Baseball was a way of life in the camps that incarcerated Japanese Americans during World War II. The United States government stripped the Americans who lived in these camps of their liberties, but for those communities, having played the game for generations, baseball brought them closer to each other and, paradoxically, to their country. At Manzanar, one such site at the foot of the Sierra Nevada in California, dozens of baseball and softball teams played regularly.

Decades after the camps closed, and after Japanese Americans had returned to their homes on the West Coast, Manzanar was established as a historic site. Replicas of camp buildings were erected to memorialize what had happened there, but the baseball field was in complete disrepair. Artist and baseball enthusiast Dan Kwong led the herculean restoration effort. Host Ari Daniel talks with Kwong and Smithsonian writer Rachel Ng, who reported on the endeavor. 

Read the original Smithsonian article here.

To subscribe to “There’s More to That,” and to listen to past episodes on a recently solved mystery surrounding the burial of John F. Kennedy, the only battalion during World War II composed entirely of Black women, and everything you wanted to know about sweating and sports, find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts. 

“There’s More to That” is a production of Smithsonian magazine and PRX Productions. 

From the magazine, our team is Ari Daniel, Debra Rosenberg and Brian Wolly. From PRX, our team is Jessica Miller, Genevieve Sponsler, Adriana Rosas Rivera, Sandra Lopez Monsalve and Edwin Ochoa. The executive producer of PRX Productions is Jocelyn Gonzales.

Fact-checking by Stephanie Abramson. Our music is from APM Music.

Episode artwork by Emily Lankiewicz. Photos by Aaron Rapoport and the National Archives under public domain.

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/podcast/series/theres-more-to-that/

On this episode of Special Sauce we talk to avocado farmer Norm Kachuck and Los Angeles Times reporter Daniel Miller about the crisis facing California avocado growers as they try to compete with Mexican avocados. 

https://www.thespecialsaucepodcast.com/

Pizza fraud, fried mullet masquerading as a bird and produce used as weapons. For Craig Pittman, it’s all in a day’s work. 

Craig is a journalist and author of several books about the quirky side of our state. His latest is Welcome to Florida—or, for short, WTF. He also co-hosts a podcast of the same name.

Many of these stranger-than-fiction stories involve food, so we invited Craig on the pod to share a few of his favorite epicurean anecdotes. A Florida native known for wearing  tropical-themed shirts, Craig explains how his interest in quirky news stories started in childhood. He also shares his favorite under-the-radar eateries around the state.

To subscribe to Craig’s Oh, Florida! Newsletter, click here.

Related episodes:

• Author & Restaurateur Randy Wayne White on Rum, Hot Sauce & His Latest Doc Ford Novel

• “Call Anthony” Gilbert Reviews Food at Gas Stations and Other Overlooked Eateries

• “Happiest Plate on Earth” Podcast Hosts Dish on Disney Dining

Host Brian Lowery talks with journalist Jennifer Sullivan about the parallels between beauty and birding. As someone who has spent years writing about appearance and self-perception, Jenn discovered that watching birds offered a different kind of reflection—one that quiets the mind and expands our sense of place in the world. She and Brian discuss how stepping into nature can shift the way we see ourselves, and what happens when we stop looking in the mirror and start looking up.
For more on the show, go to knowwhatyousee.com.

Episode 1 takes us to North Carolina, where host and Silkroad Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens reveals the origins of the popular Appalachian folk song, “Swannanoa Tunnel” and how professors Jeffrey A. Keith and Kevin Kehrberg’s research sparked important conversations about erasure and ownership in Appalachian music. We’ll also hear from Banjo player Tray Wellington about his experience as a Black band leader making a way in a genre not well known for performers who look like him.

https://www.silkroad.org/american-railroad-podcast

In this mini episode of What’s Ray Saying, Ray whimsically explores his encounters with the “dog on the street” and the diversity of canine culture. Through dialogue that breaks down stereotypes and builds understanding, he reimagines his conversations and the epiphany of understanding difference. Special thanks to Mark Pagan, the voice of the sophisticated, street-smart-but-smooth-on-the-outside perro in Mexico, and Tiffany Christian, the voice of the former-celebrity-down-on-her-luck French poodle with chipped red fingernail polish on the streets of LA. For more on Ray, visit drraychristian.com and support the show!

https://drraychristian.com/the-podcast

As Black country music is having its moment, Hana has always wondered why her Sudanese mom loved Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton. You can hear country music playing in cafes in African capitals. There is a love of American country music among our African elders, many say they grew up with it. 
While for many, country music is associated with white culture and isn't relatable, for many African elders it holds a very special place in their hearts. Why? 
We explore the surprising histories and the appeal, and follow the story of legendary Ivorian country music duo Peter One & Jess Sah Bi.
This ain't Texas. It's Africa.

https://www.thestoop.org/

Acclaimed author and poet Camille Dungy joins us to explore the intersection of nature, identity, and systemic change. With insight from her latest book, SOIL: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden, Dungy shares her view of gardening as another form of storytelling. Listen in as we talk about environmental advocacy and stewardship—and the ways nature and narrative are more intertwined than you might think.

https://www.nybg.org/plantpeople/

In this episode of We Disrupt This Broadcast, we’re talking about one of the most thrilling and politically thoughtful shows out right now - Andor. Peabody Awards Executive Director Jeffrey Jones talks with Andor creator and showrunner Tony Gilroy about the ideologies explored in the Disney+ series in the Star Wars story universe. They dive into how revolutions are formed, what pushes someone to become a revolutionary leader, and how studying historical revolutions informs Gilroy’s creative journey. Jeffrey then joins host Gabe González to unpack what can be learned from Andor as a tale of a fascist, authoritarian state, as well as how audiences might react to the show in the current political climate. 

https://peabodyawards.com/podcast/

Tam has been in prison for two decades, and is facing a third. But now, there’s a small chance a judge could send him home, time served. For one month, we follow Ear Hustle’s inside producer as he prepares for his day in court.

Thank you to Star, Lan, Thai Chi, Ai Linh, Lance, and everyone else we spoke to for this story.  

This episode was scored with music by Earlonne Woods, Antwan Williams, David Jassy, Derrell Sadiq Davis, Fernando Arruda, and Joshua Burton.

Big thanks to Warden Andes and Lt. Berry at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center; Acting Warden Parker, Associate Warden Lewis, and Lt. Newborg at the California Institution for Women; and Warden De La Cruz and Lt. Williams at the Central California Women’s Facility for their support of the show.

Ear Hustle is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX. 

https://www.earhustlesq.com/