Ok Missing Chapter fans, how many of you enjoy participating in and watching sports? If you’re a sports fan, like the Phils here, then you can sit down at the end of a work day and decompress by watching your favorite team, or watch a random game with a random team just because of the entertainment value. What is it that draws us in? How is it that…

His life is remarkable enough to be considered for an episode of the Missing Chapter Podcast. His innate ability to cheat death can only be rivaled by a figure in history like a Gregory Rasputin. As a child, it’s reported, that he survived a fall of some three-stories, he drank acidic water that he mistook for milk, swallowed a rather large needle,…

Have you ever had an idea that in your mind sounds great, but in reality, the execution doesn’t really pan out successfully? I think we’ve all been there. Take out an ingredient in a recipe, and exchange it for what you think would be an upgrade…turns out to be the most vile thing you’ve ever tasted. A shortcut that makes sense in your head, but en…

Have you ever skipped stones before? You know, going to a body of water, finding the flattest stones you can gather, and side-arming the disc shaped rocks like you’re an MLB submarine pitcher. I don’t know about you, but my goal was always 3, let’s see if we can skip it 3 times in a row. Anything under that, failure, anything over that, celebration…

It’s almost that time again, everyone - warm weather, the glowing orb in the sky is back, no more gray all day, and one of the go-to’s for cooling down on a hot, summer day - ice cream. You can have ice cream all year round, right? But can you have soft serve all year round in upstate NY? I guess, but it’s just not the same. In our household, soft …

Everyone loves a good magic trick. My kids love showing me card tricks, coin tricks, and my favorite, the bippity boppity boo magic wand tricks that makes something appear or disappear. If only we could do that in real life right? Well, in 1915, a group of Allied forces kind of did. In a brilliant evacuation plan, or in this sense, disappearing act…

For this episode of the Missing Chapter, we’re tapping into one of our new segments, the MC Profile. This individual, to be mentioned later, and hopefully identified by my co-host and our listeners, is a normal, everyday kind of man who had an affinity for activity, fun, and thinking outside the box. His life story is filled with unbelievable obsta…

In February 1825, Samuel Morse, was painting in New York City, blissfully unaware of the tragic news that was about to befall him. At the age of 34, he was carrying out a $1000 commission to paint the Marquis de Lafayette, a returning American Revolutionary War hero, and life was going well. Little did Morse know, however, that his wife, Lucretia, …

Some of our veteran listeners of the Missing Chapter know a little something about us…the Phils love their 80s and 90s movies and sitcoms. We loved our Saturday morning cartoons, our Saved By The Bell routine, and our Fresh Prince of Bel Air rapping montage. My sisters, though, were addicted to one of the 90s shows that was a huge hit…Beverly Hills…

On June 13, 1926, 26-year-old Gladys Baker brought her 2-week-old daughter, to the foster home of Ida and Wayne Bolender in Hawthorne, California. There was no sign of any father—officially unknown - though Baker would insist for years that it was a Hollywood Studios employee named Charles Stanley Gifford. The sad drop-off of an infant and the sudd…

You know what’s a real pain in the neck? Well, technically, a pain in your mouth? When you know you have to go to the dentist. It’s one of those necessary dreadful things that you know you HAVE to do, and no matter how often you go, it’s never really a good time, right? Thankfully, I have good dentists in my life, so I’m certainly blessed in that r…

The most powerful position in the free world. Regardless of political party, time period, or historical circumstances, the office of president in the United States demands a level of respect and appreciation. As we recognize President’s Day in the U.S. and reflect on the individuals who have guided our great nation through history, Phil and I take …

Famous author CS Lewis coined a phrase that really speaks volumes about our own society and culture, chronological snobbery - Lewis defines this chronological snobbery as “the uncritical acceptance of the intellectual climate of our own age and the assumption that whatever has gone out of date is on that count discredited. In other words, we think …

Today we welcome former guests on the show - Justice Parker and Joe DiVisconti - to kick off a new format on the Missing Chapter. Same show, new episode, different format and we call it The Department Meeting. Educators unite! We talk everything education-related in an informal, yet reflective setting in hopes that we target anyone who has a link t…

If you’re new to the Missing Chapter, welcome! If you’re a continued fan of the Missing Chapter, welcome back! And if you’re a student listening in to the Missing Chapter, welcome to the topic of social studies that you most likely hate the most - geography. For whatever reason, especially within the past few years, students in almost all of our cl…

It’s just the nature of the season right now... Once one kid gets sick, all of the kids in the neighborhood seem to get it too, right? And that was the same thing that was happening in the trenches of WWI. If one soldier became ill, it spread like wildfire. But did you know that from the awful circumstances of WWI came one of the most popular playg…

For today’s episode of the Missing Chapter, we’re going to make you question yourself, the function of your brain, and maybe even question history altogether. But don’t you dare doubt your coffee cravings, those are certainly real, and there’s no doubt today’s episode is going to be a good one…well, if I remember correctly that is. It's the Top 5 M…

It has become arguably the most iconic image of freedom and independence not only in the United States, but the world over. A gift from a valued ally after a tumultuous period in world history. A beacon, that for decades, has welcomed immigrants to our nation’s shore, as well as inspired those already here, to uphold the values and principles our c…

As we close what many consider the holiday season, one thing is certain - the indulgence of holiday eating is officially closed. We all know what that’s about - gorging ourselves with the foods that we may not always enjoy throughout the year, so we feel justified in taking seconds, thirds, fourths, oh and the leftovers! But there’s one food, that …

Merry Christmas everyone, and welcome to the Missing Chapter Podcast Christmas Special! Today we are so excited to have a very special guest, Mike Cunningham, on today’s episode. Mike is the hilarious and brilliant writer of the recently released movie called, The Christmas Letter, filmed mostly locally in Utica, NY and we are so excited to talk ab…

In the 1994, critically acclaimed movie, The Shawshank Redemption, Morgan Freeman’s character, “Red,” sits with his friend and fellow inmate, “Andy Dufresne,” brilliantly portrayed by Tim Robbins, in the courtyard of Shawshank Prison. “Hope can be a dangerous thing,” Red says, as Dufresne stares blankly into space. It certainly can be…. Or, it can …

If you’re anything like us, the miracle of flight is something that has always dazzled us. We still see the awe in watching planes take off and land, and being on a plane continues to thrill no matter how mainstream and normal commercial flights have become. There’s something so fascinating about it that it’s hard to describe. What’s truly unbeliev…

The day that will live in infamy. Those harrowing words might be one of the first things that come to mind when mentioning December 7, 1941.It’s been studied, watched, reviewed, and discussed countless times, evoking the same frightful emotion every time. But our goal here on the MCP is to look deeper into history’s well-known events and reveal the…

Native Americans aren’t often associated with New York City and its dense, vertical, iron landscape. With so many indigenous nations pushed to America’s frontier in the 19th century, they usually appear in popular culture as populates of the rural West, occupying wide open spaces brimming with tipis, buffalo and pow wows. Yet the Mohawk Nation has …

No risk no reward, right? We’ve all heard it. But have we heard of the focus of today’s episode? Norilsk, Russia? Yeah, me either. It’s one of the unknown areas of history, and is still one of the unknown areas of the world. A location so remote, so cold, and so polluted, that the environment itself is not only changed, but our perception of what c…

Did you know that George Washington had wooden teeth? Wait, that’s not true is it? I thought that was a myth. Well, as teachers, we should probably debunk some of these historic myths, while at the same time, letting everyone know what unbelievable stories are actually… truth. Let’s do it on today’s episode. A Missing Chapter Podcast all about trut…

Welcome back to the Missing Chapter Podcast and Happy almost Veterans day to all of our vets! As we begin the holiday weekend and honor those that have served, past and present, I think it’s also honorable to know the history of the holiday and how we got here. So that’s what we’re here for. Grab your coffees, salute your vets and lets pay homage t…

Well, listeners, we started this series of seeing double a few weeks ago with the discussion about Joseph Stalin - did he or did he not have a body double? Check out S5E4 to find out our response. But today, we have another rendition of this series and today’s question is whether or not Saddam Hussein had known body doubles. Oh, there’s a hint…I sa…

Lizzie Borden took an ax And gave her mother forty whacks, And when she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one. Well, Missing Chapter fans, it’s that time of year again! The leaves are falling and the pumpkins are lit. For the past 4 years, Phil and I have been bringing you history’s forgotten stories and when the calendar turns to Oc…

I’m sure most of you, especially this time of year, love a good haunted story - something scary, mysterious, murderous, ghastly, ghostly - like the very popular ghost tours around the country right now - like the nighttime ghost tours of Gettysburg or Salem. This time of year, especially, many people flock to Salem especially to visit the town that…

More than thirty-nine years ago, Nintendo debuted a video game that knocked out its competitors, much like a green turtle shell wiping out a string of Goombas. For every groundbreaking movie, television show, or video game, there are dozens of concepts that fall by the waste side and are lost in the proverbial black hole that is history. But every …

“And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge. May that be truly said of us, and all of us! And so, as Tiny Tim observed, God bless Us, Every One!” A quote. A book. A man… forever tied to the holiday season and the veritable meaning of the Christmas spirit. Charles Dickens became a…

As the holiday season approaches, I can see the parents and grandparents beginning to plan their menus or maybe even venture out into the unknown and practice some concoctions before the big debut come Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas. And it seems like each season has its own distinct edible feature. As you know, the Missing Chapter is split …

If you’re a listener of the Missing Chapter, you’re probably aware that Phil Horender and I are huge action movie fans. I mean, how can you beat Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, The Rock, The Fugitive, the Terminator - just to name a few of our many favorites. The best action movies in my opinion, though, are the ones where the actors or actresses do their…

Ok parents, this one’s for you. Dads specifically, not because moms don’t experience what I’m about to say, but because moms, generally speaking, have a little more patience in reserves than dads do. The scenario goes like this - a package is delivered and the dad sees a massive square box, with directions that are either in a foreign language or t…

When we tell people we’re from NY, everyone thinks of the skyscrapers of NYC, but in reality, there’s a lot more to the state of NY than just the Big Apple. In fact, many everyday items that we take for granted have inventors from our upstate and central NY area. So let's take a look at the Top 5 Upstate NY inventions as we talk about our community…

What does an insulted German aristocrat, pulp comics, Prince Valiant, Blue Beetle, Captain America, Stan Lee and, World War II all have in common? All of them are the different panels in the life of Jack Kirby. Known as the "King of Comics," Jack Kirby's groundbreaking artistry and innovative storytelling transformed the comic book industry, leavin…

Phil and I are accustomed to having students from around the world transfer into our school all the time. They constantly tell us - English is the most difficult language to learn. You have certain rules to the English language, rules that don’t apply in certain instances, and then… words that are simply made up by mistake. That brings us to today’…

Saturday mornings for a kid growing up in the 80s, there was nothing like it. Wake up early, pour yourself a bowl of your favorite cereal and settle in for a few hours of… cartoons. Classic cartoons, the ones that the genre was established on and that would eventually lead to what we have today with Pixar and Illumination. But what cartoons were fi…

When President Abraham Lincoln in May 1861 issued the call for volunteers to serve in the Union Army for a three-year term, one of those who tried to answer was Ohio resident John Clem. Not yet 10 years old, Clem’s service was refused by the newly formed 3rd Ohio. Undeterred, Clem later tried to join the 22nd Michigan, where his persistence won ove…

On this episode of the Missing Chapter, we welcome Mrs. Sunderland's class to discuss some of the oddball, obscure, and certainly mysterious parts of history. They have brought a variety of stories that they'd like to call History's Mysteries. Welcome to the Missing Chapter, everyone, grab your coffees and let's get started! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠…

The top 5 - it’s been a little while, but it’s back like bell-bottoms and the mullet. Well, I’m not wearing bell bottoms, nor am I sporting a mullet, but all things trendy aside, let’s talk historic idioms - things we hear all the time but never take the time to ask ourselves - where the heck did that originate? So, here we go, the Part III episode…

It’s summertime and if you’re anything like my family, summer is the time for playgrounds, amusement parks, bike rides, and baseball. In upstate NY, we only get nice weather a few months out of the year and you can always get hard ice cream, but you can’t always have the soft serve. And if you’re getting soft serve, what else can you add to it? My …

What is it about the Titanic, Phil, that over 100 years later, people are still enamored with the boat, the passengers, and the story surrounding it? People risk their lives to see it first hand, it’s been glamorized in Hollywood movies, and books are still being written about it. So, what’s left to discuss? What’s left to discover about the “unsin…

In the early 1950’s juvenile delinquency was on the rise. Pop icons from rock and roll and Hollywood like Elvis Presley and James Dean seemed to encourage children and teenagers to rebel against their parents. What else was causing this rash of bad behavior across the country? What menace was the real reason behind the increased criminal behavior o…

Oh the portmanteau. We’ve mentioned this a lot in our episodes lately, unintentionally. If you aren’t familiar with what a portmanteau is, let me explain. The word podcast is a portmanteau because it’s a combination of 2 words…ipod and broadcast…podcast. To use a term we used a couple episodes ago, velcro is a portmanteau for velvet and crochet. Ma…

Today we’re going to take a look at the explosive legacy of an individual that we’re all familiar with - or at least familiar with his creations. The enigmatic figure that we are about to explore is an inventor, philanthropist, ruthless industrialist, and also a major representative of peace in the contemporary age. This man’s most significant inve…

The history of baseball is the history of our nation… in amongst the innings of America’s Pastime, you’ll find the story lines that define our country. A timeline of people and events that have carried us through countless decades. Of all the great names who have ever played the game, there is one that has been almost completely lost to obscurity. …

Growing up in the country, there was nothing like spending the entire summer day outside. Riding bikes, shooting baskets, playing catch, hide and seek, taking a walk through the woods. There was something about being a kid and coming into the house at night time just being filthy - I’m sure my mom wasn’t too fond of that, but that was what our summ…

Who doesn’t love a good riddle? This episode’s introduction will be a riddle… so listen carefully, have an answer ready, and we’ll unveil the solution after the coffee pour. Ready? Here we go…. An elderly woman sits in her rocking chair knitting, positioned in front of a window, so that she may watch the trains passing by, the warm sun hitting her …