Diamonds & Scribes Podcast: Tim Wendel - Philadelphia Baseball Review
When USA Today launched Baseball Weekly in 1991, the idea sounded bold but risky — at least to Tim Wendel, who had just lived through the collapse of The National. The difference this time was distribution: USA Today had reach, reputation, and visibility on every newsstand.
“That reassured me,” Wendel says. “If you can’t get the product out, nothing else matters.”
The timing helped. The Sporting News had just dropped its box scores, fantasy baseball was booming, and fans suddenly needed a national one-stop shop.
“Our thesis was simple: the fans are number one,” Wendel says. “You should be able to live anywhere and still know everything about your team.”
A Scrappy Startup in a National Tower
The early Baseball Weekly team — Wendel on the American League, Rob Rains on the National League, Paul White as editor — came together fast. They occupied the 20th floor of USA Today’s Roslyn building, basically alone, surrounded by empty space they turned into late-night wiffle-ball fields.
“It was scrappy as hell,” Wendel says. “We were inventing it as we went.”
He spent most of spring training introducing the idea to players who had never heard of it. “You’d explain it, say ‘It’s USA Today’s weekly baseball publication,’ and then it clicked.”
The Ricky Henderson Cover Saga
Wendel’s first big test was the inaugural cover story on Ricky Henderson breaking Lou Brock’s record. One issue: Henderson wasn’t speaking to anyone due to a contract dispute.
“The beat writers told me, ‘Good luck,’” Wendel says.
With days left before deadline, Wendel made a risky move: slipping down a back stairwell during a spring game to reach the clubhouse before the final out. Henderson tried to dodge him — until Wendel shouted he didn’t want to talk about the contract, only about Lou Brock.
“That stopped him. We talked for half an hour. That cover still wakes me up at night, but we got it.”
Later that same night, Nolan Ryan threw his seventh no-hitter, forcing a total redesign hours before press time.
Crisis, Creativity, and the Strike
The chaotic 1991 season — Braves vs. Twins instead of the expected A’s — forced Baseball Weekly to act more like a magazine: less breaking news, more analysis that would hold up days later.
Then came the 1994 strike, canceling the season but not the publication.
“It was eerie, publishing without games,” Wendel says. “But the staff never sulked. We just kept asking, ‘What can we do now?’”
He wrote deep features on faith in the game, the art of catching with Tony Peña, and labor dynamics with help from Paul Molitor. Wendel credits that era with producing some of their best writing and layouts.
What’s Missing Today
Wendel believes a modern Baseball Weekly could still fill a gap.
“You can see every highlight now,” he says. “But not what went into the play. Baseball is built on one-on-ones. The deeper story often gets lost.”
Asked to summarize his Baseball Weekly experience, Wendel offers:
“Working with a band of brothers and sisters, and getting the chance to cover some of the biggest moments in sports.”
Wendel believes a modern Baseball Weekly could still fill a gap.
“You can see every highlight now,” he says. “But not what went into the play. Baseball is built on one-on-ones. The deeper story often gets lost.”
Asked to summarize his Baseball Weekly experience, Wendel offers:
“Working with a band of brothers and sisters, and getting the chance to cover some of the biggest moments in sports.”
Listen to the full Tim Wendel interview below:
