On The Ball with Andrew Maraniss
"On The Ball with Andrew Maraniss" is a captivating podcast that explores the intersection of sports, culture, and politics through thought-provoking conversations. Hosted by Andrew Maraniss, bestselling author and director of the Vanderbilt Sports & Society Initiative, the podcast features a diverse lineup of guests—including athletes, authors, activists, and thought leaders—who bring unique perspectives on topics ranging from sports history and social justice to personal resilience and current events. Whether you're a sports fan, history buff, or curious thinker, "On The Ball" is your ticket to meaningful dialogue and inspiring storytelling.
Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Episodes
85 episodes
Episode 87: Adam Henig
Author Adam Henig joins the show to discuss his new book, ‘Baseball’s Outcast: The Story of Ron LeFlore.’” When twenty-three-year-old Ron LeFlore played his first organized baseball game, it was in a yard at the State Prison of Southern Michiga...
•
45:24
Episode 86: Keith O'Brien
Bestselling author Keith O’Brien joins the show to discuss his new book, “Heartland: A Forgotten Place, An Impossible Dream, and the Miracle of Larry Bird.” The book focuses on the period between 1973-79 when Bird leaves tiny French Lick, India...
•
39:29
Episode 85: Pavel Brunssen
Dr. Pavel Brunssen, a research associate and lecturer at Heidelberg University in Germany, joins the show to discuss his book, “The Making of ‘Jew Clubs’: Performing Jewishness and Antisemitism in European Soccer and Fan Cultures.” Why do non-J...
•
55:54
Episode 84: Emma May-Bradley and Erin Ryder
Emma May-Bradley and Erin Ryder are experienced sports media and marketing professionals who co-founded Playmakers Nashville, a non-profit supporting women working in, or aspiring to work in, sports. Emma and Erin joined the show to talk about ...
•
35:25
Episode 83: The State of Sportswashing
In Panel 3 of our third annual Sports & Activism online symposium, Kevin Blackistone of the University of Maryland leads a discussion on the state of sportswashing with three experts on the topic: Jules Boykoff (Pacific University), Minky W...
•
51:36
Episode 82: The Economics of College Sports: Race, Gender, and NIL
In Panel 2 of our third annual Sports & Activism online symposium, Carl Suddler of Emory University leads a discussion with Lou Moore (Michigan State), Ajah Hawley-Alexander (Iona), and Tracie Canada (Duke), on the economics of college spor...
•
53:10
Episode 81: Dr. Harry Edwards in Conversation with ESPN's Michael Fletcher
In Panel 1 of our third annual Sports & Activism online symposium, Michael Fletcher of ESPN interviews legendary sports sociologist Dr. Harry Edwards about founding the field of study, the 1968 Olympic protest, and the state of sports activ...
•
58:23
Episode 79: Michael Butterworth
Michael Butterworth, Director of the Center for Sports Communication & Media at The University of Texas, discusses the Center’s fifth annual Politics in Sports Media report featuring survey results and case studies. As the report states, “i...
•
36:55
Episode 78: Braden Brown
Braden Brown, director of mental health at BYU Athletics, joins the show to discuss the immense value of mindfulness for athletes. "Based on the Lochbaum et al., 2022 systematic review of 30 meta-analyses across 40 years of sport psychology res...
•
44:41
Episode 77: Beth Hewitt
Vanderbilt women’s lacrosse coach Beth Hewitt joins the show to discuss the state of the sport and of her program as it celebrates its 30th anniversary on campus.
•
44:41
Episode 76: Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith
Bestselling authors and sports scholars Randy Roberts (Purdue University) and Johnny Smith (Georgia Tech) discuss their acclaimed new book, “The Fight of His Life: Joe Louis’s Battle for Freedom During World War II.”
•
44:41
Episode 75: Scott Ellsworth
Bestselling author Scott Ellsworth stopped by our Kirkland Hall studio while on campus to discuss his new book, “Midnight On the Potomac: The Last Year of the Civil War, the Lincoln Assassination, and the Rebirth of America.” Ellsworth is also ...
•
32:46
Episode 74: Sam Granoff
Former collegiate (San Francisco, Duke) and international pro baseball player Sam Granoff joins the show to discuss his life in and out of the sport. A Fulbright Fellow and literary review founder with a passion for music, movies, books, and wr...
•
51:48
Episode 73: Dr. Alex Diamond
Dr. Alex Diamond, Vanderbilt Athletics team physician and founder of the Vanderbilt Youth Sports Health Center, joins the show to discuss everything parents, coaches, and young athletes should know about the state of sports medicine for kids.
•
42:56
Episode 72: Dave Sheinin
Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post joins the show to discuss an interactive feature he put together on the top 10 greatest sports theme songs of all time. From the Monday Night Football theme to John Tesh’s “Roundball Rock” to John Williams’ c...
•
34:01
Episode 71: Gabriel Allen
Tennis pro and journalist Gabriel Allen joins the show to discuss his new book, “Tennis Tensions: Class, Race, and Gender in The Evolution of The Sport." Former Vanderbilt women's tennis coach Geoff Macdonald joins as co-host to add some tennis...
•
43:46
Episode 70: James and Lauren Osborne
James and Lauren Osborne are the founders of the Exchange Running Collective in East Nashville, a running store that brings the community together through ‘running culture, art, and social change.’ Their inclusive approach demonstrates the powe...
•
27:39
Episode 69: Jane Leavy
Legendary sportswriter and bestselling author Jane Leavy joins the show to discuss her acclaimed new book: “Make Me Commissioner: I Know What’s Wrong With Baseball and How to Fix It.
•
55:19
Episode 68: Britt Hunter
Britt Hunter was the consensus National Player of the Year in high school and the first woman to compete in the Slam Dunk contest at the McDonald’s All-American Game. After suffering a potentially career-ending injury at Duke and spiraling into...
•
1:05:42
Episode 67: Jonathan Wynn
Former Vanderbilt and NFL defensive end Jonathan Wynn has always been more than a football player. As a kid, he enjoyed spending time in libraries and bookstores. In the NFL, he kept a journal and wrote a novel. Now, he and a partner have launc...
•
36:49
Episode 66: Celso Castilho
Celso Castilho, Vanderbilt history professor and director of the university’s Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies, joins the show. Castilho discusses recent protests by soccer fans in Nashville and Los Angeles and the impli...
•
39:15
Episode 65: Bryan Ruby
On the heels of CMA Fest and in the midst of Pride Month, country music artist Bryan Ruby joins the show to discuss his one-of-a-kind career as a pioneering LGBTQ musician, professional baseball player, and nonprofit founder.
•
40:37
Episode 64: Nick Cormier
Nick Cormier, founder and editor-in-chief of “The Fabric of Culture,” joins the show to discuss the connections between athletes, marketing, and fashion. As one apparel company founder said recently, “Sports stars are the new Hollywood stars.”&...
•
35:44
Episode 63: Courtney M. Cox, Perry B. Johnson & Joanna K. Love
From the third panel in our Sports & Activism symposium, Courtney M. Cox, professor at Oregon, Perry B. Johnson, professor at Southern Cal, and Joanna K. Love, professor at Richmond, lead a presentation on the connections between sports, mu...
•
1:07:30
Episode 62: Jesus Ortiz, Adrian Burgos Jr., Janelly Farias & Sara Toussaint
As part of our second annual sports and activism symposium conducted in partnership with the James Lawson Institute, Jesus Ortiz of Our Esquina.com hosted a session on the state of Latino athlete activism. Joining Jesus are professor Adrian Bur...
•
56:28