In 1951 Little League baseball came to Norton, Virginia. In that very first season the Little League allowed black boys and white boys to play together, fully integrated, for the first time in the South. Today we tell that story. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Audacy, Goodpods, Audible, IHeart Radio or on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening!

After the end of the Revolutionary War the land north and west of the Ohio River was organized by Congress into the Northwest Territory. Soon settlers began to move into the eastern part of the territory (the future state of Ohio) and form new towns, including Marietta, at the junction of the Muskingum and Ohio Rivers. One of these new settlers was an Irish nobleman, Harman Blennerhassett, who built a fine estate on an island in the Ohio not far from Marietta. There he entertained the rich and famous, and that, folks, led to his downfall. Today we tell the story of Harmon Blennerhassett's ill-fated venture with a former vice-president, Aaron Burr. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audacy, Stitcher, TuneIn, Goodpods, Audible, or on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening and for sharing our stories!

At the turn of the 20th century, a Kentucky man obsessed with spiritualism, fortune-telling, seances and speaking to the dead, was convinced to marry a "psychic" and give her all his property. This act set off a chain of events involving this man, his siblings, his new (fourth) wife, and a man named Fred, all of which ended up very badly for him. Today we tell that story. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Audacy, Audible, Goodpods, Spotify, TuneIn, Stitcher, IHeart Radio, or on your favorite podcast app.

In May of 1902 one of the best-run mine companies in the Coal Creek, Tennessee, area suffered a disaster when an explosion trapped and killed 216 miners, all but 3 of the adult male population of the Fraterville community. Today we tell that story. Be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast on your favorite podcast app!

This holiday season has been a tough one for us, so we haven't had the opportunity to put together this year's Christmas episode. Instead we give you last year's wonderful tale of the Krampus. By the way, all the references in that episode to 2020? Nothing's really changed, so just mentally put in "2021" when you hear us say "2020." Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, y'all!

On June 17, 1922, a tremendous explosion happened at the Thealka mine near Paintsville, Kentucky, killing two miners starting up mine equipment. This blast was no accident. Join us today for a story of labor unrest, coalfield violence, and justice, along with a bit of redemption. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audacy, Stitcher, Audible, RadioPublic, Google Podcasts, Goodpods, or on your favorite podcast app.

In the spring of 1856 the two little boys of Samuel and Susanna Cox disappeared, seemingly without a trace. Today we tell the story of how the tragedy of that disappearance led to a miracle, one memorialized with a monument in the township of Pavia, Pennsylvania, east of Johnstown. You can subscribe to the audio version of the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Audible, Spotify, Audacy, Goodpods, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast app.

There was a man who lived in Lee County, Virginia, who claimed to have once been a Tennessee Circuit Court judge, a preacher, a teacher and a business owner in Cumberland Gap. He was also tried for killing two lawmen who tried to arrest his son-in-law. Today we tell the story of Green Allen Brooks, dubbed by the press as the "Mountain Man." You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Audacy, Spotify, Audible, Stitcher or on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening

With it being Thanksgiving weekend, Rod and Steve have decided to take this week off, so today we are presenting an encore presentation of one of our first podcast episodes. In 1935 a young woman from Pound, Virginia, was accused of murdering her father and put on trial in Wise.  The trial brought on an onslaught of national news attention.  And when the media descended on Wise, Virginia, they brought their Appalachian stereotypes with them. You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Audacy, Audible or on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening!

Over 120 years ago one of Devil Anse Hatfield's sons made his escape from a Williamson, West Virginia, jail.  How he got in that jail, why he escaped and where he went is our story this week. Be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast, at Apple Podcasts, Audible, PlayerFM, Stitcher, Spotify, Audacy or on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening!