Podcast
Reading Baseball
Hosted by WSIU Public Radio · EN
Reading Baseball is a WSIU Radio original series of baseball essays and commentaries by Richard "Pete" Peterson, editor of the St. Louis Baseball Reader and author of Growing Up With Clemente and the upcoming Pops: The Willie Stargell Story.
14episodes
Episodes
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Commentary: My most memorable NFL Draft
2w ago00:05:15Tap to summarizeA picture of a terrible towel taken from one of the Steelers' Super Bowl wins.(The Turnpike Rivalry: The Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns by Pete Peterson and Stephen Peterson)The National Football League Draft took place in Pittsburgh a few weeks ago.In his latest commentary, Pete Peterson tells us why this wasn’t his most memorable draft, despite it being in his hometown.
Transcribe →Reading Baseball: Last place Cardinals?
4w ago00:04:44Tap to summarizeJoe Garagiola, being treated for a spike wound, kept his sense of humor through the Pirates' dismal 1952 season.(Pirates Reader (Pete Peterson))So far in this young Major League Baseball season, the St. Louis Cardinals are performing much better than the prognosticators envisioned.Many, predicted St. Louis to finish in last place in the National League Central, but through the first six weeks of the season, the Cardinals are above .500 in a tightly packed division.In his latest edition of Reading Baseball, Pete Peterson isn’t quite sure what to do with the Cardinals being picked to finish in the basement, lower than his Pittsburgh Pirates.Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard “Pete” Peterson, co-author with his son Stephen, of The Slide: Leyland, Bonds and the Star-Crossed Pittsburgh Pirates and the editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.
Transcribe →Reading Baseball: Is baseball getting dumber and dumber?
Apr 2300:05:01Tap to summarizePete and his wife Anita at an adult softball league state tournament in Champaign. (Pete Peterson)Baseball is using an automated system that allows players and managers to challenge the home plate umpire’s call of balls and strikes.In this edition of Reading Baseball, Pete Peterson asks if taking a human element partly out of the game is making the sport dumber?Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard “Pete” Peterson, author of Growing Up With Clemente and editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.
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Reading Baseball: Taking Anita out to the ballgame
Apr 1000:04:53Tap to summarizePete Peterson, and his wife Anita, enjoying a hot dog at the Saluki baseball game on February 28, 2026. (Anne Peterson)Reading Baseball commentator Pete Peterson and his wife Anita have been attending Saluki baseball games for over 50 years.They were starting to wonder if they would ever make it back to Itchy Jones Stadium, until a recent visit from their daughter Anne.In his latest commentary, Pete tells us what it was like to take Anita out to the ballgame.Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard “Pete” Peterson, author of Growing Up With Clemente and editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.
Transcribe →Reading Baseball: The day Babe Ruth died
Mar 2600:05:03Tap to summarizeThe new Major League Baseball season is underway.In this edition of Reading Baseball, Pete Peterson tells us about a gift he received from a fan involving a special newspaper edition on the death of the legendary Babe Ruth.Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard “Pete” Peterson, author of Growing Up With Clemente and the editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.
Transcribe →Reading Baseball: Remembering Bill Mazeroski
Mar 1300:04:54Tap to summarizeThe death of Pittsburgh Pirates legend Bill Mazeroski was a blow to many baseball fans, especially Reading Baseball commentator Pete Peterson.In his latest commentary, Pete remembers the hero of the 1960 World Series and the relationships Maz formed during his time in Pittsburgh.Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard “Pete” Peterson, co-author with his son Stephen, of The Slide: Leyland, Bonds and the Star-Crossed Pittsburgh Pirates and the editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.
Transcribe →Reading Baseball: The most hated team in baseball
Feb 1300:04:58Tap to summarize(Wade Austin Ellis/Unsplash)The Los Angeles Dodgers have won the last two World Series championships.They continue to add more high-priced talent and outspend every other franchise in the sport.In this edition of Reading Baseball, Pete Peterson takes a look at some of the most hated teams in sports from his perspective.Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard “Pete” Peterson, author of Growing Up With Clemente and the editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.
Transcribe →Reading Baseball: Baseball's early Christmas present
Dec 1200:04:55Tap to summarize(Wade Austin Ellis/Unsplash)For more than 20 years, WSIU Reading Baseball commentator Pete Peterson has been offering us season’s greetings just before Christmas.This year, Pete tells us how baseball delivered an early Christmas present in the way teams played the game during the playoffs and World Series.Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard “Pete” Peterson, co-author with his son Stephen, of The Slide: Leyland, Bonds and the Star-Crossed Pittsburgh Pirates and the editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.
Transcribe →Commentary: The saddest Thanksgiving
Nov 2100:05:09Tap to summarizePresident John F. Kennedy is seen riding in his motorcade approximately one minute before he was shot in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963.(Jim Altgens/AP via NPR<br/>)The Thanksgiving holiday may always be marred for Americans of a certain age because of the late November assassination of President John F. Kennedy.In this special commentary, WSIU contributor Pete Peterson recounts what it was like for him to live through what he calls the saddest Thanksgiving.
Transcribe →Reading Baseball: The 100th anniversary of the 1925 World Series
Oct 3000:04:53Tap to summarize(WSIU)As the 2025 World Series ends this weekend, we look back at one of the craziest fall classics in history.In the latest edition of Reading Baseball, Pete Peterson remembers the 100th anniversary of the 1925 World Series, where the 7th and final game was played in a downpour, forcing officials to set the infield on fire with gasoline to dry it.Reading Baseball is a series of essays and commentaries by Richard “Pete” Peterson, author of Growing Up With Clemente and the editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.
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