Best Billycannon Podcasts (2025)

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160: Ernie Lombardi - MLB 1:00:19

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5M ago1:00:19

1:00:19

Ernie Lombardi retired from Major League Baseball in 1947 and was not enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame until 1986. Many theories abound as to why it took Lombardi so long to get in. But, facts are facts, and his enshrinement was way over due, after all, Lombardi did things as a catcher that few before, or since, have accomplished. Despite his…

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159: Charlie Berry - MLB/NFL 54:23

5M ago54:23

54:23

Charlie Berry is one of the most unique individuals in the history of sports. Not only did he play Major League Baseball for 11 seasons with the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox, and Chicago White Sox, he also played in the NFL with the Pottsville Maroons in 1925 and 1926. Pottsville, which owned the best record in the 1925 season to claim th…

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158: Pottsville Maroons - NFL 1:23:07

5M ago1:23:07

1:23:07

As NFL training camps get underway and the 2025 NFL Football Season commences, what better time than now to take a look back at the incredible story of the 1925 Pottsville Maroons, This team is listed as the No. 1 team atop the NFL standings in 1925 by NFL.com. Yet, even though they were originally noted as the NFL Champions of 1925, the Chicago Ca…

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157: Paul Runyan - PGA TOUR 32:48

6M ago32:48

32:48

Throughout the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, some of golf's most legendary names strolled and dominated the fairways. Superstars like Gene Sarazen, Walter Hagen, Byron Nelson, Ben Hogan, and Sam Snead. These were the stars golf fans came out to see play. They were the golfers who grabbed the headlines. But there were others, less known stars, who also w…

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156: Johnny Mize - MLB 1:04:32

6M ago1:04:32

1:04:32

Johnny Mize is the answer to one of baseball's great trivia questions. You have to listen to find out what it is, but trust me, it's one of Major League Baseball's great statistics, something not even legends such as Babe Ruth, Henry Aaron, or Willie Mays can lay claim to. Mize had a terrific eye at the plate, especially for a power hitter. For his…

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155: Danny Gardella - MLB 57:26

7M ago57:26

57:26

A name so few know ... Danny Gardella. Gardella played for the New York (baseball) Giants (now the #SFGiants) in 1944 and 1945. Then he battled management about his salary. Instead of accepting what the Giants offered, he challenged the reserve clause and lost. Rather than accept the terms, he opted to play elsewhere, in the Mexican League. It cost…

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154: Roger Bresnahan - MLB 1:03:20

7M ago1:03:20

1:03:20

n the early 1900s Roger Bresnahan was one of MLB's best catchers. He played for the New York Giants (now San Francisco Giants) and later was player-manager for the St. Louis Cardinals. While with the Giants, Bresnahan was beaned. It was a very scary instance in which Bresnahan's last rites were read. However, he survived and came back. He ultimatel…

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153: Maybelle Blair - MLB 1:05:40

8M ago1:05:40

1:05:40

Maybelle (May) Blair is a baseball pioneer. In the movie, "A League of Their Own," Madonna's character was named after Maybelle, Mae Morabito. However, the character Madonna played was nothing like the real May. May did not join the AAGPBL (All-America Girls Professional Baseball League) until it was firmly established. But along the way, May certa…

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152: Pete Browning - MLB 1:10:49

8M ago1:10:49

1:10:49

Going way back in history, sometimes you uncover incredible stories. This is one of them. Long before Louisville Slugger became synonymous with @MLB , baseball players did whatever they could to make their own bats or have someone else make a bat for them. Pete Browning turned to an acquaintance when he failed to get a hit for two straight games. H…

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151: 1924 Washington Senators - MLB 1:13:23

9M ago1:13:23

1:13:23

In 1924, the Washington Nationals (they were the Nationals, but also referred to as the Senators) won their first-ever World Series. It was a remarkable season for the Nationals. Owner Clark Griffith dismissed manager Donnie Bush just after the 1923 campaign and named Bucky Harris player-manager. It was a huge risk. Harris was only 27 years old and…

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150: Connie Hawkins - NBA 1:13:23

9M ago1:13:23

1:13:23

Connie Hawkins, simply stated, was a phenomenal basketball player. Inducted into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992, his career was robbed of five years of his NBA career. And not just any five, the first five. Hawkins was a legend on the playground in New York City. Recruited to play college ball at the University of Iowa, he was wrongfully a…

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149: Jim Gilliam - MLB 1:07:06

10M ago1:07:06

1:07:06

Jim Gilliam was a terrific infielder for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers for 17 years. After starting his career in the Negro Leagues, he followed in the footsteps of his idol, Jackie Robinson. Signed by the Dodgers, like Robinson, he was sent to Montreal to play for the Royals. After a few seasons, he found his way to Brooklyn and was named R…

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148: Frank Gifford - NFL 1:02:38

10M ago1:02:38

1:02:38

Frank Gifford was one of the great football broadcasters. A staple on Monday Night Football with Howard Cosell and Don Meredith, it's fair to say that most people remember Gifford for calling a game. But how many remember him for what he did on the field, or even know that he was one of the best to ever play? As a halfback and flanker, Gifford comb…

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147: Arch Ward - NFL/MLB 1:08:35

11M ago1:08:35

1:08:35

Arch Ward was a visionary. Sports editor of the Chicago Tribune during the 30s and 40s, Ward is the founder of several marquee sporting events. He created the MLB (Major League Baseball) All-Star Game, he launched the Chicago Charities College All-Star Game, a series that last 42 years where a team of college all-stars played a "serious" exhibition…

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Byng, Hart, Calder - NHL 58:11

11M ago58:11

58:11

The NHL has a catalog of trophies that can rival any of the professional sports leagues from around the world. The MVP Award is called the "Hart Memorial Trophy," the Rookie of the Year Award is called the "Calder Memorial Trophy,", the trophy awarded to the NHL's best defenseman os called the "James Norris Memorial," Trophy. There is even a trophy…

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The Untold Journey of George Allen: From Coach to Legend 1:10:19

1y ago1:10:19

1:10:19

George Allen is one of the NFL's legendary coaches. So, to call him a "forgotten hero" is not exactly accurate. Certainly, most avid football fans know about his colorful career as the head coach of the Washington Redskins, and some might even remember him as the head coach of the Los Angeles Rams. But few know the "behind-the-scenes" story of Geor…

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144: Brooklyn FOOTBALL Dodgers - NFL 48:51

1y ago48:51

48:51

In 1930 the NFL moved one of the original franchises from Dayton, Ohio to the borough of Brooklyn, New York and re-branded the "Triangles" to a very familiar name - Dodgers. Yes, that's right. From 1930 through the 1944 NFL season, the NFL placed a team in Brooklyn, Ebbets Field. Looking to capitalize on the same name as their baseball cousins, the…

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143: Bucky Lew - NBA 1:00:52

1y ago1:00:52

1:00:52

Before there was an NBA, before there was a BAA, professional basketball looked a lot different than it does today. Back in the early 1900s, professional basketball was largely made up of regional leagues spread out across the country. A particular hotbed for these regional leagues was the Northeast. One of the leagues, the NEBL (New England Basket…

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SFH 142: Mel Hein - NFL 1:07:10

1y ago1:07:10

1:07:10

The podcast delves into the remarkable career of Mel Hein, a legendary figure in NFL history known for his exceptional skills as both a center and a linebacker. Celebrated as one of the greatest centers of all time, Hein is the only offensive lineman to ever win the NFL MVP award, a testament to his extraordinary impact on the game. He played 15 ye…

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141: Chuck Foreman - NFL 58:11

1y ago58:11

58:11

Chuck Foreman was one of the NFL's most feared fullback's of the 1970s. In fact, he might have been the best fullback in the game during those years. Drafted in the 1973 first round by the Minnesota Vikings out of the University of Miami, Foreman was told by Vikings Head Coach Bud Grant that he would be the focal point of the Minnesota offense, but…

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140: Marion Motley -NFL 57:45

1+ y ago57:45

57:45

In 1946, a new professional football league launched - The All America Football Conference (AAFC) and the strongest team created was the Cleveland Browns. It was filled with superstars and an eventual legend at coach - Paul Brown. In the backfield was another budding superstar, Marion Motley. Standing at 6-foot-1 and weighing 232-pounds was, by tod…

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139: Fritz Pollard - NFL 1:05:47

1+ y ago1:05:47

1:05:47

Fritz Pollard is not a name most football fans are familiar with. Yet, his place in NFL History is about as iconic as any. Pollard is the first African-American to coach and NFL team. To be fair, he was a co-head coach. In 1920, with the Akron Pros of the American Professional Football Association, the APFA, later to re-brand itself as the NFL, Pol…

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138: NFL's 60-Minute Men - NFL 1:08:25

1+ y ago1:08:25

1:08:25

There was a time when NFL rosters were significantly smaller than they are today. Back in the 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s, even into the 60s, teams did not carry as many players as they do today. Of course, less players means more playing time - and not just on one side of the line of scrimmage. In fact, most players played on both sides of the line of sc…

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137: Ace Parker - NFL/MLB 57:18

1+ y ago57:18

57:18

Ace Parker was a terrific multi-sport star - especially football and baseball. Baseball, though, was his first love and he tried to make it as a Major League Baseball player with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1937 and 1938. However, as good as he was throughout his college career at Duke University and in the minor leagues, he just couldn't crack t…

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136: Bullet Joe Rogan - MLB 1:01:32

1+ y ago1:01:32

1:01:32

In 1920, the Negro National League started play and the historic Kansas City Monarchs took the field for the first time. Leading the way was a 5-foot-7 two-way ballplayer who was about to embark on a journey that didn't end until 1938 - Bullet Joe Rogan. What no one knew then was that Rogan was going to put up numbers that ultimately led him into t…

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SFH 135: Wahoo Sam Crawford - MLB 1:03:28

1+ y ago1:03:28

1:03:28

The name "Wahoo Sam Crawford" might not sound familiar to many Major League Baseball fans. But, it's probably quite familiar to fans of the Detroit Tigers. Wahoo Sam played for the Tigers back in the early 1900s. He was a phenomenally good hitter. In fact, if not for Ty Cobb, one could argue that Wahoo Sam might be the greatest to ever play for the…

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134: The Federal League - MLB 1:00:25

1+ y ago1:00:25

1:00:25

Back in the early 1900s, the National League was the only game in town. It was Major League Baseball, thus the name the "Senior Circuit". In 1901, Ban Johnson, and others, joined the game with the American League and it was granted Major League status in 1903. Both leagues operated as separate entities, but met every year in the World Series. In 19…

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133: Jake Daubert - MLB 1:04:13

1+ y ago1:04:13

1:04:13

Jake Daubert was a star for the Brooklyn Robins and Brooklyn Dodgers during the early 1900s and finished his career with the Cincinnati Reds. He played during baseball's deadball era and was about as good as anyone. His play at first base was second-to-none and, at the plate, you would be hard-pressed to find many who could handle the bat as well a…

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132: Jack Fleck - PGA 1:04:52

1+ y ago1:04:52

1:04:52

The 1955 U.S. Open Golf Championship was supposed to be the crowning achievement to one of the greatest careers in the history of sports. Golf enthusiasts and sports fans all thought the U.S. Open, staged at San Francisco's Olympic Club, was a virtual lock for Ben Hogan to win. In fact, Hogan almost proved everyone to be right. The Hawk calculated …

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131: Shoeless Joe - MLB 57:46

1+ y ago57:46

57:46

The name "Shoeless Joe Jackson" is one of the most famous in baseball history. A key figure to the dominant Chicago White Sox of the late 19-teens, Joe led the team to the World Series Championship in 1917 when he hit .304 in the 6-game series. However, we all know the story of what happened next. In 1919, the White Sox threw the Series against the…

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130: Jim Bottomley - MLB 59:50

1+ y ago59:50

59:50

Jim Bottomley played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1922 to 1933. During his 11 years with the Redbirds, Bottomley just might have been the best first baseman in the National League. If he wasn't you'd be hard-pressed to find another first baseman who was better. During that 11 year span, Bottomley hit .325, whacked 181 home runs and knocked in 1…

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129: Sid Gordon - MLB 1:19:58

1+ y ago1:19:58

1:19:58

Sid Gordon broke into the Majors in 1941 with the New York "baseball" Giants, bounced back-and-forth between the minors, served for two years during World War II and then made it back to the big league club in 1946; and proceeded to put together a terrific career. In fact, from 1948 through 1952 he established himself as one of the game's best by a…

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128: Otto Graham-NFL 58:29

1+ y ago58:29

58:29

He is the only quarterback - ever - to only play for 10 seasons and lead his team into the championship game every year of his career. He won the championship seven (7) times. And, yet, when the discussion about who is the greatest QB of all-time comes up, very few football fans mention the name Otto Graham. He played for the Cleveland Browns when …

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127: Pittsburgh Pipers - ABA 1:23:26

2y ago1:23:26

1:23:26

In 1967, a new basketball league was born, the ABA (American Basketball Association) with teams in 11 cities including Indianapolis, Oakland, New Orleans, Denver and Dallas. The ABA also put a team in Pittsburgh, the Pipers. After a slow start, the Pipers got it going and twice won as many as 14 games in a row. In fact, the Pipers finished the seas…

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126: Steve Wright - NFL 1:09:42

2y ago1:09:42

1:09:42

Steve Wright played 12 years in the NFL as an offensive lineman with the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore/Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders and a two detour into the USFL with Oakland Invaders. His story is quire remarkable considering how he wound up a starter despite being undrafted out of the University of Northern Iowa. But his determination and…

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125: Art Ross - NHL 1:30:03

2y ago1:30:03

1:30:03

Art Ross is a true hockey legend. Not only was he a superb player before and during the formative years of the NHL, but he was also an innovator. In fact, many of Ross's innovations are still evident in today's game, beginning with the puck. But, it was on the ice where Ross made a name for himself. A tough and rugged defenseman, Ross was one of th…

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124 - 1903 Franklin All Stars - NFL 1:11:00

2y ago1:11:00

1:11:00

There have been so many dominant teams in the history of professional football and, in particular, teams with dominant defenses. In recent times, the 2007 New England Patriots who went 16-0 before losing in the Super Bowl. This year (the 2023 season), the Baltimore Ravens defense has been somewhat dominant, and their teams of the early 2000s were a…

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123 Dallas Texans - NFL 1:06:37

2y ago1:06:37

1:06:37

In the 1940s and into the 1950s, the NFL had a troubled franchise. Originally known as the Boston Yanks, the team played in Boston (with a slight detour in 1945) from 1944 through 1948. They relocated to New York for the 1949 season and renamed themselves the New York Bulldogs. In 1950, they called themselves the Yanks and after the 1951 season, th…

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Thanksgiving and Football (or maybe Vice Versa) - Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer 27:23

3y ago27:23

27:23

Thanksgiving Day, 1924. The recently-established tradition of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers football team hosting the Pennsylvania State Nittany Lions on the afternoon of the national autumnal holiday continues. Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer is sent to cover the Pitt-Penn State “Keystone Classic” of 1924; in so doing, he discovers a throu…

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122 Dave Bancroft - MLB 1:18:56

3+ y ago1:18:56

1:18:56

The greatest players to have ever appeared in a Major League Baseball game are honored and immortalized in Cooperstown, New York at the Baseball Hall of Fame. Players like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Ty Cobb and Christy Mathewson. Ted William and Joe DiMaggio. Mickey Mantle and Stan Musial. Of course there's Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, Tom Seaver and mo…

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Hale America Nat'l Open - PGA 1:06:57

3+ y ago1:06:57

1:06:57

In 1941, the USGA cancelled the U.S. Open because of World War II. But the strange thing about the cancellation is the fact that the USGA still staged a tournament, the Hale America National Open. Now, while it was moved from Interlachen in Minnesota to the new Ridgemoor Country Club just outside of Chicago, there were very few differences between …

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Winnipegs - CFL/NFL 1:14:43

3+ y ago1:14:43

1:14:43

The CFL, Canadian Football League, launches its 2022 campaign on Thursday, June 9 when the Calgary Stampeders host the Montreal Alouettes. On Friday, June 10 the Winnipeg Blue Bombers start their journey to try and win a third-straight Grey Cup when they host the Ottawa Redblacks. Winnipeg has quite the history. They were the first western-based te…

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Sam Byrd - MLB/PGA 45:47

3+ y ago45:47

45:47

Sam Byrd had a bright future ahead of him in baseball. A solid hitter and an even better outfielder, he had one huge issue facing him. He played for the New York Yankees and there was guy named Babe Ruth ahead of him. So, Byrd took his seat on the bench and patiently waited for an opportunity. When he got a chance to play, he did well. But never en…

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Billy Jurges-MLB 1:11:22

3+ y ago1:11:22

1:11:22

In the movie, "The Natural", Roy Hobbs is a baseball prodigy. On his way to the minor leagues, he gets sidetracked and is shot by an obsessed fan. Years later, Hobbs surfaces and becomes a star for the fictional New York Knights. There is no definitive answer of whom the life of Roy Hobbs is based upon. However, speculation has always revolved arou…

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Lloyd Mangrum-PGA TOUR 1:05:32

3+ y ago1:05:32

1:05:32

36 times Lloyd Mangrum collected the winner's check on the PGA TOUR. He set the course record at The Masters. Won the U.S. Open in 1946 (almost won it again in 1950, but lost in the famous playoff to Ben Hogan). Twice he finished third in the PGA. Twice he finished second at The Masters. He was the TOUR's leading money winner in 1951 and won the Va…

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Effa Manley-MLB 1:23:20

3+ y ago1:23:20

1:23:20

There have been very few women to own a Major League Baseball franchise. The most notable, Marge Schott, owned the CIncinnati Reds from 1984 to 1999. Before her came Helene Hathaway Robison Britton who inherited the the St. Louis Cardinals. After Britton came Joan Payson, the first owner of the New York Mets and the first woman to own an MLB franch…

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Cleveland Barons-NHL 2:00:06

4y ago2:00:06

2:00:06

One of the most obscure teams in the history of the NHL is the Cleveland Barons. In existence for just two years, the Barons moved to Cleveland from Oakland where they were first known as the California Golden Seals and ultimately merged with the Minnesota North Stars who are now the Dallas Stars. After playing in front of few fans and experiencing…

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Leo Houck-Boxing 1:16:48

4y ago1:16:48

1:16:48

When he was just 14, Leo Houck decided to step into the ring and give boxing a try. He loved it! For the next 24-years he made it his life. And he was pretty darned good at it too. In fact, over the course of his career, Leo never suffered a knockout. But he sure dished out punishment. According to BoxRec, Leo fought 210 times finishing his career …

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Atlanta Thrashers-NHL 1:23:31

4y ago1:23:31

1:23:31

The NHL expanded to Atlanta for the 1972-73 season with the Flames. The team quickly became a perennial playoff team qualifying for the post-season in just its second season. In fact, in the eight years that the Flames called Atlanta home, they made the playoffs six times (although they never advanced past the first round). After the 1979-80 season…

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Paddy Driscoll - NFL 1:01:43

4y ago1:01:43

1:01:43

The 1920s featured several legendary names in the NFL. Guys like Red Grange, Curley Lambeau ,Jim Thorpe, George Halas and a host of others. But one name that if often overlooked is that of Paddy Driscoll. The first-ever All-Pro QB, Driscoll was one of the game's most dominant forces. Originally a member of the then "Chicago" Cardinals, Driscoll als…