Pablo Torre Finds Out

Episode: "It's Time to Remember One of the Worst Athletes Ever"

Date: November 19, 2024
Host: Pablo Torre
Guest: Nate DiMeo (Host, The Memory Palace)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Pablo Torre is joined by Nate DiMeo, the Emmy-nominated creator of The Memory Palace, celebrated for its narrative storytelling and unique engagement with history. The conversation centers on the storytelling process, the nature of memory and history, and a deep dive into arguably the least athletic Major League Baseball player in history: Charlie "Victory" Faust. The episode weaves between storytelling philosophies and the unlikely, poignant story of Faust, ultimately reflecting on what and who we choose to remember.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Art & Intentionality of Storytelling

• Algorithm vs. Authenticity:

  • Both Pablo and Nate bemoan modern pressures to optimize for attention and algorithms, emphasizing their intentional, often "anti-algorithmic" approach.
  • Quote:
    • "We're trying to make a show here on Pablo Torre Finds Out that I'm so delighted that you enjoy. And you said one of the kindest things a person can say to me, which is, I listened to one of your episodes twice." — Pablo Torre [03:25]
  • Nate intentionally omits clickable keywords in The Memory Palace episode descriptions to preserve serendipity.

• Imagination as a Narrative Tool:

  • Nate explains how memory and history always involve a fictional, imaginative act:
    • "The past is inherently fictional... it creates this kind of like fictional space, you know, where you're picturing your buddy hitting on this girl... you can conjure this thing. And I am fascinated by the way memory works." — Nate DiMeo [03:56]

• Raising Questions, Not Just Giving Answers:

  • Each story should spark curiosity, not just satiate it.
  • "Every single line ought to be either raising or answering a question because that journey, it turns every story into a mystery." — Nate DiMeo [08:18]

2. Remembering Some Guys: The Joy and Purpose of Nostalgia

• Anti-Algorithmic Nostalgia:
  • Recalling forgotten players and stories (the "remember some guys" bit) as an act that resists quick Google searches and instead prizes communal, spontaneous memory.
  • Quote:
    • "The name that I want to remember...is a guy I can only remember now because I listened to your episode about him. And his name is Charlie Faust." — Pablo Torre [12:45]

3. The Charlie "Victory" Faust Saga

[Starts ~12:45, Story Deep Dive from 13:16]

• Faust's Background:

  • German immigrant roots; a young man who never fit into the classic ideal of a farm-strong son. Labeled as "simple" or "moron" by his era, implied neurodiversity. [13:38]

• Arrival & Prophecy:

  • Faust travels alone to St. Louis in 1911, seeks out Giants manager John McGraw, relays a fortune teller's prophecy: "I am going to pitch the New York Giants to the World Series."
  • McGraw, a harsh but superstitious manager, indulges Faust. [15:19–16:54]
  • Memorable Moment: Faust's "tryout" is a comic spectacle, yet he's allowed to join the bench as a good-luck charm, wearing a comically small uniform. [17:24–18:58]

• The Giants' Winning Streak:

  • With Faust in the dugout, the Giants go on a dramatic winning run. When they travel without him, they lose four straight—belief in his "magic" grows. [19:17–21:44]
  • Faust follows the Giants to New York against all odds, rejoining them at the Polo Grounds. [21:03–21:45]

• Playtime on a Major League Field:

  • As the season closes, Faust is finally allowed to pitch in a real MLB game—becoming arguably the least qualified athlete to do so. His stat line: two innings, 4.50 ERA. [22:23–22:58]
  • Quote:
    • "I truly think he is probably the least qualified baseball player to ever suit up and participate in a major league baseball game." — Nate DiMeo [16:16]

• The Bit Turns Bittersweet:

  • The Giants lose the World Series; the joke turns sour, and Faust is left behind as the team moves on. [23:10–24:41]
  • He spends his final years searching for the Giants, ultimately dying alone in an institution. On his hospital intake form, he lists his profession as "baseball player." [25:28]
  • Quote:
    • "For record keeping, [Charlie Faust] writes down what sort of work did you do. And he writes baseball player, which is entirely true." — Nate DiMeo [25:28]

4. Meaning, Memory, and Narrative Voice

• The Power of Crafting an Ending:

  • Good storytelling, for both men, involves structuring the narrative to leave lasting emotional resonance—a "kicker" or “tiny little note” that stays with the reader/listener.
  • Quote:
    • "You want the last line of something to be a bell that is ringing in someone's head." — Pablo Torre [34:05]

• Mortality and Ephemera:

  • All stories, even the greatest, will one day fade—but planting a meaningful idea in one person's mind justifies the effort.
  • "It is only the Shakespeares and the. In the McCartneys and the Lennons that will, you know, persevere and for who knows how long." — Nate DiMeo [37:19]

5. Bonus Memory Palace: The Vanishing Passenger Pigeon

[Narrative Segment at 28:40]

• Nature's Memory:
  • Nate shares a Memory Palace segment on the extinction of the once-ubiquitous passenger pigeon—an example of radical change and how easily the miraculous is lost.
  • Quote:
    • "There were 5 billion passenger pigeons in North America at the beginning of the 1800s... But all of this made them incredibly easy to hunt... By 1900, the flocks were gone... The last known passenger pigeon died in the Cincinnati zoological Park in 1914." — Nate DiMeo as Memory Palace Narrator [28:40–31:31]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• "The past is inherently fictional... the way that we can access that is an act of imagination." — Nate DiMeo [03:56]
• "Every single line ought to be either raising or answering a question because that journey, it turns every story into a mystery." — Nate DiMeo [08:18]
• "I truly think he is probably the least qualified baseball player to ever suit up and participate in a major league baseball game." — Nate DiMeo [16:16]
• "For record keeping, [Charlie Faust] writes down what sort of work did you do. And he writes baseball player, which is entirely true." — Nate DiMeo [25:28]
• "You want the last line of something to be a bell that is ringing in someone's head." — Pablo Torre [34:05]
• "We are trying to make stuff that lasts. Even while it's ephemeral, even while we know we are the raccoon dipping cotton candy into water, then wondering, where did our beautiful treat just go?" — Pablo Torre [37:09]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:01–07:04: Philosophy of anti-algorithmic storytelling; background on The Memory Palace's approach
• 12:45–26:08: Deep-dive: The Charlie "Victory" Faust narrative
• 28:40–31:31: Memory Palace segment—The extinction of the passenger pigeon
• 34:05–36:17: Discussion on narrative endings, why crafting a moving conclusion matters
• 36:56–38:16: Reflection on the quest for stories to endure and leave a mark

Episode Tone & Style

The episode balances playful banter, literary reflection, and poignant storytelling, seamlessly moving between philosophical talk and historical deep-dives. Both Torre and DiMeo maintain a tone of humility, curiosity, and wonder—inviting listeners into the mystery and beauty of memory, both personal and historical.

Bottom Line

This episode is both a tribute to one of baseball’s oddest, most bittersweet stories—Charlie “Victory” Faust—and a meditation on the act (and purpose) of storytelling itself. Torre and DiMeo champion remembering “some guys,” crafting narratives that linger, and cherishing the fleeting, surprising wonders of both history and everyday life. It’s a must-listen for fans of narrative podcasts and sports history alike.