{"podcast":{"title":"Retire Southern with James Lewis","slug":"retire-southern-with-james-lewis-7029192","podcast_index_feed_id":7029192,"rss_url":"https://feeds.libsyn.com/520508/rss","website_url":"https://sites.libsyn.com/520508","image_url":"https://static.libsyn.com/p/assets/a/e/a/d/aeadcd08efa61ad416c3140a3186d450/Track_1_Retire_Southern_Square.png","author":"James Lewis","episode_count":40,"summary":"On the Retire Southern podcast, host James Lewis shares authentic experiences and meaningful connections from the heart of the American South. From chefs and athletes to business leaders and entertainers, get ready to meet the people who leave lasting impressions on those they encounter. Listen to new episodes every other Monday to discover and revel in the tales of these inspirational Southern Characters who live life with purpose and follow their compass. The message is simple—Don't Wait for Retirement to Start Living!","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/retire-southern-with-james-lewis-7029192"},"episode":{"title":"Fun is Good: The Holy City's Ballpark and the Power of Joy, Unity, and Healing","slug":"fun-is-good-the-holy-city-s-ballpark-and-the-power-of-joy-unity-and-healing","published_at":"2026-01-26T10:30:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/retire-southern-with-james-lewis-7029192/fun-is-good-the-holy-city-s-ballpark-and-the-power-of-joy-unity-and-healing","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/retire-southern-with-james-lewis-7029192","url":"https://a19cb0be-7d92-4018-9194-6cb203b8b8a4.libsyn.com/fun-is-good-the-holy-citys-ballpark-and-the-power-of-joy-unity-and-healing","audio_url":"https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/a19cb0be-7d92-4018-9194-6cb203b8b8a4/211_-_Dave_Echols_FINAL.mp3?dest-id=4469813","summary":"In this episode of Retire Southern, James Lewis sits down with Dave Echols, President and General Manager of the Charleston RiverDogs, inside the press box at Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park. Dave shares the simple philosophy that has guided nearly two decades of leadership. Fun is good. You will hear how that idea influences everything from staff culture and fan experience to community engagement and trust. The conversation also explores the RiverDogs' role in Charleston beyond baseball, including the powerful moment following the Mother Emanuel tragedy, when city leaders made a simple request. Play the games. Open the gates. This is a thoughtful conversation about joy as strategy, community as responsibility, and why a ballpark can be more than a place to watch a game. Sometimes it becomes a place to heal. Listen to the full episode and explore the complete written feature at retiresouthern.com.","meta_description":"In this episode of Retire Southern, James Lewis sits down with Dave Echols, President and General Manager of the Charleston RiverDogs, inside the press bo…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":2299,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/retire-southern-with-james-lewis-7029192/episodes/fun-is-good-the-holy-city-s-ballpark-and-the-power-of-joy-unity-and-healing/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/retire-southern-with-james-lewis-7029192/fun-is-good-the-holy-city-s-ballpark-and-the-power-of-joy-unity-and-healing.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}