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355: Baseball's "Uncommon" Danny O'Connell - With Steve Wiegand
Manage episode 432559716 series 1405087
Wiegand's story is a rich exploration of a player often overlooked in history due to his status as a "common" card in the world of sports memorabilia. However, the book delves far deeper than his on-field statistics, offering a comprehensive look at his life and contributions.
O'Connell's story spans from his upbringing in Paterson, NJ, through his professional baseball career during the sport's "Golden Era" - including notable stops with forgotten franchises like the Milwaukee version of the Braves, the New York Giants (including the franchise's move to San Francisco in 1958), the first two seasons of the second version of the Washington Senators (now today's Texas Rangers), and even a 1963 managerial stint with the long-forgotten minor league York (PA) White Roses - to his varied endeavors beyond the field, including singing, shuffleboard, and public speaking. Wiegand paints a vivid picture of O'Connell's life, contextualizing it within the broader landscape of post-war America and the evolution of baseball card collecting.
The narrative challenges the notion of what it means to be "average" - highlighting O'Connell's "ordinary" baseball achievements and the human spirit embodied in his journey. It critiques the reduction of lives to mere statistics or collectible items and celebrates the overlooked heroes of baseball, urging readers to reevaluate what makes a life truly extraordinary.
+ + + SUPPORT THE SHOW:- "Good Seats" Show & Defunct Team Merch: http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY
- Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable
- Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2
- Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats
- The Uncommon Life of Danny O'Connell: A Tale of Baseball Cards, "Average Players," and the True Value of America's Game (2024): https://amzn.to/3WNrtIO
- Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/
- X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill
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- Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable
394 episodes
Manage episode 432559716 series 1405087
Wiegand's story is a rich exploration of a player often overlooked in history due to his status as a "common" card in the world of sports memorabilia. However, the book delves far deeper than his on-field statistics, offering a comprehensive look at his life and contributions.
O'Connell's story spans from his upbringing in Paterson, NJ, through his professional baseball career during the sport's "Golden Era" - including notable stops with forgotten franchises like the Milwaukee version of the Braves, the New York Giants (including the franchise's move to San Francisco in 1958), the first two seasons of the second version of the Washington Senators (now today's Texas Rangers), and even a 1963 managerial stint with the long-forgotten minor league York (PA) White Roses - to his varied endeavors beyond the field, including singing, shuffleboard, and public speaking. Wiegand paints a vivid picture of O'Connell's life, contextualizing it within the broader landscape of post-war America and the evolution of baseball card collecting.
The narrative challenges the notion of what it means to be "average" - highlighting O'Connell's "ordinary" baseball achievements and the human spirit embodied in his journey. It critiques the reduction of lives to mere statistics or collectible items and celebrates the overlooked heroes of baseball, urging readers to reevaluate what makes a life truly extraordinary.
+ + + SUPPORT THE SHOW:- "Good Seats" Show & Defunct Team Merch: http://tee.pub/lic/RdiDZzQeHSY
- Buy Us a Coffee: https://ko-fi.com/goodseatsstillavailable
- Royal Retros (promo code: SEATS): https://www.503-sports.com?aff=2
- Old School Shirts.com (promo code: GOODSEATS) https://oldschoolshirts.com/goodseats
- The Uncommon Life of Danny O'Connell: A Tale of Baseball Cards, "Average Players," and the True Value of America's Game (2024): https://amzn.to/3WNrtIO
- Website: https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/
- X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/GoodSeatsStill
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodseatsstillavailable/
- Threads: https://www.threads.net/@goodseatsstillavailable
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodSeatsStillAvailable/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@goodseatsstillavailable
394 episodes
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