Chapter Thirty: The Final Podcast
Six months ago, Maddie had walked down these same basement steps in Russell Wilde’s house to make her first appearance on Manders Matter. She could not have imagined the journey that awaited her on that day. Now here she was again. She stood at the door for just a few seconds to remember how she felt because everything was about to change.
She opened the door. “Everybody ready for the universe as we know it to end?” she asked.
Carlton rushed over and hugged her. The mood in the room was tense, crackling with anticipation and energy. Like a thunderstorm about to break. Vinny and Herb sat at the round table in the center of the room. Tillie stood against one wall, stiff and alert like a soldier, clutching her phone. Russell Wilde clapped his son on the shoulder and then kissed Maddie’s cheek and took her hand in both of his.
“Big day,” was all he said.
“I’m so nervous!” Maddie answered. “What we’re doing here… I only get one crack at a moment like this. I have to be perfect. God, it could be a total disaster! I’ve got a track record of those, you know.”
“Just be who you are. I believe in you. We all do. So will everyone else, I guarantee it.” Carlton pulled out Maddie’s chair for her. He sat down at the table with his fellow podcasters. “All right! Let’s get this show on the road.”
“Mute your phones and fasten your seat belts,” Maddie said as she took her seat and put on her headphones. “The shit is about to hit the fan!”
Vinny gave a thumbs-up sign, and Herb reached out to Vinny and Maddie. She pulled Carlton into the circle, and they all gripped hands like they were about to hold a seance before the final sound check and Carlton’s cue to begin.
The Manders Matter theme song, "Centerfield" by John Fogarty played over the headphones. Carlton welcomed the audience to the show:
“Today is bittersweet. The final episode of our podcast. We’re here to bid a fond and grateful farewell to our loyal listeners. But if you follow us on social media, you know this is a big show for another reason. We have a special guest who’s saying goodbye to Sweetgum, too. And she has some breaking news, exclusively for our listeners. Welcome back, Madison Fields, former PR and promotions director for the Sliding Salamanders!”
The others in the room applauded, and Vinny and Herb shouted their approval, too.
“Thanks so much, Carlton. Vinny and Herb, too. And my brilliant intern, Tillie. I can’t tell you how much it means to be here. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else today. First, huge congrats to all of you guys! I’m thrilled that Carlton is about to become the new play-by-play announcer for the Iowa Cubs. Sweetgum’s loss is the Cubs’ gain.”
“I hope I can live up to that.”
“I doubt it,” Vinny cracked and everyone laughed, bringing the anxiety level down a few degrees.
“Of course, that was Vinny Randazzo,” Carlton said. “Vinny’s been with this podcast from the beginning. He’ll be starting graduate school in journalism at the University of Missouri at Columbia next semester. On full scholarship, I might add.”
Everyone cheered, especially Tillie.
Carlton let the noise die down, and then he continued. “And our other co-host, Herb Knightley, starts rehearsals with the Sweetgum Theater next month. The word on the street is: a star will be born!”
“Bravo, Herb!” Maddie shouted.
“Which brings us to our Maddie.” Carlton locked eyes with her. “I think it would be best at this point if I let her take the lead. Maddie, the microphone’s all yours. We’ll wait for you to finish before we interrupt with questions.”
Maddie closed her eyes and asked for help from Bill Veeck and the baseball gods. Then she jumped off the high dive. “As you all know, Monty Ortzelbean, longtime owner of the Gray Sox, died unexpectedly two days ago. There’s already been a lot of discussion of the details on the news and this podcast. Turns out you can only smoke so many cigars and eat so many Italian sausages before your heart gives out. You might not believe this, but his death saddens me deeply. It’s a subject too big for me to address today. I’m sorry. I hope you’ll understand when you hear my announcement. But I’ve been working with Monty’s lawyers and the Gray Sox organization. And now I can reveal—for the first time anywhere—that the person who will inherit this great and historic franchise as the new majority owner is … unbelievably … me.”
Maddie paused and let the brief silence absorb the shock waves of her news.
“I found out very recently that I’m Monty’s only child.” She paused. The words still didn’t sound real to her. “It was a huge surprise, to say the least! And I’ll be totally honest with you. My father and I didn’t see eye to eye on anything when he was alive. We only met twice and neither time was remotely warm or fuzzy. I never expected this, and it’s a lot to grapple with. But apparently, he wanted me to come back to Chicago and work with him. He was going to tell me on my birthday, later this month. I wish… I wish so much that I could’ve talked to him again. I wish he were here. But before he died, he left the team to me and…” Maddie wasn’t sure she could continue. It was all just too much to handle.
“It’s OK, Maddie. Take your time,” Carlton said. “Our listeners might need a little time to digest this news, too.”
Maddie grabbed Carlton’s hand and squeezed it hard. “Thanks. Holy shit, huh? I mean this is a lot to process. So many people are affected! Believe me, I know that my father wasn’t popular. He had lost his way as an owner. But he was coming back, I’m sure of that. And I think that he’d want me to tell the fans that he’s sorry. Things are going to change. I’ll be leaving for Chicago next week, and there’ll be an official press conference at Sox Park soon. OK, I’m almost done, but let me add one quick note about my mother. This is her story, too. She has generously agreed to an exclusive interview with Brooke Fletcher for Chicago Sports Now later this afternoon. Crush it, Mom!” Maddie stopped and took a long breath. “All right then! Questions, boys?”
“Only about a million!” Herb said.
“What’s the first thing you’d like to say to our long-suffering fans, Mads? What’s your plan?” Vinny asked.
“Great question! I’ve been thinking a lot about this, and my whole philosophy and approach can be summed up in one simple sentence. I AM SO FUCKING SICK OF LOSING!”
From outside the studio came a roar that could be heard through the thick, basement walls. The people inside the room were roaring, too. It was the spontaneous release of the rage and frustration that had been building for decades. The shouting, crying, laughing, and screaming continued for a full five minutes.
Carlton tried to restore order. “OK, I think we can safely assume the cheering is going to reverberate from here to Bridgeport for hours, weeks, and months to come. But meanwhile, how about a few more details?”
Maddie grinned at him and he beamed back. She felt relief and exhilaration. The fans were with her. She had met the moment, seized the captain’s chair, and now she was ready for light speed. Her life had finally caught up to her natural velocity. “I’d love to answer that question, Carlton. The first time I came on this show, you told me that you wanted an owner who was all in. Well, you’ve got it, baby! From now on, profits go back to the team, and I will spend what it takes to deliver a winner. Not recklessly, but thoughtfully. And I’m putting every single MLB team on notice. If you’re one of baseball’s best—in any area—I’m coming for you! I also promised that I’d be accountable on this show. That will never change. I’ll always be accountable to the people who love this team, and I’ll always listen. My first media tour is going to be with every single Sox fan podcast. I want to prove that I’m here for you. I’m ready to work, and I’ll never take you or this privilege for granted.”
There was a light silence that felt like an ascent to Maddie. Like the future lifting off.
“That’s our Maddie,” Carlton said, his voice raspy with emotion. “Local listeners know that I’m biased when it comes to her. Full disclosure, Madison Fields is the woman I love. But since I know her so well, I’ve got to ask. Maddie, you’re a North Side girl. An Ernie Banks fan. Someone who grew up loving that other Chicago team. What do you say to those who doubt your South Side cred?”
“Right. Glad you asked! And side note—your loyal listeners will also know that Carlton Wilde is the man I adore. But that will never interfere with my job.”
“Wait. I’m a side note?” Carlton joked.
“Get used to it!’ Vinny quipped.
“No! Carlton will never be a side note with me. Neither will any of my friends and family who have been endlessly supportive. Yes, I grew up a Cubs fan. But this year with the Manders, I’ve discovered my South Side genes. Literally! My heart is with the Gray Sox until the day I die. Which I hope will be after some World Series rings and a bunch of American League Championships. I will never stop trying to win on the South Side. Never. But aren’t we lucky in Chicago to have two teams with so much history and character and so many amazing fans?”
“Can I just say this has been one hell of a final podcast?” Herb said. “Just to let everyone know, our usual live audience of about 500 is currently standing at half a million, judging by the ‘likes’ on our soon-to-be-crashing website.”
“Props to Monty!” Vinny added. “He was a cheap bastard asshole, but he did the right thing in the end. Kicked the bucket and left the team to Mads! Cheers, dude!”
“Vinny! Come on, show a little respect,” Carlton chided.
“No, it’s OK,” Maddie assured him. “My father didn’t pull any punches, and neither should we. Wow! Half a million people?” She shook her head and laughed. “That’s really humbling! I don’t know what to say. I guess… Thank you! And I swear, I won’t let you down.”
“One last question,” Vinny demanded.
“Don’t ever stop asking questions, Vinny.”
“I won’t, Mads! You know that. Are there any personnel changes you can announce?”
“As a matter of fact, there are. First, Rory Lampkin is no longer the Manders’ GM. His position will be filled by the spectacular Tillie Pinkney, who’s in her final year at Kingsley. The job will serve as her senior project. Don’t be fooled by Tillie’s youth. She is a bona fide baseball genius, and she’s planning to turn this ball club around before she graduates.”
More applause and shouts of Go, Tillie!
Maddie smirked, trying not to giggle gleefully. “Sadly, Cooper Kinsman has parted ways with the Sliding Salamanders. Tillie will be hiring the next Sal and Sally. Oh, and I’m excited that Darcy Keen will return as the organist at Sox Park. But she loves Sweetgum and plans to come back for special events whenever she can.”
“There’s one more change that I’d like to announce, if I may,” Carlton interjected. “After thirty years, my dad will be retiring as the voice of the Manders at the Pickle Jar. But the good news is, Herb Knightley will take his place. Which is the perfect time to tell you, listeners… We lied! This is not the final episode of Manders Matter. The show will be taken over by Mr. Russell Wilde. Hey, the studio is in his basement after all! He’s here right now. Come on over, Dad, and introduce yourself to half a million people.”
Maddie got up from her seat and handed her headphones to Russell, who made himself comfortable in front of the mic. “Hello, Sox Nation! What a day to be a Gray Sox fan! I can’t wait to take the helm, although I must say, this is a tough act to follow. I’ll do my best and I’m starting off with a bang next week. My first guest on the new Manders Matter will be… Can I get a drum roll, please?”
Maddie led the group, beating on the table with their hands, building to a crescendo.
“The preeminent Gray Sox fan in the world, Pope Leo the XIV!”
PAPAL INSPIRATION
Pope Leo XIV was born Robert Francis Prevost in the city of Chicago. He is absolutely a hardcore, South Sider, White Sox fan. There are photos of him at the 2005 World Series. When an American Cubs fan shouted, “Go Cubs!” at him as he passed through a crowd in Rome back in the fall of 2025, he shouted back, “They lost!” (The Cubs had just been defeated by the Brewers in the playoffs.)
The Pope’s favorite Sox player is rough-and-ready catcher A J Pierzynski from the 2005 World Series championship team. AJ comes from a Polish-Catholic family, and the Pope invited him to Rome for a meeting earlier this year. AJ presented the pontiff with a ball for the 2005 game he had attended and said that the Sox were in first place and doing well.
“I know, I’m watching!" Leo responded.
On August 11, 2026, the Sox hosted a viral, sold-out “Pope Hat Night,” giving away more than 40,000 replica papal miters and dedicated the evening to Pope Leo. It was the largest promotion in White Sox history.
In the fifth inning, Father Tom Hurley led the entire stadium in a Mass-style sign of peace, prompting strangers and rivals to shake hands and hug. Legendary organist Nancy Faust was invited to the game to play the national anthem.
BROOKE FLETCHER AND WOMEN’S BASEBALL HISTORY
On June 23, 2026, Brooke Fletcher made history by becoming the first female TV color analyst for the White Sox. Fletcher, who serves primarily as the dugout and sidelines reporter for Chicago Sports Network (CHSN), stepped into the booth on just two hours' notice. She filled in for color commentator Steve Stone, who was out sick. Those are some big shoes to fill, and she did it so quickly!
Brooke called the game along with play-by-play announcer John Schriffen during a homestand with the Cleveland Guardians. Her easy-going, smart, insightful performance got rave reviews from fans and media alike, and we hope to see Brooke in the booth again soon. There’s no question that she would do a stellar job interviewing Beatrice Fields, and she would definitely be Beatrice’s number one choice for the gig.
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