Lost Ballparks
Lost Ballparks with Mike Koser is a podcast that transports you back to the golden age of baseball—through the voices of those who lived it. Hear firsthand stories from players, broadcasters, batboys, clubhouse managers, groundskeepers, umpires, and fans who vividly recall what it was like to spend a summer afternoon at Ebbets Field, the Polo Grounds, Forbes Field, Yankee Stadium, Comiskey Park, Crosley Field, and many more beloved ballparks now lost to time.
Lost Ballparks
Remembering Pete Rose (1941-2024)
Pete Rose has passed away at the age of 83. Just a few weeks ago, he left me a message that I'd like to share with you. Rest in peace, Pete.
Hi, I'm Mike Koser from the Lost Ballparks Podcast, and it is with a heavy heart tonight that I come to you to announce that uh the all-time hit king, Pete Rose, has passed away at the age of 83. Uh Pete and I had been exchanging messages for the last year or so. I had wanted so badly to have him come on the podcast. And um I recently had sent him a message asking questions about where was the first major league baseball game that you ever attended as a kid? What do you remember about that day? What do you remember about playing at Crosley Field? All kinds of stuff like that. And then Pete uh left me a message, an audio message. And I took that audio message with him answering those questions, and I added some uh audio from the archives. And uh I want to play that for you now. Rest in peace, Pete Rose.
Pete Rose:
Hey Mike, this is Pete Rose. Let me take you back to my first MLB game as a kid. It was at Crosley Field in Cincinnati.
Announcer:
It's a beautiful night for baseball here in Cincinnati. The temperature today, right around 80 degrees. Still a small amount of twilight in the sky. And it's baseball here at Crosley Field.
Pete Rose:
And I remember it being in awe of the crowd and the energy in the stadium, which was Crosley Field. One of my favorite memories is when I got to meet my hero, Stan the Man Musial, number six at Crosley Field.
Announcer:
Here's Musial! A base hit would give the Cardinals the lead.
Pete Rose:
And of course, I never forgot hit number 4192.
Marty Brennaman:
He levels the bat a couple of times. Shaw kicks and he fires. Rose swings. (Joe Nuxhall) "There it is! There it is!" Hit number 4192. And it is pandemonium here at Riverfront Stadium. The applause continues unabated.
Pete Rose:
I never forget forgot hit number 3631, which broke Stan's record when I was with the Phillies. The roar of the crowd, my teammates surrounding me was unforgettable.
Announcer:
In Philadelphia, we're celebrating the fireworks, the rousing, standing, rousing ovation from a crowd of close to 60,000 people. His career began in 1963 at age 40, 3,631. To pass Musial. next up. Aaron.
Pete Rose:
Wishing you all the best. Take care, my friend. Have a great day.
