At long last, we celebrate the career and impact of Dan Bankhead - long recognized as the first African-American pitcher to appear in Major League Baseball (which at the time excluded the Nego Leagues). In December 2020, MLB designated the Negro Leagues from 1920-1948 as Major League status.

Rory Costello from the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) has written extensively about Dan's career - and he joins me for this exclusive Danversation!

This interview could not have been possible without the help of my friend & award-winning artist Doc Settles. Doc's watercolor portrait of Bankhead has been featured in Alabama Heritage magazine. Please follow Doc on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/DocSettlesArt

https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/dan-bankhead/

This installment is intended to be the first in a series of Dan Bankhead episodes.

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Photo Credit: Doc Settles

"It doesn't take a trophy to be a champion"

If you didn't get enough DAN KOBYLKA in the first hour...

Here is the proper finale of our recent Danversation!!

Dan talks some more Challenger baseball stories; serving the needy in his community in Chatham; playing organized sports for people with organ transplants; his childhood memories of wrestling, long distance running and baseball; thoughts on online gambling; the state of heckling & fan behavior & the end of the 2025 World Series; kids and cell phones; Ohio State & Michigan; NFL playoffs, Super Bowl and much more!!

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Do you need a dose of encouragement?

DAN KOBYLKA is both the everyman, but an extraordinary man. He visits homeless encampments on a regular basis. He ministers to those on the margins of society — people who are struggling with addiction or mental illness. He eulogized an otherwise nameless drug overdose victim.

And Dan continues his mission to serve those who might otherwise be left behind. Ever since receiving his first heart transplant nearly 40 years ago, Dan has made it his life's purpose to help others and to honor the life of his donor, Lee.

If you listened to Episode No. 8 (Oct 2, 2023) or Ep. 21 (Dec 24, 2023), you got a glimpse into the mind & soul and remarkable life of Dan Kobylka. He's finally back on Ep. 106 of the Dan Time Podcast with his trademark wit, humor and gift of storytelling and inspiring others.

Dan shares an update in the love department; a recent injury setback; and he talks about a former Indiana football player he has come to know whose life today is far removed from his collegiate days. As a Detroit & Toronto sports fan, we cover the 2025 World Series, NFL playoffs and fantasy football!

35 years ago, Dan brought Challenger Baseball, a program serving special needs children & adults, to Chatham; and this month, registration opens in his community for the newly-launched Challenger Soccer program.

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Stay tuned for the "back half" (30 mins) of our conversation to be released soon.

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Check out these links on Dan & the Challenger Soccer program:

https://www.chathamdailynews.ca/news/local-news/kobylka-honoured-for-helping-make-baseball-accessible-to-players-of-all-abilities

https://www.facebook.com/communitylivingchathamkent/posts/chatham-soccer-is-introducing-a-new-challenger-soccer-programin-person-registrat/1267671288733949/