Today In History with The Retrospectors

The first Paralympic Games - hosting 400 athletes from 23 countries - took place in Rome on 18th September, 1960. But it was only known by this name retrospectively: the day it took place, this festival of disabled sport was called The Ninth Annual International Stoke Mandeville Games.Sprung from a competition held at a hospital in Buckinghamshire, and pioneered by German-Jewish neurosurgeon Dr. Ludwig Guttman, the Games began as part of a physiotherapy programme for soldiers and civilians with spinal cord injuries. As the Stoke Mandeville Games expanded, so did the variety of sports and the level of competition.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly reveal Russia’s initial refusal to participate; uncover the controversial use of performance-enhancing drugs; and celebrate Dr. Guttman’s vision of what was possible for athletes with disabilities...Further Reading:• Paralympians still hold a flame for Stoke Mandeville pioneer (The Times, 2023): https://www.thetimes.com/sport/cricket/article/paralympians-still-hold-a-flame-for-stoke-mandeville-pioneer-653kbqjx5• ‘Celebrating 60 years since Rome 1960 - the first Paralympic Games!’ (Paralympic Games, 2020): https://www.paralympic.org/feature/celebrating-60-years-rome-1960-first-paralympic-games• ’How the Paralympics Began’ (The Retrospectors, 2024): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1cA22GsmBELove the show? Support us! Join  🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mary, ‘King’ of Hungary, was coronated today in history, on 17th September, 1382. The Hungarian nobility had never had a female monarch, and did not recognize the possibility of one in law, so decided to crown her as if she was male - but that was by no means the end of her problems. Before long, Charles of Naples was leading a rebellion to overthrow the child monarch.In this episode, The Retrospectors rank the numerous poor decisions of Mary’s mother, the Queen Regent Elizabeth; unearth the impressive linguistic leg-work put in by Mary’s future husband, Sigismund of Luxembourg; and explain how Mary’s father Louis’ best laid plans unraveled so dramatically…Further Reading:• ‘A concise history of Hungary - By Miklós Molnár’ (Cambridge University Press, 2001): https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/A_Concise_History_of_Hungary/y0g4YEp7ZrsC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=mary+sigismund&pg=PA56&printsec=frontcover• ’Outlines of Medieval History - By Charles William Previté-Orton’ (1916):https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=4PXDDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA481&dq=mary+sigismund&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjS2enHt6WBAxVUQkEAHeTwC2AQ6AF6BAgLEAI• ‘Queen Mary of Hungary by Leoni, 1553 - 1564’ (American Friends of the Prado Museum, 2023): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yaagl1xhbLAThis episode first premiered in 2023, for members of 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴 - where you can also DITCH THE ADS and get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 100 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast. Join now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks! We'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/retrospectors The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The largest land rush in history kicked off on 16th September, 1893 - on Oklahoma's Cherokee Strip. Tens of thousands of people—horseback riders, wagons, and even a passenger train—waited for a cannon’s boom to initiate a mad race for land.The term "Boomer" became synonymous with those waiting for that cannon's boom to charge in, while "Sooners" were the sneaky folks who snuck into the land early to claim it before the rush began. Officers were tasked with clearing out the opportunistic Sooners, but it wasn’t an easy job. With everyone trying to stake their claims in chaos, tensions ran high, and skirmishes sometimes broke out between claimants, creating a dangerous situation for those trying to ‘play fair’ - and the Native American tribes who had already been relocated there once already.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain why Oklahoma, previously considered arid land unsuited for farming, had suddenly become a hot commodity; reveal what happened when fights for land turned ugly; and, as settlers carved out their fortunes, investigate how long it took for the Cherokee tribes to receive their payment….Further Reading:• ’CHEROKEE OUTLET OPENING’ (The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture): https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=CH021• ‘Cherokee Strip Land Rush - By Jay M. Price’ (Arcadia Publisher, 2006): https://books.google.com/books/about/Cherokee_Strip_Land_Rush.html?id=ikXycrCcTvAC• ’Cherokee Outlet Land Run’ (Olahoma Council Social Studies):https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JyhlU-Zt9YY&t=133sLove the show? Support us! Join  🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode each SUNDAY… … Plus, get weekly bonus bits, and unlock over 100 bits of extra content. Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kanye West, the infamous rapper known for his bold antics, joins country star Taylor Swift, who faced one of pop culture's most shocking interruptions. Beyoncé, the artist at the center of the original controversy, adds her perspective. They dive into the lasting impact of the 2009 VMAs moment, discussing its effects on their careers and the music industry. The conversation highlights the evolution of female empowerment in music, the racial dynamics at play, and how this incident shaped celebrity culture and social media's role in public feuds.

Dive into the absurd launch of an iconic sitcom that blended humor and catchy tunes! Discover the unconventional casting and how four actors became pop sensations without prior experience. Learn about the creative process that merged reality with fiction, reflecting the spirit of the 1960s counterculture. Explore the tension within the band and how their journey shifted from a TV project to a cultural phenomenon. Uncover the legacy that still resonates, despite internal conflicts and a controversial film that altered their path.

Captain Peter Warner stumbles upon six Tongan boys—Sione, Stephen, Kolo, David, Luke, and Mano—who survived 15 months on Atta Island after a storm sank their escape boat. They relied on teamwork, creativity, and resourcefulness to thrive in the wild, crafting tools and building a community, defying the chaos depicted in 'Lord of the Flies.' Their incredible journey highlights the resilience of youth as they navigate survival challenges and eventually reintegrate into society, all while maintaining their well-built physiques.

Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, wealthy teenagers and lovers involved in a notorious 1924 murder, discuss their shocking crime and its implications. They reveal how their trial showcased societal privilege and classism, as public opinion was largely influenced by their wealth. The duo delves into their chilling motivations, referencing Nietzsche’s idea of the Superman as they reflect on their brutal actions. They also explain their failed ransom scheme and the complex role their defense attorney played in the courtroom drama. A haunting exploration of psychological and ethical dilemmas.

In this lively discussion, retired admiral Lord John Fisher, renowned for coining 'OMG' in a 1917 letter to Winston Churchill, reveals the playful origins of the acronym. Dive into the sarcasm behind its initial usage, reflecting on knighthood critiques. The conversation explores how 'OMG' resurfaced in popular culture and its entry into the Oxford English Dictionary. The hosts also unpack the fascinating evolution of abbreviations, from historical shorthand to modern internet slang, showcasing how language continues to adapt and thrive.

Rerun: Clarence Saunders opened the world’s first self-service supermarket, ‘Piggly Wiggly’, in Memphis, Tennessee on 6th September, 1916.Calculating that the revenues gained through impulse purchases would outweigh those lost from shoplifting, Saunders’ concept forever changed the world of shopping for groceries - but his business acumen did not last.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly review Saunders’ promotional hustles; weigh up the items in a shopping basket of the era; and reveal how ‘Piggly Wiggly’ (almost certainly) gained its distinctive name...Further Reading:• ‘The Untold Truth Of Piggly Wiggly’ (Mashed, 2021):https://www.mashed.com/426197/the-untold-truth-of-piggly-wiggly/• ‘America's First Supermarket at 100: How It Changed the World’ (Time, 2016): https://time.com/4480303/supermarkets-history/• ‘Piggly Wiggly, the first true grocery store - Life in America’ (Recollection Road, 2021): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVvgAd_5vpo'Why am I hearing a rerun?’Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rerun: Peter The Great levied a tax on facial hair on 5th September, 1698, requiring every man in Moscow to shave or stump up some cash - although there were exemptions for the Orthodox Church.The hare-brained scheme occurred to the eccentric Peter on his expeditions through Europe, where he came to see clean chins as symbolic of progress and sophistication.In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly uncover Peter’s other ‘European rules of comportment’; convert the costs of Peter’s taxes into the highly-relatable metric of ‘sturgeon from North’; and reveal how a similar tax was proposed in New Jersey as recently as 1907… Further Reading:• ‘Russia: A Reference Guide from the Renaissance to the Present’ (Mauricio Borrero, 2009):https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Russia/dhm0cGdrTOIC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=beard+tax+1698&pg=PA83&printsec=frontcover• ‘10 terrible taxes in history’ (HistoryExtra, 2018): https://www.historyextra.com/period/general-history/10-terrible-taxes/• ‘Ten Minute History - Peter the Great and the Russian Empire’ (History Matters, 2019): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tBNr2gjAA0Why am I hearing a rerun?’Each Thursday and Friday we repeat stories from our archive of 800+ episodes, so we can maintain the quality of our independent podcast and bring you fresh, free content every Monday-Wednesday… … But 🌴CLUB RETROSPECTORS🌴members get an additional full-length episode each Sunday! Join now with a free trial on Apple Podcasts or Patreon and support our show ❤️The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Emma Corsham.Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices