Hooks & Runs
Hooks & Runs is a podcast about baseball, music and culture. Our podcast includes interviews with news makers in the sports and music world plus commentary from the co-hosts on interesting current and historical events. Hooks & Runs releases a new episodes every Thursday (more or less).
Hooks & Runs
280 - Texans in the Hall: Joe Williams, Andy Cooper and Hilton Smith w/ Thomas Kern
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Pennsylvania native Thomas Kern has been a Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) member for over 40 years and has several biographical essays about Negro League stars during that time. Thomas joins us this episode to resume our series, "Texans in the Hall" to talk about three great Texas-born pitchers - Joe Williams, Andy Cooper and Hilton Smith. Kern introduces us to all three Texans, from their beginnings in rural Texas to the Texas amateur circuit to the Major Leagues in the Negro American or National League in the 1920s, 30s and beyond.
Thomas Kern on SABR - https://sabr.org/authors/thomas-kern/
Joe Williams at Baseball Reference; Andy Cooper at Baseball Reference; Hilton Smith at Baseball Reference.
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Music: "Warrior of Light" by ikolics (via Premium Beat)
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This podcast and this episode are copyright Craig Estlinbaum, 2026.