Oh, Malort!

By Solid Listen

Alyssa Dyksterhouse, Chicago tour guide, history lover and research extraordinaire, walks her friends through her favorite well-known and lesser-known moments in Chicago’s quirky past while explo... more

4.6

2222 ratings

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FAQs about Oh, Malort!:

How many episodes does Oh, Malort! have?

The podcast currently has 149 episodes available.

Oh, Malort! episodes:

December 22, 2025Johann Hoch: Bigamist and Murderer
Alyssa and Molly McAleer from Mother May I Sleep with Podcast travel back to the late 1890's/ early 1900's to discuss Chicago's Bluebeard Johann Hoch, a bigamist and murder whose crimes would be too much for a Lifetime Movie plot.
Show Notes:
Second City Sinners

New York Times: JOHANN HOCH HANGED, PROTESTING INNOCENCE; Wife Murderer's Lawyers to Test Denial of Stay in Last Hour. PRISONER FORCED DELAY Refused to Leave Death Cell Until Full Time Allowed by Sentence Was Run.

Digital Library of Chicago History: John Schmidt, aka Johann Otto Hoch thought to have killed over 50 women.
American Heritage: The Lady-killer

CBS: Chicago Hauntings: The Sinister Men Who Were Executed At The Old Cook County Jail Gallows, And Sightings At The River North Firehouse Now In Its Place

Chicago Tribune: WIVES OF HOCK FOUND ALL OVER.: Four More Listed by the New York Police Make Total of 37 Deluded Widows. EAST ALSO HIS PARISH. Much Married Man May Be Put on Way to Chicago This Morning on Extradition. Several Months in Landing One. Gets Her $900 and Skips. Will Demand His Punishment. May Be Still Another. Hock Again Is Remanded. Hock Flirts in Courtroom.

Chicago Tribune: THIS HOCK WIFE OF HIS OWN KIND.: Mrs. Ranken, His Spouse in 1895, Said to Have Too Many Husbands. POLICE SEE THE RECORDS. Documents Indicate Bigamist Was Married Twice in Seven Months. Justice Shows Hock Marriages. Matrimonial Agent Is Accuser. O'Neill Informed of Warrant.

Chicago Tribune: HOCK GLORIES IN MARITAL RECORD.: Thinks It Is Great Joke to Be Suspected of Murder of Many Wives, and Has a Happy Time. "WIDOWS HARD TO KEEP." Man "Explains" Sudden Deaths, Says He Is "Affectionate," and Tells of His Career, Which Began Early. Mysterious Powder in His Room. "GOt to suffer for Deserters," Sweatbox to Calin Him Down. Connoisseur of German Widows. Married Only Twice, He Says. It Is a Great Joke with Him. Angered by Talk of Poison.. "Disappointed" in Last Widow. Widows Weak, Savs Hock. Sava Police Are "Away Off." Adventurer Since Immigration. Taking Way with Widows. Chicago Headquarters for Years. Marriage "Ads" His Bait. New Wives in Quick Succession. Hopes He Can Meet the Woman. Doen Not Deny This Wife. Likes to Marry Sisters. Another One He "Can't Place." Explains Death of One More. Admits the Last Wives. Woman Sees Hock Again. Tells of Hammond Marriage. Still Kind to Her Husband. Will Get Startling Evidence.

Chicago Tribune: ROMANCE IN HOCK CASE.: BLUEBEARD CAUSES JEALOUS RIVAL TO WARN WIDOW. Romance in Story. Rival Suitor Suspicious. Suspicions Result in Arrest.

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1h 54min
December 15, 2025Sixteen Inch Softball: The Malort of Sports
Alyssa and Matt Drufke from the comedy show Still Not Friday talk about 16 inch softball.

Show Notes:
ABC-7: 'Chicago's game': 16-inch softball, created on Near South Side, celebrates 135th anniversary

Encyclopedia of Chicago:Softball, 16-Inch

Loop North News: The Home Front

Chicago History Museum: Indoor Baseball in Chicago:

Block Club Chicago: The Mangled History Of 16-Inch Softball Hands: Mallets, Swan Necks And Jersey Fingers

Chicago Tribune: Five facts about 16-inch softball

Chicago Reader: Searching for lovable losers? Sixteen-inch softball is the answer

Chicago Reader: Sticks and stones will break your bones, and so will 16-inch softball

Chicago Reader: Here’s the Pitch

Block Club Chicago: After 10 Years On The Bench, Park District Revives Co-Ed 16-Inch Softball: ‘We Got To Bring The Game Back’

New York Times: Gloveless Players Hold on to Softball Dreams

Block Club Chicago: Alderpeople Vs. Chicago Cops In 16-Inch Softball: ‘This Is The Best We’ve Gotten Along All Year

Axios: Kegger softball is a real thing

WGN: Jammed, broken, bent: Chicago’s own 16-inch softball comes with its own badge of honor

Chicago Sun-Times: Elena Kagan played Chicago-style 16-inch softball at U of Chicago

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1h 21min
December 08, 2025The First Street Race: NASCAR was the Sequel
I am joined by Vanessa from Reel Relationships to talk about the first Motocycle (automobile) race in America which took place in Chicago.
Show Notes:
Smithsonian: Six Cars Raced to the Finish Line of the U.S.’s First Automobile Race—at Speeds of Seven Miles Per Hour

SI: Days of Blunder: The First U.S. Car Race Was Won 125 Years Ago ... at 7 mph

WGN: Second City Firsts

NBC Chicago: From the first auto race to NASCAR street racing: Chicago's racing history

NBC: Chicago hosted America's first auto race more than 100 years ago

Library of Illinois: America's First Automobile Race Occured in Chicago, Illinois, in 1895.

Chicago History Museum:H. H. Kohlsaat and the First Automotive Race in the US

NASCAR: Before the Chicago Street Race, there was the race that started it all

ABC-7: Aldermen meet with NASCAR over future of Chicago Street Race

Chicago Tribune: Chicago made a bit of money on NASCAR race in 2024

New York Times: NASCAR’s weather-plagued Chicago debut: On the Xfinity decision and what to expect for Cup

Block Club Chicago: Rain-Delayed NASCAR Chicago Street Race Wraps After Weather Cancels Morning Race And Concerts

Fortune: ‘Life-threatening’ floods bring Nascar race through downtown Chicago to screeching halt

Road & Track: NASCAR Needed Its Chicago Street Race to be a Success. Then Came the Flood.

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1h 14min
December 01, 2025 REWIND - The Christmas Tree Ship: A Forest on the Water
Alyssa and Captain Scoot from the maritime podcast ⁠ShipWrekt⁠ go back to the early 1900’s when schooners lined the main branch of the Chicago River selling Christmas trees and boating fatalities were the norm.

Show Notes:
⁠National Archives: The Christmas Tree Ship⁠
⁠ABC 7: US Coast Guard 'Christmas Ship' makes annual tree delivery at Chicago's Navy Pier⁠
⁠Block Club Chicago: Chicago’s Christmas Ship Docks At Navy Pier With Over 1,200 Trees For Chicago Families⁠
⁠Christmas Tree Ship History⁠
⁠Wisconsin Shipwrecks: The Rouse Simmons⁠
⁠Trailer for The Christmas Schooner⁠
⁠National Marine Sanctuary“Captain Santa” and the story of the Christmas Tree Ship Foundation:⁠
⁠The Historic Christmas Tree Ship: A True Story of Faith, Hope And Lov⁠e
⁠PBS Wisconsin: The Christmas Tree Ship⁠
⁠Charles Hackley⁠

Episodes Mentioned:
⁠Oh Malort! Eastland Episode

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1h 27min
November 24, 2025Brown's Chicken Massacre: DNA for the Win
I am joined by Steven Ray Morris to talk about the Brown's Chicken Massacre.
Show Notes:
Seattle Times: Browns Chicken Murders Changed Business Forever

Chicago Tribune: Judge tosses bid for new hearing in Brown’s Chicken massacre

Chicago Sun-Times: ‘Divine intervention’ helped solve Brown’s Chicken Massacre, investigator says

NBC Chicago: Former Girlfriend of Murder Suspect Testifies

New York Times: Illinois Mass Murderer Is Spared Execution

How to Catch a Criminal: Taking a Bite out of Crime

Something Big The True Story of the Brown's Chicken Massacre, A Decade-Long Manhunt, and the Trials That Followed

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1h 20min
November 21, 2025Midway Blitz Updates: The Lie
A lot happened today including two important written findings.

Show Notes:
U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel A. Fuentes

Judge Sarah Ellis

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25min
November 18, 2025An Update on Chicago Courts and Operation Midway Blitz
The title pretty much explains it all.
Show Notes:
Chicago Sun-Times: Judge says he’ll order release of hundreds of people arrested under feds’ deportation blitz

Chicago Tribune: Only 2.6% on list of 614 ‘Operation Midway Blitz’ arrestees had criminal histories, DOJ records show

Chicago Tribune: Immigration agents have reportedly left Naval Station Great Lakes: ‘A sigh of relief’

Cummings Order

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20min
November 17, 2025Jenny Jones: She is Tenacious
⁠Alyssa⁠ tells her new friend ⁠Jess⁠ about 90's Daytime Talk Show Host Jenny Jones.
Subscribe, leave a five-star review, tell your friends and follow on ⁠Twitter⁠, ⁠BlueSky⁠, ⁠Instagram⁠
Show Notes:
⁠Newsweek: ‘Trial by Media’ on Netflix: Where Is Jenny Jones Now and What Has She Said About the Murder of Scott Amedure?⁠

⁠People: Body of Evidence⁠

⁠People: True Confession⁠

⁠Chicago Tribune: DAZE OF TALK⁠

⁠Washington Post: THE MILD-MANNERED TALK SHOW⁠

⁠Newsweek: Making A Killing On Talk Tv⁠

⁠Washington Post: JENNY, ON THE SPOT⁠

⁠Washington Post: 'Jenny Jones' Talk Show Expected to Be Canceled⁠

⁠Women's World: Jenny Jones Hasn’t Been on TV Since 2003, But She’s Still Kept Busy⁠

⁠CBS: Jenny Jones Back, As Cookbook Author⁠

⁠Chicago Tribune: VIEWER-FRIENDLY FLUFF ON `JENNY JONES`⁠

⁠New York Times: Confessions of a Daytime Television Addict⁠

⁠Chicago Tun-Times: Jones sued over failure to air Web site address⁠

⁠Vice Media: Dark Side of the 90s⁠

⁠IMDB: Trial by Media⁠

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1h 7min
November 10, 2025Soldier Field Update: Go
In this episode, Alyssa updates Pat about the Bear quest to get a new stadium.
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Show Notes:
Chicago Tribune: Lawmakers’ lack of action on new Bears lakefront stadium raises hopes in Arlington Heights

Chicago Tribune: Kevin Warren presses ahead on Bears stadium pitch as Johnson, Pritzker stay quiet on the subject

Chicago Tribune: Gov. J.B. Pritzker says it would be ‘near impossible’ to get Bears stadium deal done this fall

Chicago Tribune: Chicago Bears to ask focus groups what they want in new stadium, but not where they want it

Chicago Tribune: Chicago Bears CEO sticking to his game plan for Chicago lakefront stadium

Chicago Tribune: Chicago Bears’ plan for new lakefront stadium draws opposition from coalition of community groups

Chicago Tribune: Bears taking another look at old Reese Hospital site: Long, skinny stretch on South Side mulled for potential stadium

Chicago Tribune: Bill to lure Chicago Bears to Indiana passes out of House committee

Chicago Tribune: Arlington Heights mayoral candidates want to bring the Chicago Bears, but they say it has to benefit the village

Chicago Tribune: Momentum for Chicago Bears stadium project may be shifting back toward Arlington Heights

Chicago Tribune: Chicago Bears shifting their stadium focus to Arlington Heights

Chicago Tribune: As Chicago Bears pivot to Arlington Heights, Mayor Brandon Johnson says ‘I’ve done my part’

Chicago Tribune: Public transit funding and pension reform, budget and Bears stadium are big issues in final week of legislative session

Chicago Tribune: Chicago Bears’ stadium efforts run out of time in Springfield but suburban lawmaker says deal was close and talks will continue

Chicago Tribune: Bears aim to unveil stadium plans this fall Bears Arlington Heights project to be financed by team, needs lawmakers’ approval for tax negotiations

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45min
November 03, 2025State Street Mall: It Wasn't Great
In this episode Alyssa tells Hugh about the "State Street Mall." He spends a lot of time, rightfully baffled.

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Show Notes:
Chicago Tribune: Flashback: The State Street Mall, billed as a car-free shopping mecca, started with high hopes but ended in failure and bus fumes

Chicago Tribune: The failure of the State Street Mall

Chicago Tribune: Stiltwalkers, a high-diving mule and other efforts to make State Street great again

Governing: The Strange, Troubled History of Pedestrian Malls

Chicago Sun-Times: Opinion of the The People

Chicago Sun-Times: McDonough Opposes State Street Mall Day

Chicago Sun-Times: New Plan's Face Lift for Chicago

Chicago Sun-Times: Council Unit gets State Street Mall Plan

Chicago Sun-Times: Daley Seen Pushing State Street Mall

Chicago Sun-Times: Plan Commission Oks State Street Mall

Chicago Sun-Times: Pick South Loop for College

Chicago Sun-Times: Federal Aid?

Chicago Sun-Times: Building Industry's Decline Expected to Last Two Years

Chicago Sun-Times: Projects that Never Made It.

Chicago Sun-Times: Cows

Chicago Sun-Times: State Street Squeeze

Chicago Sun-Times: An Enviable Track Record

Chicago Sun-Times: State Street Breakdown

Chicago Sun-Times: How Those Central City Projects are Coming Along

Chicago Sun-Times: State St. Mall One Step Closer

Chicago Sun-Times: Mayor OKs Mall revamp - Vows to help State St. business leaders

Chicago Sun-Times: State St. Mall's new look may be skimpy

Chicago Sun-Times: $30 million State Street Mall boost
Chicago Sun-Times: End of the road for State St. Mall - Daley calls it a `failure,' backs return to full use

Chicago Sun-Times: A great street, but a bad mall - `Failure' spurs city to allow cars on State

Chicago Sun-Times: Cars, Perhaps Trolley, To Replace State St. Mall

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1h 10min

FAQs about Oh, Malort!:

How many episodes does Oh, Malort! have?

The podcast currently has 149 episodes available.

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