Friend of the show, Vince Tornero, joins the show to preview the 2nd Season of his Evergreen Podcast Network show PROHFILES: “The Wrath of the Buzzard.” Season two (6 episodes) will be titled “THE WRATH OF THE BUZZARD” and will document the meteoric rise and fall of 100.7 WMMS – the iconic Cleveland FM rock station that proved to be one of the most influential radio stations of all time.
Alex sits down with Vince to discuss the show and share clips of authentic station audio, unearthed after collecting nearly half a century worth of dust, sending you right back to the glory days of The Buzzard. The podcast will tell the 30-year story that music and radio fans have been waiting for, including how Cleveland became the home of the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame.
Hear the first two episodes starting June 10. Experience “PROHFILES – THE WRATH OF THE BUZZARD” at http://www.prohfiles.com or subscribe on platforms like: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, and more. Or go to Evergreen http://www.evergreenpodcasts.com
When the Beatles arrived on US soil in February 1964 the music world and social norms in this country changed forever. And nowhere did Beatlemania have more of an effect than on the Baby Boomers in the Buckeye State. By analyzing their touring years in the States (1964-66) and their four Ohio live shows we see just how crazy it was to be in the Fab Four. In Episode 3, “Ohio v. the Beatles,” Alex sits down with four Beatles experts to discuss their meteoric rise to the top of the entertainment world and why they ultimately stopped touring after 196
We’re joined by author Dave Schwensen to discuss his books Beatles in Cleveland and The Beatles at Shea Stadium. Dave shares his insight to why Paul, George, John and Ringo matter so much and how crazy they drove his generation. Dave shares inside stories and antidotes of the Beatles touring years, including their riotous shows in Cleveland in 1964 and 1966. Dave was at the infamous 1966 concert at Cleveland Municipal Stadium as a kid. Buy Dave’s excellent Beatles books here…https://www.amazon.com/Dave-Schwensen/e/B001JS4SFK
We sit down Janice Mitchell, the biggest Beatle fan in the Buckeye State in 1964. Janice tells us how as a 16 year old in Cleveland Heights, Ohio she was consumed by Beatlemania and ran away to go find them in London. She walks us through the plan and how she became the target of an international manhunt where even the Beatles were said to be looking for her. Janice also describes the mayhem that stopped the 1964 Beatles show in Cleveland that she witnessed from the front row. Janice’s great new book My Ticket to Ride (2021) is available for purchase here https://www.grayco.com/product/my-ticket-to-ride/
Author and historian, Jeff Suess, joins the show to talk about the Beatles two appearances in Cincinnati. One of which was said to be the only show the Beatles had to cancel, only to play the gig the next day at Crosley Field. Jeff is the librarian at the Cincinnati Enquirer and a wealth of knowledge on the history of the Queen City but also a big Beatles aficionado.
Lastly, Alex talks with musician, Joe Peppercorn about the Beatles music and his amazing annual Beatles Marathon his band plays in Columbus every December. Known as Sgt. Peppercorn’s Marathon, they expertly perform every Beatles song in chronological order. It is a can’t miss annual event in the Capital City. Click here for more information and special thanks to Joe for chatting with us about the Beatles, we had a blast. https://www.facebook.com/sgtpeppercornmarathon
We’re proud to be part of the Evergreen Podcast Network. Go to http://www.evergreenpodcasts.com for our show and dozens of other great podcasts. Share this show with the Beatles fans in your life and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Don’t hesitate to reach out to Alex by email at ohiovtheworld@gmail.com with a future show idea or to buy one of our great Ohio v. the World t-shirts.
In 1989, the United States went to war with Panama and their military dictator, Manuel Noriega in what is called Operation Just Cause. In “Ohio v. Panama” Alex explores the complex history between the US and the isthmus of Panama since the the country’s birth in 1903. This Memorial Day we will honor the legacy of PFC James Markwell (1968-1989), the fallen Army Ranger from Cincinnati, Ohio.
We speak with Markwell’s mother, Sandee Rouse, about her son’s life and legacy and how his ultimate sacrifice lead to a 25 year between Sandee and our 41st President, George H.W. Bush. We sit down with CSM (Ret.) Michael Hall of Lorain County, OH about his combat service Operation Just Cause as an Army Ranger. Mike Hall tells us about his missions in the war, including the opening raid on the airport outside Panama City that would take the life of Private First Class Jimmy Markwell.
We’re joined also by historians Juan Santamarina and Dr. Orlando Perez, from the University of Dayton and University of North Texas-Dallas, respectively. Juan tells us about the history of the comprehensive American role and presence in the isthmus of Panama during the 20th Century. Professor Santamarina discusses President Theodore Roosevelt’s role in the creation of the country of Panama and the completion of the all-important Panama Canal. The rocky relationship between the Americans and Panamanians that lead to the Torrijos-Carter Panama Canal Treaty in 1977.
Dr. Perez discusses the rise and fall of General Manuel Noriega, the Panamanian military dictator at the center of this war. From his possible role in a presidential assassination, the War on Drugs, the Contras and his eventual downfall and surrender to American authorities in the first weeks of the War. We also look at the controversy that surrounded Operation Just Cause over the last 30+ years and the state of the isthmus of Panama following the war.
This Memorial Day weekend we salute those who served and those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of the United States of America. Ohio v. the World: an American History Podcast is part of the Evergreen Podcast Network www.evergreenpodcasts.com Check out all or old shows there. Please rate/review the show as well on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts. Have questions? Want an Ohio v. the World t-shirt or bumper sticker? Email Alex at ohiovtheworld@gmail.com.
In the Season 7 premiere episode, Alex tells the story of George Koval, the Manhattan Project spy that got away. We’re joined by author Ann Hagedorn to discuss her excellent book, Sleeper Agent (Simon & Schuster, 2021) about Koval’s journey from normal Midwestern kid to celebrated Russian spy that brought the atom bomb to the Soviet Union. Click the link below to purchase Sleeper Agent.
We detail the Manhattan Project from the discovery of nuclear fission to Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. We sit down with Ray Smith the historian at Oak Ridge to discuss the atom bomb project and the secrecy of this massive operation. Our episode journeys to Dayton, Ohio to discuss the Dayton Project and the Buckeye State’s role in the Manhattan Project.
Ann’s tireless research has uncovered this previously little known story of the Russian spy with the most access to the most secretive US government project of the 20th Century. The role of George Koval in his work on the bomb at Oak Ridge and Dayton has only recently come to light following Vladimir Putin’s giving him the Hero of the Russian Federation award. We also find out why Koval made the ultimate sleeper agent and how he was able to get away back to the Soviet Union.
Ohio v. the World is so excited to be back for another season. Ohio v. the World: an American History Podcast is part of the Evergreen Podcast Network www.evergreenpodcasts.com Check out all or old shows there. Please rate/review the show as well on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.
60 Years Ago on Feb. 20, 1962 John Glenn of New Concord, Ohio made history when he orbited the world three times in 4 hours, 55 minutes. He was the first American to orbit the Earth.
Episode 2: “John Glenn v. the World” Alex interviews 4 guests about one of the greatest Ohioans of all-time, Senator John Glenn from New Concord, Ohio. From the Great Depression, to World War II, the Korean War, the Space Race, a serious run for the presidency in 1984, nearly a quarter of a century in the U.S. Senate, and a return to space in the 1990s we follow the life of the amazing Col. John Glenn (1921-2016) during the American Century.
Alex is joined by Kyle Eberly, professor and former Exec. Director of the John and Annie Glenn Museum (http://johnglennhome.org), historian and podcast host Bruce Carlson from “My History Can Beat Up Your Politics” to discuss Glenn’s failed 1984 presidential run (https://myhistorycanbeatupyourpolitics.wordpress.com), Trevor Brown, the Director of the Glenn College of Public Affairs and Herb Asher, author, professor and political commentator, both from The Ohio State University. These 4 distinguished guests help us span 95 years of American history with the life of John and Annie Glenn.
Rate and review the show on iTunes. Email us at ohiovtheworld@gmail.com and follow us on Twitter @ohiovtheworld. Ohio v. the World is part of the Evergreen Podcast Network.
Ohio is rich with history. It was the first free state formed from the Northwest Territory and home to the first private historically Black college or university (HBCU). It’s also the birthplace of presidents, astronauts, inventors and writers. Many of these Ohio heroes were African Americans who fought tirelessly for equity and justice. Below are several episodes from seasons past on Ohio v. the World. You can listen here by clicking the play button or select the link if you Apple podcasts.
Mayor Carl Stokes and the Glenville Shootout, 1968The 1st African American mayor of a major US City: Carl Stokes, Cleveland, 1967.
Season 3, Episode 3: Ohio v. Black Power: Alex journeys through the 1960s in Cleveland. This episode discusses: the Hough Rebellion, Martin Luther King, Jr., the election of Carl Stokes and the deadly Glenville Shootout in July 1968. We see the impact of Malcolm X, MLK, RFK and others on black power politics in CLE.
The Impact of the Tuskegee Airmen in Ohio and the US
Season 4, Episode 12: “Ohio v. Segregation”. Alex studies the proud history of African American service in the military and the racism and discrimination faced by the hero pilots at Tuskegee. A number of Tuskegee Airmen were from Ohio and they were stationed in Central Ohio following the war. Click the link above for the full episode.
Ohio v. Terror: the KKK, the Freedom and the Failure of ReconstructionOhio, the KKK, the Freedmen and Reconstruction
Season 6, Episode 10: “Ohio v. Terror”: Millions of African Americans were freed following the Civil War, but they weren’t really free. Alex follows the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and Reconstruction political strife over the destiny of the Freedmen. Click the link above to hear this important episode about why the failure of Reconstruction doomed our country to an inequitable system even 150 years later.
Jesse Owens, American Hero FULL EPISODEThe Story of the Buckeye Bullet: Jesse Owens
Season 1, Episode 12: “Ohio v. the Nazis”: We study Jesse and the Owens family’s symbolic role in the Great Migration, his record-breaking performances at the 1936 Olympics in the racist bastion of Nazi Germany and how the Buckeye Bullet still faced racial discrimination at home. Suck it, Hitler!
Click for the story of the “Black Edison”, Garrett Morgan
Season 4, Episode 5: “Ohio v. Invention”: Cleveland, Ohio inventor, Garrett Morgan, too long overlooked for such inventions as the gas mask, the modern traffic light and more are detailed here with Morgan’s granddaughter guided our discovery.
Ohio and the Underground Railroad
Season 2, Episode 10: “Ohio v. Slavery”: Alex looks at the central role of Ohio in the Underground Railroad and the abolition movement to defeat African American slavery and the Fugitive Slave Act in the mid-19th century.
Col. Charles Young, black military trailblazer. Full episode hereCol. Charles Young
Season 3, Episode 8: “Ohio v. Discrimination”: Born into slavery, Charles Young of Wilberforce, OH would rise to be the highest-ranking African American military officer in US history up until 1940. We see appearances by such luminaries as: W.E.B. Dubois, George Patton, Booker T. Washington and Presidents Teddy Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. We follow Young’s struggle to serve his nation in the face of unrelenting racism that reaches all the way to the White House.
It’s the Season 6 Finale and we saved our best for last. Powered by interviews from a proposed documentary we give an oral history of the infamous Ten Cent Beer Night in Cleveland, Ohio on June 4, 1974. We hear from the peope who were there that muggy night on Lake Erie when a baseball game became a beer-fueled riot. Special thanks to our friends John and Seth from Grey Lodge Productions for sharing over 7 hours of their interviews with those who lived through Ten Cent Beer Night.
Ten Cent Beer Night, the misguided promotional idea by the Cleveland Indians turned violent as over-served Clevelanders stormed the field and attacked the players. We hear the story told through the words of the players, announcers, umpires, journalists, photographers and even the son of the Indians Executive VP. Mike Hargrove, first baseman that night for the visiting Texas Rangers, shares his story of that night on the field at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, two decades before he became the Cleveland Indians manager. We sit down with filmmaker Seth Moherman about the ridiculous scene that night in Downtown Cleveland when the Cleveland Indians decided to sell beer for 10 cents a cup.
We look at the economic and political troubles that defined the summer of 1974: the oil crisis, Watergate, stagflation and high unemployment numbers. We also discuss the deteriorating situation in the City of Cleveland in the 1970s and how the money problems of the Cleveland Indians led to this event happening in the first place. Also, we analyze the career and antics of the Rangers manager, Billy Martin, and his role in Ten Cent Beer Night. You can learn more about Martin and just how wild 1970s baseball was in our guest Mike Shropshire’s excellent book Seasons in Hell. Buy Mike’s book here…https://www.amazon.com/Seasons-Hell-Baseball-History-1973-1975/dp/0803292775
We’ll be back next year with Season 7 with our friends at Evergreen Podcast Network. Go to http://www.evergreenpodcasts.com for our show and dozens of other great podcasts. Share this show with your Cleveland sports fan friends and family, follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Don’t hesitate to reach out to Alex by email at ohiovtheworld@gmail.com with a future show idea or to buy one of our great Ohio v. the World t-shirts. See you in 2022!
In the penultimate episode of Season 6 Alex dives into the history of America’s First War on Terror against a new white supremacist group, the Ku Klux Klan in the 1870s. We study the Reconstruction Era (1865-1877) following the Civil War and the ultimate failure to reconcile the country and the races. The heartbreaking story of the birth of the KKK is told in Episode 11: “Ohio v. Terror.”
Charles Lane, author and Washington Post columnist and editorial board member, joins the show to talk about his great 2019 book Freedom’s Detective: The Secret Service, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Man Who Masterminded America’s First War on Terror. Lane’s protagonist is an Ohioan and a complicated anti-hero, Hiram C. Whitley. We follow Whitley’s winding career from an Ohio farm boy to the second Director of the Secret Service. Whitley finds himself on the frontlines of a war against domestic terrorists, the newly formed and shadowy organization the Ku Klux Klan. Chuck Lane takes us through Whitley and his agents covert efforts to combat the KKK. The Secret Service helps to arrest hundreds of members in the South during Reconstruction. Buy Freedom’s Detective here…https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079S8XK5Q/
Alex is rejoined by Steven Walters and Erik Archilla the co-creators of the great history podcast, 1865. They sit down to discuss Season 2 of 1865, which focuses on the war with the KKK and the presidency of Ulysses S. Grant. Grant, an Ohio native, joins the fight against the Klan and its violent tactics with the full force of the federal government. We look at his response to the killings and terror in the South and how his administration ultimately falls short of their goal of equality between black and white Americans.
Go listen to 1865 Podcast from the fine folks at the Wondery podcast network. It’s one of our absolute favorite shows. Both Season 1 about the crazy days after the Lincoln assassination and the end of the Civil War. And check out Season 2 which follows the story of Reconstruction in the 1870s. Listen here and follow them on Facebook and Twitter. https://wondery.com/shows/1865/
Only one episode left in Season 6 of Ohio v. the World. Thanks to our friends at the Evergreen Podcast Network. All of our old episodes are available at Evergreen and check out their entire history network here https://evergreenpodcasts.com/history-podcasts
In the wake of the chaotic end to the War in Afghanistan, Alex & Co. revisit America’s first Asian counterinsurgency war, the Philippine-American War (1899-1902). America’s quest for empire is met with stiff resistance on the Philippine Islands as well as on the homefront. We follow the bloody conflict and political upheaval through the decisions and careers of President William McKinley of Canton, Ohio and two future presidents, Theodore Roosevelt and Cincinnati’s William Howard Taft.
We’re joined by historian and podcast host Richard Lim from the fellow Evergreen Podcast Network show, This American President. Richard discusses the US Navy and Admiral Dewey’s smashing victory at Manila Bay in 1898 as part of the Spanish-American War. This American President, one of our favorite US history pods, has a two-part episode on the Span-Am War and the perils of American imperialism entitled “Will and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” click here to listen. https://www.thisamericanpresident.com/episodes/
Author Gregg Jones, an Asian history expert and author of Honor in the Dust:Theodore Roosevelt, War in the Philippines and the Rise and Fall of America’s Imperial Dream, joins the show to discuss America’s most forgotten war. The Philippine rebel leader Emilio Aguinaldo, President Roosevelt and the famous Ohioans at the center of the war including Gen. Fred Funston and General Jacob H. Smith are discussed in depth. Gregg shares his excellent book from 2012 and the political consequences of US military misconduct at the turn of the century. Buy Honor in the Dust here…https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/303658/honor-in-the-dust-by-gregg-jones/
Cornell University professor and author David Silbey sits down to discuss the guerrilla war and counterinsurgency strategy that defines the Philippine-American War. Professor Silbey the author of two great books about the epic Battle of Manila and the Philippine American War, details the similarities between this conflict and our recent wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Buy David’s newest book, The Other Face of Battle here. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/the-other-face-of-battle-9780190920647
Lastly, Erik Archilla, writer/creator on 2 of 2020’s most popular history podcasts, Wicked Game: American Elections and 1865 Podcast rejoins the program. Erik comes on to discuss the explosion of the USS Maine and how it sparks war with the Spanish Empire in 1898. Erik shares the popular dissent movement known as the Anti-Imperialist League and the debate on the homefront about America’s occupation of the Philippines and expansionist policies of William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. Erik and Alex discuss the similarities between the Philippine-American War and the War on Terror and the Iraq War 100 years later. Check out American Elections: Wicked Game and this episode written by Erik about the Election of 1900 (click to listen).https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1900-mckinley-vs-bryan-the-rise-and-fall-of-empires/id1481254566?i=1000471424969
Only 2 episodes left in Season Two! Don’t forget to visit Ohio v. the World at evergreenpodcasts.com. For all of our past episodes and other great history podcasts from our friends at the Evergreen Podcast Network. Please rate/review the show and you can reach out to us at ohiovtheworld@gmail.com.
Alex travels to the Sunshine State to discover the story of Henry Flagler, the Cleveland native, known as “the Father of Modern Florida.” We analyze Flagler’s career at Standard Oil and his close relationship with John D. Rockefeller during their years building the oil giant in Cleveland, Ohio. We follow Flagler’s second act as a railroad tycoon and developer in cities like St. Augustine, Palm Beach and Miami. The Florida that Flagler builds during the 1920s grows exponentially. But the economic boom goes bust and perhaps even sparks the Great Depression.
Kevin Callahan, trustee from the Western Reserve Historical Society, rejoins the show to share Henry Flagler’s rise from failed businessman to one of the co-founder’s of Standard Oil. The oil company, which started in Cleveland, with Rockefeller and Flagler becomes one of the most successful and despised companies in American history.
We follow Flagler’s journey south to Florida in the 1880s, Leslee Keys from Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida shares the history of the Ancient City and Flagler’s landmark resort the Hotel Ponce de Leon. Professor Keys discusses the new empire that Henry Flagler begins to behind along Florida’s Atlantic Coast. Check out Leslee’s book, Hotel Ponce de Leon: The Rise, Fall and Rebirth of Flagler’s Gilded Age Palace. https://upf.com/book.asp?id=9780813061498
Finally, we sit down with Dr. Paul George from the History Miami Museum and discuss the Roaring Twenties in Florida. Dr. George outlinesHenry Flagler’s final achievement, the Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast Railroad, completed in 1912. We discuss the historic Florida real estate boom of the 1920s that transforms the state to the hot new destination for America’s fortune seekers. We meet the incomparable developer of Miami Beach, Carl Fisher as his rise and fall mirror that of the entire state in the 1920s. Lastly, we ponder the role of the Sunshine State in two of America’s most infamous financial crises, the Great Depression and the Great Recession of 2008. Visit the History Miami Museum next you’re in South Beach. https://www.historymiami.org
Don’t forget to visit Ohio v. the World at evergreenpodcasts.com. For all of our past episodes and other great history podcasts from our friends at the Evergreen Podcast Network. Please rate/review the show and you can reach out to us at ohiovtheworld@gmail.com.
OHIO v. the WORLD 