The Baseball Bucket List Podcast

Jane Leavy is an award-winning sportswriter and acclaimed author of biographies on Sandy Koufax, Mickey Mantle, and Babe Ruth. Jane has just released her newest book, Make Me Commissioner: I Know What’s Wrong With Baseball and How to Fix It , where she lays out her vision for the future of the game. We talk about her baseball beginnings, including time spent at her grandmother’s apartment just a b...

Dylan Faraci is a lifelong Yankees fan from Connecticut whose love for the game started when his dad introduced him to baseball. We talk about Dylan’s experiences growing up as a Yankees fan in New England, his appreciation for minor league baseball across the region, and how working around the game in college helped him rediscover his passion after briefly stepping away in high school. Dylan also...

Kaleo Pahukula is a Dodgers fan from Maui whose love of the game began in childhood, when his father took him to University of Hawaii and Hawaii Islanders games. Kaleo shares how the Dodgers became his team, recalls an unforgettable encounter with Don Newcombe, and explains how his grandmother taking him to buy 15-cent baseball card packs sparked a lifelong passion for collecting. Today, he even c...

Meagan Hillengas is a Yankees fan originally from Albany, New York whose love of the game was sparked by watching baseball with her grandmother. That early passion has now turned into a full-blown baseball adventure, especially in the last two years.  Meagan joined the show just days before moving to Italy for her next military assignment. We talk about her career in the Air Force, how it’s shaped...

Alex Lowman is a Brewers fan from Columbus, Ohio whose baseball journey began when his parents signed him up for T-ball and would continue to a stint with a summer collegiate team. After losing touch with the game at the end of his career as a player, Alex eventually rediscovered his love of baseball after moving to Wisconsin, where Brewers games and the tailgating culture at American Family Field...

Neil Morrison is a lifelong Red Sox fan from Rhode Island whose love for the game stretches well beyond the big league club. Neil has a deep connection to the entire Red Sox farm system and a love for minor league teams and identities that first took root back in his YMCA T-Ball days. Neil shares how he fell in love with baseball, the joy he finds in following the Sox from the big leagues down thr...

Eric Weisfeld is a Yankees fan from Fishkill, New York. His love of baseball started when his father introduced him to the Yankees and took him to his first game at Shea Stadium. Eric shares stories from his years of Yankee fandom, the players and moments that left a lasting impression, and how he and his son are now chasing all 30 ballparks together.  Find Eric Online: Website: burgersbaseballmor...

Bruce Sarte is a lifelong baseball fan who was introduced to the game by his grandfather, a devoted Yankees fan. We learn about Bruce’s baseball journey, from backyard catch to Division I baseball, and even a stint as a non-roster invitee with the Montreal Expos. We chat about the life lessons Bruce learned both on and off the diamond, and his deep appreciation for baseball’s history. Bruce shares...

Eryn Kane is a Phillies fan living in Columbus, Ohio whose love for baseball started in her childhood thanks to a baseball loving dad and grandma. Eryn shares how baseball connects her family across generations, and how the sport has become woven into her daily routine. We chat about her favorite memories at the ballpark, why she believes everyone should visit a Clippers game in Columbus, and how...

Joe Sheeder is a Blue Jays fan living in Toronto whose baseball journey began on a Little League field in Erie, Pennsylvania. Joe shares how a memorable home run by Dave Parker at Three Rivers Stadium sparked his lifelong passion for the game.  We talk about his love for minor league ballparks, collecting autographs, and the simple joys of road tripping for baseball, whether it’s celebrating a bir...

Paul Nickerson is a Marlins and Red Sox fan from Massachusetts whose love for the game was cemented during the Sox’s unforgettable 2004 World Series run. Paul shares memories from his earliest days playing Little League, how one of his first ballcaps still influences his fandom, and why he’s passionate about supporting minor league and collegiate summer baseball, especially the Cape Cod League. We...

Gregory Koch is a writer for Stadium Journey and Yankee fan based in Northern Virginia who’s been to 130 different ballparks. Gregory shares how his baseball journey began with a trip to Yankee Stadium as a kid, and how it’s evolved into a deep love for smaller leagues and historic community ballparks. We talk about his visits to every ballpark in the Valley Baseball League and the Cal Ripken Seni...

In this special episode of the Baseball Bucket List Podcast, come along on an unforgettable baseball adventure through the Pacific Northwest and up to Fairbanks, Alaska, for the iconic Midnight Sun Game. This trip was part of the Extra Innings Travel and Baseball Bucket List biennial tour, with stops in Seattle and a grand finale in Fairbanks for one of the sport’s most unique traditions, a 10 PM...

Thomas Camilo is a Braves fan and music teacher based in Dallas. He shares how his love for the game started as a kid in North Carolina, watching the Kinston Indians with his grandfather and uncle, and how his grandmother helped turn him into a diehard Braves fan. We chat about his approach to ballpark travel, including a last-minute solo trip to see the Oakland Coliseum before the A’s left, and a...

Paul Caputo is the host of Baseball By Design and proud member of the Curved Brim Media family. In this episode, which was recorded last fall shortly after his return from Japan, Paul shares stories from his first in-person experience with Nippon Professional Baseball. From electric ballpark atmosphere with nonstop cheering sections to beer vendors and unique ballpark food, Paul gives us an inside...

Scott Melesky is a lifelong Red Sox fan and seasoned sports journalist who has worked in and around baseball for more than three decades. Scott shares how a game between the Mets and Phillies lit the spark for his love of baseball as a kid, and how a middle-school moment of compassion for Bill Buckner turned him into a Red Sox fan for life. We also chat about his experiences seeing the Sox play ne...

Tony Gillen is a lifelong Twins fan who shares how a childhood trip to the Metrodome and the magic of Kirby Puckett cemented his love for the game. That childhood  passion has evolved into a mission to visit all 30 Major League ballparks. We chat about the how Tony got started chasing ballparks, why he’s such a big fan of baseball-centered communities, and  what it’s like to explore cities through...

Sean Huie is a lifelong baseball fan who grew up in Michigan and now proudly roots for the New York Mets. Sean shares how his love for the game began with collecting baseball cards as a kid and watching a VHS tape of the 1984 World Series.  We talk about how he fell in love with minor league baseball, his most recent baseball trip, and why some of his favorite moments at the ballpark have nothing...

Kenton Elmore is a Cardinals fan from Champaign, IL. Despite being a self-described casual fan, last year Kenton accomplished something most diehards only dream of—visiting all 30 Major League ballparks in one season. Kenton shares how a single idea sparked a months-long adventure across the country, complete with 30 ballpark visits, remote work, and a few surprise lessons along the way. We talk a...

James Patry is a lifelong Red Sox fan from New Hampshire who is closing in on his goal of visiting all 30 Major League ballparks. James shares how his love of the game was born in the backyard where his older brother Oscar patiently pitched tennis balls to him night after night, and how baseball has remained a constant thread in his life ever since. We hear stories of traveling with his late fathe...

Bill Boyle is a lifelong Mets fan from Harvey’s Lake, Pennsylvania. He grew up surrounded by baseball—playing wiffle ball in the yard with his brothers, being coached by his father, and learning to love the game while watching Mets games with his grandmother. Bill shares how those early experiences shaped not only his playing career through high school and college, but also his approach to coachin...

Tony Ebers is a lifelong Cardinals fan from just outside of St. Louis. He shares how his love for the game was passed down through generations, starting with radio broadcasts alongside his dad and grandfather, and how seeing Ozzie Smith turn a double play in person cemented his passion for baseball forever. We chat about the evolution of Busch Stadium, the unique hospitality of Cardinals fans, and...

Alex Haenke is a lifelong Detroit Tigers fan who recently wrapped up a 17-year journey visiting all 30 Major League ballparks with his family. What started as a fun idea between Alex and his dad turned into a tradition that shaped his love of baseball, travel, and culture. Alex shares how his ballpark chase changed as he grew up, how even his non-baseball-loving younger brother eventually got into...

John Foster is a lifelong Cincinnati Reds fan from Long Island, New York. Despite growing up deep in Mets and Yankees territory, John’s fandom was born from the Big Red Machine and a legendary on-field brawl during the 1973 NLCS. Since then, he’s stayed loyal to the Reds—no matter how long the rebuild. John shares how his job as a flight attendant has helped him chase ballparks across the country,...

In this episode of Extra Innings on the Baseball Bucket List Podcast, we reconnect with Gabe Lerman, a Blue Jays fan and Japanese baseball aficionado from Toronto. Gabe recently authored The JapanBall Travel Guide to Japanese Baseball , a comprehensive resource for planning your own baseball adventures in Japan. We dive into his motivation for creating the guide, his 2019 trip that sparked the ide...