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.
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Episodes
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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.
Transcribe →Reading Baseball: A great book for St. Louis fans with the baseball blues
Oct 1700:04:59Tap to summarizeCharles Lindbergh shakes hands with Grover Cleveland Alexander, with player-manager Bob O'Farrell to Alexander's immediate right.(St. Louis Baseball Reader edited by Pete Peterson)The St. Louis Cardinals suffered through a rare losing season in 2025.But, in his latest edition of Reading Baseball, Pete Peterson has a great book for St. Louis baseball fans with the baseball blues.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: Robert Redford, baseball's natural
Oct 200:04:54Tap to summarize(<a href="https://unsplash.com/@mkbpix">Mike Bowman/Unsplash</a>)The late Robert Redford had a long and distinguished movie career featuring films such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, All the President's Men and The Sting.But, in his latest edition of Reading Baseball, Pete Peterson looks at another of Redford’s celebrated role as baseball player Roy Hobbs in The Natural.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: I almost missed the greatest play in NFL history
Sep 1900:04:50Tap to summarizePete Peterson(File)Increased streaming of NFL games is here, with major platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Peacock now showing exclusive games, making it easier for fans to access content on their terms but also more expensive and fragmented for some to watch every game.This caused WSIU contributor Pete Peterson to miss a playoff game last season involving his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers.In his latest commentary, Pete tells us about another time — more than 50 years ago — when he almost missed another Steeler playoff game due to a totally different NFL broadcasting policy.
Transcribe →Reading Baseball: Moon Shots
Sep 14, 2018Tap to summarizeFormer St. Louis Cardinal and Los Angeles Dodger player Wally Moon passed away earlier this year. The Arkansas native took advantage of the oddly configured Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to hit dozens of home runs.In this edition of Reading Baseball, Pete Peterson talks about how ballplayers at all levels are used to playing on uniquely shaped diamonds.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 editor of The St. Louis Baseball Reader.
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