You’ve NEVER Heard This Side of Albert Belle

October 8, 2026 Geoff Allen

Five-time All-Star Albert Belle joins All The Smoke Baseball for a full career sit down. From his time playing at LSU, to the 1995 World Series loss to Atlanta, to becoming the only player in MLB History with a 50 Home Run 50 Double season, this episode has it all. Listen in on this story of a misunderstood MLB star!

0:00 Intro: Albert Belle on fatherhood and his daughters at USC
2:47 Why Eddie Murray was his favorite player
5:10 Growing up in Shreveport: teachers’ kid, honor roll, Eagle Scout
9:05 Choosing LSU and playing for Skip Bertman
12:19 Racist taunts, no protection, and the College World Series suspension
18:25 The fallout and sliding to No. 47 in the 1987 draft
28:42 Line drives first: his hitting philosophy and take on launch angle
32:47 Rise through the minors and a debut hit off Nolan Ryan
38:07 Driving to Oakland to win a big-league job in 1991
43:50 Lofton, Manny, Thome, Baerga: inside the ’90s Indians
50:57 The 1994 strike and the 1995 World Series vs. the Braves
55:17 The steroid era: why he stayed at 225 pounds
57:27 The leaked offer, the Cleveland breakup and signing with the White Sox
1:11:11 “Misunderstood”: the media, the Viña play and the other side of the story
1:14:27 Rapid fire: top power hitters and the only 50-homer, 50-double season
1:20:07 Toughest pitchers, funniest teammates and brawl picks
1:24:38 What he’s proudest of: his scholarship program

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Read More [[{“value”:”Five-time All-Star Albert Belle joins All The Smoke Baseball for a full career sit down. From his time playing at LSU, to the 1995 World Series loss to Atlanta, to becoming the only player in MLB History with a 50 Home Run 50 Double season, this episode has it all. Listen in on this story of a misunderstood MLB star!