Hello everyone, and welcome back to the Alabama Short Stories Podcast! I'm your host, Shawn Wright. As always, it's a pleasure to have you with me. I want to take a moment to remind you about something you might already be familiar with: my books, "Alabama Short Stories, Volumes 1 and 2."

"Volume 1" features stories from our first three seasons. It includes thirty tales about iconic statues, daring pilots, high school athletes, painters, and musicians. You'll also find intriguing stories about falling stars, aliens, and close encounters.

"Volume 2" continues with stories from seasons four to six. This collection includes another thirty stories about athletes and their fans, movie stars, and lives that have become movies. You'll meet beauty queens, devils, a Spider, and even the Beatles. These stories highlight builders, memorable moments, and extraordinary individuals who have helped shape Alabama into the state it is today.

Both volumes are packed with photos to help bring these stories to life.

If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, these books are perfect for you. They’re also great for anyone interested in history – specifically Alabama's rich and diverse history and the American South. Growing up in Alabama, I had heard some of these stories, but during my research, I uncovered many more fascinating tales that I knew others would enjoy.

You can get these books through online retailers like Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, and Bookshop.org. If you own a bookstore and would like to stock these titles, you can find them through IngramSpark.

If you prefer to listen, the stories are also available on Audible.com. However, these are the same stories you can enjoy for free on this podcast, just organized in book order. It's perfect for people who don't want to listen to individual stories on podcasts and prefer long-form audio.

Thank you for your continued support of Alabama Short Stories. I hope you enjoy the books and find them to be a great addition to your collection. They also make fantastic gifts for those hard-to-buy-for family members. Take care, and happy reading!

Purchase Volume 1

Amazon

Books-A-Million

Bookshop.org

Purchase Volume 2

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Support the show

Support the Podcast

The podcast is free but it’s not cheap. If you enjoy Alabama Short Stories, there are a few ways you can support us.

1. Tell a friend about the podcast.
2. Buy some merchandise from the Art Done Wright store at https://www.teepublic.com/user/wright-art
3. Buy Volume 1 of the Book. https://a.co/d/9VhY9cO
4. Buy the newly released Volume 2 of the Book. https://a.co/d/ef1yunC
5. Want to support your local book store? You can do that by purchasing Volume 1 and Volume 2 through Bookshop.org, which gives back to local bookstores.

You can listen to the podcast on the website or wherever you prefer to listen and subscribe to podcasts.

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

Show Note: An astute listener pointed out that Connie Mack, mentioned in the episode, played for the Philadelphia A's, not the Phillies. We regret the error, and our research department has been sacked.

Support the show

Support the Podcast

The podcast is free but it’s not cheap. If you enjoy Alabama Short Stories, there are a few ways you can support us.

1. Tell a friend about the podcast.
2. Buy some merchandise from the Art Done Wright store at https://www.teepublic.com/user/wright-art
3. Buy Volume 1 of the Book. https://a.co/d/9VhY9cO
4. Buy the newly released Volume 2 of the Book. https://a.co/d/ef1yunC
5. Want to support your local book store? You can do that by purchasing Volume 1 and Volume 2 through Bookshop.org, which gives back to local bookstores.

You can listen to the podcast on the website or wherever you prefer to listen and subscribe to podcasts.

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 Museum of Fine Art.

Support the show

Support the Podcast

The podcast is free but it’s not cheap. If you enjoy Alabama Short Stories, there are a few ways you can support us.

1. Tell a friend about the podcast.
2. Buy some merchandise from the Art Done Wright store at https://www.teepublic.com/user/wright-art
3. Buy Volume 1 of the Book. https://a.co/d/9VhY9cO
4. Buy the newly released Volume 2 of the Book. https://a.co/d/ef1yunC
5. Want to support your local book store? You can do that by purchasing Volume 1 and Volume 2 through Bookshop.org, which gives back to local bookstores.

You can listen to the podcast on the website or wherever you prefer to listen and subscribe to podcasts.