Today in 1989, El Reno, Oklahoma held its first ever El Reno Burger Day. It was in honor of a local creation that's been popular for almost a century, the fried onion burger. Plus: for Tchaikovsky's birthday, the story of how a benefactor gave him a stipend that let him compose full time... with one very unusual string attached.

El Reno’s Fried Onion Burger Packed With Flavor And Long History (News9.com)

Tchaikovsky: Conflicted, Neurotic, Brilliant (California Symphony)

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Today was the birthday in 1915 of Orson Welles, who created timeless films, radio shows and stage plays... and outtakes for a wine commercial that went viral before any of us were on the internet. Plus: today in 1931, the birthday of baseball legend Willie Mays, who was such a great hitter that the scouting report had no advice on how to pitch to him. 

I WAS THE MAN AT THE CLAPPERBOARD FOR ORSON WELLES’ LEGENDARY DRUNK WINE COMMERCIAL (MEL Magazine)

MAYS, WILLIE (N.Y. Outfielder) (Library of Congress)

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One way you could celebrate National No Pants Day is to put on a Roman toga or tunic, though the ancient Romans actually did a 180 on the question of pants. Here's why they were for them after they were against them. Plus: tomorrow in Prague, Oklahoma, it’s the Kolache Festival.

How Pants Went From Banned to Required in the Roman Empire (Atlas Obscura)

KOLACHE FESTIVAL: PRAGUE, OKLAHOMA 

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Yes, today is a day in the month of May, but that's not where the international distress call "Mayday" comes from. We'll fill you in on the actual backstory. Plus: this weekend in Las Cruces, it’s the 2024 New Mexico Tamale Fest. 

Why Is 'Mayday' the International Distress Call? (How Stuff Works)

The 2024 New Mexico Tamale Fest at Plaza De Las Cruces! (Cinco De Mayo) 

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This month in 2008, a high school athlete from a very small town competed as a team of one in the Texas track championships, and finished first two years in a row. Plus: starting this Friday in Hilliard, Ohio, it’s the Early Television Convention. 

THE POWER OF ONE (Sports Illustrated)

Early Television Convention (Early Television Museum)

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Today in 1939, the opening of the World's Fair in New York. One of the inventions featured there was a way that newspapers could broadcast newspapers over the radio and have special receivers print out a copy of the paper for customers. Plus: Michigan State University's Abrams Planetarium is also home to the Moist Towelette Museum?!?

A Look Back at the Radio Newspaper of the Air (Radio World)

Moist Towelette Museum (Weird Universe)

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Today in 1933 the birthday of Willie Nelson, a country music legend who once put out an album so that he could send royalties to the IRS to pay some overdue taxes. Plus: today in 1970, the birthday of Andre Agassi, who once figured out how to read a rival's serve in an unusual way.

Poor Willie (Texas Monthly) 

WATCH: The amazing story of how Andre Agassi read Boris Becker’s serve by watching his tongue (Tennis365)

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For Arbor Day, the story of the Tree of 40 Fruit, a real tree in Syracuse, New York that shows just how many different fruit you can graft onto a single tree. Plus: starting tomorrow in Hawaii, it’s the Waikiki SPAM Jam.

Sculptor Sam Van Aken’s Tree of 40 Fruit (Syracuse University)

Waikiki Spam Jam 

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On today's show we’re uncorking a new method to treat oil spills with cork and lasers, an unexpected and potentially greener combination. Plus: tomorrow is day one of the three day Vermont Maple Festival in St. Albans.

Trash to titan: Scientists create laser-treated cork that absorbs oil spills (Interesting Engineering) 

VERMONT MAPLE FESTIVAL 

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Washington State University researchers have come up with another e-tongue, and this one can quickly sense the compounds that show up when wine is spoiling. Plus: this weekend in Mansfield, Indiana, it’s the Mansfield Mushroom Festival.

E-tongue can detect white wine spoilage before humans can (Washington State University)

Mansfield Mushroom Festival 

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