Best Wgtd Podcasts (2026)

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12/13/25 Dave McGrath's Last Day at WGTD 48:05

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21d ago48:05

48:05

As WGTD celebrates its 50th anniversary, it's only right that we take a moment to celebrate the legacy of WGTD's own Dave McGrath, who was the station's longest-running news director .... from 1999 until earlier this year. This is the Morning Show that happened on his last day as news director. His wife, Guida Brown, was on hand - as were a number …

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1/3/25 "Wisconsin for Kennedy" 48:55

13h ago48:55

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One of our favorite interviews from 2025 was a conversation with B. J. Hollars about his book "Wisconsin for Kennedy: The Primary that Launched a President and Changed the Course of History."

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1/2/25 - A tribute to sportswriter John Feinstein 49:25

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One of our favorite Morning Shows from 2025 aired for a sad reason- the unexpected death of renowned sportswriter John Feinstein in March at the age of 69. A familiar voice to public radio listeners, he had been a guest on this program on at least five occasions. This program features excerpts from several of those interviews.…

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1/1/26 Buddy Levy "Realm of Ice and Sky" 48:56

13h ago48:56

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One of our favorite Morning Show interviews from 2025 was this conversation with Buddy Levy, author of "Realm of Ice and Sky: Triumph, Tragedy, and History's Greatest Arctic Rescue."

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12/31/25 A Wheel of Fortune contestant 49:04

2d ago49:04

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This is one of our favorite Morning Show interviews from 2025. Michael Stoehrmann, a Carthage alum and former voice student of Gregory Berg - now a public school teacher - talks about the experience of being a contestant on the syndicated television game show "Wheel of Fortune." (His episode aired last New Year's.)…

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12/30/25 "Enough if Enuf" (simplifying English spelling) 49:03

1d ago49:03

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One of our favorite interviews from 2025 was with Gabe Henry, author of "Enough is Enuf: Our Failed Attempts to Make English Easier to Spell." The book examines the many ways in which English is an exceptionally difficult language to spell and why- and also chronicles some of the serious attempts over the years to simplify how the language is spell…

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12/29/25 Wisconsin author Michael Perry 48:45

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One of our favorite Morning Show interviews from 2025 was this conversation with Wisconsin author Michael Perry - recorded just ahead of his sold-out appearance at the Racine Theater Guild in mid- February. Perry had been a frequent Morning Show guest over the years, talking about such books as "Truck: A Love Story" and "Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pi…

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12/28/25 Melba Beals (a member of The Little Rock Nine) 35:40

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In honor of WGTD's 50th anniversary, we are replaying some especially noteworthy Morning Show interviews from the past. (From 2018) Melba Patillo Beals, who was one of the so-called Little Rock Nine .... a group of black students who were the first to racially integrate Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1956.…

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12/27/25 NPR reporter Julie McCarthy 47:10

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In honor of WGTD's 50th anniversary, we are replaying some especially noteworthy Morning Show interviews from the past. This interview is with former NPR foreign correspondent Julie McCarthy.

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12/26/25 Best-selling author Jane Hamilton 44:16

15h ago44:16

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In honor of WGTD's 50th anniversary, we are replaying special Morning Show interviews from the past. This interview from approximately 25 years ago is with best-selling novelist Jane Hamilton ("The Book of Ruth," "A Map of the World") who has ties to southeastern Wisconsin and has lived in this area for much of her adult life.…

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12/25/25 Dr. Seuss's How the Grinch Stole Christmas 13:36

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From 2007- We speak with Dr. Seuss expert Charles D. Cohen about the 50th anniversary edition of the book "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."

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12/24/25 "Love, Santa" 18:57

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From 2017- Martha Brockenbrough, author of "Love, Santa" - a book designed to help families navigate that tricky time when a child becomes old enough to begin doubting the existence of Santa Claus.

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12/23/25 Tony Lazalde as Santa Claus 46:52

8d ago46:52

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We speak with local actor Tony Lazalde, who keeps very busy this time of year portraying Santa Claus. We talk about the history of the legend of Santa Claus, how Tony's background as a trained actor comes in handy, and the sorts of things that he says and does NOT say as Santa.

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12/22/25 Amy Wagner and the Wagner Family Fire Fund 25:16

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Amy Wagner shares the story of the fire that completely destroyed her home and everything in it- the kindness that was shown to her and her husband by neighbors and friends- and their decision to 'pay it forward' by creating the Wagner Family Fire Fund to aid other families who have suffered a similar sort of disaster.…

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12/21/25 Sergei Khrushchev (son of Nikita Khrushchev) 52:59

9d ago52:59

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From 2000- Sergei Khrushchev, the son of Nikita Khrushchev. The occasion of this interview was a visit to Carthage College, where he gave a talk titled "After the Cold War." Sergei Khrushchev died in 2020.

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12/20/25 Entertainment legend Carl Reiner 43:09

10d ago43:09

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In the wake of the tragic deaths of Rob Reiner and Micele Reiner, we are replaying a memorable interview with Rob's father, Carl Reiner, one of the great legends from the early days of television. This interview was recorded more than a decade ago.

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12/11/25 from the archives: Weston Noble on Handel's Messiah 22:12

11d ago22:12

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From the archives- a 2007 conversation with choral legend Weston Noble talking about Handel's Messiah. This interview took place just before the third annual Sing Along Messiah at First United Methodist Church in Kenosha. Also participating in the conversation was Carthage graduate Trevor Parker, who was the tenor soloist for that particular perfor…

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12/19/25 Robert Mankoff- cartoon editor, The New Yorker 34:59

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In honor of The New Yorker magazine's 100th anniversary this year, we replay this 2008 conversation with Robert Mankoff, who served the venerable for many years as its Cartoon Editor. The occasion of this interview was the publication of The New Yorker Cartoon Caption Contest Book. In this contest, each issue features a cartoon with no caption atta…

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12/18/25 Kailyn Palomares / Marcia Wensing (plant inspector) 48:25

11d ago48:25

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Kailyn Palomares is back- and her guest this month is Marcia Wensing, a plant pest and disease specialist for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. She inspects Christmas tree farms and plant nurseries of all kinds, looking for pests, diseases, and invasive species.

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12/17/25 Two contributors to The New Yorker magazine 47:24

18d ago47:24

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In honor of the 100th anniversary of The New Yorker magazine, we replay two 2015 conversations with important contributors to the magazine's legacy. First , you'll hear from long-time copy editor Mary Norris, talking about her book "Between You and Me: Confessions of a Comma Queen." After that, we talk with cartoonist Matthew Diffee, whose work has…

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12/16/25 Ricky Ian Gordon- "Seeing Through" Part Two 47:54

19d ago47:54

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Here is the second of two interviews I recorded earlier this year with renowned composer Ricky Ian Gordon about his memoir "Seeing Through: A Chronicle of Sex, Drugs and Opera." The memoir was recently rereleased in paperback. We have already reshared the first interview, which focused mostly on personal matters in Gordon's life. This second interv…

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12/15/25 Andrew Gulli - "The Best of the Strand" 46:20

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Andrew Gulli, managing editor of The Strand, talks about the new collection of mysteries published over the past twenty five years: "Best of the Strand Magazine: 25 Years of Twists, Turns, and Tales from the Modern Masters of Mystery and Fiction." (A portion of this interviews aired a couple of weeks ago. This is the interview in its entirety.)…

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12/14/25 Bilingualism with 3 Carthage professors 48:06

21d ago48:06

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(From 2009) We talk about what is means to be Bilingual with three Carthage College professors: Wayne Thompson (Sociology), Matt Borden (Spanish), and Dimitri Shapovalov (Music.) - and what can happen when chooses to raise one's children to be bilingual.

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12/12/25 A 50th Anniversary Morning Show Special 48:03

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In honor of WGTD's 50th anniversary, today's Morning Show features excerpts from six memorable Morning Shows - spanning more than 25 years. Two of the interviews feature longtime news director Bill Guy, who created the show in the early 1980s and was its primary host until his death in 1999. Three of the interviews feature noteworthy guests from th…

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12/10/25 Gary Vaillancourt on the early days of WGTD 46:49

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We celebrate 50 year of WGTD on the air with this rebroadcast of an interview from earlier this year with Gary Vaillancourt, who was on staff when the station went on the air on December 23, 2025- and shortly thereafter became general manager. [ We remind you of a public reception in honor of our 50th anniversary that's happening on Friday, Decembe…

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12/9/25 Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation- Holiday Challenges 15:55

25d ago15:55

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We speak with a representative of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation about some of the special challenges that this holiday season poses for people who are prone to addiction to alcohol or other drugs.

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12/9/25 RTG's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 16:35

25d ago16:35

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We talk with Doug Instenes, managing and artistic director of the Racine Theater Guild, who is also stage director for the RTG's production of the musical CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, which runs for the next two weekends (December 12-21).

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12/7/25 Bill Guy & the 1925 City Plan for Kenosha 46:22

27d ago46:22

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As WGTD approaches its 50th anniversary of being on the air, I thought it would be fun to share one of my favorite interviews done by my predecessor, longtime news director Bill Guy, who created the Morning Show and was its primary host for many year. This interview was recorded in 1998- and it concerned the republication of a fascinating document:…

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12/6/25 Former WGTD GM Gary Vaillancourt 42:58

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From 2014 comes a conversation with former WGTD general manager Gary Vaillancourt, who was around when the radio station went on the air fifty years ago this month. This particular conversation, however, focused on a more personal topic- the fear he experienced when he was misdiagnosed with a life-threatening illness.…

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12/5/25 Jayne Herring / Barb Axelson reminisce about WGTD 47:46

29d ago47:46

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WGTD is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month. This interview is with two people who joined the WGTD team early in its history: Jayne Herring, who became one of the station's news directors in 1980 - and Barb Axelson, whose first on-air work for WGTD in 1983 was as an intern with Gateway's radio program. *WGTD is hosting a public reception in…

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AI, Fraud & the CTO: Navigating Counterparty Risk 28:11

21d ago28:11

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Host Felicia King weaves a sharp, personal narrative that ties together AI, fraud, vendor selection, and the critical role of a competent CTO. With candid anecdotes and hard-earned lessons, she explains why tightly-scoped AI — used by skilled experts with robust governance — can feel like a $150K colleague, and why poorly governed AI or flashy vend…

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12/4/25 Vince Lombardi's first season with the Packers 48:19

1M ago48:19

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From 2009- John Eisenberg, author of 'That First Season: How Vince Lombardi Took the Worst Team in the NFL and Set It on the Path to Glory." We're replaying this interview as the Packers look forward to a very significant showdown with one of their division rivals, the resurgent Chicago Bears.

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12/3/25 Jim Schatzman/Pat Badger- Candlelight Concert 21:44

1M ago21:44

21:44

We preview Saturday night's Candlelight Concert at First Presbyterian Church in downtown Racine. We speak with Jim Schatzman and Pat Badger, Artistic Director and Associate Conductor respectively of the Choral Arts Society, which is headlining the concert. Other participants will include Mark Paffrath, Victoria Vollman, and dancers from the Studio …

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12/3/25 Emily Mueller talks about WGTD 26:00

1M ago26:00

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In honor of WGTD's 50th anniversary, we speak with Former Circuit Court Judge Emily Mueller - a former chair of the Board of Trustees at Gateway Technical College - who has been a faithful listener to WGTD for several decades (and for a time was part of the station's Advisory Board.) Currently, Emily Mueller is president of the board of directors o…

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12/2/25 Dr. James Kinchen - Nguzo Saba Suite 33:59

1M ago33:59

33:59

We talk with Dr. James Kinchen, director of choral activities at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, about upcoming performances of the Nguzo Saba Suite by Glenn Burleigh- a work celebrating Kwanzaa that was commissioned by UW-Parkside as part of the school's 25th anniversary celebration. This vibrant work will be performed this Sunday afternoon,…

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12/1/25 Dr. Morgan Phillips- interim president of GTC 46:02

1M ago46:02

46:02

We catch up with Dr. Morgan Phillips, interim president of Gateway Technical College. He updates us on enrollment numbers at Gateway, talks about some exciting new initiatives, and explains where Gateway is in its search for a new president and ceo. Dr. Phillips also pays tribute to local education leader Scott Pierce, who passed away on November 2…

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11/30/25 "Lion of Liberty" (Patrick Henry) 20:57

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From 2010- Harlow Giles Unger, author of "Lion of Liberty: Patrick Henry and the Call to a New Nation."

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11/29/25 Mark Kreidler: "Six Good Innings" 1:16:34

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From 2008- Mark Kreidler talks about his book "6 Good Innings: How One Small Town Became a Little League Giant."

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11/28/25 John Grogan "The Longest Trip Home" 28:26

1M ago28:26

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From 2008- Best-selling author John Grogan ("Marley and Me") talks about a later book titled "The Longest Trip Home: A Memoir."

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11/27/25 Theater Organ with Fred Hermes 48:22

1M ago48:22

48:22

We share my memorable encounter with local music legend Fred Hermes, a well-known theater organ aficionado who had a massive, 5-manual Wurlitzer theater organ in the basement of his home- which he transformed into a facsimile of a classic movie palace. This interview was recorded in Fred's amazing home back in 2008. He died ten years later. (His ho…

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11/26/25 Shawn Rivers- Racine County Veterans Service Officer 47:43

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We speak with Shawn Rivers, Racine County Veterans Service Officer, who works to make sure that area veterans are aware of and able to access the benefits that are available to them. We give special attention to the matter of mental well-being and to the special difficulties that veterans might be experiencing during this time of year. We also talk…

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11/24/25 Greg Cope White "Boots" 16:38

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We speak with Greg Cope White, whose memoir "The Pink Marine" serves as the basis for the acclaimed new Netflix series "Boots." "The Pink Marine" tells the story of White's experience as a closeted gay man enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corps in the early 1980s.

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11/23/25 Todd Gitlin- Letters to a Young Activist 41:06

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From 2003 - Todd Gitlin, author of "Letters to a Young Activist." Gitlin, who passed away in 2022 due to COVID, was a well-known activist, sociologist, and author.

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11/22/25 Dean & Me: A Love Story 18:38

1M ago18:38

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James Kaplan, co-author with Jerry Lewis of "Dean & Me: A Love Story." The book explores the relationship between Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin- a professional partnership and friendship that eventually fractured.

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11/21/25 Alvaro Garcia - UW-Parkside Orchestra 24:40

1M ago24:40

24:40

We preview Saturday afternoon's concert by the UW-Parkside Orchestra, which will be devoted to great film music. Our guest is conductor Alvaro Garcia.

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11/20/25 Dr. Julius Crump 45:20

1M ago45:20

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We speak with Dr. Julius Crump, a member of Carthage College's religion faculty since 2018 and co-director of the school's Teaching Commons. Dr. Crump was recently named the Rev. Raymon Pedersen Distinguished Professor of Social Change.

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11/19/25 Jaxson Thomas's Toy Drive 17:32

2M ago17:32

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We talk to two young people- 13-year-old Jaxson Thomas and 19-year-old Jayden Eisenbraun - who have undertaken a huge toy drive. Jaxson happens to be on the Autism spectrum- and is happy to have people know that because he wants people to know that Autistic people are capable of accomplishing great things.…

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11/19/25 Esther Roberts- The Shalom Center 15:01

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Esther Roberts, executive director of The Shalom Center, talks about all that they offer to people in Kenosha living in poverty. (There is a fundraiser this Saturday evening at Union Park Tavern will benefit The Shalom Center as well as The Sharing Center in Trevor.)

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11/19/25 The Sharing Center 13:51

2M ago13:51

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We speak with Sharon Pomaville, executive director of The Sharing Center, which works with people living in poverty in rural Kenosha County. (A fundraiser this Saturday evening at Union Park Tavern is donating proceeds to The Sharing Center and The Shalom Center.)

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11/18/25 Michael Schumacher "Mighty Fitz" 46:25

2M ago46:25

46:25

From 2012- Michael Schumacher, author of "Mighty Fitz: The Sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald." Last week (Nov. 10) marked the 50th anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, one of the most tragic and mysterious events ever to occur on the Great Lakes. Schumacher's book is the definitive account of the tragedy and its aftermath.…