The Fancestor

John Marlatt joins the show to discuss his lifelong fandom for the Detroit Tigers. John shared his journey from childhood memories listening to Ernie Harwell on WJR radio with his grandmother to becoming a devoted fan of the 1984 World Series champions led by Alan Trammell and Kirk Gibson. They discussed watching Cecil Fielder's home run prowess and the historic 2006 AL pennant-winning season that...

Aaron Cameron interviewed podcaster Charles Star (No Homework podcast and City Saint/Country Saint podcast) talk about his lifelong Pittsburgh Pirates fandom, tracing its origins to the late 1970s and the "We Are Family" World Series team. They discussed the racial dynamics and media treatment of Pirates stars like Roberto Clemente, Willie Stargell, and Dave Parker, as well as the impact of the 19...

Baseball writer Joanna Cornish ("Hum and Chuck") joins the show to discuss Toronto Blue Jays fandom. Joanna explained how she became a fan as a child during the team's 1990s World Series championships and started her "Hum and Chuck" blog in 2007, named after baseball pitching terms. They discussed memorable Blue Jays moments including Joe Carter's famous World Series home run, Roberto Alomar's ico...

SABR member and card collector Jason Schwartz joins the show to discuss his lifelong Dodgers fandom. Jason shared his origin story, detailing how he became a fan through baseball cards and schoolyard culture in the late 1970s, with Steve Garvey as his first favorite player. He and Aaron discussed iconic Dodgers moments, including Fernando Valenzuela's rise and the 1988 World Series win, as well as...

Former comedian and forever Mariners fan Claire Jones joins the show to discuss Ms fandom. Claire, who began following the team in 2001 after their historic 116-win season, shared her journey as a Mariners fan through both the team's successful periods and their challenging decades of losing. She discussed how her father introduced her to the team, her admiration for broadcasters Dave Niehaus and...

Podcast producer (Scamfluencers), author, and journalist Sarah Enni joins the show to discuss Mariners baseball fandom and Seattle sports history. Sarah shared her lifelong connection to the Mariners despite living in different cities throughout her life, from being born in Tacoma to living in Texas, San Jose, DC, and now California. Sarah and Aaron discussed legendary broadcaster Dave Niehaus's i...

Christian Ruzich - a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan - joins the show to discuss his fandom. He and Aaron discussed memorable seasons including the 1984 team that made it to the NLCS before losing to the Padres, the 1989 surprise season, and the infamous 2003 playoff collapse involving the Steve Bartman incident. They explored the Cubs' struggles to find a consistent third baseman from 1982 to 2002, dis...

Dave Filipi -- Head of the Film Department at Ohio State University's Wexner Center for the Arts and lifelong Minnesota Twins fan joins the show to discuss his fandom. He discussed his early memories of listening to Twins games on radio following players like Rod Carew and Kirby Puckett, and the emotional highs of the 1987 World Series championship and the 1991 World Series victory over the Atlant...

Jason Tirotta joins the show to discuss his lifelong Yankees fandom. Jason explained how his father, a Brooklyn Dodgers fan, and godfather, a Mets fan, strategically decided he would become a Yankees fan when he was born. He and Aaron discussed the 1980s Yankees teams, with Jason highlighting his favorite players including Don Mattingly, whom he modeled his play after, and sharing a memorable stor...

Gabe Lerman joins the show to discuss his passion for Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Gabe, a Toronto-based fan, shared how he became interested in NPB after visiting Japan. He described his extensive travels across the country, visiting NPB teams by train, and his work with Pacific League TV doing play-by-play and dubbing. Gabe explained the unique traditions of Japanese baseball, including t...

Frank Schloegel - lifelong Royals fan and owner of Woodyard Bar-B-Que - joins the show to discuss Kansas City fandom. Frank shares how he was born into Royals fandom during the team's 1970s and 1980s dynasty, with vivid memories of watching the 1985 World Series and being captivated by players like Bo Jackson and George Brett. Frank and Aaron discuss the challenging periods in the 1990s when the t...

Dan Borus -- St. Louis Cardinals fan and retired former professor of history -- joins the show. He discusses Cardinals fandom from his start in the late 1950s through the Whitey Herzog-led teams of the late 1980s. Dan discusses attending games at both the original Sportsman's Park and the downtown Busch Stadium, and witnessing the team's World Series victories in 1964 and 1967. He discussed specif...

Lifelong Cleveland Guardians fan Rob Holub joins the show to discuss his fandom. Rob, shared his origins as a fan at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, with family outings and behind-the-fence parties becoming regular traditions. They discussed the team's struggles in the 1980s, the transformation with the opening of Jacobs Field in 1994, and the dominant 1995 season that finished with a World Series lo...

Laura Hemming, a 30-year season ticket holder for the Milwaukee Brewers, joins the show to talk about her long-standing fandom with the team. Laura began following the Brewers in 1982 during the "Harvey Wallbangers" era and has maintained her season ticket streak since 1996, despite the team's inconsistent performance throughout the decades. They discussed key moments in Brewers history including...

Lifelong Angels fan Dave Wilkins joins the show to discuss his decades-long journey rooting for the "other team" in Southern California.. He shares his memories of attending games since the 1960s, including the team's first division title in 1979, the heartbreak of losing the 1982 ALCS after taking a 2-0 lead, and the devastating 1986 ALCS loss to the Red Sox. Of course, the 2002 World Series vict...

Lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan Jay Tierney joins the show to discuss his fandom. Jay shares his early memories of following the Cardinals and the impact of players like Ozzie Smith and Mark McGwire on the franchise. Jay addresses the feud between Ozzie Smith and Tony La Russa, the legacy of Mark McGwire in St. Louis, and the current state of the Cardinals' rivalry with the Chicago Cubs. The conv...

Liz Thompson - owner and designer of Diamond Scorecard Designs - joins the show to discuss her passion for baseball scorekeeping. As part of her journey, Liz shares her lifelong connection to baseball, including her work for the Baltimore Orioles and MASN, and discusses how she created her own scorekeeping business. The history of scorekeeping is explored (including sources dating back to the 1890...

Russ the Reds Fan joins the show to discuss visiting all 30 Major League Baseball ballparks. Russ details his experiences in each stadium, the challenges he faced, and the strategies he used to plan his trips. Russ ranks the stadiums from best to worst and throughout the conversation, he shares his suggestions and recommendations to make your next cross-country MLB journey a guaranteed good time.

Writer and podcaster Sarah D. Bunting (Extra Hot Great, Television Without Pity, and Tomato Nation) joins the show to discuss her lifelong fandom for the New York Mets. Beginning in September 1985, Sarah shares more than 40 years of memories, including the 1986 World Series championship season and the challenging periods the team experienced in the 1990s and early 2000s. Other topics include the r...

This week's episode features Dr. Roberto Santiago, a long-time Oakland Athletics fan who has recently stopped following the team due to their relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas. Berto shared his origins as an A's fan, tracing back to childhood games with his father and later taking his own children to games. He discussed his experience with A's Access, the team's innovative season ticket program...

Eugene Freedman talks about his lifelong fandom of the Baltimore Orioles. Eugene shared his journey from being a New York Mets fan as a child to becoming an Orioles fan in the 1980s, including his experiences attending games at both Memorial Stadium and Camden Yards. This discussion includes Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken, the impact of the 1990s playoff teams, and the challenges the franchise faced...

Ruth Kapelus - writer, baseball fan and Canada's 8th favorite vegan - joins the show to talk about her journey as a Toronto Blue Jays fan. Ruth, who was born in South Africa and immigrated to Canada as a child, shared how she became a Jays fan during the team's successful 1980s era. They discussed the Blue Jays' back-to-back World Series championships in 1992 and 1993, with particular focus on man...

Chrystal O'Keefe, a prominent Chicago White Sox fan and writer for Southside Sox, shared her journey from being a lifelong Cubs fan to converting to the White Sox, primarily influenced by her husband and the team's 2005 World Series victory. She discussed the challenges she faced as a female baseball fan, including the lack of representation and the harassment she experienced while writing about d...

The premiere episode of the Fancestor podcast - hosted by Aaron Cameron - features Garret Heinrich, a long-time Athletics fan, discussing his journey with the A's and the team's recent relocation from Oakland to Las Vegas. Garrett shares his early memories attending games with his father at the Coliseum, his favorite players, and his perspective on the Bash Brothers era of the 1980s. The conversat...