On this episode of Our American Stories, at six-foot-six and 250 pounds, Paul Bauer does not fit most people’s picture of a quilter. A few years ago, he took a stack of his late father-in-law’s T-shirts and stitched them into a quilt, expecting it to be a one-time project. But that first T-shirt quilt turned into a lasting hobby and, eventually, a way to honor those he holds close. Paul, a regular contributor to Our American Stories, joins us to share how he stumbled into quilting and how sewing quilts has helped him stay connected to the people he loves most.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Curt Flood was one of the best center fielders in Major League Baseball. As a three-time All-Star and two-time World Series champion with the St. Louis Cardinals, Flood built a reputation based on excellence.

Iin 1969, the Cardinals traded him to Philadelphia against his wishes. He refused to report. He challenged Major League Baseball’s reserve clause, the rule that tied players to one team and denied them the right to free agency. His case, Curt Flood v. Kuhn, went all the way to the Supreme Court.

Despite his best efforts, Flood lost the ruling and his career. But his stand opened the door for modern free agency and changed the business of baseball. Columnist George Will shares the story of Curt Flood, the player who risked everything to challenge the system.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, The USS Indianapolis left Guam in July 1945 after delivering critical cargo connected to the Manhattan Project. But before she could make it to her next destination, a Japanese submarine would strike the cruiser, leaving hundreds of sailors and Marines sinking in shark infested waters.

While the story gained popularity from Jaws, the details itself are more harrowing from the men who lived through it.

The story later reached a wider audience through Jaws, but the details come from men who lived through it. The late Edgar Harrell, the last surviving Marine from the downed ship, shares the real-life story of that fateful day.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Lambeau Field has hosted decades of Green Bay Packers history. In the 1980s, it also hosted something quieter: a kids-only section for young Packers fans to hang around and watch football with their peers.

Jon Elfner spent his eighth grade year in that section, watching Packers home games week after week. But it wasn't just the players who cuaght his eye. John joins us to tell his love story that played out in Wisconsin's, and the NFL's, most famous field.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, from Green Eggs and Ham to How the Grinch Stole Christmas, we’re all familiar with the work of Dr. Seuss. But the story of how he actually became the author we know and love is far from short and simple. Brian Jay Jones, author of Becoming Dr. Seuss, is here with the full story of the man behind the pen name.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Bob Huff built a career in the nursing home and home healthcare industry. After 3 months of retirement, Bob decided to enter a new line of work… doggy daycare!

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On this episode of Our American Stories, during some of the tensest moments of the Cold War, President Kennedy on July 4th, 1962 visited Independence Hall to give a motivating speech highlighting the importance of democracy and free enterprise around the world.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, the Winchester name carries weight in American history, especially when it comes to rifles and repeating firearms. But brands are not built by products alone. They are built by people who understand how to grow them.

Thomas Bennett worked alongside John Moses Browning during a defining period for the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. His leadership helped transform Winchester rifles from strong products into a national force. Ashley Hlebinsky shares the story of this forgotten, but all-important, man.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, there was a moment when the future of home entertainment was uncertain. VHS and Betamax were locked in a format war, and the VCR you bought determined which tapes you could play.

VHS eventually became the dominant video cassette system, reshaping movie rentals, television recording, and 1980s pop culture. Engineer Guy Bill Hammack explains how VHS won the format war and why Betamax slowly disappeared.

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On this episode of Our American Stories, before he became known worldwide as B.B. King, he was Riley B. King, a young musician working the radio circuit in Memphis. Over time, his blues style, marked by precise bends and expressive vibrato, influenced rock, jazz, and rhythm and blues artists alike.

With his guitar Lucille in hand, B.B. King developed a tone and phrasing that set him apart from other electric guitar players and helped earn him the title “King of the Blues.” Here to tell the story is Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Daniel de Visé, author of the first in-depth biography of B.B. in almost 30 years: King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King.

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