The Missing Chapter Podcast

Today on this episode of the Missing Chapter, we’re going local.  Well, somewhat.  Here in upstate, NY, one of the destination places that our area is known for is Saratoga.  Popularized most by its rich history - being the location of a turning point victory in the Revolutionary war in 1777, and secondly of course, it is known for its rich culture in horse racing.  But apart f...

What an episode we have for you today!  On this episode we have Chris Bensch, Chief Curator at the Strong's National Museum of Play in Rochester, NY.  Chris was the featured historian on History Channel's Toys That Built America and Travel Channel's Mysteries at the Museum and is our special guest on this episode of the Missing Chapter.   Chris walks us through the unknown yet fasci...

Imagine this scenario:  You’re walking by yourself in the pristine, expansive wilderness of Van Cortlandt Park in Bronx, New York. You marvel at your surroundings and take in the tranquil beauty of the old oak trees, stony ridges, and the serene lake. Although you are completely isolated, you can’t help but shake the unnerving feeling that you’re being watched…that you’re not alone. Well, if...

This episode of the Missing Chapter is a special one!  We have special guest Alex Gyurik with us today to discuss the life of a close family relative who served in Vietnam and unfortunately paid the ultimate price.  Alex, through family photos, documents, and artifacts gave a moving and profound presentation to a group of students, staff, and family in April and we are happy to present t...

You may be familiar with the 1874 Jules Verne book, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and its 2008 theatrical sibling.  For those of you who may not be familiar with the plot, the title I think is pretty self explanatory, but the story involves the characters discovering and decoding ancient writings that show a dormant volcano leading to caverns inside the earth.  Now, this is just sc...

Wow - we got some great feedback from the Historic Phrases episode a couple weeks ago and here we are again - this time...the Sequel.  We don't want you to hear the history of these phrases "through the grape vine", we want you to hear it from us!  So turn your volume up wherever you are and enjoy the new Top 5 Phrases Part II on this episode of the Missing Chapter. Go to The Missing Cha...

Living in Central New York our entire lives, we have had the privilege of being around sites with lots of local and state history, many of which have gained national attention.  Most people, when they think of New York though, think skyscrapers and subways, when in fact, where we are is more like steers and silos.  In one of those towns in upstate NY, a woman by the name of Annie is born...

The couple ran, hand-in-hand, to the nearest bicycle shop; nervous, frantic, and desperate with the looming armies advancing in the past days. The radios had announced hours earlier that the city would not be defended from the approaching Nazi forces. The couple didn’t have a car; none of the trains were running; two million Parisians had already fled. Hans and Margret tried out the tandem bike fo...

Back by popular demand, the Missing Chapter Podcast Top 5’s - Easily, the most popular episodes from our listener’s perspectives is the Top 5 - The top 5 war movies, top 5 haunted historic places, and this time, we’re talking about the Top 5 most used phrases and their unknown and sometimes ridiculously bizarre origins. We’ve got our 5 - so relax, grab a coffee, and if you’re driving, keep at leas...

On this episode of the Missing Chapter, we’re switching gears.  Yes you still have some forgotten stories, some history that the text books left out, but today we’re going to play a game.  This person in focus on today’s episode will remain anonymous until the end.  Take in the clues, conjure up some ideas, and piece together today’s puzzle to figure out who the person is that I’ll...

There are 2 camps of people in the world – cat people and dog people. If you’re as old as the Catholic Church, it’s safe to say, you’ve had your fair share of battles and have made your fair share of enemies over the years and the Catholic Church, it would seem, undeniably falls into the latter camp and is certainly not… cat people. The Church’s war against felines in the 13th-century was of epic...

The dictionary defines ‘irony’ as, “a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects.” One might use this term when describing the subject of this podcast… It’s ironic that one of history’s biggest opponents of capital punishment, should have his name become nearly synonymous with death and execution.  Find out who this person was and the irony behind his en...

If you’re a fan of the Missing Chapter, you may recognize the title of today’s episode.  If you’re a newbie to all things Missing Chapter, well, welcome to Part II of the crazy bird campaign from another bird-brained dictator.  This time, it’s not Kim Jung Un from North Korea, although the stories are eerily similar, we’re focused on Mao Zedong from China, and Mao’s first order of busine...

High up in the Himalayas, in the rugged mountainside, in the shadows of Mount Everest, is the small Nepalese village of Pangboche. At an altitude of 13,074 feet, Pangboche is nestled in the Imja Khole valley, and serves as a base camp for the surrounding peaks and for the climbers who trek the Himalayas for their unparalleled views.  This small hamlet is also renowned for another reason – a B...

The most historic book in history, according to the Smithsonian and National Geographic, isn’t what you might expect.  When you consider all of the documents, artifacts, and books written throughout history, what do you think is the most historically accurate?  Well, before we give you the answer, consider this…this book isn’t only the most accurate by historian’s standards, there’s also...

One of the worst examples of the sins of human nature in history is of course what the Nazis did to the Jews in the Holocaust.  And I’m sure we have all heard of some unbelievably heroic and courageous stories of people from all walks of life liberating Jews during this horrific nightmare in world history.  Stories of undercover rescues and secret, underground paths to freedom, or neighb...

Perspective on time is a key component in life and in history.  The Battle of Gettysburg, the turning point in the American Civil War, played out over 3 days. The Cuban Missile Crisis, and the height of nuclear tension in the Cold War… 13 days in 1962. The first Persian Gulf War of 1990-1991, where coalition forces freed Kuwait from Saddam Hussein was a mere 42 days. Olympic athletes train th...

What would you say is the most popular song in the English language?  Of the millions, billions of songs, could Rolling Stone or Billboard ever compile such an accomplishment?  Well, maybe not, because even though this particular song has been recorded, its lyrics and melody have been used more than any other song in the English language…the Happy Birthday song.  It’s bigger than th...

For those of you who are regular listeners to our podcast, you know how much we love our movies, and how much we love our sports.  You can only imagine what happens to our inner enjoyment when those two things are combined…enter in sports movies!  And one of the first sports movies that come to my mind isn’t actually just one film, it’s many…The Rocky series.  I’ve gone way more tha...

Did we get your attention with the title of this podcast? We’ve talked about some serious topics over the last year and a half.  Today… we begin with a confession.  The most kissed girl in the world?  I apologize to my wife and to all of my family members listening, but yes… I have kissed her – multiple times.  Ready for this? Phil Schoff and I share a lot in common and believe...

We love our history, but we love our sports too.  And in this episode, we look at what’s in a nickname.  I think we can all discern where the nicknames of the most popular programs around the country come from…the Yankees, the 49ers, the Oilers, the 76ers…most of these are pretty easy to figure out, right?  Well, there’s one nickname that has a cloud of mystery around it with no dis...

When someone says “dream vacation” - what’s the first thing that comes to mind - warm, sandy beach, crashing waves, private island, nighttime entertainment, great food.  Well, maybe you’re a history buff like we are and want to go somewhere with all of those dream-vacation characteristics with some history mixed in.  That’s the best of both worlds, right?  Well then, the next time y...

From an early age, Theodore Alvin Hall, had shown an astonishing mind for mathematics and physics.  In 1940, Hall had scored some of the highest marks ever on the entrance examination at Columbia University.  Due to extenuating circumstances, however, he was not allowed to enroll. Hall was not deterred.  He went on to attend Queen’s College in New York and would transfer 2 years lat...

Most people are well aware of what happened on December 7, 1941, the date which will live in infamy.  As we celebrate Valentine’s Day this weekend, let’s focus not so much on the tragedies of the day, but on the truly remarkable.  There are hundreds of survival stories, silver-linings, and incredible twists of fate on that day, and this episode focuses on two individuals in one of the mo...

Lyndhurst, New Jersey, formerly known as Kingsland, is a township of about 22,000 people in the Meadowlands. It’s what some would consider a nice, ordinary Jersey community. However, what many might not know about Lyndhurst is that it was not only home to about 22,000 people, it housed the Canadian Car and Foundry Plant, which would be used as a fairly large munitions factory. And this inconspicuo...