Forgotten Heroes Podcast

The finest, furriest friends to serve our country during wartime get the nod on this Memorial Day episode. Sgt. Stubby helped soldiers detect gas attacks during World War I, and Puffy, the King of All Cats in 1941, used his hypnotic gaze to entertain and soothe veterans while raising money for WWII war bonds.

 

On this sixth episode of the second season, we bring you: Jason Statham’s lesser-known accomplishment in the field of Russian burgery and a lost, Arthur Miller-inspired mascot for midwestern roast beef slingers “Rax,” known only as Mr. Delicious.

 

As the baseball season has been all but cancelled this year–and will at the very least be delayed–the Forgotten Heroes Team has decided to round the bases with you once more before sliding back into home (isolation). George “High Pockets” Kelly, once described as the “worst player in the hall of fame,” nonetheless had one of the best months of April in baseball history, while those of you fearing a cancelled postseason contest this year might take comfort in knowing its happened before: in 1904.

Randy Johnson–no, not that one–is our personal favorite April Avenger. As part of the (similarly doomed) “No-name” Twins of 1982, he compiled 24 hits, 5 HR, 13 RBI, 7 walks, and a .393/.449/.738 slash line (1.187 OPS) in 69 plate appearances over 17 games. While the rest of his career would feature only 5 more homers and 36 more hits, for a brief, shining moment, all Minnesotans could daydream about having their own Randy Johnson in the Hall of Fame.

Also, screw the Metrodome. Long live Target Field!

Trees are amazing. Can’t say enough about them. They give us oxygen, they give us wood, they’re just… we love them. In this vortex of environmental awareness (Earth Day 4/22 through Arbor Day 4/24), learn about two forgotten heroes of the dendriform world: the Parliamentary Tree of Old Sarum, Wiltshire, England, and the 400+-year-old Japanese Bonsai that survived Hiroshima. Also, participate in our ‘Hug A Tree’ flash challenge: see the website for details, $$ prizes, and donations to milliontreesnyc.org.

The second in our Greatest Aprils Ever series, Ken Williams hit nine homeruns in 14 April games in 1922. That lands him still 15th best all-time, despite all 14 above him playing at least 20 April games each.

Also, screw Ray Schalk, he sucks.

We may sometimes feel that looking all the way to the back of the shelf for supplies at Walmart or Target qualifies us as scavengers; this week, take a headfirst dive into two genuine heroes of the art form: Geek, a brazen buzzard who won the hearts of Hinckley, Ohio (and had a day named in his honor), and the noble "don't call me O-" possum, whose contributions to human society are definitely not understated by the Possum Festival of Wausau, Florida or its founder, Dalton Carter.

In 1930, “Showboat” Fisher would log an April for the ages: .462 BA, 24 hits, 6 2B, 1 HR, 17 RBI, .541 OBP, .635 SLG, 1.176 OPS, and #1 Nickname. Unfortunately for him, these would constitute about a quarter of his career numbers, as the Minnesotan minor league star was never able to mimic this monthlong mashing.

He also–according to reliable sources–was quite attractive.

Jeff traces the roots of National Beer Day– April 7th–to a cadre of New York politicians who won the first battle against Prohibition by authoring a bill to legalize (3.2%) beer in 1932. The group was led by a young senator named Thomas Cullen, whose name is remembered in the title of the bill. Mark takes us on a journey to Vietnam, 2019, where the war was not between humans–rather, it was the deadly effects of ethanol’s malicious little brother, methanol, that required Dr. Le “Jean-Claude” Van Lam’s last-minute, foamy cure…

This week, as we are separated by social distancing and isolation, learn about two heroes who forged through similar circumstances to make a dent in the universe. Leonid Rogozov was a Russian doctor trapped in Antarctica with acute appendicitis; Patricia Young (see post) was just a teenager when her home city of London came under attack by the German Luftwaffe. Also covered: where penguins live, what “The Talented Mr. Ripley” is about (kind of…), why everyone keeps referring to these as “uncertain times,” and the strange disappearance of a celebrated author.

Next week, join us for what’s sure to be a fun time: Forgotten Heroes of Beer!

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