blames for getting him into collecting true crime murderabilia, whether or not we’ll ever see a Doc Martin Museum and the one item he owns that is absolutely NOT allowed in the house. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/36904580

Episode 463: Sean Hanish and Kelly Kahl 06/03/2025

Episode 463: Sean Hanish and Kelly Kahl Sean Hanish and Kelly Kahl, the team behind “” join the boys to talk about their love letter to the Milwaukee Brewers, getting to interview their favorite players of all-time, hanging out in Cooperstown with “Fat Waldo”, which member of Harvey’s Wallbangers would have made a great “Survivor” castaway and, naturally…brat pizza! This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/36828865

Episode 462: David Mellor 05/20/2025

Episode 462: David Mellor Former Boston Red Sox Director of Grounds David Mellor returns to talk to the boys about dogs (his and theirs!), what he’s been up to since he retired following the 2024 baseball season, where he keeps his four World Series rings, whether or not he was worried about the field at Fenway Park following a big concert and, of course, “blow flowers”. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/36611495

Episode 461: Jake Skole 05/13/2025

Episode 461: Jake Skole Party Animals slugger (and former Texas Rangers first round draft pick) Jake Skole joins the boys to talk about adapting to Banana Ball after an extensive minor league baseball and ACC college football career, whether or not he gets nervous dancing shirtless in front of 81,000 fans, the first thing he would implement if he was MLB commissioner for a day and how he spends his off seasons. This week’s podcast was brought to you by , and . /episode/index/show/hallofverygood/id/36544245

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

The Hall of Very Good Podcast

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