Go Fact Yourself - Episode 167.75: #MaxFunDrive Update -- GFY Baseball Cards & Baseball Trivia

Date: March 21, 2025
Host(s): J. Keith van Straaten, Helen Zaltzman
Theme: MaxFunDrive incentives, exclusive GFY baseball cards, and the rabbit hole of researching baseball nicknames—specifically, the mysterious story of why Earl Pruis was called “Gibby.”

Overview

This special MaxFunDrive mini-episode features hosts J. Keith van Straaten and Helen Zaltzman sharing exciting membership incentives, including exclusive autographed baseball cards. The highlight: a captivating deep-dive into baseball trivia—unraveling (or trying to) the tale behind the curious nickname "Gibby" given to little-known baseball player Earl Pruis.

The episode exemplifies what Go Fact Yourself does best: celebrates quirky trivia rabbit holes, the joy of research, and the broader connections among podcast communities and die-hard fact-finders.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. MaxFunDrive Updates & Exclusive Rewards

• MaxFunDrive Introduction (00:05–01:15)
  • J. Keith and Helen explain how MaxFunDrive supports the show and announce new incentives.
  • Exclusive MaxFunDrive reward: the ability to prepay your membership for the entire year in exchange for a limited edition, double-autographed baseball card featuring J. Keith and Helen.

    "No need to wait in line at the podcast Baseball Card Expo."
    — Helen Zaltzman (01:48)

  • Listeners can still expect other rewards and even the chance to become a show guest by participating in the listener tournament (02:15–02:27).

2. Intro to the Baseball “Gibby” Mystery

• The Set Up: Listener Quiz & Kirk Gibson (02:46–05:46)
  • J. Keith explains how the podcast’s listener quizzes led him to a trivia rabbit hole—starting with a Kirk Gibson home run question, then noticing multiple baseball players nicknamed “Gibby.”
  • Only one person, Earl Pruis (not Gibson or Gibbons), had this nickname with no obvious explanation.
  • J. Keith emails baseball podcast host Ben Lindbergh (Effectively Wild), asking if he can solve the mystery:

    "Why was Earl Pruis nicknamed Gibby? ... I found an autograph where he put his nickname in quotes, but no explanation as to why."
    — J. Keith van Straaten (05:28)

3. Ben Lindbergh’s Research Adventure

• Rabbit Hole Begins (06:04–15:54)

  • Ben Lindbergh (Effectively Wild) recaps the mystery on his podcast, dives deep into Earl Pruis' background, scours archives, reaches out to experts, and even tracks down Pruis' descendants.

  • Earl Pruis: The Player

    • Born 1895, played only one major league game for the St. Louis Browns in 1920.
    • Notably, his one appearance included drawing a walk, stealing a base, and scoring a run; "a perfect 1,000 OBP."

    "He was essentially the moonlight Graham of the St. Louis Browns."
    — Ben Lindbergh (06:19)

  • Despite extensive research (contacting the Hall of Fame, MLB historian John Thorne, and others), no documentation of the nickname’s origin was found.

    "I have Earl Proust's Social Security number, but I do not know why he went by Gibby."
    — Ben Lindbergh (07:17)

  • Contacting the Family

    • Ben tracks down Earl’s granddaughter, Amy Pruis, who recalls being told about the nickname in her childhood but can’t pinpoint its origin.

      "I know I was given the answer to this when I was a child... I'll ask my cousins as well, because there was a specific reason for it and I just don't know it off the top of my head."
      — Amy Pruis (Voicemail, 10:17)

    • Amy suggests maybe it started with football, and shares memories and memorabilia about Earl's multi-sport career (11:00–13:15).

4. The Larger-Than-Life Earl "Gibby" Pruis

• A Multi-Sport Local Legend
  • Earl Pruis was not only a baseball player but also played football, was a professional boxer (with up to 70 fights), ran track, entered bicycle races, played hockey, golfed, and bowled.

    "[Jack Dempsey] wrote, 'Gibby Pruis – the greatest Chicago all-around athlete of all times.' That's what Dempsey called him."
    — Ben Lindbergh (12:27)

  • Despite his achievements and being revered as an athlete, the origin of "Gibby" is never explained in press clippings or family lore.
    • One article says, "All during his athletic career Pruis went by the nickname of Gibby," but offers nothing more (13:35).
  • Fascinating Anecdotes
    • Earl wrote an impassioned letter condemning gambling in baseball, showing a commitment to sports integrity:

      "Let's abolish this Evil... Consider the future of boys and young men who attend the games... You can help its progress by abolishing open gambling..."
      — Earl Pruis, 1920 (14:48)

5. Reflecting on the Journey & The Unsolved Mystery

• J. Keith’s Closing Remarks (15:54–End)
  • No further update on the origin of "Gibby"—the search continues.
  • The episode ends with an invitation: listeners who know more are encouraged to get in touch, and the hosts celebrate the community of fact-finders who love chasing down obscure answers.

    "This is an itch that needs a good scratch."
    — J. Keith van Straaten (15:59)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We are making a limited edition full color baseball card with a photo of Helen and me, and we're autographing it.”
  — J. Keith van Straaten (01:36)
• “I checked in with Ben this week asking if there's been any update and he said ‘afraid not.’”
  — J. Keith van Straaten (15:54)
• “How can you write that and not include just a few more words explaining where the nickname came from? Isn't that fascinating?”
  — Ben Lindbergh (13:37)
• “There was so much more to Earl ‘Gibby’ Pruis than that one big league game and someone who seems obscure now was an absolute legend in his time and place.”
  — Ben Lindbergh (14:30)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:05–02:15: MaxFunDrive introduction and exclusive autographed baseball card announcement
• 02:46–05:46: The “Gibby” trivia question and its origins in GFY's listener quiz
• 06:04–15:54: Ben Lindbergh’s deep dive into the “Gibby” nickname mystery
  • (06:19–07:17): Earl Pruis' MLB history and initial research
  • (10:17): Amy Pruis’ voicemail and family investigation
  • (12:27–13:35): The breadth of Earl’s athletic career and reverence among contemporaries
  • (14:48): The letter against gambling in baseball, penned by Earl
• 15:54–End: J. Keith and Ben's ongoing search; call to action for listener help

Conclusion

This “mini-episode” encapsulates the kinetic, inquisitive heart of Go Fact Yourself: chasing obscure trivia, finding connections between podcasts and people, and highlighting stories that might otherwise be lost. Listeners not only get exclusive perks for supporting the show—like signed baseball cards—but are also drawn into the ongoing mystery and joy of uncovering history, even when answers remain tantalizingly out of reach.