Happy Tuesday, Dudes! We hit a milestone yesterday with 400 subscribers, and it’s a great privilege to send all 400 of you your next conversation starter.

Let’s dig in.

Sports Stuff

When Baseball Got Dirty

The Black Sox Scandal

Picture this: it’s 1919, and the Chicago White Sox are at the top of their game. They’ve just won the American League pennant and are gearing up to take on the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series. But what should’ve been a legendary moment in baseball history became one of its darkest stains: the Black Sox Scandal.

What Went Down?

The White Sox were a powerhouse, but behind the scenes, things were rocky. Team owner Charles Comiskey was known for underpaying his players, which led to a lot of resentment. Enter some shady gamblers who saw an opportunity. They approached several White Sox players and convinced them to throw the World Series in exchange for cash.

Eight players, including legendary outfielder "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, allegedly took part in the scheme. The plan? Tank the series so the Reds could win, and the gamblers could clean up with their bets. The Sox lost the series in eight games, and whispers started circulating that something was off.

The Fallout

By 1920, the whispers had grown into full-blown accusations, and the eight players were indicted on charges of conspiracy to throw the World Series. After a long trial in 1921, the players were acquitted, but that didn’t mean they were off the hook. New MLB commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis(sweet name) didn’t care what the courts said—he wanted to clean up baseball’s image. He banned all eight players for life, despite the lack of a guilty verdict in court.

Why It Matters

The Black Sox Scandal shook baseball to its core. It led to major reforms in how the sport was governed, with Landis taking a hard stance on gambling to protect the integrity of the game. As for the players, especially Shoeless Joe Jackson, their legacy remains complicated. Jackson was one of the greatest hitters of his time, but the scandal has kept him out of the Hall of Fame.

The Black Sox Scandal serves as a reminder that even in America’s pastime, greed and corruption can creep in. But hey, without those lessons, the game we know and love today might be a very different one.

Yes, this is the same Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta).

Ridiculous, But True.

John Wayne as Genghis Khan

Yep, it really happened. In 1956, Hollywood legend John Wayne played Genghis Khan in The Conqueror. It’s one of the most head-scratching casting choices ever—Wayne, the all-American cowboy, portraying the Mongol warlord. The film bombed, with critics tearing apart his performance and the movie’s historical inaccuracy.

But here’s where it gets even weirder: they filmed it near a nuclear testing site in Utah, and years later, many involved in the production, including Wayne, developed cancer. So, not only was the casting a disaster, but it may have been literally deadly too.

Check this Out

Intentionally Crashing a 747

History Stuff

When George H.W. Bush's Plane Was Shot Down in WWII

Long before he became the 41st President of the United States, George H.W. Bush was a young naval aviator in World War II. At just 20 years old, Bush flew torpedo bombers in the Pacific Theater. On September 2, 1944, during a mission over the Japanese island of Chichijima, Bush’s plane was hit by enemy anti-aircraft fire, leading to one of the most harrowing moments of his life.

Bush’s squadron had been tasked with attacking a Japanese radio tower. As he flew in for his bombing run, his aircraft was struck. Despite the damage, Bush completed the mission, dropping his bombs on the target. However, the plane’s engine caught fire, and he had no choice but to bail out.

After ejecting from the aircraft, Bush found himself alone in the Pacific Ocean, miles from the nearest Allied forces. For several hours, he floated in a small life raft, unsure of whether he’d be rescued or captured by Japanese forces. Fortunately, a U.S. submarine, the USS Finback, was in the area and spotted him. Bush was pulled from the water, shaken but alive.

His two crewmates, however, were not as lucky—they did not survive the crash. The experience of losing his comrades stayed with Bush for the rest of his life, shaping his perspective on leadership and duty.

Bush went on to fly several more combat missions before the war ended, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery. His experience as a wartime aviator became a defining chapter in his life, long before he entered the political arena. It was a moment of personal survival that set the stage for a life of public service.

Some words of wisdom from President Bush Sr.