<![CDATA[Echo of the Whistle]]>d3ad11f3-199a-50ad-ab68-12a16bf3fd5aMon, 29 Jun 2026 07:00:22 +0000Captivate.fmHarry Swartouthttps://artwork.captivate.fm/ceaeec9b-f3b3-47db-b103-73fbeccbc165/Echo-Of-the-Whistle-1-MB.jpgEcho of the WhistleHarry SwartoutHarry SwartoutEcho of the Whistle goes beyond what happens on the field of play to trace sports’ ripples across time and culture. What can one statistical anomaly tell us about the most difficult position in sports? How did the 1975 Chicago Blackhawks end up facing off against Sesame Street characters? Why did a Hall of Fame baseball player end up dead at the bottom of Niagara Falls? Let the chat shows chat and the hot takes get cold because this show tells sports stories that stay with listeners after the clock hits double zeroes.https://echoofthewhistle.comtrueepisodicnopodcastCasting the El Viejo Sitcom: Extra time with Emma Baccellieri on George BrunetCasting the El Viejo Sitcom: Extra time with Emma Baccellieri on George BrunetIf they made a sitcom based on George Brunet's life would it be a raunchier Ted Lasso? Harry is joined by Emma Baccellieri staff writer at Sports Illustrated and author of Court Queens and to talk about celebrating George Brunet's extraordinary career, Mexican baseball, and not wearing underwear to pitch.

CHAPTERS

Intro (:00)

Finding George Brunet (1:11)

Pitchers can last a WHILE in the league (3:18)

Did "old dog" Brunet learn new tricks? (6:11)

Would Brunet have done BETTER in modern MLB? (9:57)

Was the worst inning ever pitched just bad luck? (12:34)

Which is better: Long, mediocre career or Bright, short career? (17:16)

Brunet's drinking worse than rampant stimulant use? (22:36)

Do MLB players "go commando" in games? (25:04)

Casting the El Viejo sitcom (26:06)

Playing ball in your 40s in Mexico (30:57)

No Mexican baseball video conspiracy theories (33:35)

Most impressive part of George Brunet's career (36:57)

How to Remember George Brunet (40:08)

George Brunet in Cooperstown? (43:10)

Emma Baccellieri on Sports Illustrated and Court Queens (45:33)

ABOUT ECHO OF THE WHISTLE: Playing to the “echo of the whistle” means to give 100% and then just a little bit more, fighting for that extra inch when the other team has stopped playing. Echo of the Whistle goes beyond what happens on the field of play to trace sports’ ripples across time and culture. What can one statistical anomaly tell us about the most difficult position in sports? How did the 1975 Chicago Blackhawks end up facing off against Sesame Street characters? Why did a Hall of Fame baseball player end up dead at the bottom of Niagara Falls? Let the chat shows chat and the hot takes get cold because this show tells uncommon sports stories that stay with listeners after the clock hits double zeroes.

STAY CONNECTED

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/echoofthewhistle

Twitter: @echothewhistle

Instagram:@echoofthewhistle

Threads: @echoofthewhistle

Bluesky: @echothewhistlepod.bsky.social

TikTok: @echo_of_the_whistle

Website: echoofthewhistle.com

]]>If they made a sitcom based on George Brunet's life would it be a raunchier Ted Lasso? Harry is joined by Emma Baccellieri staff writer at Sports Illustrated and author of Court Queens and to talk about celebrating George Brunet's extraordinary career, Mexican baseball, and not wearing underwear to pitch.

CHAPTERS

Intro (:00)

Finding George Brunet (1:11)

Pitchers can last a WHILE in the league (3:18)

Did "old dog" Brunet learn new tricks? (6:11)

Would Brunet have done BETTER in modern MLB? (9:57)

Was the worst inning ever pitched just bad luck? (12:34)

Which is better: Long, mediocre career or Bright, short career? (17:16)

Brunet's drinking worse than rampant stimulant use? (22:36)

Do MLB players "go commando" in games? (25:04)

Casting the El Viejo sitcom (26:06)

Playing ball in your 40s in Mexico (30:57)

No Mexican baseball video conspiracy theories (33:35)

Most impressive part of George Brunet's career (36:57)

How to Remember George Brunet (40:08)

George Brunet in Cooperstown? (43:10)

Emma Baccellieri on Sports Illustrated and Court Queens (45:33)

ABOUT ECHO OF THE WHISTLE: Playing to the “echo of the whistle” means to give 100% and then just a little bit more, fighting for that extra inch when the other team has stopped playing. Echo of the Whistle goes beyond what happens on the field of play to trace sports’ ripples across time and culture. What can one statistical anomaly tell us about the most difficult position in sports? How did the 1975 Chicago Blackhawks end up facing off against Sesame Street characters? Why did a Hall of Fame baseball player end up dead at the bottom of Niagara Falls? Let the chat shows chat and the hot takes get cold because this show tells uncommon sports stories that stay with listeners after the clock hits double zeroes.

STAY CONNECTED

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/echoofthewhistle

Twitter: @echothewhistle

Instagram:@echoofthewhistle

Threads: @echoofthewhistle

Bluesky: @echothewhistlepod.bsky.social

TikTok: @echo_of_the_whistle

Website: echoofthewhistle.com

]]>9a4e2139-f5c9-4890-b8d9-dacf40157276Mon, 29 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -040046:11truefull1441El Viejo: The Endless Career of George BrunetEl Viejo: The Endless Career of George BrunetThe record for longest pro baseball career doesn't belong to Nolan Ryan and his 27 seasons in MLB. It belongs to George Brunet’s staggering 33 seasons of pro baseball. So why haven’t you heard of Brunet? In America, Brunet was just your typical Journeyman racking up 19 mediocre seasons in the Majors and Minors… but that was just a warmup for his JOURNEY, MAN. In his second act he became a Hall of Famer South of the Border, throwing for 14 more years in Mexico. Brunet played into his fifties, tossing more than 6000 innings across three decades of professional baseball, riding his indefatigable left arm on the ULTIMATE baseball journey.

SOURCES:


Special thanks to the Salón de la Fama del Beisbol Mexicano. Visit them in Monterrey, Mexico.

STAY CONNECTED

Patreon: Echo of the Whistle

Twitter: @echothewhistle

Instagram: @echoofthewhistle

Threads: @echoofthewhistle

Bluesky: @echothewhistlepod.bsky.social

TikTok: @echo_of_the_whistle

YouTube: @EchooftheWhistle

Website: echoofthewhistle.com

]]>The record for longest pro baseball career doesn't belong to Nolan Ryan and his 27 seasons in MLB. It belongs to George Brunet’s staggering 33 seasons of pro baseball. So why haven’t you heard of Brunet? In America, Brunet was just your typical Journeyman racking up 19 mediocre seasons in the Majors and Minors… but that was just a warmup for his JOURNEY, MAN. In his second act he became a Hall of Famer South of the Border, throwing for 14 more years in Mexico. Brunet played into his fifties, tossing more than 6000 innings across three decades of professional baseball, riding his indefatigable left arm on the ULTIMATE baseball journey.

SOURCES:


Special thanks to the Salón de la Fama del Beisbol Mexicano. Visit them in Monterrey, Mexico.

STAY CONNECTED

Patreon: Echo of the Whistle

Twitter: @echothewhistle

Instagram: @echoofthewhistle

Threads: @echoofthewhistle

Bluesky: @echothewhistlepod.bsky.social

TikTok: @echo_of_the_whistle

YouTube: @EchooftheWhistle

Website: echoofthewhistle.com

]]>1803a2d6-88cb-4d36-9144-7208cccd534aMon, 22 Jun 2026 03:00:00 -040031:49truefull1331The Next Football War?: Extra Time with Dr. Nick Watanabe on the Football WarThe Next Football War?: Extra Time with Dr. Nick Watanabe on the Football WarCould the Football War happen again at the 2026 World Cup? Harry is joined by Dr. Nick Watanabe author of The Beautiful Game?: The Stories Shaping the Future of Soccer to dive into the Football War, FIFA's diplomatic responsibility and what happens to the players caught in the middle.

CHAPTERS:

Intro (:00)

How pervasive is the fake narrative? (1:23)

1970 World Cup vs. 2026 World Cup (3:45)

Does US fear world soccer culture? (9:30)

Sports nationalism and the Dokdo-Takeshima fight (14:27)

Would social media fight propaganda or spread it? (20:15)

Is 2026 heading for a new Football War? (22:30)

The failure of FIFA's "football diplomacy" (27:15)

Honduras-El Salvador Match 3 was a World Cup CLASSIC (32:25)

What happens to the players used as pawns? (35:50)

The Beautiful Game?: The Stories Shaping the Future of Soccer (42:40)

ABOUT ECHO OF THE WHISTLE: Playing to the “echo of the whistle” means to give 100% and then just a little bit more, fighting for that extra inch when the other team has stopped playing. Echo of the Whistle goes beyond what happens on the field of play to trace sports’ ripples across time and culture. What can one statistical anomaly tell us about the most difficult position in sports? How did the 1975 Chicago Blackhawks end up facing off against Sesame Street characters? Why did a Hall of Fame baseball player end up dead at the bottom of Niagara Falls? Let the chat shows chat and the hot takes get cold because this show tells uncommon sports stories that stay with listeners after the clock hits double zeroes.

STAY CONNECTED:

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/echoofthewhistle

Twitter: @echothewhistle

Instagram:@echoofthewhistle

Threads: @echoofthewhistle

Bluesky: @echothewhistlepod.bsky.social

TikTok: @echo_of_the_whistle

Website: echoofthewhistle.com

]]>Could the Football War happen again at the 2026 World Cup? Harry is joined by Dr. Nick Watanabe author of The Beautiful Game?: The Stories Shaping the Future of Soccer to dive into the Football War, FIFA's diplomatic responsibility and what happens to the players caught in the middle.

CHAPTERS:

Intro (:00)

How pervasive is the fake narrative? (1:23)

1970 World Cup vs. 2026 World Cup (3:45)

Does US fear world soccer culture? (9:30)

Sports nationalism and the Dokdo-Takeshima fight (14:27)

Would social media fight propaganda or spread it? (20:15)

Is 2026 heading for a new Football War? (22:30)

The failure of FIFA's "football diplomacy" (27:15)

Honduras-El Salvador Match 3 was a World Cup CLASSIC (32:25)

What happens to the players used as pawns? (35:50)

The Beautiful Game?: The Stories Shaping the Future of Soccer (42:40)

ABOUT ECHO OF THE WHISTLE: Playing to the “echo of the whistle” means to give 100% and then just a little bit more, fighting for that extra inch when the other team has stopped playing. Echo of the Whistle goes beyond what happens on the field of play to trace sports’ ripples across time and culture. What can one statistical anomaly tell us about the most difficult position in sports? How did the 1975 Chicago Blackhawks end up facing off against Sesame Street characters? Why did a Hall of Fame baseball player end up dead at the bottom of Niagara Falls? Let the chat shows chat and the hot takes get cold because this show tells uncommon sports stories that stay with listeners after the clock hits double zeroes.

STAY CONNECTED:

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/echoofthewhistle

Twitter: @echothewhistle

Instagram:@echoofthewhistle

Threads: @echoofthewhistle

Bluesky: @echothewhistlepod.bsky.social

TikTok: @echo_of_the_whistle

Website: echoofthewhistle.com

]]>59647292-811b-44fb-91d1-cb531a0ed7b9Mon, 15 Jun 2026 04:00:00 -040046:58truefull1221The Football WarThe Football WarEPISODE DESCRIPTION: In 1969, Honduras and El Salvador played three World Cup Qualifiers. The first match in Honduras ended in riots. The second in El Salvador, bloodshed. The third match in Mexico City would see El Salvador punch its ticket to the 1970 World Cup…and dissolve all diplomatic ties with Honduras. Then started the military strikes. Over the next 4 days, El Salvador advanced their forces to the edge of Honduran capital Tegucigalpa before a cease fire was called. Except that’s not the TRUE story. Did El Salvador and Honduras get away with Sportswashing a WAR?

SOURCES: The Soccer War by Ryszard Kapuscinski

The War of the Dispossessed: Honduras and El Salvador, 1969 By Thomas P. Anderson

The 100 Hour War by Dan Hagedorn and Mario Overall


ABOUT ECHO OF THE WHISTLE: Playing to the “echo of the whistle” means to give 100% and then just a little bit more, fighting for that extra inch when the other team has stopped playing. Echo of the Whistle goes beyond what happens on the field of play to trace sports’ ripples across time and culture. What can one statistical anomaly tell us about the most difficult position in sports? How did the 1975 Chicago Blackhawks end up facing off against Sesame Street characters? Why did a Hall of Fame baseball player end up dead at the bottom of Niagara Falls? Let the chat shows chat and the hot takes get cold because this show tells uncommon sports stories that stay with listeners after the clock hits double zeroes.

STAY CONNECTED

Patreon: Echo of the Whistle

Twitter: @echothewhistle

Instagram:@echoofthewhistle

Threads: @echoofthewhistle

Bluesky: @echothewhistlepod.bsky.social

TikTok: @echo_of_the_whistle

Website: echoofthewhistle.com

]]>EPISODE DESCRIPTION: In 1969, Honduras and El Salvador played three World Cup Qualifiers. The first match in Honduras ended in riots. The second in El Salvador, bloodshed. The third match in Mexico City would see El Salvador punch its ticket to the 1970 World Cup…and dissolve all diplomatic ties with Honduras. Then started the military strikes. Over the next 4 days, El Salvador advanced their forces to the edge of Honduran capital Tegucigalpa before a cease fire was called. Except that’s not the TRUE story. Did El Salvador and Honduras get away with Sportswashing a WAR?

SOURCES: The Soccer War by Ryszard Kapuscinski

The War of the Dispossessed: Honduras and El Salvador, 1969 By Thomas P. Anderson

The 100 Hour War by Dan Hagedorn and Mario Overall


ABOUT ECHO OF THE WHISTLE: Playing to the “echo of the whistle” means to give 100% and then just a little bit more, fighting for that extra inch when the other team has stopped playing. Echo of the Whistle goes beyond what happens on the field of play to trace sports’ ripples across time and culture. What can one statistical anomaly tell us about the most difficult position in sports? How did the 1975 Chicago Blackhawks end up facing off against Sesame Street characters? Why did a Hall of Fame baseball player end up dead at the bottom of Niagara Falls? Let the chat shows chat and the hot takes get cold because this show tells uncommon sports stories that stay with listeners after the clock hits double zeroes.

STAY CONNECTED

Patreon: Echo of the Whistle

Twitter: @echothewhistle

Instagram:@echoofthewhistle

Threads: @echoofthewhistle

Bluesky: @echothewhistlepod.bsky.social

TikTok: @echo_of_the_whistle

Website: echoofthewhistle.com

]]>55d9d28e-8885-47e1-a597-3545c8b8573dMon, 08 Jun 2026 04:00:00 -040030:29truefull1111