Fungos & Fastballs: Baseball History & Trivia

Join us on this podcast exploring baseball's history and lore, plus enjoy some fastball trivia all in under 30 minutes. Topics will be all over the place - players, traditions, baseball lingo, stadiums, baseball movies/books. Like you, we just want to talk baseball!

Fungos & Fastballs: Baseball History & Trivia is a sports podcast hosted by Jerry Dynes, with 40 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Jerry Dynes hosts Fungos & Fastballs: Baseball History & Trivia, a sports show with 40 episodes published.

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  Episode #39

  E39: The Curse of the Billy Goat, MLB’s Famous Curses & Maddux Explained

  Aug 17, 202623 minS1

  Send us Fan Mail A shutout in under 100 pitches feels like a glitch in modern baseball. We start by unpacking the “Maddox,” a rare pitching feat named for Greg Maddux that combines dominance with ruthless efficiency, and we talk through why the stat matters, how it’s tracked, and what a recent gem from Brewers flamethrower Jacob Miszrowski tells us about command, pace, and the thin line between power and precision. Then we step into the part of baseball that refuses to be measured: superstition. From Wade Boggs-style routines to Justin Verlander’s repeatable pregame habits and the fan tradition of rally caps, we explore why players and crowds cling to rituals when the sport gets weird. That sets the table for the episode’s main course: the curse stories fans use to explain decades of pain. We revisit the Curse of the Billy Goat in Chicago, including the competing versions of what happened in 1945 and the infamous moments that kept the legend alive until the Cubs finally broke through in 2016. We also dig into the Curse of the Bambino and the way the Babe Ruth sale became a catch-all explanation for an 86-year drought, plus quick hits on other long-haul heartbreak myths, including the Black Sox shadow, Cleveland’s Rocky Colavito trade, and Japan’s wonderfully strange Curse of the Colonel involving a life-size Colonel Sanders statue and the Hanshin Tigers. Stick around for the MLB trivia payoff on the first designated hitter, then tell us what you think: are curses just stories, or do they shape how we watch the game? Subscribe, share with a baseball friend, and leave a review so more fans can find Fungos and Fastballs. Email us at fungosandfastballs@gmail.com

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  Episode #38

  E38: Billy Beane, Moneyball Review (Film and Book) & A Brief History of Stats in Baseball

  Aug 10, 202634 minS1

  Send us Fan Mail A 20-game winning streak feels untouchable until you ask one question: what’s the longest winning streak in Major League Baseball history, and what does it say about how teams actually win? We use Billy Beane and Moneyball as our launchpad, starting with a straight-up review of the 2011 film and why it works even if you aren’t a “stats person.” Then we compare it to Michael Lewis’s book, including what the movie changes, what it leaves out, and how real-life figures like Paul DePodesta get reshaped for the screen. From there, we zoom out to the bigger story: the rise of baseball analytics and sabermetrics. We talk about how small market teams like the Oakland Athletics look for undervalued players, how the MLB draft and farm system quietly drive everything, and why making smart trades is as much about leverage and timing as it is about scouting. We also trace the roots of stats in baseball, from early box scores to the influence of Bill James and the long road from outsider ideas to front-office orthodoxy. We keep the math light and the meaning heavy: why “he gets on base” becomes a philosophy, why a walk is powerful because it avoids an out, and how a run expectancy matrix can challenge old instincts like the sacrifice bunt. We also get honest about the fan experience, including how on-screen probabilities and gambling-driven graphics can add context while pulling you out of the moment. Subscribe, share this with a baseball friend, and leave a review, then tell us: has analytics made baseball better to watch or just easier to manage? Email us at fungosandfastballs@gmail.com

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  Episode #37

  E37: Hall of Fame Closer Billy Wagner & Famed Dodgers Fan Hilda Chester

  Aug 3, 202626 minS1

  Send us Fan Mail A frying pan in the bleachers, a cowbell that becomes baseball folklore, and a closer who lives and dies by three outs. We tell the story of Hilda Chester, the legendary Brooklyn Dodgers fan known as Howling Hilda and the Queen of the Bleachers, whose voice and presence at Ebbets Field became so big that players, managers, and even the Hall of Fame couldn’t ignore her. If you love baseball history, vintage Dodgers stories, and the weird little details that make the sport feel alive, this one hits deep. Then we shift from the stands to the mound for Hall of Fame relief pitcher Billy Wagner, a fireballing lefty closer whose career helps explain how modern bullpen dominance took over Major League Baseball. We talk through Wagner’s hard upbringing, the childhood arm injury that pushed him to throw left-handed, and the chip-on-the-shoulder drive that turned an undersized pitcher into a strikeout machine. We also dig into the closer mindset: anxiety, negativity, pressure without a pitch clock, and how even the greats quietly wrestle with the same doubts. We spotlight signature moments like Wagner closing out a combined no-hitter against the Yankees, the history behind relievers being called “firemen,” and why reliever awards evolved from brand-sponsored trophies to MLB’s named honors. And yes, we bring the trivia: who was the first relief pitcher inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame? Subscribe for more baseball trivia and storytelling, share this with a friend who lives for the ninth inning, and leave a review. Email us at fungosandfastballs@gmail.com

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  Episode #36

  E36: Hall of Fame Catcher Roy Campanella, 2026 MLB Update & Women’s Pro Baseball Is Back!

  Jul 28, 202632 minS1

  Send us Fan Mail (this is an edited version) The trade deadline is coming, the standings are shifting fast, and baseball history is giving us a brand-new reason to pay attention. We start with a rapid-fire MLB update around the horn with our returning baseball guru Edwin Noland, tracking the teams surging at the right time and the ones starting to wobble. From the AL East chaos to a tight AL West race, we talk streaks, contenders, and the kinds of moves that can flip a season in a week. Then we turn to a milestone that deserves more spotlight: professional women’s baseball is back. We connect the dots from the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League to the new Women’s Pro Baseball League debut, including how the season works, what’s different on the field, and what it means in a country where women’s baseball programs are still rare. If you’ve been searching for WPBL info, women’s baseball history, or how to follow women’s pro baseball, we lay out the essentials and the bigger stakes. The second half goes deep on Roy Campanella, a Brooklyn Dodgers legend and one of the greatest catchers ever. We cover his rise through the Negro Leagues and international leagues, the slow grind of MLB integration, and how he packed three MVP awards into just 10 major-league seasons. We also talk about the catcher’s mental and physical workload, why Campanella’s defense and leadership stand out, and how his tragic 1958 accident reshaped the rest of his life without erasing his impact. Stick around for our catcher-themed trivia payoff on the record for most no-hitters caught, then tell us where you land on the debate. Subscribe, share the episode with a baseball friend, and leave a review so more fans can find the show. Email us at fungosandfastballs@gmail.com

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  Episode #35

  E35: 2026 Hall of Fame Inductees & Jerry’s Five Baseball Pet Peeves

  Jul 23, 202632 minS1

  Send us Fan Mail Cooperstown is about to get loud, crowded, and emotional and we couldn’t wait until Monday to talk about it. With Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Sunday here, we take a bonus lap through baseball history, starting with a trivia question every fan should have in their back pocket: who made up the original Hall of Fame class in 1936? Then we dig into the 2026 inductees and why each one sparks real Hall of Fame debate. Jeff Kent finally gets his call through the Eras Committee after falling short on the BBWAA writers ballot, and we unpack how you can be the all-time home run king at second base and still wait years for Cooperstown. Andruw Jones earns his spot as one of the greatest defensive center fielders ever, which lets us talk about how defense, WAR, Gold Gloves, and late-career drop-offs shape a player’s legacy. Carlos Beltran rounds out the class as a true five-tool star, but his résumé also forces the uncomfortable conversation about the 2017 Astros sign-stealing scandal and how voters weigh greatness against controversy. To keep it fun, we also count down Jerry’s five baseball pet peeves, from calling RBIs “ribbons,” to metal bats, to shaky umpire cams, to the ghost runner in extra innings, to the rising trend of mic’d up players during live action. If you’ve ever yelled at your TV during a broadcast, you’ll have opinions here. Listen now, then subscribe, share the show with a baseball friend, and leave a review. What’s your biggest baseball pet peeve? Email us at fungosandfastballs@gmail.com

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