This is an experimental podcast series. All content has been created using A.I. tools. Not all information may be factually correct and the hosts may occasionally suffer AI Hallucinations and fabricate information entirely disconnected from reality. Independent fact-checking is advised.

Long before social media, viral fame, or online parasocial relationships, one young woman's obsession with baseball star Eddie Waitkus became one of America's first notorious stalking cases. Charlie West and Jack Mercer trace the extraordinary story of Ruth Ann Steinhagen, exploring the psychology of fixation, the limits of psychiatric understanding in 1949, and how a shocking act of violence forever changed the relationship between celebrities and their fans.

Charlie & Jack also examine the lasting legacy of the case—from its influence on modern threat assessment to its surprising connection with The Natural. Along the way, they ask whether today's hyper-connected world makes dangerous obsessions easier to spot... or easier to fuel. It's a fascinating journey into The Truth Behind the Obsession—with just enough baseball trivia to prove that not every surprise waiting in a hotel room should be accepted.

Highlights:

• ⚾ The astonishing true story that became one of history's earliest documented celebrity stalking cases.
• 🧠 How obsession, delusion, and erotomania blurred the line between fantasy and violence.
• 🎬 The real-life shooting that inspired The Natural—and why Hollywood rewrote the ending.

CHARLIE WEST
Charlie has a lifelong fascination for the psychology behind criminal obsession. Known for her sharp wit, fearless opinions and ability to find humour in even the darkest conversations, she's never afraid to challenge accepted narratives or ask the awkward questions others avoid!

Stalker Spotlight: Charlie's favourite stalker is the bizarre story of the "Hollywood Letter Stalker"; a woman who became convinced she was destined to marry a famous actor, sending thousands of letters over several years. The case perfectly illustrates the blurred line between fantasy and dangerous fixation, and remains one of the examples Charlie returns to when discussing how obsession can spiral into criminal behaviour.

JACK MERCER
Jack is a former investigative analyst with a deep-rooted interest in human psychology, particularly the patterns of behaviour that lead to obsession, fixation and control. Calm, measured and highly credible, he brings structure and clarity to even the most disturbing cases, often translating chaotic behaviour into understandable psychological frameworks.

Stalker Spotlight: Jack's favourite stalker is the case is of the “Watcher Letters” in New Jersey, where an unknown individual sent increasingly unsettling letters to a suburban family over several years. For Jack, the case is a stark example of how anonymity, patience and psychological manipulation can create fear without ever needing physical contact.

For more details on STALKERS : https://www.carrotcruncher.com/stalkers