The Missing Chapter Podcast

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...

The internet is flooded with unfounded stories and fake news.  Many of these disguise themselves in memes or as short anecdotes on the stage of social media.  It makes it difficult – challenging – to decipher what is true and what is fiction.  You may have seen one of these claims regarding a woman by the name of Judith Love Cohen.  Her story, as it would turn out, is one that...

Many clichés have made their way through the airwaves over the years.  All starting off the same way…as a catchy, trendy slogan, then transforming into nails on a chalkboard every time you hear the same cliché over and over again.  Well, the cliché “game-changer” is not an exception to this rule, but this time, we’re actually using it in its literal sense.  On this episode of the Mi...

The plane jarred violently as it climbed into the gray February night sky, but the 95 passengers onboard were not dismayed.  After being grounded an additional 3 hours for severe weather, some were already asleep, and all were excited to be leaving snowy and icy New York on their way to beautiful, sunny Miami, Florida on February 1st, 1957. Northeast Airlines Flight 823 had taxied off the run...

Everyone loves a good "rags to riches" story - but how about a "rejection to riches" story?  On this Missing Chapter Short, we tell the unknown, yet very poetic beginnings of one of the most famous authors of all-time.  Would rejection stop him?  It almost did - but a very chance encounter with a college buddy stopped him from setting his dreams ablaze.  Find out more about thi...

Have you ever wondered how far man can dig? Or maybe you have wondered how far down the Earth’s mantle is. From 1958 to 1990 there have been multiple attempts to get to the Earth’s mantle, or the closest layer to the crust. With temperatures increasing upwards of 356 degrees and thick liquid like rock wreaking havoc on equipment, this is no easy task. On this episode of the Missing Chapter podcast...

As the Christmas season of 1938 came to Chicago, Illinois, Bob May was not feeling much in the holiday spirit and for good reason.  The 34-year old father of one, who penned ads for retail giant Montgomery Ward, was exhausted and nearly broke.  Worse yet, his wife, Evelyn, was bedridden and fighting valiantly against a cancer that had already stolen 2-years of her young life.  One n...

The Empire State Building is known throughout the world as one of the icons of freedom, democracy, and the culmination of diverse people working together to accomplish something bigger and greater than themselves. It’s a destination for tourists around the world to come visit, it’s a sight to behold for those who’ve never seen it before, and it’s the million dollar view for observers in neighborin...

Imagine being in a war zone, frigid temperatures, explosions happening all around you, ammo is diminishing, food is in short supply.  You scurry to get to a radio and call in air support.  You need more ammunition.  You make the call, and the call sign is given to drop as many mortar rounds as possible so we have a fighting chance against the enemy.  We hear a helicopter hover...

Albert Einstein, born in Germany in 1879, became a theoretical physicist and is widely acknowledged as one of the greatest scientists of all time. Einstein is best remembered for developing the theory of relativity, but he also made important contributions to the development of the theory of quantum mechanics.  In life, people marveled at Einstein’s brilliance and his name quickly became syno...

There is a verse in the book of Proverbs that says “where there is no vision, people perish.”  Upon reading that, someone might wonder if that is describing literal vision, or a metaphorical way of understanding goals, dreams, aspirations.  Well, we know that blind people aren’t limited by their lack of physical vision, and quite often, the opposite is true...they’re able to operate with...

Mildred Fish-Harnack was a Wisconsin-born woman on a mission...an Anti-Nazi resistance mission.  And the road to success wasn't easy as one can imagine, nor was it met with support by even the United States.  During WWII, she and her husband led the largest underground resistance movement in Berlin.  She risked her life for 10 years with incredible courage and heroism, yet not many...

It is one of the most iconic images in American History.  A photograph so powerful, it captured the essence of despair that gripped an entire nation, over an entire time period.  A woman holding a baby, 2 small children huddled by her side; shielding their faces over her shoulders.  The woman stares into the distance, a single hand drawn to her cheek.  Her expression, one of ho...

“The British are coming, the British are coming” - Paul Revere’s famous ride, right?  Well of course, but the problem with that is he never said that, even though he did manage to warn all of Lexington about the British invasion, it was hours before he spurred a horse toward Concord.  But that’s not where the Missing Chapter is going here...we’re going to the unknown story of a person wh...

Back by popular demand - the Top 5!   Today the Phils walk through their Top 5 Haunted Historical sites in the United States in no particular order.  What better way to kick off Halloween weekend than to talk about the part of history that haunts locals, travelers, and tourists alike?  Get your favorite coffee and get ready to hear some ghost stories in Missing Chapter Podcast style...