Dave Does History

Baseball has always been a game of tradition, but every so often, someone comes along who challenges the status quo.

In the early 1900s, Amanda Clement did just that—not by swinging a bat, but by making the calls. She was the first woman ever paid to umpire a baseball game, stepping onto the field with authority in an era when women weren’t even supposed to be there. Her story isn’t just about baseball; it’s about determination, breaking barriers, and proving that talent speaks louder than prejudice.

Today on Dave Does History, we’re diving into the life of Amanda Clement.

On March 19, 1945, the USS Franklin (CV-13) became the most heavily damaged U.S. aircraft carrier to survive World War II.

While launching airstrikes near Japan, she was devastated by a surprise enemy attack, igniting catastrophic fires and explosions that killed over 800 sailors. Against all odds, her crew fought to keep her afloat, defying the odds in one of the most harrowing survival stories in naval history.

In this episode of Dave Does History, we dive into the battle, the heroism surrounding Franklin’s leadership and legacy.

Listen now on Spotify, iTunes, or your favorite platform!

Grover Cleveland is the only U.S. president to serve two nonconsecutive terms—but how did he lose the White House, only to win it back four years later?

In this episode of Dave Does History on Bill Mick Live we dive into Cleveland’s rise as an anti-corruption reformer, his scandal-filled first campaign, his brutal 1888 defeat, and his disastrous second term.

Was he the last true small-government Democrat or just too stubborn for his own good?

Plus, the truth about the Baby Ruth candy bar!

Tune in for history, humor, and one of America’s most overlooked presidents.

In this episode of Dave Does History, we uncover the untold story behind one of the most iconic images of the Vietnam War—Burst of Joy.

Capturing what seemed to be a triumphant homecoming, the reality was far more bittersweet. Lt. Col. Robert L. Stirm returned from years as a POW only to receive devastating news just days before stepping onto the tarmac.

We dive into the history, the hidden truths, and the war’s lingering scars.

Join us as we explore how this moment, much like Vietnam itself, was never quite what it seemed.

Available now on Spotify & iTunes.

Today, we dive into the life of James Madison—Father of the Constitution, architect of the Bill of Rights, and the man who led America through the War of 1812.

Born into the power and privilege of colonial Virginia, Madison’s legacy wasn’t built on battlefield glory but on ideas that shaped a nation. From revolution to ratification, from political battles to war, Madison’s story is one of resilience, intellect, and nation-building.

Stay tuned for an in-depth look at his remarkable life!

On March 15, 1917, the Russian Empire collapsed under the weight of war, famine, and revolution.

Tsar Nicholas II, once the absolute ruler of one-sixth of the Earth's landmass, found himself powerless, stranded on a train, and forced to sign away his throne. His abdication ended 300 years of Romanov rule and set Russia on a path toward chaos, Bolshevism, and ultimately, the Soviet Union.

How did a monarch who believed in divine right lose it all? In this episode of Dave Does History, we unravel the dramatic downfall of Nicholas II and the empire that vanished with his signature.

In the depths of the Cold War, America’s Strategic Air Command kept nuclear-armed bombers in the sky around the clock, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.

But on March 14, 1961, a B-52F Stratofortress on airborne alert out of Mather Air Force Base faced a catastrophic failure over California’s Central Valley. With two hydrogen bombs onboard, the crew battled extreme heat, decompression, and fuel exhaustion before making a desperate escape.

In this episode of Dave Does History, we unravel the harrowing true story of the Yuba City B-52 crash—one of the Cold War’s closest brushes with disaster.

For over two centuries, Encyclopaedia Britannica was the gold standard of knowledge, the go-to reference for students, scholars, and anyone looking to settle a debate before Google existed.

From its Scottish Enlightenment origins to its dominance in American households, Britannica evolved with the times—expanding, modernizing, and eventually shifting online. But how did it rise to such authority, and why did its print empire ultimately fall?

In this episode of Dave Does History, we explore the fascinating journey of Britannica, its impact on education, and its fight to remain relevant in the digital age. Join us for the story of knowledge itself!

On this episode of Dave Does History, we dive into one of the deadliest engineering failures in American history—the collapse of the St. Francis Dam on March 12, 1928.

Built to quench Los Angeles’ growing thirst, the dam was hailed as a triumph until it gave way in the dead of night, sending a 140-foot wall of water roaring through San Francisquito Canyon. Hundreds perished, entire towns were wiped out, and the disaster forever changed dam safety in the U.S.

What went wrong? Who was responsible? And what lessons did we learn? Let’s uncover the shocking truth.

On March 11, 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Lend-Lease Act, a move that provided billions in aid to Allied nations and pushed the U.S. closer to World War II—without a formal declaration.

But just three years earlier, the Ludlow Amendment nearly changed everything, proposing a national referendum before America could go to war. In this episode, we explore how FDR fought to kill the amendment, why most Americans supported it, and how its passage could have altered history. Would the U.S. have entered WWII at all?

Join Dave and Bill Mick as they unpack one of history’s biggest "what-ifs."