Alabama Short Stories Shawn Wright

Rickwood Field was built in 1910 so that Rick Woodward would have a showplace for his baseball team the Birmingham Barrons. Little did he know that 114 years later, Major League Baseball would host a game on this same field. The field has hosted concerts, football, and baseball games over its existence. It was also home to the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro Southern League. There were many famous players that suited up at the field but none more so than a son of Fairfield, Alabama, Will...

At the end of World War II, another war started, the Cold War. To win the minds and hearts of people around the world against the Soviet Union, the U.S. State Department put together a show of modern art that was to tour the world. The show, “Advancing American Art,” did not win the hearts and minds of some of its people. It was recalled and put up for auction at pennies on the dollar. Auburn University recognized an opportunity and bought 36 paintings, the basis for the Jule Collins Smith Mu...

The University of Alabama accepted a bid to play in the 1926 Rose Bowl against powerhouse University of Washington. This was the first time a team from the South was invited to play in this historic event. The underdog Alabama team won the game in no small part because of the play of Johnny Mack Brown. Learn the story of this game and how Brown went from being the “Dothan Antelope” to one of Hollywood's leading men and stars of Western movies. Support the Show.Support the Podcast The pod...

We have grown up hearing stories about the gold rush. But it’s always the California gold rush they are talking about. An event so huge that years later, San Francisco’s NFL team called themselves the ’49ers after the prospectors of the 1849 gold rush. But the first gold rush started in the east and as prospectors followed the gold vein, they discovered gold in east Alabama. Learn the story about this event and what happened to the prospectors when the gold ran out.Support the Show.Support th...

Mrs. Irene, as she was known to neighbors, was born with a sixth sense. From a young age, she was able to find things, easter eggs, misplaced items, or the missing hunting dog. Her father tried to shield her from the scrutiny fortune tellers received in the community. Instead, Irene Teel became popular with people driving miles for her advice and wisdom. When a small child went missing, and the National Guard was called in, it was Mrs. Rena who was the most helpful.Support the Show.Support th...

Music is a vital part of our lives in Alabama, and it covers all genres. This story is about one genre of music called Sacred Harp. It is named after the book of songs of the same name. at the beginning of the 20th century, these songs sounded antiquated to modern listeners. Worried that this style would go away, teachers presented Sacred Harp music as a virtue, a tradition that would be passed down the generations. And some of the most influential teachers and guardians of this tradition wer...