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Mike and Carlos Figueroa talk on Father’s Day from their “park bench” perspective, reflecting on Carlos’s late father and how youth baseball has changed from inexpensive local leagues to costly, professionalized travel ball. They reminisce about St. Louis Park Little League memories, including injuries from hit batters, a city championship run, pitching limits, and the importance of catchers and infield communication. Their conversation explores baseball’s sounds and language (including the origin of “can of corn”), dugout and field chatter, taunting rules, and how pitchers and catchers call games, contrasting past intuition with modern analytics. They discuss parent behavior as a major problem in youth sports, and relate perseverance to being “on the one-yard line.” They plan to record at the old ballpark, revisit St. Louis Park in 2026, and launch a baseball-focused spinoff podcast, “Square Box Baseball,” based on a Latin American saying about baseball’s unpredictability.

00:00 Park Bench Intro
00:36 Fathers Day Talk
01:42 Remembering Dads
01:55 Kids Sports Then Now
02:49 Little Gophers Memories
03:42 Baseball Sounds Origins
04:56 Chants Taunts Rules
05:58 Voices From The Stands
06:48 Scary Hit By Pitch
08:19 City Champs Glory Days
10:33 Pitch Counts Big Games
14:21 Cinderella Man Lesson
16:52 New Baseball Spinoff
17:56 Square Box Baseball
19:21 Can Of Corn Explained
20:49 Dugout Chatter Deep Dive
21:39 Dugout Chatter Jokes
22:50 Calling Pitches Debate
23:56 Catcher Trust And Gameplan
24:49 Reading Hitters Then Now
27:00 Hitting And Guessing
30:02 Look Alive Field Talk
32:48 Taunting And First Base Stories
34:29 Parents Ruin Youth Ball
39:01 Town Ball Home Run Tale
41:04 Wrap Up And Podcast Plans

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Park Bench Perspectives - Episode 16: Beek's Pizza, Babe Ruth Baseball, and The White Shadow

Episode Summary: In this episode of Park Bench Perspectives, hosts Carlos Figueroa and Mike Hammer welcome a very special guest to the bench: their lifelong friend from St. Louis Park, Joe Riley. Take a trip down memory lane as the trio swaps hilarious and heartwarming stories about growing up in the 1970s and 80s, the drama of youth sports, and the enduring camaraderie of childhood friendships.

Key Topics Discussed:

The St. Louis Park Bubble: Joe shares his memories of shifting between grade schools (Park Knoll to Aquilla) and his eventual, reluctant transfer to Benilde High School, which ultimately opened his eyes to a wider world beyond their hometown.

Growing Pains & Pizza: The guys laugh about their early days as "giant" kids bonding over all-you-can-eat 99-cent deals at Beek's Pizza, and the hilarious revelation that both Carlos and Hammer dated the same girl several years apart.

Babe Ruth Baseball Drama: A deep dive into the highs and lows of their youth baseball all-star team. They recall the coaching tension between Brian Hartman and Hammer's dad, the agony of a championship loss to Edina where Joe made the final out at third base, and the lasting connections born in the dugout.

Life Lessons on the Diamond: Hammer shares the funny, unconventional advice his dad gave him to calm his nerves during high-pressure games: "Remember Lee Trevino".

Pop Culture Nostalgia: The guys discuss which TV shows and movies best capture their youth, drawing comparisons to Dazed and Confused, That '70s Show, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, and Stranger Things. They also shout out Steve Rushin's nostalgic book about 1970s Bloomington, Stingray Afternoons.

Be sure to stick around to the end to hear a teaser for Joe and Carlos's other podcast, Forgotten Television, where Hammer might just make a future guest appearance as his childhood moniker, "The White Shadow"!

00:00 Podcast Introduction
01:02 Meeting Joe Reilly
01:51 Growing Up in St Louis Park
02:40 School Transitions and Friendships
04:14 The Pizza Eating Contest
05:27 First Party Memories
06:31 The Shelly R Story
07:48 Coach Mikey Gavron
08:39 Going to Benilde
09:28 Eighth Grade Geography Class
10:46 The Benilde Decision
11:58 Babe Ruth Baseball Finals
13:09 Home Run Memories
15:10 Brian Hartman's Hockey Story
15:42 Coaching Dynamics and Dad Managers
16:38 Mike's Coaching Experience
17:38 NBA Playoffs Discussion
17:57 Karl-Anthony Towns Trade Talk
19:25 NBA Salaries and Contracts
19:56 Babe Ruth Baseball Memories
20:37 Sports Building Character
21:20 Dad's Coaching Philosophy
21:49 Lee Trevino Pep Talk
22:33 Lasting Friendships from Sports
24:19 Random Airport Encounter
26:08 Benilde School Experience
27:39 Embarrassing Basketball Game
28:29 Steve Rushin's Books
29:29 Movies That Captured Youth
31:38 Wrapping Up the Bench

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In this episode of Park Bench Perspectives, hosts Mike and Carlos welcome a special guest to the bench: Mike’s older sister, Michelle. Bringing her "older sister female perspective" to the show, Michelle joins the conversation while recovering from a broken tibia after slipping in the shower, an injury that currently has her miserably confined to a straight-leg boot for six weeks.

The trio swaps hilarious and intense stories about dealing with unruly crowds at live events. Michelle shares a memorable post-divorce anecdote where she pinned a harassing "troll" against a column at a Tom Petty concert at the Target Center and threatened to have her brother put a hit on him. Not to be outdone, Mike recounts his own near-brawls with shushing audience members at a Simon & Garfunkel concert and a performance of The Lion King. They also discuss the varying intensity of sports fans across different NFL stadiums.

The conversation then takes a nostalgic turn into Minnesota Twins baseball. Michelle shares her deep love for the game, describing baseball as a "romantic sport" defined by the smell of the grass and the crack of the bat. She also expresses her lingering frustration that her father made her pitch in softball instead of letting her play Little League because she was a girl. The group reminisces about the magical 1987 and 1991 World Series championships and the shared pain of being a Minnesota sports fan.

Finally, they revisit their high school years in St. Louis Park, discussing the awkwardness of prom dates, Sadie Hawkins dances, and the stark differences between how teenage boys and girls communicate and process relationships due to their developing frontal lobes.

The episode concludes with an exciting tease for next week: the hosts plan to take the show on the road and record from a physical park bench somewhere in St. Louis Park.

00:00 Welcome to the Bench
01:22 Special Guest Michelle Hammer
01:48 The Shower Incident
02:45 Setting the Record Straight
05:12 Tom Petty Concert Confrontation
08:46 Simon and Garfunkel Rumble
09:54 Lion King Theater Drama
12:00 Sports Fan Encounters
15:04 Growing Up Baseball
17:27 Women in Baseball
18:09 The Romance of Baseball
20:23 Minnesota Sports Heartbreak
21:47 Building Championship Teams
22:56 High School Prom Memories
25:58 School Dance Traditions
27:08 Gender Differences Growing Up
29:18 Summer Recovery Plans
33:13 Future Show Plans

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Memorial Day Bench Talk: Dad Jokes, Raccoons in the Attic, Fireworks, and Barter

On a Memorial Day in Minnesota, Carlos and Mike Hammer record “Park Bench Perspectives,” starting with a dad joke from Brady about “paranormal jeans.” They trade stories about critters in attics, including Mike’s suspected squirrels that turn out to be raccoons, a late-night raccoon at his daughter’s window, and using lights and loud music (AC/DC) to drive them out, plus a teen memory of using pellet guns on squirrels. Carlos shares a childhood incident where a squirrel fell into the shower. They reminisce about changing local wildlife, Westwood Nature Center, Dayton’s Memorial Day/Jubilee Sale ads, and Fourth of July fireworks, including large personal displays in Wisconsin. The conversation shifts to barter economics, estimates vs. bids in handyman work, coincidences in repairs and health, and frustration with vaccine misinformation.

They close by promoting footpainauthority.com and announcing a growing podcast network, including “Forgotten Television” and a new show, “Role Reversal,” about caring for aging parents.

00:00 Park Bench Intro

00:39 Memorial Day Banter

00:43 Dad Joke Detour

01:30 Critters in the Attic

03:51 Wizard of Oz Surprise

04:42 Raccoon at the Window

06:21 Blasting Music to Evict

07:08 Pellet Gun Flashback

07:27 Shower Squirrel Chaos

08:35 Wildlife Then and Now

08:55 Westwood Nature Center

09:23 What Memorial Day Meant

10:16 Dayton’s Sale Nostalgia

11:10 Fourth of July Memories

11:42 Fireworks Then vs Now

12:37 Backyard Fireworks Tales

13:52 Cleanup and Getting Older

14:25 Barter Economy Dreams

16:52 Handyman Deals and Estimates

19:10 Coincidence and Vaccine Rants

21:24 Workplace Shots and Meeting Culture

22:39 Plugging Businesses and Podcasts

23:45 New Show Role Reversal

24:35 Next Episodes and Sign Off

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From their “Park Bench Perspective,” Carlos and Mike Hammer reminisce about growing up in St. Louis Park and early work experiences, starting with a childhood paper route and frustrations with school fundraisers, including a story about Melissa McCarthy opting to write a check rather than sell magazines. They compare fundraisers like paper drives and Girl Scout cookies and joke about shrinkflation. The conversation shifts to first jobs: Hammer dishwashing at the Ambassador Motor Hotel (union breaks, heavy pots and pans) and briefly working at Jolly Troll before quitting due to a creepy manager; Carlos describes working at TGI Fridays as a teen, cutting his thumb and receiving a disability payout, then being fired over an earring, and quitting Plums after 17 straight days. They mention other jobs (Shakey’s, Snyder Drug, Tom Thumb, Domino’s) and discuss restaurant theft, service, and management lessons. Carlos announces a new podcast with Joe Reilly, “Forgotten Television,” debuting with The White Shadow, teases another podcast with Hammer, and they plan “Jobs Part Two,” while plugging Hammer’s handyman/construction work and Carlos’s writing project “The Ghost of Lake Osseo.”

00:00 Park Bench Intro
00:31 First Money Jobs
01:03 Fundraiser Rants
04:03 Girl Scout Shrinkflation
05:24 First Real Restaurant Jobs
09:04 TGI Fridays Thumb Story
11:55 More Teen Jobs List
13:12 Dominos Before GPS
15:26 Restaurant Theft Wisdom
20:26 New Podcasts Announcement
21:29 Jobs Part Two Tease
24:11 Wrap Up and Contact

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St. Louis Park Summertime Perspectives (and the “Bare Ass Pool” Story)

Carlos Figueroa and Mike Hammer talk on Park Bench Perspectives about May leading into summer in St. Louis Park, recalling elementary track meets (relays, sack races), a tougher era of safety (asphalt playgrounds, no bike helmets, lawn jarts), and the start of summer baseball with Little League drafts, uniforms, opening day, and a memorable visit from a Japanese Little League team whose disciplined play and submarine pitching were intimidating. They reminisce about the last day of school paper-throwing chaos, summer park programs with the “green box” of games (four square, capture the flag, Knox hockey), neighborhood mischief, Cub Scout paper drives and liability fears, exploring marshland, and local traffic changes advocated by “Disco Dave Hammer.” They also cover the rec center pool, beaches and cabins, teen driving and partying stories, and invite listeners to share St. Louis Park trivia—jokingly titling the episode “Bare Ass Pool” after discussion of nude swim classes in earlier decades.

00:00 May Bench Banter
01:07 School Track Meet Memories
02:13 Dangerous Games and No Helmets
04:13 Little League Draft Days
05:32 Japanese Team Showdown
08:05 Last Day School Chaos
10:53 Summer Parks and Green Box
12:01 First Kisses and Window Breaking
14:44 Neighborhood Games and Lawsuits
16:49 Cub Scouts Paper Drive Hustle
19:16 Cub Scouts and Summers
19:28 Neighborhood Exploring Tales
20:19 Phone Book Anderson Joke
20:37 Hampshire Road Changes
22:02 Snowballs and Speeders
22:53 Highway Frogger Food Runs
23:43 Mark Globus Memories
25:09 Rec Center Pool Days
28:50 Beaches Falls and Cabins
30:01 Boy Scout Camp Mischief
31:06 Road Trips and Teen Years
33:24 Driving Drinking Concert Chaos
35:58 Podcast Wrap and Call In
37:44 Bare Ass Pool Trivia
39:10 Bench Season Goodbye

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On Mother’s Day, hosts Mike Hammer and Carlos Figueroa return to their “park bench perspective,” invite listeners to leave Fan Mail or voicemails on their Buzzsprout page to share St. Louis Park stories, and dedicate a mom-centric episode to their late mothers, Judy and Maria. They discuss grief and the ongoing one-way “conversation” after a parent’s death, including therapy practices like talking at the cemetery and writing letters, and reflect on how their moms quietly supported families and neighborhoods through work, Scouts, sports, and hospitality. The conversation touches on generational realities such as women’s limited ability to sign contracts before 1974, financial strain after divorce, and the importance of checking on others. They also share personal memories, including Marty Hammer’s severe accident and ICU ordeal, Maria’s lonely phone calls, and Judy’s “not today” refrain near the end of her life.

00:00 Park Bench Return

00:43 Listener Voicemails Invite

01:50 Mothers Day Reflections

03:29 Grief Coping Tools

04:37 Moms Who Show Up

05:32 Pick A Pop Memories

07:09 Divorce And Resilience

09:00 Check In On People

10:13 Entrepreneur Mindset

15:23 Sales Luck And No

17:40 Create Your Own Luck

18:50 Handling Rejection

19:11 Rejection Isn’t Personal

19:57 Sales Process and Asking

20:43 Fair Deals and Karma

21:17 Hidden Fees and Tipping Screens

23:55 Back to Mothers and Similarities

24:41 Judy’s Compassion and Passivity

25:54 Aging Parents and Doctor Visits

27:49 Marty’s Accident and Aftermath

33:19 Shoutout to Moms

33:36 Maria Story and Not Today

36:25 Final Farewell

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Posters, Pop Cans, and Park Bench Perspectives

Mike Hammer and Carlos Figueroa reminisce on a “park bench” about teen bedroom posters (Farrah Fawcett, Led Zeppelin, Lamborghini, Easy Rider), poster-shopping at places like the Fun Shop and Ridgedale, and trivia that Fernando Valenzuela’s poster surpassed Farrah’s in sales. They recall collecting RC Cola baseball-player cans by digging through Westwood Deli’s stock, confirm RC Cola still exists, and detour into a Vegas blackjack memory. The conversation shifts to beer and bar memorabilia, including distributor neons and personal wall art like a Rat Pack “Royal Flush” poster and a signed Ramones album. Carlos shares a 2003 story of receiving Bubba Gump souvenir glasses from Mike’s sons during a difficult period. They discuss St. Louis Park history (name from the Minneapolis & St. Louis Railroad; early downtown near Walker/Broadway and Wooddale), the value of the postal service, letters/telegrams, and reflect on parenting, especially Judy Hammer’s resilience and “showing up.”

00:00 Park Bench Intro
00:41 Cuban Family Story
01:24 Teen Posters Debate
02:43 Poster Shopping Memories
05:12 Iconic Posters Trivia
06:08 RC Cola Can Collecting
09:24 Vegas Drinking Detour
11:18 Beer Signs Bar Swag
16:01 Bubba Gump Glasses
19:23 Movie Posters Talk
21:44 Warriors Nostalgia
24:35 St Louis Park Origins
26:39 Elmwood Origins
27:59 Postal Service Debate
29:13 Stamps And Seniors
32:25 Postcards And Letters
34:44 Telegrams And Keepsakes
36:25 Yearbook Secrets
37:40 Judy Tough Love
42:27 Showing Up Parenting
46:26 Youth Sports Costs
50:41 Wrap Up And Plugs

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