An unlikely conversation at a birthday party sends two friends on a madcap quest to find out if a salacious sports rumor is true. As their investigation circles the legacies of baseball Hall of Famer, Cal Ripken, Jr., and Hollywood legend, Kevin Costner, they find themselves re-examining their deepest-held beliefs about belonging, believing, and what makes a hero. While the truth proves more elusive than a well-thrown knuckleball, one thing is certain: their lives will never be the same.
Latest episodes
Showing 7 · updated from the feed
To Love Somebody
In the final episode of the series, Sam and Mac discover one more strange twist to their story. But have they solved the case? After months of investigating clues, interv
Nov 29 2021 44 min
The Four Keys
Fresh off a bizarre convo with the guy who designed the electrical system at Oriole Park, Sam and Mac reach some other guys who were charged with fixing the tower power t
Nov 22 2021 42 min
The Old Box
To finally uncover why exactly the lights went out that fateful summer night in Baltimore, Sam and Mac search deeper, down in the basement of Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Nov 15 2021 38 min
The Stories You Don’t Hear About
Sam and Mac go around the horn with three of Cal’s teammates who were there the night everything went down—especially the lights. And they obsessively scrutinize an intri
Nov 8 2021 40 min
Something Magic Happens
As their investigation picks up pace, Sam and Mac land on the trail of a former Baltimore cop with the menacing-sounding nickname of Mad Dog—someone they’ve been told mig
Nov 1 2021 43 min
The Rumor
A seemingly innocuous conversation at a birthday party starts Sam and Mac down a long and winding road of rumors, conspiracy theories, and legends, all connected to a mys
Oct 25 2021 48 min
Introducing The Rumor
An unlikely conversation at a birthday party sends two friends on a madcap quest to find out if a salacious sports rumor is true. As their investigation circles the legac
Jun 18 2021 3 min
Chart trend
Position in the Baseball chart (US), last 90 days.
#1#99#196JulAugSepOct
#23
all-time peak
7
days in the top 50 since Nov 2024
Chart positions
Where The Rumor ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Oct 16, 2026).
A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.
I think I have a new favorite all-time podcast. The Rumor so perfectly captures the love of the game, the quest for the truth, and the struggle with finding the real story. Even the emotional beats were so well-crafted and presented that it pulled me further in and connected me even more. Absolutely loved every second of this show. Thank you so much for making it. (Go Braves.)
roballey · May 2022
Investigative journalism in the style of true crime, but having entirely to do do with a rumor involving baseball’s Cal Ripken Jr., actor Kevin Costner, and a mysterious power outage. What is the truth? Does it even matter? Presenting your new binge-worthy podcast.
devinkeast · Dec 2021
LOVED this. As someone who grew up near Baltimore in the late 90s, I thoroughly enjoyed how the hosts captured the many complicated feelings and the (possibly unwarranted) hope and pride Orioles fans derived from Cal Ripken, Jr. during his streak to overcome Gehrig’s record.
UVAjen · Dec 2021
I am also not a baseball fan but this story is intriguing and well done. Appropriate levels of host jokes and narratives, but they allow the story to have center stage.
TKA-91362 · Dec 2021
This series is 6 episodes, which is about 2-3 too long. The personal journeys of the hosts are not really as interesting as they think they are, making this more of a slog than a fun trip down memory lane. What’s worse is that the “rumor” this show is based on is funny and was one of the things that used to make baseball interesting and worth following… but they frame it as disastrous and ruinous to the streak and the “integrity” of the sport. Like much of baseball in the 2020’s, this framing comes off as old-guard and boring.
Jimmy (Offline) · Jan 2022
We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.
Here you find the Apple Podcasts chart positions of The Rumor, its latest episodes to listen to directly, and reviews from listeners. Rankings are updated daily for the United States.
