SUMMARYIn this episode, Rosilyn Stearnes-Brown, the daughter of baseball hall-of-famer Norman “Turkey” Stearnes, shares heartfelt stories about her father and her journey in writing a memoir to honor his life, his humble nature, and his dedication to family and education. She reflects on his career in the Negro Leagues, the challenges he faced during the Jim Crow era, and the legacy he left behind. LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: BESTPARTReceive a 25% discount on Rosilyn's book from McFarland's website by using the code BESTPART at checkout: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/fans-called-him-turkey-i-called-him-dad/BOOK & DESCRIPTIONFans Called Him "Turkey," I Called Him Dad: A Daughter Remembers Baseball Hall of Famer Norman Thomas Stearnes. McFarland, softcover (2023) mcfarlandbooks.com/product/fans-called-him-turkey-i-called-him-dad/Baseball Hall of Famer Norman Thomas “Turkey” Stearnes (1901–1979) batted more than .400 three times, led the Negro Leagues in home runs seven times and holds the all-time Negro Leagues record for career home runs. Despite his legendary achievements on the field, Stearnes worked off-seasons in Detroit’s auto plants, including one owned by Walter Briggs, who also owned the Detroit Tigers—a team Stearnes couldn’t play for because he was black. Written by his eldest daughter, this first biography of “Turkey” Stearnes intimately recounts his life and career and gives overdue recognition to one of the greatest all-around players in the history of baseball.ABOUT ROSILYNRosilyn Stearnes-Brown is a native Detroiter whose passions are baseball, music and educating people about her dad and the Negro Leagues. During her employment at Detroit Public Schools, as an educational tool for the students, she wrote a musical entitled “For the Love of the Game,” featuring her dad, “Turkey” Stearnes, his close friend Satchel Paige, and her uncle “Double Duty” Radcliffe. ABOUT MCFARLANDMcFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, McFarland is recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. They have about 8000 unique works for sale and each year publish about 350 new titles. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (e.g., Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). www.McFarlandBooks.comSIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERhttp://eepurl.com/iPkvx2

In this episode, Rosilyn Stearnes-Brown, the daughter of baseball hall-of-famer Norman “Turkey” Stearnes, shares heartfelt stories about her father and her journey in writing a memoir to honor his life, his humble nature, and his dedication to family and education. She reflects on his career in the Negro Leagues, the challenges he faced during the Jim Crow era, and the legacy he left behind.

Rosilyn Stearnes-Brown: Fans Called Him "Turkey" I Called Him Dad

EPISODE SUMMARYClint Lanier and Mark Perzel discuss the life and experiences of Ted Mack, focusing on his journey from a sharecropper's son in Alabama to a social worker and civil rights activist in Milwaukee, and eventually to the business world where he pursued his dream of owning a brewery. They highlight Ted's involvement in the civil rights movement, his fight against segregation, and his entrepreneurial struggles, particularly with the challenges he faced as the owner of People's Beer, a minority-owned business, as well as the systemic barriers he encountered, including government corruption and a lack of support from his own community.LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: BESTPARTReceive a 25% discount on Clint's book from McFarland's website by using the code BESTPART at checkout: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/ted-mack-and-americas-first-black-owned-breweryBOOK & DESCRIPTIONTed Mack and America’s First Black-Owned Brewery: The Rise and Fall of Peoples Beer. McFarland, softcover (2023) mcfarlandbooks.com/product/ted-mack-and-americas-first-black-owned-breweryBorn a sharecropper in rural Alabama in 1930, Theodore A. (Ted) Mack, Sr., fought in the Korean War and then played football at Ohio State while earning a college degree. Brewing and selling beer, he believed, would be just another peak to attain. After all, it couldn’t be more challenging than his experience in organizing buses to the March on Washington or picketing segregated schools in Milwaukee. This is the story of Mack’s purchase of Peoples Brewing Company in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Though he had carefully planned for the historic acquisition, he underestimated the subtle bigotry of Middle America, the corruption of the beer industry, and the failures of the federal government that plagued his ownership. Mack’s ownership of Peoples Brewing is an inspirational story of Black entrepreneurship, innovation and pride at a time when America was at an important racial justice crossroads.ABOUT CLINTClint Lanier is an assistant professor of English at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico. His writing about travel, history, food and drink has appeared in the Huffington Post, Eater, and Fodors.ABOUT MCFARLANDMcFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, McFarland is recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. They have about 8000 unique works for sale and each year publish about 350 new titles. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (e.g., Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). www.McFarlandBooks.comSIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERhttp://eepurl.com/iPkvx2

Clint Lanier and Mark Perzel discuss the life and experiences of Ted Mack, focusing on his journey from a sharecropper's son in Alabama to a social worker and civil rights activist in Milwaukee, and eventually to the business world where he pursued his dream of owning a brewery. They highlight Ted's involvement in the civil rights movement, his fight against segregation, and his entrepreneurial struggles, particularly with the challenges he faced as the owner of People's Beer, a minority-owned business as well as the systemic barriers he encountered, including government corruption and a lack of support from his own community.

Clint Lanier: Ted Mack and America's First Black-Owned Brewery

<h2>SUMMARY</h2>Mark interviews Lloyd Johnson and Miles Wolff, co-authors of "The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball," which documents minor league baseball's historical and statistical aspects. Lloyd and Miles discuss the evolution of the sport, the significance of the 1939 season for Tommy Lasorda, and the broader historical context of minor leagues in the U.S. They highlight the pivotal role of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) in compiling baseball statistics and stories, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on baseball and its future.<h2>LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: BESTPART</h2>Receive a 25% discount on the book from McFarland's website by using the coupon code BESTPART: <a href="https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-encyclopedia-of-minor-league-baseball/" target="_blank">mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-encyclopedia-of-minor-league-baseball</a><h2>BOOK & DESCRIPTION</h2>The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: A Complete Record of Teams, Leagues and Seasons, 1876–2019, 4th ed. McFarland, softcover (Aug 2024) <a href="https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-encyclopedia-of-minor-league-baseball/" target="_blank">mcfarlandbooks.com/product/the-encyclopedia-of-minor-league-baseball</a>When the pandemic hit in early 2020, baseball’s minor leagues canceled their seasons. A few independent leagues tried abbreviated schedules, but all Major League affiliates shut down—for the first time in more than 120 years. Since then, Major League Baseball has taken over governance of the minors, and leagues and teams have been eliminated. In its fourth and final edition, this book gives a complete accounting of the minor leagues as they were known from the late 19th century through 2019.<h2>ABOUT LLOYD AND MILES</h2>Lloyd Johnson is a baseball historian, writer and consultant, former president of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR), former executive director of SABR, past senior research associate for the National Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New York, and the first director of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. He lives in Belton, Missouri.Miles Wolff is the former owner of the Durham Bulls, the Quebec Capitales, the Burlington Royals, and ten other minor league, independent and summer collegiate teams. He is the former publisher and owner of "Baseball America," and "Total Baseball" named him among the top 100 most important individuals in baseball history. He lives in Durham, North Carolina.<h2>ABOUT MCFARLAND</h2>McFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, we are recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. We have about 7500 unique works for sale and each year we publish about 350 new titles. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (e.g., Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). www.McFarlandBooks.com<h2>SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER</h2><a href="http://eepurl.com/iPkvx2" target="_blank">http://eepurl.com/iPkvx2</a>

Mark interviews Lloyd Johnson and Miles Wolff, co-authors of "The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball," which documents minor league baseball's historical and statistical aspects. Lloyd and Miles discuss the evolution of the sport, the significance of the 1939 season for Tommy Lasorda, and the broader historical context of minor leagues in the U.S. They highlight the pivotal role of the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) in compiling baseball statistics and stories, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on baseball and its future. Join Mark, Lloyd, and Miles as they celebrate minor league baseball's rich history and ongoing significance in American culture.

Lloyd Johnson & Miles Wolff: Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball

Jim De La Rosa shares his compelling narrative in 'Building the Apollo Capsules,' chronicling the evolution of his career in aerospace engineering and his crucial role in the Moonshot program. From working on Hound Dog cruise missiles to testing Apollo's unmanned capsules, Delarosa provides a detailed account of the rigorous testing procedures that preceded the manned moon missions. This memoir also sheds light on the pivotal contributions of Hispanic engineers, celebrating their often-overlooked dedication and expertise in one of humanity's greatest technological achievements.LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: BESTPARTReceive a 25% discount on Jim's book from McFarland's website by using the coupon code BESTPART at checkout: <a href="mcfarlandbooks.com/product/building-the-apollo-capsules/" target="_blank">mcfarlandbooks.com/product/building-the-apollo-capsules/</a>BOOK & DESCRIPTIONBuilding the Apollo Capsules: An Engineer’s Memoir of the Moonshot Program and Its Debt to Hispanic Team Members. McFarland, softcover (2023) <a href="mcfarlandbooks.com/product/building-the-apollo-capsules/" target="_blank">mcfarlandbooks.com/product/building-the-apollo-capsules/</a>This firsthand account of the development of the Apollo 11 mission gives a behind-the-scenes look at the 1969 moon landing mission from an engineer’s perspective. The technical problems and solutions of designing a capsule to carry three astronauts—Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins—safely to the moon and back are covered in detail from the author’s point of view. The contributions of Latino personnel in the Apollo program are described.ABOUT JIMJim De La Rosa is a retired aerospace engineer living in Tucson, Arizona. He has taught Radar electronics in the Air Force, worked for Hughes Aircraft Company, designed electronic circuits for Airborne Radar systems, designed Flight Control Systems for Guided Missiles at North American Aviation, designed systems for the Apollo capsules that took astronauts to the moon, designed electronic systems to fly the Space Shuttle, designed systems for rockets at The Aerospace Corporation and was a Consultant Engineer.ABOUT MCFARLANDMcFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, McFarland is recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. They have about 7500 unique works for sale and each year publish about 350 new titles. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (e.g., Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). www.McFarlandBooks.comSIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER<a href="http://eepurl.com/iPkvx2" target="_blank">http://eepurl.com/iPkvx2</a>

Hear an engineer's account of the Moonshot program and the team members that made it happen behind the scenes. Jim De La Rosa shares the contributions of Latino personnel in the Apollo program over 50 years.

Jim De La Rosa:  Building the Apollo Capsules

<h2>SUMMARY</h2>This podcast episode features an interview with Maria Kaj, the author of "Women and the Olympic Dream: The Continuing Struggle for Equality, 1896–2021." Maria talks about the long and ongoing fight for gender equality in the Olympics, celebrating the progress made while acknowledging the barriers that still exist.<h2>LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: BESTPART</h2>Receive a 25% discount on Maria's book on McFarland's website by using the coupon code BESTPART: mcfarlandbooks.com/product/women-and-the-olympic-dream<h2>BOOK & DESCRIPTION</h2>“Women and the Olympic Dream: The Continuing Struggle for Equality, 1896–2021." McFarland, softcover (2022) mcfarlandbooks.com/product/women-and-the-olympic-dreamOn an April morning in 1896, unemployed single mother Stamata Revithi ran the 40 kilometers from Marathon to Athens, finishing in 5 hours 30 minutes. Barred from the first Olympic marathon, she was determined to prove herself. Through more than a century of Olympic Games history, women athletes—who were held back from swimming because long skirts were required, limited to running single-lap races because of fallacies about fragility, or forced to endure invasive gender exams—competed in spite of endless challenges. From Athens 1896 to Tokyo 2020, this history of women’s participation in the Olympic Games centers on athletes who overcame entrenched inequity to gain inclusion.<h2>ABOUT MARIA</h2>Maria Kaj is a writer, independent scholar, and instructor who regularly posts on her blog kajmeister.com. A former banker, she now coaches students on history, business, and economics through multiple university partnerships, as well as volunteering as a tax preparer for low-income residents of Alameda County. She also just received her Masters in history, with a thesis that focused on cultural interpretations of medieval accounting practices. Everything has a story!<ol><li>Website: <a href="www.kajmeister.com" target="_blank">kajmeister.com</a></li><li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/kajmeister" target="_blank">facebook.com/kajmeister</a></li><li>LinkedIn: <a href="www.linkedin.com/in/maria-kaj-43620011" target="_blank">www.linkedin.com/in/maria-kaj-43620011</a></li></ol>Maria has published two other books:"Outside the Rio Spotlight: American Triumphs You Didn't See at the 2016 Olympics" (self-published, 2018): <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Outside-Rio-Spotlight-American-Triumphs/dp/1985262762/" target="_blank">www.amazon.com/Outside-Rio-Spotlight-American-Triumphs/dp/1985262762/</a>"The A to Z Olympics: 26 Torch-Worthy Tales & Tidbits" (self-published, 2021): <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Olympics-26-Torch-Worthy-Tales-Tidbits/dp/B092CKZB6V/" target="_blank">www.amazon.com/Olympics-26-Torch-Worthy-Tales-Tidbits/dp/B092CKZB6V</a><h2>ABOUT MCFARLAND</h2>McFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, we are recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. We have about 7500 unique works for sale and each year we publish about 350 new titles. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (e.g., Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). www.McFarlandBooks.com<h2>SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER</h2><a href="http://eepurl.com/iPkvx2" target="_blank">http://eepurl.com/iPkvx2</a>

This podcast episode features an interview with Maria Kaj, the author of "Women and the Olympic Dream: The Continuing Struggle for Equality, 1896–2021." Maria talks about the long and ongoing fight for gender equality in the Olympics, celebrating the progress made while acknowledging the barriers that still exist.

Maria Kaj: Women and the Olympic Dream

<h2>SUMMARY</h2>Step into the world of 'I Fart in Your General Direction: Flatulence in Popular Culture' and discover the surprising influence of flatulence in books and movies. From medieval literature to contemporary comedies, author Don Corrigan takes a lighthearted but informative approach to exploring the role of farts in popular culture. Delve into the pages of Chaucer's tales, where farting and mischief go hand in hand, or journey into the works of Mark Twain, who found subtle ways to incorporate fart-related humor. I challenge you to listen to this episode without cracking a smile!<h2>LISTENER DISCOUNT CODE: BESTPART</h2>Receive a 25% discount on Ryan's book on McFarland's website by using the coupon code BESTPART: <a href="www.mcfarlandbooks.com/product/i-fart-in-your-general-direction" target="_blank">mcfarlandbooks.com/product/i-fart-in-your-general-direction</a><h2>BOOK & DESCRIPTION</h2>“I fart in your general direction!” Flatulence in Popular Culture. McFarland, softcover (2023) <a href="www.mcfarlandbooks.com/product/i-fart-in-your-general-direction" target="_blank">mcfarlandbooks.com/product/i-fart-in-your-general-direction</a>This exhaustive work on flatulence breaks new wind on every aspect of abdominal gas in popular culture. A definitive taxonomy of farts details the characteristics of each variety, including barking spiders, cheek squeakers and green apple dirties. Philosophical positions on colonic expression are examined, from Confucius, Hume, Voltaire and the existentialists. Chapters cover a wide range of fart-focused stand-up comedy, cinema, children's books, toys and merchandise. The author's postscript describes a lifetime preparing for his subject through fraternity membership and offbeat assignments as a newspaper journalist.<h2>ABOUT DON</h2>Don H. Corrigan is the editor emeritus for the Webster-Kirkwood Times weekly newspapers in St. Louis, where he has written on the outdoors and environment for four decades. He is a professor emeritus of Webster University, where he directed student studies for the school’s Outdoor/Environmental Journalism Certificate. He lives in St. Louis.Don has published 3 other books with McFarland: <a href="https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/nuts-about-squirrels/" target="_blank">Nuts About Squirrels: The Rodents That Conquered Popular Culture</a> (2019), <a href="https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/american-roadkill/" target="_blank">American Roadkill: The Animal Victims of Our Busy Highways</a> (2021), and coming soon, <a href="https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/in-search-of-manhood/" target="_blank">In Search of Manhood: American Men’s Movements Past and Present</a> (Oct 2024). He's also published several books with Reedy Press: <a href="https://www.reedypress.com/shop/show-me-natural-wonders-a-guide-to-scenic-treasures-in-the-missouri-region/" target="_blank">Show Me…Natural Wonders: A Guide to Scenic Treasures in the Missouri Region</a> (2007), <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Show-Natures-Wrath-Tornadoes-Disasters/dp/1933370815/" target="_blank">Show Me...Nature's Wrath: Tornadoes, Floods, Ice Storms, and Other Natural Disasters</a> (2009), <a href="https://www.reedypress.com/shop/environmental-missouri-issues-and-sustainability-what-you-need-to-know/" target="_blank">Environmental Missouri: Issues and Sustainability-What You Need to Know</a> (2014), <a href="https://www.reedypress.com/shop/amazing-webster-groves/" target="_blank">Amazing Webster Groves: Six Square Miles of the American Dream</a> (2022); and <a href="https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/public-journalism-movement-in-america-9780275957810/" target="_blank">The Public Journalism Movement in America: Evangelists in the Newsroom</a> (1999, Praeger).<ol><li><ol><li>Don's Blog: <a href="http://environmentalecho.com/" target="_blank">environmentalecho.com</a></li><li>Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/corrigannews" target="_blank">www.facebook.com/corrigannews</a></li><li>Contact: corrigan@timesnewspapers.com, 314-928-2699 </li></ol></li></ol><h2>ABOUT MCFARLAND</h2>McFarland, a leading independent publisher of academic and general-interest nonfiction books, is perhaps best known for the serious treatment of popular culture. Founded in 1979, we are recognized among authors and readers as adventurous in range and a reliable source of worthy books that other publishers overlook. We have about 7500 unique works for sale and each year we publish about 350 new titles. Meeting high library standards has been a major focus since the company began, and many McFarland books have received awards from the academic-oriented (e.g., Choice Outstanding Academic Title, ALA Outstanding Reference Work) to the mainstream (Hugo, Edgar, Stoker, and Eisner, among others). www.McFarlandBooks.com<h2>SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTER</h2><a href="http://eepurl.com/iPkvx2" target="_blank">http://eepurl.com/iPkvx2</a>

Step into the world of 'I Fart in Your General Direction: Flatulence in Popular Culture' and discover the surprising influence of flatulence in books and movies. From medieval literature to contemporary comedies, author Don Corrigan takes a lighthearted but informative approach to exploring the role of farts in popular culture. Delve into the pages of Chaucer's tales, where farting and mischief go hand in hand, or journey into the works of Mark Twain, who found subtle ways to incorporate fart-related humor. I challenge you to listen to this episode without cracking a smile!