Midnight Library of Baseball
Ben Orlando | Baseball Historian and Storyteller
4.9from 339 ratings
- 90
- Episodes
- 53
- Transcribed
- 339
- Ratings
- Weekly
- Cadence
- 2023
- First episode
About Midnight Library of Baseball
Midnight Library of Baseball is a documentary-style baseball history podcast for listeners who want something deeper, quieter, and more reflective than the typical sports show. Hosted by Ben Orlando, the series blends immersive storytelling with deep research to explore the game’s most iconic figures, like Babe Ruth, Roger Maris, and Honus Wagner, alongside forgotten players and unlikely stories that shaped baseball in surprising ways. Told without loud music or jarring production, each episode unfolds with a calm, narrative style that lets the history breathe. Season 1 explores foundational questions about the game, from how players were paid across eras to the evolution of equipment, and even the stories of famous figures who nearly chose baseball, including Kurt Russell, Billy Crystal, and John Dillinger. Season 2 is a deep, narrative journey into the making of Field of Dreams, from its origins as a short story to the creation of one of the most beloved films in baseball history. Season 3 features long-form series on the Black Sox Scandal and the enduring fascination with baseball’s consecutive games played streak, examining legends like Lou Gehrig and Cal Ripken Jr. Season 4 explores the intertwined evolution of baseball, radio, and television, and how each helped shape the way fans experience the game. If you love baseball history, storytelling, and the quiet details that bring the past to life, this is a show designed to be listened to, not just heard.
- Publisher
- Ben Orlando | Baseball Historian and Storyteller
- Category
- history · sports
- Language
- en
- Explicit
- No
- First episode
- 4 Nov 2023
- Latest episode
- 1 Jun 2026
Latest episodes
53 of 90 episodes have a transcript.
1 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT
Best of Midnight Library of Baseball, Part 3
25 May 2026TRANSCRIPT
Best of Midnight Library of Baseball, Part 2
18 May 2026TRANSCRIPT
Best of Midnight Library of Baseball, Part 1
Inside a recent episode
Best of Midnight Library of Baseball, Part 3
Published 1 Jun 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] There will be people who choose then to just attack his methodology, especially if he concludes something that disagrees with their own And so I'm of the mind to try to resist the temptation and just let the player exist in that time and go no further and appreciate that. for what it was and to try to appreciate it for what it was. And Chuck Klein, just to go back to him, has a very unique biography of having come from a hard background, an industrial background. And he's a guy who I can imagine if it were not for the game of baseball would have had a much, much even harder life. And so there's much to celebrate in the unique aspects of this player and lots of other ballplayers. that I can enjoy without thinking about, well, how would he compare to Lenny Dykstra? […]
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See plansWho has been a guest on Midnight Library of Baseball
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
- Matt Collins
- Ed Randall
- Al Munro Elias
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
- Apple Podcasts (US)
- 4.9 / 5
- 208 ratings
- Spotify
- 5.0 / 5
- 131 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 49 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
- Quality
- 59
- Social presence
- 0
- YouTube
- 0
- Engagement
- 95
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