Imagine you're a kid in the stadium, watching your first baseball game ever. You'd think that baseball is the most thrilling sport ever, that Steve Jeltz is a superstar, that every at-bat of every inning matters. Imagine your confusion the second time you watch a baseball game.

@northstarjakobs

Жыл бұрын

I mean I feel like that's the kind of game that should (hopefully) cement you as a fan for life, but i suppose it all depends on the games after that.

@PlaySA

Жыл бұрын

@@northstarjakobs The issue is that you think every baseball game would be so thrilling, would produce similar performances from the players, etc. When really it was simply an aberration

@kelamullah1999

Жыл бұрын

You joke but I became an American Football fan after watching New England play Philadephia. It really draws you in when you see a larger than life game even if you come from Football like myself.

@northstarjakobs

Жыл бұрын

@@35mm21 Just go back to the original super early rules of the game and don't have players wear gloves (this is true and I can't possibly imagine playing baseball without a glove)

@northstarjakobs

Жыл бұрын

@@kelamullah1999 Yeah the yearly Twins games I saw at the Metrodome and later Target Field as a child definitely cemented my love for the sport

Bob Walk, combining two of Jon’s favorite areas of study in one perfect name.

@appointmenteer

Жыл бұрын

this made me laugh out loud well done

@lanster77schannel

Жыл бұрын

lmao very good

@qfmarsh64

Жыл бұрын

Pfft, more like Bob Walk.

@feddyvonwigglestein3481

Жыл бұрын

Who cares?

@thosediamonddreams

Жыл бұрын

@Feddy von Wigglestein 494 to your 1, my darling 😘

A fun part of this story I'm surprised you didn't mention. Ten days later, the Pirates took another 10-0 lead against the Cardinals. Rooker's boothmate Larry Fratare didn't let that go unremarked upon: "So, what if we lose this game?" Rooker responded: "If we lose this game...our road record will be 11-23."

@anamoose461

Жыл бұрын

After that game I wouldn't bet anything either

@daBEAGLE1017

Жыл бұрын

that's really funny. you're right, it could have been included in the story.

@Champs-ek7lh

Жыл бұрын

Did they win??

@smoceany9478

Жыл бұрын

@@Champs-ek7lh yeah

@pablosonic892

Жыл бұрын

Ha. Incredible. INCREDIBLE

Jeltz reminds me of a quote from Brian Scalabrine “I’m closer to LeBron James than you are to me”. Steve Jeltz is miles closer to being as good as Barry Bonds than any of us are to being as good as Jeltz.

@SimuLord

Жыл бұрын

I once wrote of 2017 fourth-overall-pick Josh Jackson that "he has fewer career NBA Win Shares than I do." Technically true, because he has negative-1.7 and I have zero.

@ChrisPierreBacon

Жыл бұрын

I like the "Scalenge" where random people challenge Scal to one on one and Scal absolutely schools them.

@ghjong001

Жыл бұрын

Scalabrine lasted *ten* seasons in the NBA. Most players wash out within three, so that already makes him one of the elite.

@KjoshWaddellBananasAreGood

9 ай бұрын

​@ghjong001 same could be said of Jeltz. He lasted 8 years in the majors

@VinceLyle2161

9 ай бұрын

When I look at the sports reference websites, I constantly keep this in mind. Kevin Miller caught exactly one pass in his NFL career, a 35 yard touchdown from Fran Tarkenton in a game where the Vikings were destroyed by the Lions. That was it for him. The one catch. But he got one. 99.9% of us don't get that. The rest of his life he gets to say, "I caught a pass in the NFL." Steve Jeltz had every right to be proud, but instead he was grateful. Good on him.

“Bob Walk? More like Bob Walk.” This might be the dumbest joke I’ve ever heard Jon make, you get to pull off pretty much one of these in a fairly extended career, and you certainly did, I’m still giggling Also thanks Katie

@ArizonaMarty

Жыл бұрын

it waS an abSolute gem 💎

@fishflake1209

Жыл бұрын

The Bob Walk joke Jon made in “Card Show” may be even dumber.

@modulusshift

Жыл бұрын

@@fishflake1209 I’ve been meaning to go back and finish that series lol

@raezor82

Жыл бұрын

“You’ve been at this plant so long, you’re a plant.”

@hyp3ri6n58

Жыл бұрын

jon finally bringing his twitter humor to a video

I just wanna say I appreciate that some of the greatest writers I’ve ever heard decided to talk about sports

@FallingSloths

Жыл бұрын

@Elohkayeye For real! A minute and a half in and I'm already getting those trademark Secret Base chills!

@CCDaDon15

Жыл бұрын

@@OnlyFacts662 Now, what made that necessary to comment?

@pretzelhunt

Жыл бұрын

@@OnlyFacts662 what facts?

@CCDaDon15

Жыл бұрын

@@OnlyFacts662 what fact? You wrote an opinion and an assumption

@pretzelhunt

Жыл бұрын

@@OnlyFacts662 You're the one who brought up being sad, talking about feelings, ya knucklehead.

I was at this game. I was twelve. My stepfather got home late from work that evening, and we finally got to the Vet a half hour late. We found out walking up to the gate that it was already 10-0 Pirates and still just the first inning. My stepfather didn't want to bother going in, but I begged him. In my mind it was still just the first inning. And when you're a kid who grew up poor, every major league game is bigger than life. He relented and we went in. We had seats on the first base side up in the 500 level. When we sat down, I remember the people around us were hardly paying attention to the game. But the next few hours became this absolutely magical communal experience. The upper deck at the Vet had that well-earned reputation for being rough, but by the time Curt Ford got tagged out going for a three-run inside the parker, people from every walk of life were high fiving and hugging each other. I'm 45 now, a lifelong Phillies fan, and I've had some amazing experiences at the Vet and now CBP. I saw Schmidt's 498th home run, and I was there for Mulholland's 10-inning complete game. But that game in 1989, nothing could ever come close to that, a twelve year old witnessing lightning in a bottle. Or rather, a bat. Steve Jeltz's bat. Man, I love baseball. And I love the Fightin' Phils.

@ListerTunes

Жыл бұрын

I love this.

@buckodonnghaile4309

Жыл бұрын

That is a great comment right there. Cheers.

@camrynrussell6292

Жыл бұрын

Omg that is amazing

@jeffersonott4357

Жыл бұрын

Awesomeness

@SuPeRnOvAtHeFuNnYmAn

Жыл бұрын

Hell yeah ! Hope the Phils can finish the job this series now for more memories for ya !

Something that Steve Jeltz can hang his hat on with pride: He was the only major leaguer in history to be the primary reason another man had to walk across an entire state to settle a bet. Jeltz did more in his 7 seasons that a ton of major leaguers never do: Hit two home runs in the same game he didn't start (and the game wasn't extra innings), and also did it from both sides of the plate. He also won another game with a walk-off HR. He got to play multiple positions. He survived playing under the scrutiny of Philly fans and media. He's the epitome of the joke "What do you call the guy that graduates last in his class in med school?" "Doctor." He got to the show, it wasn't just for a cup of coffee, and he did some positive things despite his historically bad numbers. Many of the coaches he played against or for never got out of the minors, same with broadcasters. He played longer than the average career, and it seems he still had fun the entire time. He won.

@SimuLord

Жыл бұрын

As much as Jeltz was the hero for the Phillies, I might argue that Bob Walk, who couldn't get anyone else out either and left a game he led 10-0 with a 10-6 score in just the fourth inning, played a pretty big role...or Bob Kipper, who got rung up for the runs that put Philly ahead. A guy like Jeltz doesn't hit two homers against anything less than a truly garbage pitching staff.

@ZaoJin

Жыл бұрын

@@SimuLord I see where you're coming from, it's a pretty reasonable stance, but I promise you, no one cares.

@kvltizt

Жыл бұрын

@@SimuLord Two Bobs? Dangerous.

@santumi2298

Жыл бұрын

I think there's a lot of value in a guy like Jeltz. He's a below-average player at any one position, but if you average his skills at 7 of the 9 positions, he's probably well above average. He's really the perfect utility player. Can walk and bunt from both sides of the plate, can cover anywhere on the field, and is generally just happy to be there.

@JayTheHelmetGuy

11 ай бұрын

​@@santumi2298​​yep, there's definitely a reason why he stuck around that long, it doesn't happen by accident no matter how bad the counting stats look

I can’t express how perfect these videos are when it comes to weaving stories, stats, and sports together. Thank you, we all appreciate the effort and care you put in.

@stylekiller21

Жыл бұрын

I second that. Also it's great to show friends sports isn't all barstool dude bro bs.

@sirtorndr

Жыл бұрын

Totally agree! The content is great and masterfully delivered. My only complaint is the completely unnecessary cursing that gets sprinkled in to many of these types of videos that I find to be juvenile and which also lowers the overall quality of the presentation. I'd love to show some of these to my kids or even in the classroom at times to my ninth graders, but that won't happen as long as the maturity level remains at the junior high level. I may be the only one who thinks this way, but I think it needs to be said. I'll still go on enjoying these great productions but not as much as I would if I felt that I could in good conscience share them with others.

@paysonfox88

Жыл бұрын

Can it be understated how good of a storyteller it takes to make us care about Steve Jeltz?

@sirtorndr

Жыл бұрын

@@paysonfox88 So true.

@tangtaster

Жыл бұрын

The guys and gals are fantastic writers

I honestly love the Rooker plot twist. If you go into the video blind, you are lead to believe that this man’s walk _somehow_ is related to the baseball game, but how is not clear. There is no clear hint as for why this man is being mentioned. _And then the punchline lands._

@SherlockSage

Жыл бұрын

Like a Steve Jeltz homer. Beautiful and strange

@GroundHOG-2010

Жыл бұрын

I went into it blind and was completely confused until the unvieling of the punchline.

@serraramayfield9230

Жыл бұрын

@@GroundHOG-2010 "If we lose this game..." *oh no* "I'll walk back home to Pittsburgh" *dies laughing*

@simplus1980

Жыл бұрын

I got to enjoy a half hour set-up, for this reveal. Just beautiful.

@Crimsin

9 ай бұрын

Im going to sound like an absolute nerd for this, but this is technically a "cold open" and not a "plot twist" I agree though, when i think of this video, its the first thing i remember

16:03 “Of all the places one could possibly land on this enormous spectrum it’s this specific tiny one that will land you the most criticism and the greatest disrespect. You’re the least good player on the biggest stage.” That hits deep. We often take for granted how relentless guys in any pro sport worked to even make it there. There’s a cosmic beauty to find in Steve Jeltz being part of a rare group that not only made it into the big leagues, but had his one moment of glory.

@HughMungus4655

5 ай бұрын

that last point you made is exactly what makes jon bois such a joy to listen to, he always finds people like this granted these men are all professional sports players and are, essentially, gods to the rest of us at what they do... the top fraction of a percent at their trade. but even the 'pedestrians' among us, in whatever their situation may be, have the unique ability to do something utterly astounding. its rare that i find inspiration like the kind i get from jon bois' stories, hopefully he gets the flowers he deserves because i, personally, legitimately consider him to be one of the better story tellers of our time

@bmac4

4 ай бұрын

Its what I say any time people talked trash about John Scott (the famous joke-vote all star) in the NHL. In a league with ~750 players, there will be dudes in that 701-750 range. All of those guys are talented athletes worked their entire lives to carve out careers among the best, somebody's gotta be the worst among the best.

13:43 "Bob Walk? More like Bob Walk" takes the prize of dumbest joke I've ever actually laughed out loud at

It's nice to know that there are baseball teams other then the 2022 Angels that are so skilled in blowing games in spectacular fashion

@pypeapple

Жыл бұрын

That’s the pirates in every year for ya

@nicholasbrockie9472

Жыл бұрын

I went here to comment something about the Angels and I’m just glad somebody else is in as much pain as I’m in. I’m not in a Twilight Zone episode. Thank you

@therocknrollmillennial535

Жыл бұрын

@@nicholasbrockie9472 All Angels fans are in pain, brother. In 10 years, no one will believe us when we tell them that the '22 Angels were actually on pace to win the division. At this point, we'd be lucky to finish 10 games out of a wild card spot.

@hiimemily

Жыл бұрын

It's the curse of Tungsten Arm.

@BiggestPLANTS

Жыл бұрын

1995 angels also are famous for blowing a historical lead, although it was a lead of games and not runs

Jeltz: "I'm going to learn how to switch hit" Everyone: "But you can't even do the normal one"

Steve Jeltz was my coach for a few years. He really is an amazing guy who knows a lot about baseball

@samuelschmitt853

Жыл бұрын

Who did you play for?

@seank176

Жыл бұрын

I was coming to the comments to say damn poor Steve getting roasted out of nowhere. Happy to here that. Hope both you and Steve are doing well.

@neal6473

Жыл бұрын

@@samuelschmitt853 🤭🤣🤣🤣

@zsefton

Жыл бұрын

I'd hope so. He was a bloody major leaguer

@paysonfox88

Жыл бұрын

Did he teach you how to switch hit after age 20? That's the most impressive thing I found out about him. To be able to hit at the major league level, hit home runs switch hitting when you hadn't done it before age 26. That's amazing!

I give Rooker a lot of credit. He could have laughed the statement off, but instead turned it into a charity event and followed through. Good for him.

@samsignorelli

5 ай бұрын

Wonder how much he raised and for what charity.

@bockmaker

Ай бұрын

@@samsignorelli On October 17, Rooker and Dozzi returned to a crowd of waiting fans at Three Rivers Stadium. Through the walk, they were able to raise money for two charities: Bob Prince Charities and Children’s Hospitals. This was the primary reason that Rooker decided to follow through on his comment. Dozzi said that they raised around $100,000, including $10,000 for a a handicap accessible van for Rooker’s former minor league teammate who was battling multiple sclerosis

@renerpho

20 күн бұрын

@@samsignorelli Roughly $100,000 (or $250,000 accounting for inflation), for the Children's Hospital and a couple charities set up by Bob Prince.

@samsignorelli

20 күн бұрын

@@renerpho Well done, then.

13:10 And one of them was named Bob! That's so great! Also, did you notice how many Bobs were playing in both teams? The field was filled with Bobs that day. That makes the game extra special.

@sabotower1792

Жыл бұрын

Makes sense, it was the 80's. The Bob Emergency had not yet fully taken hold

@therocknrollmillennial535

Жыл бұрын

If you strung them all together, you'd have Bobbed Wire.

@ToofKilla

Жыл бұрын

@@therocknrollmillennial535 🤣🤣🤣

@northstarjakobs

Жыл бұрын

@@therocknrollmillennial535 ok that's fantastic here take my nonexistent trophy for best youtube comment I've seen today.

@texasforever7887

Жыл бұрын

Absolute Legend right here 👏👏👏🥃 Bravo

15:49 "I'm closer to LeBron than you are to me." - Brian Scalabrine

@oMaJoJ

Жыл бұрын

I wonder if he's still doing his challenge.

I personally love the shot you took at the University of Kansas calling it a “football school”. The Jayhawks are the Steve Jeltz of college football.

@CyberchaoX

Жыл бұрын

Actually, he called it "more of a football school", which says something about how bad their baseball team must be. We all know that Kansas is a basketball school.

@threeminuteshate

Жыл бұрын

@@CyberchaoX if you or Korby did stand up comedy y’all would each explain every joke after you told it.

@maxbelshe2900

Жыл бұрын

Let’s be real… UCF is the Steve Jeltz of college football

@zsefton

Жыл бұрын

@@maxbelshe2900 didn't ucf go undefeated a few years ago? I'm glad others caught the football comment!

@lotrdude13

Жыл бұрын

As a KU alum and fan, you are absolutely correct

I like to think Steve Jeltz is watching this video and smiling because someone is finally recognizing his MLB accomplishment

Wow it’s a pretty crazy coincidence Jon said the exact same thing as Barry Bonds word for word

@denistuohy2535

Жыл бұрын

Yeah could we get a chart on the odds of that happening

"Kansas is more of a football school" BRUH 🤣🤣🤣

@JWex-jy7sk

Жыл бұрын

Those are words I haven’t heard put together in a sentence since like 2007 🤣

@kvltizt

Жыл бұрын

That’s how nonexistent their baseball is. lmao rude as fuck

@MarloSoBalJr

Жыл бұрын

@@JWex-jy7sk TBH, isn't that the only time for both Kansas & Kansas State?

@deanbryant9679

Жыл бұрын

As a Mizzou grad, I literally laughed out loud!

Rooker actually addressed what he said again later in the game (yep, I still remember listening to this on the radio as a teenager). When the Phillies got really close, he nervously and disgustingly blurted out something like "obviously I won't actually walk back to Pittsburgh if we lose." It was a textbook example of someone's worst fear of eating their words.

@kyokkyuu

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the anecdote!

Jeltz. Incredible. I’d rock his jersey. The will to keep fighting when everyone sh*ts on you, that is pure grit and love. Respect.

@zsefton

Жыл бұрын

Learning to switch hit is unreal!

@AndrewJW

21 күн бұрын

I want a jersey of every jon Bois video star. Koo dae sung, Steve Jeltz, Baron Davis, Rickey Henderson, Steve Bono, Dave Stieb, etc.

As a Phillies fan I have actually heard of Jeltz...because and only because in 2017 the Phillies signed a pitcher that never pitched for them named Steve Geltz, and a there was an article that noted 'hey that's funny'. Oh, and thank you Katie!

@ethanniedorowski116

Жыл бұрын

Did you happen to know that Katie has big

@00F

Жыл бұрын

I really wonder if the people he does videos about actually know he’s made videos about them.

@BiggestPLANTS

Жыл бұрын

Dave Stieb tweeted about the Dave Stieb episodes

@ethanniedorowski116

Жыл бұрын

@@BiggestPLANTS did he really

@ethanniedorowski116

Жыл бұрын

@@BiggestPLANTS hero in 100s of people's hearts south of boarder 2 steib

This is peak sports storytelling. The topics, arrangement, editing, producing... Amazing work as always, folks.

@0Clewi0

Жыл бұрын

Amazing how the assertions graf was updating mid video.

@calvin7978

Жыл бұрын

Jon Bois deserves an award man.

Good for Rooker. As a native Pennsylvanian, the DRIVE from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh is excruciating. I can't even fathom walking it.

@bluefire0807

Жыл бұрын

that drive is the worst thing ever created

@matlaw

Жыл бұрын

As a Philadelphian and new fan of Steve Jeltz, I definitely agree. I’d be astonished for a public persona to back up their words like that now. Good on Rooker.

@JBroms64

Жыл бұрын

The fact that he did it on 30 is insane.

@gwenzhead566

Жыл бұрын

@@OhNo_4mor4freaknbiden cuz u have to go to Pittsburg:(

@bradigan

Жыл бұрын

I am making that drive in a few days. Not sure if the actual drive or the tolls will hurt more.

This is the thing I've always appreciated most about baseball: the fact that they play so much of it, and have for so long, that the wildly improbable becomes... almost inevitable.

@thomasblanchard6778

Жыл бұрын

"In a year that has been so improbable, the impossible has happened!" Vin Scully, Hall Of Fame Dodgers game announcer, as the Dodgers won the World Series in 1988, a 25 year drought.

@dominicpancella3012

9 ай бұрын

When the 2011 Cardinals won the World Series, it was as much of a shock as anything I have ever experienced, even though I was too young to fully comprehend it then. They'd been completely down for the count in August before roaring back into the fray in September, squeaking out series victories over the National League's two best teams, and going down to their last strike twice in Game 6 against the Rangers. Once they did win that game in extra innings, the outcome of Game 7 felt like a foregone conclusion even though they never should have been there in the first place. There, the impossible became improbable, and then inevitable. I'll never forget it.

@NotSomeJustinWithoutAMoustache

Ай бұрын

Probabilities and the law of big numbers as Vsauce called it. Really tickles the pattern seeking monke brain.

I don’t understand how you guys can make me care about a person I never even heard of, but Steve Jeltz is gonna be stuck in my brain for a week now. Thanks guys

@NerdTheBox

Жыл бұрын

tetris person poggies

@geofox6430

Жыл бұрын

Along with Dave Stieb don't forget

@BurtonHohman

Жыл бұрын

It almost makes me want to get a Jeltz jersey

@vicious_rhubarb2247

Жыл бұрын

@@NerdTheBox hi nerd and timmykim lmaooooooo

@foiledthrice

Жыл бұрын

hi valor best friend valor

the way these videos immortalizes people like bob sura and steve jeltz into sports history never ceases to amaze me. the storytelling, production, and effort in these videos is unparalleled and the world is a better place for them. also thanks katie!

@overdahedge2014

Жыл бұрын

hey your profile pic looks familiar

@joshuapatrick682

Жыл бұрын

Hey man Bobby Sura is a fucking legend! So what if he was average at best. Still made 45 million playing the game.

@dwaynehoward240

Жыл бұрын

I watched Bob sura as a Cleveland cavaliers fan..

@theecharmingbilly

Жыл бұрын

I loved watching Bobby Sura ball at Florida State. (I will always choose college basketball over the NBA,).

@TKCEDM

Жыл бұрын

And Bob Cyclone

This is like a greek myth its morally complete, mystically improbable and punishes a mortal human for his words.

The ability of these two to tell a story I’ve never heard with people I’ve never heard of about a team I don’t care about in a sport I don’t care about and to keep my focus the entire time is incredible.

Be proud of being in the 2nd percentile John! I rode the bench on a small town HS baseball team with 10 players on the roster.

@SimuLord

Жыл бұрын

My high school baseball career ended my freshman year when I blew up my shoulder in the last practice before our first game. To this day, 30 years later, that shoulder knows before the rest of me does when it's about to rain.

@HunkDrangus

Жыл бұрын

@@SimuLord I hear you. Knees for me. Football practice injury, first practice of summer, first time I signed up for sports. Also, the last time I signed up for sports.

@PFBM86

Жыл бұрын

At least you didn't ride the bench for a team with 9 players on the roster!

@danr154

Жыл бұрын

lol yea i played varsity for 3 years only cause our school could only field about 12 dudes who could kinda play and keep their grades up enough to be allowed to play. I was actually good my junior year and partially tore my rotator cuff just messing around during the summer that was the end of that

@bc5208

Жыл бұрын

Way to move on from your tough past

I actually remember watching this game as an 8 year old at my grandparents. It was pretty exciting as a young fan bonding with my Pop Pop who was a huge Phillies fan. Unfortunately he was gone by the time the Phillies won in 2008, but I thought of this game and cried like a baby after Brad Lidge sealed it. I know you were smiling up there Pop Pop. Thanks for bringing me back Secret Base.

@good_beans

Жыл бұрын

The mere fact that you're calling it that tells me you're not ready

99.99% of us ballplayers were just like Steve Jeltz at some point in our lives at the level of the game where we got filtered out, where if only a single person were to be cut, it'd be us. It's rare to ever find such solidarity in a pro athlete. Though his numbers may not be impressive, his dedication and effort is what makes this sport great. Steve Jeltz, we see you!

It was billed as "Jim Rooker's Unintentional Walk". We old school Bucco fans remember it well.

@thepassingstatic6268

Жыл бұрын

That is a great name right there

@qfmarsh64

7 ай бұрын

"Jim Rooker's Unintentional Walk"? More like "Jim Rooker's Unintentional Walk."

"Kansas is more of a Football school." - Jon Bois I think this is his greatest quote yet.

@paysonfox88

Жыл бұрын

I always thought that Kansas was more of a music school... " Carry on My wayward son!" "Lay your weary head to rest, don't you cry no more!"

@teen_laqueefa

Жыл бұрын

Dustin Dewinn went there

@morry32

Жыл бұрын

I'd loved it, I'd love more of it

@theecharmingbilly

Жыл бұрын

Gayle Sayers the Kansas Comet!

@D4ddi0

Жыл бұрын

They did beat Texas in Austin in OT

I was there that night on my 7th Birthday for Steve F. Jeltz's crushageddon. That cat couldnt hit a ball out of a paper bag but those 2 straight homers from both sides of the plate shows how wild the Phillies were in their history, 10,000 losses plus, just 2 championships, once before I was born and the last in a game where it wasnt even played in the correct city due to a ridiculous number of rain delays and rain outs just like in '86. My God, Steve Freakin Jeltz!!

@OtesOtesOtes

Жыл бұрын

Nice my birthday is June 8th as well...although I wasn't born yet & I don't think my parents knew each other in '89...maybe they did though. Must've been awesome to witness such a turnaround!

@terencehill2320

Жыл бұрын

@@OtesOtesOtes watching this squad go from the top to stumbling mightily and then to see it again three other times is something I love. I hope Jeltz shows up to one of the world series games this year

I'm from Pittsburgh. That game is one of my sharpest childhood memories, even though we mostly listened to it on radio while we were out on a trip to an ice cream shop. I made a rough attempt to calculate the odds right after Rooker tempted fate. I never settled on an exact number, but I was giddy at how high the odds must be. I was & am a Pirates fan, but that night I chose chaos.

I love that chart at the 14:30 mark showing the full spectrum of baseball players, and where Steve Jeltz lands on it. For example, we know that about nine percent of all high school players will play at some collegiate level, and about two percent will play at a D-I program. (Jon's back-of-the-napkin estimate for "average college players" is five percent, so he has the right idea.) This is a concept I raise whenever I hear someone talk about how Michael Jordan was "bad at baseball." Compared to a MLBer? Literally not in the same league. Compared even to his own Birmingham Barons teammates? Sure, less than great. However, when placed among a continuum of all people who ever played the game at the high school level or better, MJ was probably in the top 1% despite not having picked up a bat since high school. I don't think non-baseball people truly appreciate how good even Double-A baseball is. What Jordan did would be like Mike Trout quitting baseball right now (oddly, also at the age of 31), attemping to play basketball, instead "only" making a G League roster, then having people refer to him as a "bad basketball player."

@abelq8008

Жыл бұрын

That's a very good point. His only fault was not being an all time legend in two sports.

@SGBassplayer

Жыл бұрын

There was a brief aside in Jim Bouton’s “Ball Four” that dealt with this same idea after he was sent down to AAA Vancouver. Basically he said that even as a AAA ballplayer he was rated as being in the top (I don’t remember the percentage he used…probably lower than 99.8 since there were fewer MLB teams at that time), and that a professional such as a doctor or lawyer who was equally rated among his or her own peers commanded a significantly greater level of respect (and compensation) considering their respective fields. Anyway, his point was that even if you never make it to MLB, getting as far as AAA is still a helluvan accomplishment and certainly nothing to feel disappointed about. And he came up with that in 1969.

@KjoshWaddellBananasAreGood

9 ай бұрын

It's why someone like Bo Jackson is so fascinating. Not only was he top .01% in football, but also baseball. I think Jim Thorpe would've still made ot to multiple leagues today. He would've had the same training and diet advantages of modern people. Genetic changes take longer than 100 years. I really hope someone does 3 major sports some time like Jim Thorpe

@qfmarsh64

7 ай бұрын

How's Shohei Ohtani's jump shot?

@Aro2001

20 күн бұрын

And the crazy part is that there was a manager who said that with enough at bats, Michael Jordan probably would've found his way into the Major Leagues.

Got an audible "oh my god" from me comparing his HR% to the average pitcher. Great video.

28:50 This bit had me on the floor, it looked like Jeltz stole Barry’s talent for just this game

@rockofshame

Жыл бұрын

Holy shit me too, I’m losing my mind. Two fuckin home runs by fuckin Steve Jeltz. I’ve never seen anything like it.

@givant

Жыл бұрын

It was fucking beautiful.. caught me by surprise. Much like fucking steve jeltz’ two fucking home runs caught the pirates by surprise.

What's nuts to me is that Jeltz had an OPS+ of 101 in 1989. This game was an outsize portion of why for one year in his career he was actually a tick above average.

People who preserve baseball stats are real life heroes. Thank you Katie

I wouldn't characterize Jeltz's switch-hitting as bad, without a qualifier. Yeah it was bad, but it was much better than before! Before switch-hitting, his career on-base average was solidly under .300, and his on-base against RHP was also consistently under .300 After making the change to switch-hitting, his on-base against righties improved a lot, becoming his single biggest asset and only consistent positive contribution at the plate. The change worked.

This channel is literally the only reason I still know anything about sports

The way he said “ I sure hope nothing weird happens” is how I live my life.

An all time great underdog story! For one night, Jeltz got to live a childhood dream of being the most badass player in the game. Also happy that SB points out that despite his numbers, he's still better at baseball than almost all of us.

@imightbebiased9311

Жыл бұрын

I'm pretty sure what SB was trying to point out with this story was that, on any given day, any one of us could have our very own Steve Jeltz moment.

@kvltizt

Жыл бұрын

Prime Steve Jeltz (lol) would destroy any rec league and look like Hank Aaron at the plate. It’s like that time a retired Brian Scalabrine clowned on active D1 college basketball players with relative ease despite being thought of as a scrub.

“That homer which can only be described as one of the most stunning ever” Bartolo Colon- *I took that personally*

@andyatherton8583

Жыл бұрын

legend has it the big boy is still rounding those bases

@brandonthompson8640

Жыл бұрын

i mean, Griffey Sr and Jr having back to back home runs was pretty nice. Harper's walk off grand slam against the Cubs too.

@TalonTheRetroGamer

Жыл бұрын

I already miss pitchers batting

@smoceany9478

Жыл бұрын

one of, ranked 2 and 3

“Bob Walk? More like Bob Walk” sent me

@colinmoon9315

Жыл бұрын

Came here to comment this lol

Jon's sarcastic "I sure hope nothing weird happens" at 5:12 got me giggling cause he lives and breathes sports weirdness

Watching ballgames with my kids, sometimes they would ask me "Is that guy a good player?" "Are you kidding?!? He's a major leaguer. He has skills and talents that you and I can hardly imagine. Do you have any idea what it's like just to stand in the batter's box and face a major league slider? Let alone try to hit one? Let alone actually hitting it?!?" "Yeah, okay" my child would answer, "But for a major leaguer, is that guy any good?" "Oh hell no. He's only with the big team because someone's hurt."

The absolute wildest inning in the history of baseball was in June of 2004. Texas rangers versus Detroit tigers in the fifth inning. I believe that is the game where the Detroit tigers scored nine runs in the top of the fifth inning, then the Texas rangers responded with 10 runs and the bottom of the fifth inning to tie it up. Both teams battered around twice in the inning, and it took over an hour to play it. The game went to extra innings and Texas won with a score of something like 16-15.

@JWex-jy7sk

Жыл бұрын

Yep! Right here. I was a fan of those Buck Showalter Rangers teams with Teixeira, Young, Soriano, Blalock, Matthews Jr, Dellucci. m.kzread.info/dash/bejne/qaSdx8OKitW3kbQ.html

@overthetoppranks

Жыл бұрын

Go Rangers🔥🔥

@paysonfox88

Жыл бұрын

@@JWex-jy7sk the only reason I remember that one, is that I heard it live on the radio as I was doing my homework in high school. The game took so long to play, they started at 7:00, and I think it took him till nearly midnight to finish... If you want to look up the box score for that game I would be very interested to see it. The other thing I seem to remember from that game is that Alfonso soriano was on the rangers that year, and in that game he had six hits. I believe it's the only time a batter went 6-6 this century

@notsauer

Жыл бұрын

May 8th. Heading into the 5th inning, the Tigers led the Rangers 6-4. After the 5th inning, it was tied at 14

@reedermh

Жыл бұрын

Detroit had 8 in the top, Texas had 10 in the bottom.

this is as weird as a couple days ago when the angels homered 7 times and still lost

@JWex-jy7sk

Жыл бұрын

That’s not weird, that’s just a typical Angels thing to do.

@zirc_

Жыл бұрын

@@JWex-jy7sk they’re so good but so bad at the same time. just going in on getting homers but can’t get base hits. you’d think that with the team they have they’d have a much better record but they do this every year it seems

@SouthMingo

Жыл бұрын

All solo home runs as well.

@GolfBaller

Жыл бұрын

@Fries It ties the MLB record for ones in a game but they are the first team in MLB history to score seven solo home runs and nothing else.

@SimuLord

Жыл бұрын

That was the most "MLB in 2022" game imaginable.

I was at the game when Jeltz hit his 2nd career home run after a long drought after his first. My recollection is that the homer helped win the game and I and the other fans went nuts. He was a below replacement player on a bad Phillies team. But he does have a special place in the heart of this long time Phillies fan

I had completely forgotten how the video began on a man walking from Philly to pittsburgh until the final minutes. Amazing story telling thank you.

Mark Grant made a similar bet last year when the Padres went down 8-0 last year with Max Scherzer on the bump. He said he would walk to petco from the far out suburb he lives in 30 miles away. Daniel Camarena, a relief pitcher hit a grand slam and the rest is history.

@jakestanley52

Жыл бұрын

As soon as they mentioned the games where teams lost, that's exactly what I thought of.

@SerenityNow9015

Жыл бұрын

“CAMARENA, PLAYS IN SLAM DIEGO!”

Pittsburgh Pirates: Ten runs in the first inning!? There’s no way we can lose! Atlanta Falcons: We’ve got some bad news…

@Idran

Жыл бұрын

the atlanta falcons shouldn't talk; they're so awful, they've never had a single run in any baseball game in history

@jdotoz

Ай бұрын

​@@IdranThey aren't even in the same league as the Pirates.

Dorktown videos are simply amazing full stop - but these videos must be without a doubt the best free content on the internet. Every episode contains a staggering amount of deeply-researched information and fluent storytelling. Just wow. Thank you

@alaeriia01

Жыл бұрын

Between Dorktown, Well There's Your Problem, and that one guy who does basically this but with stories in the world of science, you're spoiled for choice.

Never fails to make me tear up. I go back to this video when I’m feeling down, sometimes you just have to keep working and amazing things can happen

The fact that the pitcher was named Bob Walk is the most hilarious thing I’ve seen all month

@sabotower1792

Жыл бұрын

"Bob Walk? More like Bob Walk"

@buckyswider1

Жыл бұрын

He started and won game one of the 1980 World Series for the Phillies. A series that the Phillies won!

@BiggestPLANTS

Жыл бұрын

@@buckyswider1 I know all about that series because I know a lot of royals fans who lived during that time and still are bitter at the Phillies for that. I'm a royals fan too but I am too young to remember that series

Jon Bois and Alex Rubenstein are my heroes. I can never repay them for their work and what it means to me.

That spiel about how Jeltz made it is why I appreciate depth players so much and do find any stories I do come across fascinating. It really is hard to forget that even the worst players in these major sports are elite among elites compared to the everyday man. One sportscaster I sometimes listen to talked about how some flag football enthusiasts played against some a former backup quarterback and that he absolutely crushed them despite being out of the game for so long. They only really look bad against other elites among elites. Two specific players that come to mind are Trevor Plouffe, a former MLB player, and Lil' Jordan Humphries, a current NFL player. I listen to Talking Baseball on occasion and got curious about what Trevor's accomplishments were as a former big leaguer, and he was an average player for a while. When he talks on that podcast, it feels like he has a ton of knowledge and insight, and it made me appreciate more just how good you have to be at a game to be even an average player. In the case of Lil' Jordan Humphries, I don't know much about his backstory, simply that my friends often joke that he is "The best 5th string WR in the league". It's very obvious he's not a good player, but he's also not so bad that he shouldn't be on a team, and in a way it's impressive for someone to fit such a mold so well. A clear depth guy that you hope not to ever need to play but good to have on your team. Especially because he's been in that role for a handful of years whereas a lot of bottom-of-the-depth-chart guys simply flame out after a few years.

Wow, what an incredible and rare game! I just checked Jeltz's game log for that year, and right after that game, he was hitting .260 with a .438 SLG. By June 30th, he was at .297 and .424 SLG, which were leaps and bounds above his career averages. June 1989 was likely the best month of his career! Overall, 1989 was also his best year, finishing .243 and .338 SLG, not too bad. He also had a .356 OBP that year. Considering his career averages of .210 BA, .268 SLG, a .308 OBP was pretty surprising. He def had an above average ability to walk!

@moocowthepersom

2 ай бұрын

he had a 101 ops+ that year! he was, albeit by the slimmest of margins, an above average hitter by exactly 1%, which is pretty damn impressive no matter how insignificant it seems. there’s definitely things was better at as a player than some of my current favorite players haha

Steve Jeltz is the most inspirational person I’ve ever heard of in baseball

"I wasn't a bad hockey player. I was a very good hockey player. It was only in comparison to other professional hockey players that I was a bad hockey player." Norm MacDonald's character on his sitcom Norm.

I wish y’all could see my wife’s face when I try to explain how much I love these videos. As someone with ADHD, videos involving so many charts and stats would be an immediate “no”. The way you present everything and find these topics astounds me.

Excellent storytelling. I'd also like to point out that the Detroit Tigers had 2 of those utility infielders that didn't do too much very well, between 1973-1985. Tom Veryzer preceded Alan Trammell at short and Doug Flynn was a back-up in 1985.

Love the perspective of a guy like Jeltz still being in the 99.1 percentile or w/e it was of people playing high school ball and beyond

Hearing Jon’s intros always drags me in and makes you know you’re about to watch something great. We need more Pretty Good!

@SimuLord

Жыл бұрын

Dorktown's reaching into the territory of "synthesis between Pretty Good and Chart Party." Especially that one from a couple weeks ago about the plane crash and the playoff game.

I saw the title and the Phillies in the thumbnail and immediately knew which story this was going to be, as a Phillies fan since the mid 2000s. Yet the Jon Bois and Alex somehow dug up a treasure trove of knowledge (as always) that I had never heard of before. As the greatest baseball player of our time once said, “I’ve never seen anything like this.” Amazing work guys!

11:54 The amount of effort it took to do that bit is much more than the amount of effort it would've taken to fix the error, and that's why we love Dorktown 😂

28:49 that was a really good setup for the Bonds punchline

The music is always exceptional in these vids! Bob Walk? The pitcher is named Walk..? That’s like an ice cream worker being named “Cone.”

Dorktown is the only stats driven channel that can leave you with legitimate tears in your eyes. That's what great sports writing does.

You know for a dude who couldn't hit, Jeltz really could draw a walk, couldn't he? I'm now incredibly curious about him. His last season with Phillie was actually pretty good! A solid average year!

DID JON BOIS JUST SHOW THE ROAD I DRIVE ON EVERY DAY?

@sirchinathewise

Жыл бұрын

Jon bois lives in your walls

@Arbiter099

Жыл бұрын

Feel like taking a walk?

3:03 hey i remember bob walk. he was on an episode of card show, which y’all should totally bring back

@GasparLewis

Жыл бұрын

I can still hear the cricket gum.

As much as I love the long form, documentary style dorktowns (which is a lot), there is something really special about these one off stories. Sort of just reminds me of the original Pretty Good and Chart Party videos where it’s just like “here’s a mildly interesting story that had almost no impact on the rest of the sport and that you’ll probably never need to know again. Have fun!”

I have never watched one of your videos without having an emotional reaction. Steve Jeltz’s story brought me such joy. thanks

Thanks for another interesting presentation. I thought it was nice that you pointed out that the worst players in MLB are still better at baseball than the vast majority of people who played the game at the HS level or higher. One of my favorite things about baseball is when a “scrub” player has the game of their life and makes a difference in a game. Makes me think of Bernie Carbo’s home run in the 1975 World Series.

@ryanchase9332

Жыл бұрын

To quote The Great White Hope Brian Scalabrine when talking to a pro-am basketball player "Skill wise, I'm closer to Michael Jordan than you are to me."

Something similar to this once happened in the 9th inning of an MLB game way back in its early years On April 25th, 1901 the Milwaukee Brewers played their first game ever in franchise history (who today are known as the Baltimore Orioles) They led 13-4 going into the 9th inning against the Tigers and gave up 10 runs to lose 14-13

@szymbert8643

Жыл бұрын

My son went there. Crazy game.

@josephfisher426

Жыл бұрын

Much more recently, at the end of a 20-game winning streak in 2002, the A's took an 11-0 lead against the Royals. They didn't blow it all at once, but by the ninth the Royals tied it at 11. The A's then homered in the bottom of the inning to continue the streak, and importantly, to take a record away from the Yankees. It is not a game I would have seen except that it was budget-backfilling season at the federal government and I had to travel so that the colleague I was working with could have a few days of his time paid for by the bottomless pit of the DOD budget (and my time too, but I was cheap and not the hole in the budget). I put it on in the hotel and had to keep watching even though it dragged on until sometime after 2:00.

I love how you guys go on these deep dives on odd and obscure occurrences in sports. I was a few months shy of 8 years old at the time, but I do have vague memories of them talking about Jeltz's unlikely 2 HR game on Sportscenter the following morning. But I had forgotten the part about Jim Rooker's bet to walk back to Pittsburgh. Kudos to him for honoring his word and making it meaningful by raising funds for charity while doing it.

There needs to be some sort of prestigious award for storytelling like this. Like something to add to the EGOT. Some award that says "you took a story about a baseball game that didn't matter in any realistic way, and you presented it in a way that was more thrilling and suspenseful and engrossing than the Best Picture winner of the year, EVEN TO PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW THE STORY ENDS." This is rare talent. I fully believe you could point to any random professional sports game, in any sport, and Jon and Alex could craft a 30-minute video that leaves you on the edge of your seat, shaking your head, ready to cry or scream or cheer, even if you had been to the game and it was so unmemorable that you don't even remember until a third of the way through that you were actually there.

Realizing at some point through the pandemic I’ve worked through almost the whole library of Rewinder, Dorktown etc, I know get so excited for new documentaries off this channel. Thanks for making these, personally I love them and I know reading these comments they are beloved by sports fans

@Pwop_

Жыл бұрын

Ha, now Im rewatching this one too and was going to comment again but saw I did 8 months ago. Its funny when you rewatch these and notice little things, like many jokes about the university of Kansas, or the layers of irony into the correction at 12:09 The graphic being inherently misleading because of the bar graph, while titling it about “statistical assertions that were factually inaccurate”. I just love it.

I thought this would be a standard but still enjoyable vid on how giant odds were beaten by an unlikely player one day in baseball, but you should never expect less from Dorktown cause they'll always get you with the twist

By itself, your Steve Jeltz section is worth the price of admission. I was transported and inspired. I knew nothing about this guy before today, and "Jeltz" is now in my dictionary. Anyone would love to be "The Michael Jordan" of anything. But now, having started a semi-ambidextrous cooking career in my 30's, I wouldn't mind even being "The Steve Jeltz of Fine Dining" before I die. 😌👍 And that 4th inning homer was everything. Wait… He's not done? 😐 WTF 😲 I'm from Brooklyn. 3rd gen New Yorker. And I want a Jeltz Jersey for Christmas.

this is the best documentary i've ever seen about a mid-season game between the bottom two divisional teams over 30 years ago driven by one of the worst players of all time that no one has heard of since.

I love the story about Steve Jeltz. The perspective about his hitting at the highest level versus the very lowest is wonderful.

So, not too long ago, you dorks converted me into a Mariners fan with the history of the Seattle Mariners video (I since consummated that fandom by attending a Mariners game this past June), but now I have to wear a Jeltz jersey whenever I see a game, which will be kinda awkward.

@seanomatopoeia

Жыл бұрын

Oh god that was not the lesson you were supposed to take from that series!

@wilypueo

Жыл бұрын

@@seanomatopoeia I am not good at learning things.

@not2be4gotten02

Жыл бұрын

@@seanomatopoeia thats still better than the lessons of "arson is occasionally a good thing" and "fill the toilets with jello"

@selenamertvykh6481

Жыл бұрын

We the masochists are everywhere. Go M's.

Revenge, of a sort, today, as the Pirates trailed Cincinnati 9-0 after three and came back to win 13-12. Somehow, despite the team being founded in 1882, 9 runs is the largest comeback for victory in Pirates history.

@emeraldaly7646

8 ай бұрын

And believe it or not, today is Jim Rooker's birthday. I wonder if the newly 81 year old saw the game, and if so what he might have thought.

Is work at a Home Depot in Pennsylvania and Steve jeltz is now a contractor so he’s in Home Depot all the time. He’s an absolute joy and everyone loves him. He’ll sign autographs for anybody and is one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. It’s always fun to stop him in the Home Depot and chat it up with him. We love Stevie at the Home Depot ❤️

@andrewnotgonnatellya7019

Жыл бұрын

He was at one point in the top 0.1% of the United States at baseball. I say he deserves anything he wants.

I love how across the collective of ideas, stories, and people that make up dorktown, all shown across a map of them all smushed together, Steve Jeltz gets to be on the same scale has some of the best to ever do it. Bleeping awesome.

I like how this could've been a dorktown on just Steve Jeltz and that would've been enough

Driving across Pensylvannia is like walking backwards against time

“Bob Walk? Heh. More like Bob Walk” made me cackle, it’s so stupid😂

Jon Bois and Alex Rubenstein are Pretty Good.

Hey Jon I just want to say thank you for throwing in that segment about Jeltz among the percentiles chart. We don’t talk about the fact that these are all elite athletes enough. A bad pro athlete is still an elite athlete

Ten days later the Phillies would trade "speedy" Juan Samuel to the Mets for Lenny Dykstra, Roger McDowell, and Tom Edens (PTBNL) in one of the worst trades in Mets history. On June 18, 1989, the Mets were in 3rd place in the NL East 2 games back of the Cubs. They'd eventually finish in 2nd place 6 games back. Samuel would be traded in the offseason to the Dodgers after the continuing experiment to use the former All-Star 2B in CF failed miserably. Great video.

Jon Bois everyone. I wait all year just to get an opportunity to watch an incredible video like this and I'm 10 seconds into it. It's guaranteed to be good. What a legend.