253 - Microbets, 1980's Baseball Cards, and Fare Thee Well to Ozzy

This week on the show, baseball's microbets scandal, another Topps pack - this time from 1986 - and Ozzy's "farewell" concert.

See the two Luis Ortiz pitches in question here: Cody Williams, "These are the two pitches that got Luis Ortiz investigated for gambling by MLB," July 3, 2025, Fansided.com (accessed July 9, 2025). https://tinyurl.com/hooks253

Errata: Whitey Herzog was not the Royal's manager in 1983's Pine Tar Game. The team's manager was Dick Howser. Len Dykstra never played for the Red Sox. He was a Met, then a Phillie. Fernando Valenzuela pitched his only career no-hitter in his final season with the Dodgers. Dwight Evans played one season for Baltimore.

Not an errata, but Len Dykstra suffered a stroke in early 2025 - Hooks & Runs hopes his troubles are behind him and that his recovery is quick and complete.

Past Episodes Referenced
154 - Fernandomania Revisited w/ Erik Sherman
https://www.buzzsprout.com/875794/episodes/12920115
165 -Suds Series Stories w/ J. Daniel
https://www.buzzsprout.com/875794/episodes/13382724

You can support Hooks & Runs by purchasing books, including those featured in this episode (if any were), through our store at Bookshop.org. Here's the link.
https://bookshop.org/shop/hooksandruns

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Music: "Warrior of Light" by ikolics (via Premium Beat)    
This podcast and this episode are copyright Craig Estlinbaum, 2025.

Chapters

• 0:00 Introduction: The British Open.
• 3:42 Fun with microbetting: "Just a bit outside."
• 10:52 "It's not 1919 anymore."
• 14:41 "They can't just say, 'We're not going to pay you.'"
• 18:50 2019 is getting to be a long time ago.
• 24:40 "Either it's the worst baseball team in the world..."
• 27:20 1986 Topps: Phil Bradley, Len Dykstra, Ed Romero, Barry Bonnell, Frank DiPino
• 35:37 1986 Topps: Jim Wohlford, Fernando Valenzuela, Whitey Herzog, Dwight Evans, Pete Rose
• 41:47 George Brett, Roy Thomas, Mike Jones, Willie Randolph, Bill Madlock
• 49:24 Fare Thee Well, Ozzy