Captain Ahab: The Story of Dave Stieb

April 12, 2022 1:28 PM

Jon Bois and Dorktown are back with a four part series on a certain perennially undervalued Toronto Blue Jays ace: Captain Ahab, the Story of Dave Stieb.

Part 1: Meet Dave
Part 2: How Can This Happen To Me?
Part 3: This Is How Baseball Moves
Part 4: One More Afternoon

posted by saladin (14 comments total)

An incomplete selection of Jon Bois long-form previously on Metafilter:

- Atlanta Hawks
- Seattle Mariners
- 17776
posted by saladin at 1:32 PM on April 12, 2022 [1 favorite]

I started watching this a week ago (it had been a while since my last Dorktown video, being neither a big sports fan necessarily, nor even super knowledgable on American sports) and, needless to say, I got sucked right in. Part 2 and 3 were a hard watch at times (you really feel for Dave Stieb) but the presentation was great, as always.

Excited for part 4! Thanks for posting, saladin!
posted by bigendian at 2:02 PM on April 12, 2022

I have watched one (1) baseball game in my life. I know almost nothing about the sport other than what I've learned through cultural osmosis.

Part 3 made me tear up more than a little. I can't wait to watch part 4. I have no idea how Jon and Alex made me care about this guy but they sure did.
posted by komara at 3:02 PM on April 12, 2022

what is it with Jon Bois and Dorktown? seems to hit a sweet spot for all us (highly ambivalent) casual-adjacent baseball people who could count the number of times we have watched a game in its entirety.

The Seattle Mariners was exquisite. Same with Fighting in the Age of Loneliness.. zero interest in watching fights, but couldn't tear myself away from this show.
posted by elkevelvet at 3:13 PM on April 12, 2022 [1 favorite]

Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta Falcons, actually. (you got my hopes up for a second there!)
posted by Old Kentucky Shark at 3:29 PM on April 12, 2022

Falcons!! Jeez what a weird mistake to make.
posted by saladin at 3:38 PM on April 12, 2022

I’m not really a fan of Major League Baseball, but I am a fan of the stories it contains. With over a hundred years of (well documented) history, there are so many fascinating stories within it, and Bois’ approach to telling them, with all that data, but without being dry and boring, is pretty much exactly the sweet spot for me.

Knowing nothing about Steib (seriously, I’d never heard his name before this), I mentioned the series to a friend who is a big baseball fan, but I wasn’t prepared for how enthusiastic his response would be, and that sort of helped me to understand Steib’s place in the sport.
posted by Ghidorah at 4:26 PM on April 12, 2022 [3 favorites]

I haven’t had a chance to watch this yet, but it’s on my list since they always do great work. I should note, though, that Dave Steib has seen it and is a fan (seriously wholesome tweets from his daughter there, worth the read) and has gotten in touch with Jon Bois and they’ve been chatting.
posted by azpenguin at 4:59 PM on April 12, 2022 [5 favorites]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Jon Bois deserves MacArthur Fellowship.
posted by Hey Dean Yeager! at 6:38 PM on April 12, 2022 [6 favorites]

I remember going to Jays games at Exhibition Stadium as a kid. My parents weren't interested in sports but we had family friends that were and they'd take us and they'd always have the game on TV if the Jays were playing. I have no idea if Steib was any good or not because to a kid without access to stats they're all amazing aren't they? I still remember his name and moustache just like I remember Ernie Whitt's.

Also, the Danny Ainge that played for the Toronto Blue Jays is the same Danny Ainge that played for the Boston Celtics.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 2:53 PM on April 13, 2022 [1 favorite]

Huge nostalgia vibes. I'm not much of a baseball watcher now but growing up I was more into it, the time of my interest overlapping pretty closely with Stieb's tenure.
posted by rodlymight at 7:30 PM on April 13, 2022

ALL-TIME GLASSES GUY RANCE MULLINIKS

My first baseball memories are the 92 & 93 World Series wins. I was in elementary school and took ballet classes three times a week. Baseball (sports in general, really) was like a code that unbullied ungay boys spoke and I thought maybe if I could crack it, I’d get to join that club. Nope! My complete lack of hand-eye coordination didn’t help — although I was a pretty fast runner, and once in a while got to pinch-run for the “fat” boy who hit well. But I really tried, and I had cards and memorabilia from that era.

This was heckin’ great and I hope Dave Stieb gets his due.
posted by sixswitch at 11:34 PM on April 13, 2022 [2 favorites]

Vivid flashbacks to Exhibition Stadium and watching all those Jays players from the 80's. Then witnessing the Toronto skyline be transformed by the building of the Skydome, followed by the World Series wins in '92 and '93. A childhood like that made me a lifelong Jays fan, even if I'm not the biggest baseball fan.

My grade 4 teacher was a huge Jays fan and would regularly have us kids sing "OK Blue Jays" in class.

Is that a fly ball, or is it a seagull?
Coming in, from the lake, just to catch the game.
It’s the last inning, our guys are winning.
Dave’s put down a smoker, a strike and you got no doubt.
What do you want?
Let’s play ball!

Too bad the official version no longer includes Dave's name.

Okay, off to watch parts 2–4. Thanks for the post!
posted by Kabanos at 1:17 PM on April 14, 2022

Have you guys watched this?! Steib is Michael Jordan of 80's baseball.
posted by Reasonably Everything Happens at 10:53 PM on April 14, 2022