Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, our next story comes to us from Mariam Ibrahim, who lives in Virginia. But the story begins far from there. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, straight out of a Horatio Alger novel, the Silver Kings (John Mackay, James Fair, William O'Brien, and James Flood) epitomized the rags-to-riches American dream story. Roger McGrath tells the story of the richest mineral discovery in American history - the Comstock Lode. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Bob Kendrick, President of the Negro Leauges Baseball Museum in Kansas City, Missouri, tells the story of perhaps the greatest pitcher in the history of baseball: Satchel Paige. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Walter Gretzky died at the age of 82. His death prompted an avalanche of tributes for a genuine, approachable, authentic person who nurtured the unsurpassed hockey talents of his son, Wayne Gretzky, on the family's famed backyard rink in Brantford, Ontario. The 60-year-old NHL legend-turned-American citizen spoke shortly after laying his father to rest. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the Lone Ranger, with his cry of “Hi-Ho Silver!” has become an American institution ranking with Paul Bunyan in the realms of folklore and legend. The History Guy remembers Bass Reeves, John Reynolds Hughes, and forgotten history of the Wild West. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, a legend and leader in the hotel world, Horst Schulze has reshaped how service and hospitality are defined in business—standards that have become world famous. Throughout the years he worked for both Hilton Hotels and Hyatt Hotels Corporation before becoming one of the founding members of the reinvigorated luxury hotel chain, The Ritz-Carlton, in 1983. Here’s Horst Schulze with a short story about how excellence wins—or the lack of it will cause you and your work environment to lose. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson, the author of Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Everyday Sayings and Fun Phrases, continues to share another slice from his ultimate guide to understanding these baffling mini-mysteries of the English language. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the Nazi war machine was attacking St. Vith, Belgium to support their last-ditch offensive - The Battle of the Bulge. Would the Americans and allies hold out long enough to ultimately defeat the offensive? Moments of professionalism, courage, and initiative like this one, between an American armored car and a German Tiger tank, would make the difference. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, legendary NFL Quarterback Brett Favre gets very personal about his miraculous Monday Night Football game immediately following his father’s passing. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, a listener from Colorado tells her remarkable Elvis story about the time she met the King not once, but twice, in an 8-hour period! Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the comic book superhero is an American invention. Here to tell the story is WWII historian Jeffrey Johnson, the author of Super-History: Comic Book Superheroes and American Society. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 50s and 60s, the NBA was barely a professional league. Today it is a powerhouse worth billions. Here is the story of how that happened with author Pete Croatto. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, George Washington’s Bible was on loan to a famous Revolutionary War tavern just blocks from the World Trade Center on 9/11. Just as the search for bodies ended, the search for the Bible began… Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, 26-year-old actor John Wilkes Booth was killed just 12 days after assassinating Abraham Lincoln. Here’s Christopher Klein with the story of how the city of Boston embraced the Booth brothers. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, the origins of Chick-fil-A’s “my pleasure” catchphrase began in 2001. Chick-fil-A founder Truett Cathy’s version of the story begins with him visiting a Ritz-Carlton luxury hotel—a hotel his friend Horst Schulze co-founded. Here's Horst with the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, she is remembered in history as Doc Holliday’s on-and-off girlfriend-turned wife. But Big Nose Kate was much more than that. Here's the History Guy with the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, here’s Major Shul with his legendary story known today as the “LA Speed Check.” Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, this is the story about Mike Joens, a Marine-turned-cartoon animator—and so much more. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, he wasn't an NBA star: He was a sneaker salesman that helped popularize the sport of basketball, and the sneakers that now bear his name. This is his story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, when 85-year-old Lana Peters died in a rural Wisconsin village in 2011, Americans learned that one of their fellow citizens was the daughter of none other than the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.