podcast

OAG Staff Picks: Peter Sagal, Tup Holmes, Leo Ferris And More

For the very last week of Only A Game, we're bringing back some of our favorites. NPR host Peter Sagal drops by with a story about running and male body...

OAG's Most Memorable: Barkley's Friendship, Syracuse 8, The Carewlands And More

This week we’re bringing back some of our most memorable, most requested stories. Reporter Shirley Wang tells the story of her father, Lin Wang, and his friendship with NBA Hall...

Universal Pictures Basketball, Diving Inside An Iceberg And Running With Sherman

It's Only A Game book club day, as we bring back three listener favorites from three great books. First up, the story of how the Universal Pictures basketball team went...

Bob Cousy's Regrets, Devo And Chi Chi, Tacko Fall Learns To Swim And More

Bob Cousy and Bill Russell won six NBA championships together on the Boston Celtics. This week on Only A Game, Cousy says he regrets not doing more for his teammate...

The Farewell Show: Revisiting Our First Episode, Bill Littlefield Returns, And More

On the last new episode of Only A Game, producer Martin Kessler revisits a childhood meeting with Mia Hamm and Nomar Garciaparra. Also, Doris Kearns Goodwin explains how baseball made...

'Torch' George, Running With Diabetes, Story Update

All her life, basketball player Cherelle George was told to tone down her game. This week on Only A Game, how Cherelle found a team that embraced her style, the...

Bonus: Only A Game Live Event

Last week we held a live virtual event on sports, racism and the myth of meritocracy. As a podcast bonus, here’s the audio recording of that event.

A Track Coach's Legacy, Teenage Referee, 'Paddle To The Amazon'

As we enter mid-August and as the end of this program draws nearer, we’ve been thinking a bit about legacies. How do legacies — particularly in sports — get passed...

Andrés Cantor, 'Spinner' Spencer's Life, Ultramarathoning Origins

Announcer Andrés Cantor is famous for his (lengthy) "gol" calls, but there's much more to his life and career. This week on Only A Game, Cantor shares his story of...

Coming Up: Live Virtual Event — Sports, Racism And The Myth Of Meritocracy

Join us for a live virtual event on August 12 at 6 p.m. ET! We'll delve deeper into our recent special episode on sports and racism.

Swimming While Black, Origin Of Modern Women's Swimwear, 'Sail Like A Girl'

On a recent Sunday, G Wright Muir and her son went to a pool near their Florida home to swim laps. This week on Only A Game, the story of...

MLB All-Star Tells Jokes, Pioneering Sportswriter, Olympians' Mental Health

During his 16-year MLB career, pitcher Ryan Dempster won a World Series and twice reached the MLB All-Star Game. This week on Only A Game, Dempster turns his attention to...

Boxing Coach Fights COVID-19, Ex-Athlete Dreams Education Reform, Exonerated Golf Artist

In a lifetime full of challenges inside and outside the boxing ring, Termite Watkins recently faced his toughest opponent yet: COVID-19. Also this week on Only A Game, former basketball...

Origins Of Clay Court Tennis, A Golfer's Secret, Lou Gehrig's Writing

Tickets went on sale this week for the French Open, the only Grand Slam played on clay. This week on Only A Game, the dark tale behind the origin of...

Satchel Paige And A Religious Cult, Fritz Pollard, Basketball And NASA

This week on Only A Game, a baseball fan investigates the day his father donned a House of David jersey and caught for the great Satchel Paige. Also, the story...

Special: Sports, Racism And The Myth Of Meritocracy

Sports are supposed to be the great equalizer. Movies like "Remember The Titans" and "The Blind Side" promote the idea that sports bring everyone together — and offer a path...

Athletes Fight Racism, Sports Tackle Empty Stadium Problem, And More

Athletes continue to take a leading role in the Black Lives Matter movement. This week on Only A Game, a look at Oklahoma State where players spoke up after football...

Bonus: A Conversation On Sports, Racism And Police Brutality

Professors Amira Rose Davis, Kenneth Shropshire and Kevin Blackistone discuss what the sports world needs to do to combat racism.

Hoops Coach Calls Out Colleagues, Sports Leagues' Next Moves, 'Basketball Peaceful Protest'

North Carolina Central men's basketball coach LeVelle Moton recently criticized fellow coaches for not speaking out against police brutality. This week on Only A Game, Moton shares his own experiences...

Only A Game

48:22Jun 12, 2020

Dortmund's English midfielder Jadon Sancho wears a "Justice for George Floyd" shirt after scoring his team's third goal during a Bundesliga match on May 31, 2020. (Lars Baron/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

The Black Lives Matter Protests And The Sports Community

Some of the loudest voices condemning racism and police brutality have come from the sports world. This week on Only A Game, Kenneth Shropshire details how and why athletes are...