With espresso shots, kisses on the cheek and Andrea Bocelli singalongs, Team Italy has charmed the baseball world. But their mission is more ambitious: Turn Italy into a bona fide baseball factory.
baseball
Smith’s homer in 11th lifts Dodgers over Blue Jays 5-4 to become first repeat champion in 25 years
In a World Series for the ages that went back and forth again and again, Will Smith delivered the biggest swing of all for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Random act of kindness: Mariners fan gifts historic ball to young stranger
A fan caught Cal Raleigh’s history-making 60th home run ball. He promptly turned the valuable memento over to 12-year-old Marcus Ruelos.
There was no rapture this week, so the quiz returns. Can you score a perfect 11?
This week, Jimmy Kimmel returned, a weird statue vanished and no one (to our knowledge) got snatched up to heaven.
The last bits of PawSox trivia finally revealed
The PawSox disappeared to Worcester four years ago. McCoy Stadium has since been razed to the ground.  But on Monday evening, a small crowd gathered in what used to be right field for one last event in what may be the longest goodbye in baseball history. Among them, Kevin Wildenhain in full PawSox regalia. His dad […]
Don’t overthink the torpedo bats
The Yankees 20-9 win against the Brewers last weekend put the spotlight on torpedo bats. But in baseball, as in life, sometimes a fluke is just what it seems.
How do ‘torpedo bats’ work? We asked baseball physicists to explain
They look like baseball bats morphing into bowling pins, their ends flaring into an aggressive bulge that suddenly tapers. So how do they work?
Déjà vu all over again? Dodgers are favorites as 2025 MLB season begins
Major League Baseball’s 2025 season gets fully underway Thursday. The scary news for the league: the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, favorites to repeat, may be even better this season.
What’s Making Us Happy: A guide to your weekend viewing and gaming
Each week, guests and hosts on NPR’s Pop Culture Happy Hour share what’s bringing them joy. This week: Chef John Mitzewich, Star Trek, the return of baseball and the videogame Teardown.
‘Mr. Baseball’ Bob Uecker, Milwaukee Brewers announcer, dies at 90
Uecker was the voice of his hometown team who after a short playing career earned the moniker “Mr. Baseball” and honors from the Hall of Fame.


