Bizarre with Mick Molloy and Titus O’Reily

In this episode, a man bites a snake, crocodiles start saving dogs and DNA testing is being used to catch people who don't clean up after their dog. If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With LeTour entering its final week, we revisit one of our first episodes, looking at the early years of the Tour De France. The early years of the Tour De France were a hot mess, with a spiked bottle of lemonade, itching powder put in cyclists’ shorts, riders taking rides in cars and trains, attempted murder and pitched battles between cyclists and spectators. Beginning in 1903 as a marketing exercise to boost the circulation of the newspaper L’Auto, the first was won by Maurice-François Garin, who knocked an opponent off their bike, and then jumped on the wheels so they couldn’t ride it anymore. The second Tour would result in the top four finishers all being disqualified, with the reasons never made public. Titus O’Reily and Mick Molloy look at the early years of the Tour De France, and how those bizarre early races would set the tone for one of the most popular sporting events in the world. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final episode on the beginnings of NASCAR, Bill France seizes control of the new organisation but a new challenge immediately presents itself. Again, he relies on the bootleggers and moonshiners, and finds a new hero in a bootlegger by the name of Junior Johnson. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Resources There is a lot on the web about NASCAR’s early days, including a heap of contemporary sources. Rising above all that and a lot more accessible if you want to learn more are two key books, Real NASCAR: White Lightning, Red Clay, and Big Bill France by Daniel S. Pierce and Driving with the Devil: Southern Moonshine, Detroit Wheels, and the Birth of NASCAR by Neal Thompson. For more on how the moonshine industry worked, North Carolina Moonshine: An Illicit History by Frank Stephenson Jr. and Barbara Nichols Mulder is fascinating.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mick begins by critiquing the very logo he approved before the guys move on to pressing animal matters, such as people harassing bisons and then regretting it. If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTube See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With NASCAR formed, Bill France set out to crush the competition, but he needed stars to bring the crowds. Enter a family from Fort Payne, Alabama, 'The Sock Capitol of the World', the Flocks. Dubbed the 'Mad Flocks', Bob, Fonty, Tim and their sister Ethel Flock, became huge attractions throughout the South through their charisma and risky driving. Tim even started racing with a rhesus monkey—named “Jocko Flocko”, just to add to the entertainment. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Resources There is a lot on the web about NASCAR’s early days, including a heap of contemporary sources. Rising above all that and a lot more accessible if you want to learn more are two key books, Real NASCAR: White Lightning, Red Clay, and Big Bill France by Daniel S. Pierce and Driving with the Devil: Southern Moonshine, Detroit Wheels, and the Birth of NASCAR by Neal Thompson. For more on how the moonshine industry worked, North Carolina Moonshine: An Illicit History by Frank Stephenson Jr. and Barbara Nichols Mulder is fascinating.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mick provides an update on a fat bear champion, cows are now being toilet trained, and otters start attacking children. If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the war, Atlanta would launch a campaign against the moonshine drivers, opening the pathway for Bill France to create a new organisation, The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing or NASCAR.  As its first president, they appointed the man who created the Cannonball Run, the event that inspired the films.  If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Resources There is a lot on the web about NASCAR’s early days, including a heap of contemporary sources. Rising above all that and a lot more accessible if you want to learn more are two key books, Real NASCAR: White Lightning, Red Clay, and Big Bill France by Daniel S. Pierce and Driving with the Devil: Southern Moonshine, Detroit Wheels, and the Birth of NASCAR by Neal Thompson. For more on how the moonshine industry worked, North Carolina Moonshine: An Illicit History by Frank Stephenson Jr. and Barbara Nichols Mulder is fascinating.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Titus informs Mick that birds are actually dinosaurs, a woman feeds a monkey spicy Cheetos and Mick argues the pelican should be bird of the year. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Atlanta took control of the stock car racing scene, it would seem Bill France's dream of Daytona being the centre of the sport was lost. But a tragedy and the outbreak of the Second World War would see the sport shaken up again, and pave the way for the emergence of NASCAR. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Resources There is a lot on the web about NASCAR’s early days, including a heap of contemporary sources. Rising above all that and a lot more accessible if you want to learn more are two key books, Real NASCAR: White Lightning, Red Clay, and Big Bill France by Daniel S. Pierce and Driving with the Devil: Southern Moonshine, Detroit Wheels, and the Birth of NASCAR by Neal Thompson. For more on how the moonshine industry worked, North Carolina Moonshine: An Illicit History by Frank Stephenson Jr. and Barbara Nichols Mulder is fascinating.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mick returns from Columbia and shares his experiences with the animals there including an emotional support animal biting his colleague. Titus has a live show in Melbourne on 21 June. You can get tickets here. If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTube See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Running illegal moonshine created great drivers and cars, and stock car racing started to gain some traction as a sport. So much so that the community of Daytona Beach would host their first-ever stock car race. Soon a driver named Bill France would be organising regular races there. It wouldn't be long though until Atlanta challenged Daytona as the centre of the stock car racing world, producing drivers, and bootleggers such as Lloyd “Lighting Seay and "Reckless Roy" Hall. Titus has a live show in Melbourne on 21 June. You can get tickets here. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Resources There is a lot on the web about NASCAR’s early days, including a heap of contemporary sources. Rising above all that and a lot more accessible if you want to learn more are two key books, Real NASCAR: White Lightning, Red Clay, and Big Bill France by Daniel S. Pierce and Driving with the Devil: Southern Moonshine, Detroit Wheels, and the Birth of NASCAR by Neal Thompson. For more on how the moonshine industry worked, North Carolina Moonshine: An Illicit History by Frank Stephenson Jr. and Barbara Nichols Mulder is fascinating.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mick and Titus celebrate a mass cow escape, a brawl at a dog show and shenanigans at greyhound racing. Titus has a live show in Melbourne on 21 June. You can get tickets here. If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There have been times when NASCAR has not wanted people to know their early history.  That’s because the people who built NASCAR, drove the cars, built the cars and financed it, were deeply involved in one illegal industry. Moonshine. To avoid law enforcement and tax collectors, moonshiner makers employed bootleggers, young men who could outrun those trying to stop them. Soon, a thought occurred, what if we get these great drivers to race against each other? Titus has a live show in Melbourne on 21 June. You can get tickets here. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Resources There is a lot on the web about NASCAR’s early days, including a heap of contemporary sources. Rising above all that and a lot more accessible if you want to learn more are two key books, Real NASCAR: White Lightning, Red Clay, and Big Bill France by Daniel S. Pierce and Driving with the Devil: Southern Moonshine, Detroit Wheels, and the Birth of NASCAR by Neal Thompson. For more on how the moonshine industry worked, North Carolina Moonshine: An Illicit History by Frank Stephenson Jr. and Barbara Nichols Mulder is fascinating.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mick and Titus discuss their favourite river systems, and marvel at the fact Octopuses punch fish for no reason. Titus has live shows in Melbourne on 7 and 21 June. You can get tickets here. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Titus interviews Chloë McCardel, the Queen of the Channel, to cap off our English Channel series. Chloë has swam the channel a record 44 times, as well as holding the record for the longest uninterrupted, unassisted ocean swim ever. They talk about the pain of jellyfish stings, the terror of swimming at night and how Chloe came to marathon swimming in the first place. Titus has two more live shows in Melbourne. You can get tickets here. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mick and Titus discuss the cat born with no anus and the tale of an Alaskan woman attacked by a black bear while sitting on the toilet. Plus, they marvel at the unathletic alligator who escaped and a plan hatched by ibises on the Gold Coast to evade animal control.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the Channel finally crossed, the arms race for who could cross it the fastest kicked off, and in a shock for the media at the time, it would be the woman who would set the standard. Gertrude Ederle would set the pace, although her coach worked work against her. As time went on, the records became harder to set, until an eleven-year-old stepped up to the plate. Titus has a live show in Melbourne on 7 June. You can get tickets here. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lot is happening in this week's episode, from a Walrus who ruined New Year's Eve, lobsters getting high and animals getting revenge on humans. Titus has a live show in Melbourne on 7 June. You can get tickets here. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On 12 August 1872, Captain Matthew Webb stood on the English shore and covered himself with porpoise oil before setting off to attempt to be the first person to swim the English Channel. Webb swam breaststroke as no Englishman would be caught dead swimming the new 'freestyle' stroke. It was considered “violent and grotesque.” When Webb was just over halfway, a storm hit the Channel. It appeared once again the Channel would never be conquered. Titus has a live show in Melbourne on 7 June. You can get tickets here. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Titus and Mick cross the animal kingdom in this episode from a two-foot-tall cow to raccoons who ruin a gender reveal party. They then pay a classy tribute to Mr Gox, the crypto-trading hamster who passed away unexpectedly. Titus has a live show in Melbourne on 7 June. You can get tickets here. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the most challenging athletic feats in human history is to swim the English Channel. It’s 34 kilometres of open sea between England and France, which also happens to be the busiest sea lane in the world, with water temperatures hovering between 14 to 18 degrees Celsius in summer. For your swim to be officially recognised, wet suits or any thermal protection are not allowed. It’s just you against the ocean. Tides will also sweep you kilometres off course, you’ll almost certainly be stung by jellyfish, and even while swimming, the churning waves can make you seasick. So why does anyone do it? Who was the first? And just how dangerous is it? Mick and Titus look at the history of swimming the English Channel. Titus has a live show in Melbourne on 7 June. You can get tickets here. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mick and Titus pay their respects to Magawa the rat who dedicated his life to detecting landmines. Plus, they discuss the Bahraini seagulls that are too fat to fly; loud cicada sex parties and the monotreme with four penises. Titus has three live shows coming up in May in Melbourne. You can get tickets here. If you’d like more Animal Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By the 1930s, SP bookies were everywhere, with investigations discovering that every pub had an SP bookie, and the rare one that didn’t wasn’t economically viable. After the radio had changed everything, the next bit of technology was about to change the life of the SP bookie in ways they couldn’t begin to imagine, the telephone. Titus has three live shows coming up in May in Melbourne. You can get tickets here. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In their first episode of Animal Bizarre, Mick and Titus discuss a bear that invaded a Japanese military base, penguins that get too cold and a woman breastfeeding a cat on an aeroplane. They then cover a man who while fleeing a swarm of bees jumps into a lake, only to be eaten by piranhas. Titus has three live shows coming up in May in Melbourne. You can get tickets here. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTube See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Australia decided to do something against its nature, ban gambling. The result was the rise of the SP Bookie, illegal bookmakers based in pubs, barber shops, pool halls and anywhere people wanted them. The result was a cat-and-mouse game between the police and the bookies; if the cats weren’t interested in capturing the mice and were willing to take bribes. Titus has three live shows coming up in May in Melbourne. You can get tickets here. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mick and Titus are thrilled to announce a new show, Animal Bizarre, which will be released each Wednesday, starting next week. Sports Bizarre will remain the same, out every Monday. “From seagulls who are too fat to fly, drunk echidnas, a crypto-investing hamster, racoons hell-bent on disrupting a ‘gender reveal party’, and a bear who invaded a military base, every week we will be looking at the most bizarre stories from the animal kingdom,” said Mick. “We’ve been thrilled with the ongoing success of Sports Bizarre – and we will continue to find the weird stories from the sports world, but we’ve always wanted to branch out with other topics. When it comes to the stories we tell about animals, we are like David Attenborough, if he didn’t fact check and had an incredibly poor understanding of wildlife,” said Titus. Animal Bizarre and Sports Bizarre will both be released on this feed so there's no need to change anything. The feed will be renamed 'Bizarre with Mick Molloy and Titus O'Reily'. If you have any questions, please email us at [email protected] See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With their first season at the top level in the bag, the Crazy Gang set their eyes higher, but not before a key member announces he is leaving. Before the season is over, the team will achieve something special, but it will also contain the seeds of their destruction. Titus has three live shows coming up in May in Melbourne. You can get tickets here. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets This story I had to piece together using a lot of different sources but a good overview is The Crazy Gang by Dave Bassett and Wally Downes which aims to set the record straight from two men who were in the Crazy Gang.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unfortunately Mick was unwell last week, so we bring you one of our most popular episodes. Wimbledon will be back next week. On 4 June 1974, the Cleveland Indians decided to host a ten-cent beer night to attract fans; beer at the stadium normally cost 65 cents, so ten cents was a real incentive. The Indians were in a 30-year slump at the time, as was the city, their river would catch fire with alarming regularity, so the scene was set for trouble. Oh, and it was a full moon. The result was pure, unbridled chaos. There were streakers, firecrackers, a woman trying to kiss the home plate umpire and eventually, a full-scale riot. Titus O'Reily and Mick Molloy examine a night that started badly and then got worse. Titus has three live shows coming up in May in Melbourne. You can get tickets here. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part two, Wimbledon’s Crazy Gang unlock their on field persona, tough, hard, and hated by opponents. As they push up the Football League divisions, a new young player joins the team, named Vinnie Jones, and the club begins their assault on the top division. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets This story I had to piece together using a lot of different sources but a good overview is The Crazy Gang by Dave Bassett and Wally Downes which aims to set the record straight from two men who were in the Crazy Gang.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the mid-1970s, Wimbledon FC were an amateur football side that couldn't afford training cones, so they stole them from the nearby highway. But the club was going about to go on one of the greatest runs of any team in sport, rising from the bottom to the top, and they did it with a crazy owner, manager and a bunch of players who would become known simply as ‘the crazy gang’. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets This story I had to piece together using a lot of different sources but a good overview is The Crazy Gang by Dave Bassett and Wally Downes which aims to set the record straight from two men who were in the Crazy Gang.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Albert Belle could hit a baseball. He could also hit a range of other objects when he got frustrated, from sinks to buffet tables. Joining the hapless Cleveland Indians, he was a big part of turning them around, but he also lost it at fans, teammates, and trick-or-treaters. Belle’s personality of being a jerk, even affected his chances of entering the Hall of Fame, because most journalists who vote for it, just didn’t like him. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTube See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part two, Babe Didrikson turns to golf as her next sport to conquer, becoming one of the greatest of all time. She also meets her husband George Zaharias, a professional wrestler, known as the 'Crying Greek from Cripple Creek.' Together, they propel Babe to great heights, help form the LPGA, before Babe faces her toughest battle. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Babe Didrikson might very well be the greatest athlete of the 20th century. As a teenager she led her team to the National Basketball Championship, before moving on to the Olympics and became a two-time gold medallist. Baseball was next, playing against the men in the Major Leagues, and that was just the half of it. To make money, she turned to the stage, becoming a star, before deciding to conquer one more sport, golf. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 1977, the movie Slap Shot starring Paul Newman was released about the crazy exploits of a fictional minor league ice hockey team. The plot was so unbelievable the movie flopped but later became a sports classic, partly because all the crazy stories in it were based on a real team, the Johnstown Jets. All the characters in the movie were based on real people, like the three Hanson Brothers, (not the musicians) and their arch-nemesis Bill “Goldie” Goldthorpe. They fought each other, the referees and the fans. This is the story of the Johnstown Jets, one of the strangest teams of all time. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2002, none other than Michael Jackson came to Exeter City's stadium to deliver a speech to the 7,000 fans in attendance. What followed was a rambling speech about curing AIDS, stopping poverty, and for good measure, ending racism. What made this even stranger was that Exeter City were at the bottom of Division Three at the time. Within weeks of his visit, Jackson would be appointed to their board. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With Taylor Swift in Australia, we look at her impact on the NFL and examine other sport/entertainment relationships, like Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe, Posh and Becks, and Denis Rodman and Madonna. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTube See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a few legal checks, we can now bring you part two of Fine Cotton, and we didn't even have to change it! When we left you, the horse was bright red, the race was imminent and it all looked like this slow-moving disaster was going ahead.   Find out what happens next in this extraordinary tale. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Resources There is a heap of newspaper reports from the time, and ever since then there’s been interviews galore with many of the main players. That said, there are still a few who have remained very quiet on this topic. The most recent book and the one worth grabbing if you want to dive deeper is The Fine Cotton Fiasco by Peter Hoysted and Pat Sheil. Chance by Andrew Rule also has a chapter on it which is great as all his work is.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unfortunately, we can't bring you Fine Cotton Part Two today, we explain why in this pod, but it will be arriving soon. Instead, we present Frank Worthington, one of the wild men of English Football in the 1970s. A friend of George Best, he once famously failed a medical at Liverpool because he went on a bender the week before. What follows is a wild ride of women, booze, gambling and some amazing football. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are back, and with the most requested topic we've ever had. In Australia, the two most famous racehorses are Fine Cotton and Phar Lap but for opposite reasons.  When a handful of colourful racing types attempted to swap the poor horse Fine Cotton, for the much faster Dashing Solitaire, it all seemed so easy. What followed was an inept, sometimes tragic, sometimes hilarious slow-moving disaster, with a mystery still at the heart of it. We are doing two live Sports Bizarre shows on in Melbourne in February at the Corner Hotel. The first show is sold out and there’s only a few left for the second night. You can buy tickets here: Tuesday 27th February We are kicking off at the Corner Hotel because it’s a two minute walk from Mick’s house, but don’t worry if you’re not in Victoria, we will be announcing more dates in the near future. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Resources There is a heap of newspaper reports from the time, and ever since then there’s been interviews galore with many of the main players. That said, there are still a few who have remained very quiet on this topic. The most recent book and the one worth grabbing if you want to dive deeper is The Fine Cotton Fiasco by Peter Hoysted and Pat Sheil. Chance by Andrew Rule also has a chapter on it which is great as all his work is.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Titus sits down with The Ringer’s Editor-at-Large Bryan Curtis to discuss the wonderful world of Texas football. They look at high school football, the rituals and rivalries of college football and the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans. Bryan discusses his beloved Texas Longhorns and how millions of dollars are poured into high school teams. They also look at the Houston Oilers, the USFL’s San Antonio Gunslingers and why in Texas, the three Fs, Faith, Family and Football are so big. We are doing two live Sports Bizarre shows on in Melbourne in February at the Corner Hotel. The first show is sold out and there’s only a few left for the second night. You can buy tickets here: Tuesday 27th February We are kicking off at the Corner Hotel because it’s a two minute walk from Mick’s house, but don’t worry if you’re not in Victoria, we will be announcing more dates in the near future. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Titus sits down with comedians and authors Paul Nardizzi & David Barend who literally wrote the books on how to annoy Jets and Yankees fans. They discuss the Jets disastrous season and why non-Yankees fans hate Yankees fans. We are doing two live Sports Bizarre shows in Melbourne in February at the Corner Hotel. You can buy tickets here: Tuesday 20th February Tuesday 27th February We are kicking off at the Corner Hotel because it’s a two-minute walk from Mick’s house, but don’t worry if you’re not in Victoria, we will be announcing more dates in the near future. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTube See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Titus sits down with Devin Gordon, author of So Many Ways to Lose: The Amazin' True Story of the New York Mets. They chat about how Mets fans experience more pain than almost any other fans, and how whenever things look good, they go bad in the funniest way possible. We are doing two live Sports Bizarre shows on in Melbourne in February at the Corner Hotel. You can buy tickets here: Tuesday 20th February Tuesday 27th February We are kicking off at the Corner Hotel because it’s a two minute walk from Mick’s house, but don’t worry if you’re not in Victoria, we will be announcing more dates in the near future. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTube See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we look at people creating mayhem just for the joy of creating mayhem. First, we look at snooker legend Jimmy White, particularly when he teams up with fellow madman Alex Higgins. Next, we look at the total mayhem of mob football at the Atherstone Ball game. Lastly, we look at the player who never played, Carlos Kaiser and his brush with organised crime. We are doing two live Sports Bizarre shows in Melbourne in February at the Corner Hotel. You can buy tickets here: Tuesday 20th February Tuesday 27th February We are kicking off at the Corner Hotel because it’s a two minute walk from Mick’s house, but don’t worry if you’re not in Victoria, we will be announcing more dates in the near future. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we look at people who had too much money. Starting with F1 racer James Hunt, and his relationship with Lord Alexander Hesketh, a man who had money, and knew how to have fun with it. Then there’s J. William Oldenburg, who owned the USFL team, the Los Angeles Express, and got into a spending war with Donald Trump. Lastly, we look at James Gordon Bennett Jr, the youngest ever Commodore of the New York Yacht Club, who had a cow on his yacht so he could get fresh milk. We are doing two live Sports Bizarre shows in Melbourne in February at the Corner Hotel. You can buy tickets here: Tuesday 20th February Tuesday 27th February We are kicking off at the Corner Hotel because it’s a two-minute walk from Mick’s house, but don’t worry if you’re not in Victoria, we will be announcing more dates in the near future. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we look back at one of our favourite characters ever. Albert Griffiths, or ‘Young Griffo’ began life in the slums of Sydney, as leader of a local gang. This proved to be the perfect training for boxing, and before he was twenty he was the World Featherweight Champion. Moving to the United States, Young Griffo would go on to be one of the greatest boxers of all time, despite never training and almost never fighting sober. In a career spanning 232 fights, Girffo would only lose nine, despite multiple arrests, stints in jail and various asylums. We're doing two live Sports Bizarre podcasts in Melbourne this February. Tickets on sale now. February 20th Tickets February 27th Tickets If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While Melbourne’s Spring Racing Carnival was in full swing, news emerged of what could be Australia’s biggest Ponzi scheme. High on the list of victims were bookmakers who invested millions with an unassuming suburban lawyer named John Adams. Titus sits down with crime writer Andrew Rule to discuss the emerging story. Tickets to Titus’ five Melbourne shows are selling fast with three already sold out and the others selling fast. For tickets to Sport: The Unauthorised History click here. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Titus sits down with author Dan Liebke to discuss his new book, The 100 Funniest Moments in Australian Cricket. They discuss Rob Quiney's resurrection of a dead seagull, Shane Watson's LBW appeals, Dennis Lillee asking the Queen for an autograph and Jeff Thomson's speech at the Allan Border Medal. For tickets to Titus' new live show; Sport: The Unauthorised History click here. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2023, we found plenty of athletes who were unlucky in love. In this best of, we look at John Daly's interesting marriages, Jese Rodriguez interesting way of gaining revenge on an ex, and James Hunt's creative end to a marriage. For tickets to Titus' new Show; Sport: The Unauthorised History click here. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Follow Sports Bizarre on: Instagram Facebook Twitter TikTok YouTubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following the war, Keith Miller dazzled England in the Victory Test and returned to Australia a star. Debuting for Australia, Miller would dazzle crowds around the world, while also clashing with Don Bradman on a regular basis. Miller’s on-field antics were matched by the intense interest in what he did off-field. He was rumoured to have had an affair with Princess Margaret, and once while hungover, used a bike to switch fielding positions. For tickets to Titus' new Show; Sport: The Unauthorised History click here.  If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Resources Aside from lots of contemporary newspaper accounts, there ate quite a few books on Miller. An older book and out of print that I found useful was Keith Miller; The Golden Nugget by R S Whitington and can be tracked down online. Miller himself wrote quite extensively, such as in Cricket Crossfire be Keith Miller, again a second hand book these days but available online. For a more contemporary version and ultimately the most authoritative account, is Miller's Luck: The Life and Loves of Keith Miller, Australia's Greatest All-Rounder by Roland PerrySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When it comes to cricketers, there have been many as exciting on and off the pitch as Keith Ross Miller. Miller played VFL, flew fighter planes in the war, and was one of, if not the greatest, all-rounder of all time. Miller combined movie star looks and incredible charm off the field, with a dark side few got to see. If you’d like more Sports Bizarre, become a member of Bizarre Plus. Click here to join today As a member, you’ll get: A weekly bonus podcast Access to all past episodes Exclusive behind-the-scenes access A fortnightly newsletter Access to the members-only chatroom Ability to vote on future episodes Early access to any live show tickets Resources Aside from lots of contemporary newspaper accounts, there ate quite a few books on Miller. An older book and out of print that I found useful was Keith Miller; The Golden Nugget by R S Whitington and can be tracked down online. Miller himself wrote quite extensively, such as in Cricket Crossfire be Keith Miller, again a second hand book these days but available online. For a more contemporary version and ultimately the most authoritative account, is Miller's Luck: The Life and Loves of Keith Miller, Australia's Greatest All-Rounder by Roland PerrySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.