The Missing Chapter Podcast

It is hard to believe that some people in this world don’t like chocolate.  My wife is one of them!  I love chocolate in my pancakes, chocolate in my desserts, and surprise, surprise, chocolate in my coffee.  I wouldn’t be disappointed if the forecast for this week was cloudy and a chance of chocolate.  As ridiculous as that sounds, that is what happened in 1948.  It rained chocolate.  Well, kind...

As we move away from the holiday season and into the new year, we tend to be reflective.  And one of the things that the holiday season brings out in us is, apart from the black Friday craze, is an appreciation of having time with family.  On today’s episode of the Missing Chapter, we take a look at a power couple.  This husband and wife duo were visionaries, entrepreneurs, and risk-takers.  And w...

We here on The Missing Chapter have reflected on traditions, practices, and objects of yester-year, fondly remembering days past. However, Phil Schoff and I don’t believe that all historical customs should be remembered in such graceful light. We’re happy some were discarded by the waste side throughout the duration of time. One of these being… duels. Want some Missing Chapter merchandise? Click ⁠...

As we close on the Christmas season, and head toward the new year, many of us tend to take some time to be reflective.  We might make some resolutions that don’t usually last, but for the most part, the end of December is time to slow down from the presents and rush of the holidays.  On today’s episode of the Missing Chapter, we are going to detail one of the most fascinating stories of one of the...

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Merry Christmas, Missing Chapter Podcast fans! It's frigid cold here in upstate NY, but we're brewing a hot cup of coffee to talk about the most magical place on earth, mixed in with the most magical holiday of the year! So let's play a game - how well do you know your Disney holiday facts? Let's find out today on this festive, magical,...

It’s that time of year!  The Christmas cookies, the trees, the hot chocolate, and making gingerbread houses!  This is where the fun of the holidays meets the art and engineering skills of the parents.  Our kids love making gingerbread houses, and the do-it-yourself boxes make it look so easy until you try to put it all together yourself.  About an hour later and 15 different messes of sprinkles, f...

I’m sure you hear it said all the time, “it’s the little things in life that make you happy” - that could not be more true.  Just like this podcast - it’s the little things - the dad jokes, the coffee, and of course the unknown stories.  And that’s no different for today’s episode, but for the person that we’re talking about today, it’s the small, seemingly insignificant device that not only saved...

Humans like a good challenge – especially when it comes to sports and physical competition. Triathlons, ultra marathons. One of the most grueling events in sports is the cycling road race, the Tour de France. What motives contestants to compete in such undertakings; to push themselves to both the physical and mental brink of what man is capable of? Is it self-perseverance? An intrinsic desire to s...

How often have we looked at the common, everyday things that we use on a day to day basis or sayings that we repeat all the time, but never stop to think about where these items originated?  Who named these items?  Where did they come from?  But better yet, for today’s episode, who are these items actually named after?  Well, how about you have the Phils answer that question for you.  So let’s tak...

As many of you honored our vets this month, we wanted to take time to do the same.  But for today’s episode of the Missing Chapter, I can almost guarantee you have never heard of this person.  We’re talking spies, espionage, and an undercover operative so important, that many credit her with one of the reasons why we won WWII!  She was fierce, resilient, and incredibly effective in her service to...

Well, it’s almost that time again for us in upstate NY.  Yup, we’ve enjoyed a warm, dry summer, and a beautiful fall, but now the temperatures are dropping, the rain and leaves are falling, and at any moment, the precipitation can turn into…snow.  I know that some of our listeners are big fans of winter time, and I am to a certain extent - basketball season, Christmas time, building snowmen with m...

It can be stressful trying to think of that perfect gift for someone you care about. Agonizing over a materialistic object that that one special person might appreciate or get excited over, sometimes gives way to the possibility of an “experience gift,” instead. You know… time together watching a performance, or seeing something for the first time, that your loved one would be grateful for.   Toda...

Picture this, a beautiful morning - sun is out, birds chirping, coffee in hand.  And my family and I are in a lawn chair on the side of the road, waiting for our local memorial day parade.  A great way to kick off the summer.  Everyone is happy and smiling until a portion of the parade.  The one person not smiling?  Me.  Why?  Because there is one group of lunatics riding around ridiculous-looking...

On this episode of the Missing Chapter, we uncover the unknown origins of cheerleading — a sport and art form that’s now worth billions, seen worldwide, and yet… started from a history that is, well, at the very least, unexpected.   Who was the first cheerleader? And where did it all start? Pour yourself a cup of joe and find out on this Missing Chapter Short! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Go to ⁠...

One of the more fascinating pieces of history has to be revolutions, the political and many times violent, overthrows of a government.  It’s usually sparked by the lower classes who have gone too long without their natural rights being upheld, and their realization that they have power in numbers. And it’s usually led by a common individual who was courageous enough not only to speak up, but to in...

Let’s begin today’s episode with a question - why was the English Teacher accused of being a thief?  Because she’s got a way with words.  Ok, I apologize, that was a bad one.  I promise this episode will morph into something better.  And actually, that’s exactly what this episode is about, the history of everyday words.  And what’s even more interesting is how these words originated and how eventu...

Some of the most quoted Bible verses come from the New Testament.  You may see them on t-shirts or coffee mugs or in someone’s description on social media.  I bet, however, you have never seen the Book of Habakkuk mentioned in someone's bio.  Maybe you’ve never even heard of that book!  After today’s episode, you will certainly remember it.  Not because of rote memorization or repetition, but...

Whenever you click print on your laptop or PC, the printer makes a noise to let you know it is in fact on and working, but almost immediately, the paper you intended to print is completed within just a couple of seconds per copy.  It’s something we take for granted.  As a teacher, we print all the time, and depending on what mood our copier is in, we can either print 150 copies in a matter of minu...

You've heard of war trophies—maybe a musket, a medal, a tattered flag brought home from the battlefield. But what if I told you that after one of history's most pivotal battles, the most sought-after souvenir wasn't a weapon or a symbol of valor, but something far more… intimate? Something taken directly from the fallen, destined for the mouths of the living. Today, we're unearthin...

What better way to kick off Season 6 than with one of our fan's favorite guests - Tim Field! And today, the usual music history lessons that Tim usually provides is being put to the side so we can discuss another fan favorite - a Top 5! Grab your coffees and put your seatbelts on because this Top 5 is dangerous - the Top 5 Most Dangerous Toys! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

When you think about baseball, what is one of the first foods you think of?  Hot dogs, peanuts, cracker jacks. But there's another food that comes to mind that players and fans alike have to grab when they know they're going to a game, or better yet, playing in a game...sunflower seeds. But why sunflower seeds and baseball? Well, with the help of my two guests today, we're going to loo...

It’s cliche to say, but people will remind you all the time, Phil… “enjoy it, because time goes fast.”  Cliche, but so true. We started this journey on The Missing Chapter Podcast nearly 5 years ago with moderate goals and realistic expectations.  As we close out season 5, on the eve of season 6, Phil and I reflect on the amazing adventure that this podcast project has taken us on.  From the stori...

On June 18, 1815, the fields of Waterloo ran red with the blood of up to 20,000 soldiers and tens of thousands of horses. Eyewitnesses described the chaos: mass graves dug in haste, bodies burned, the stench of war hanging heavy in the air. War leaves behind bodies—that’s the hard truth. But what happens when those bodies… disappear? Over two centuries later, archaeologists have uncovered a haunti...

If you’re a listener to our podcast for any length of time, you’ll know and appreciate our love for coffee.  I mean, for goodness sake, we start every episode with an actual pour of coffee into one of our MC mugs!  So if you step into our podcast, you’ll hear the coffee.  If you step into our classroom, you’ll smell the coffee.  And today, we merge with coffee itself.  Not only are we drinking cof...

Everyone loves a good story, and lately, especially with the advent of social media, everyone loves a good conspiracy.  Something that boggles the mind - a situation, scenario, or series of events that seem to defy our civilian minds and almost sparks our innate curiosity, triggering what we were made to do…learn.  And then it’s our duty to investigate and filter out the falsities with the truth. ...