Best Wondery Meadowlark Podcasts (2024)

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Listen Now: British Scandal, Boris Becker 5:40

6d ago5:40

5:40

In a country obsessed with gossip, the great and the good fear one thing more than any other - scandal. British scandals change the course of history. They bring down governments, overthrow the rich and cause the mighty to fall. Some are about sex, others about money. In the end, they’re all about power. But often at the heart of a scandal, there a…

1
Listen Now: Wow in the World's Summer of Wow! 6:15

23d ago6:15

6:15

Wow in the World is the #1 science podcast for kids and their grown-ups. Hosts Mindy Thomas and Guy Raz share stories about the latest news in science, technology, and innovation. Stories that give kids hope, agency and make us all say "WOW"! New episodes come out every Monday. Listen to Wow in the World: http://wondery.fm/wowintheworld. See Privac…

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46 | The Weight: Rage Against the Regime 55:20

29d ago55:20

55:20

At the 2022 IFSC Climbing Asian Championships, Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi competed without a hijab, sending shockwaves through Iran's political establishment. Many Iranian athletes have been targeted by the country's "morality police," and driven from their homes to seek new lives, and new competition, elsewhere. Captivated by her mother’s storie…

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45 | If A Tree Falls: The Stanford Band Out of Step 55:26

1M ago55:26

55:26

Stanford University holds the record for most Division I NCAA titles -- which means its marching band has plenty to root for. The Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band became a student-run organization in the midst of the turbulent 1960's. Decades of debauchery, irreverence, and protest ensued. The group now faces a crossroads in the wake…

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44 | The Eyes of the Fighter | Part II 45:02

1M ago45:02

45:02

Reporter Tommy Andres comes face-to-face with the intruder he saw in his living room. After Jermain Thompson is released from prison and agrees to sit down for an interview, Tommy begins to understand the tragic series of events that led the former wrestler on a downward trajectory and to break into the Andres' home. See Privacy Policy at https://a…

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43 | The Eyes of the Fighter | Part I 28:38

2M ago28:38

28:38

Two lives were forever changed one night in May of 2021, when an intruder broke into the home of reporter Tommy Andres while his wife and daughters lay sleeping. After the police were called and the broken glass swept up, Andres learned that the intruder was a former college wrestling star named Jermain Thompson. In part one of The Eyes of the Figh…

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42 | Ultras | Part ll 25:14

2M ago25:14

25:14

Following the bloodshed of Port Said, the families of the supporters killed in the stadium are left to mourn their loved ones and seek justice in whatever way they can. The Ultras themselves, now labeled as a terrorist organization, are left to ponder their unclear future. Reporter Kieran Morris catches up with the Ultras more than a decade after t…

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41 | Ultras | Part l 26:40

2M ago26:40

26:40

Amidst the protests that swept through Egypt during the Arab Spring, an unlikely group helped tip the scales towards Democracy – soccer fans. The Ultras Ahlawy were hardcore supporters of the Cairo-based football club, Al Ahly. They were also effective in the fight to oust Egypt’s leaders. But after the attempted revolution, pro-government forces t…

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40 | Two Dreams: China and the NBA | Part III 23:51

2M ago23:51

23:51

When late NBA Commissioner David Stern arrived in Beijing, he came with a lucrative business proposal. Stern pushed for American basketball games to be broadcast on Chinese national television, introducing millions of Chinese people to inspiring NBA narratives of individual glory. As the country’s spirits rose, so did the league’s revenues. In the …

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39 | Two Dreams: China and the NBA | Part II 31:49

3M ago31:49

31:49

Former Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey Morey’s ill-fated tweet in support of the 2019 Hong Kong protests sparked an existential showdown between the NBA and China, where, by some estimates, there are more basketball fans than people in the United States. In part two of Two Dreams, reporter Kerry Seed looks back at the crucial time durin…

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38 | Two Dreams: China and the NBA | Part I 23:22

3M ago23:22

23:22

The NBA is considered one of the most socially progressive leagues in all of sports. Yet the league's fortunes are intertwined with China, a country with a complicated history of human rights abuse allegations. The tension between these competing interests exploded into the public discourse in 2019, when then Houston Rockets general manager Daryl M…

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37 | The Refinery: Shortstop City 34:38

3M ago34:38

34:38

The Dominican Republic produces more professional baseball players per capita than any other country in the world -- but one city in particular specializes in shortstops. Reporter Jeffrey Bissoy travels to San Pedro de Macorís to discover how the city consistently exports excellence for one of the most difficult positions in all of sports. See Priv…

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36 | Mensur: Mightier Than the Sword | Part II 39:38

3M ago39:38

39:38

As mensur combatants Felix and Max prepare to fight, reporter Leo Hornack documents their training, while exploring larger questions about the sport. Leo tries to understand how such an antiquated sport still exists, and what it does for those who dare to take part in a match. But as the fight nears, police begin to infiltrate fraternities in the h…

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35 | Mensur: Mightier Than the Sword | Part I 46:56

4M ago46:56

46:56

How far would you go to prove yourself? Is there still a place in modern society for violent competition? Should frat bros carry swords? These are some of the questions surrounding Mensur, an ancient but underground form of sword fighting practiced at fraternities throughout Europe -- like "Fight Club", but with swords. In part one of this story, r…

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34 | When Life Gives You Chet Lemon | Part III 40:34

4M ago40:34

40:34

Davy Rothbart struggles with whether to tell Allison what he's learned about the murder of her mother nearly four decades ago. He seeks out advice from an unlikely source: Allison and Davy's all-time favorite baseball player, former Detroit Tigers outfielder, Chet Lemon. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice …

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33 | When Life Gives You Chet Lemon | Part II 1:00:16

4M ago1:00:16

1:00:16

11-year-old Chet Lemon superfan Allison cheers on the Detroit Tigers on their path to World Series glory in 1984. The team's success is a comfort for a girl whose mother was tragically murdered by a stranger in a robbery gone wrong. Nearly four decades later, Allison's friend, reporter Davy Rothbart, reaches out to the woman convicted of the crime …

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32 | When Life Gives You Chet Lemon | Part I 43:00

4M ago43:00

43:00

In the sixth grade, Davy Rothbart fell in love — with a girl named Allison...and Detroit Tigers outfielder Chet Lemon. It didn't hurt that Allison loved Chet Lemon at least as much as Davy did. But months into their innocent courtship, tragedy struck when Allison’s mother was shot and killed in a random robbery. More than 30 years later, unable to …

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31 | The Big Dipper: Wilt Chamberlain | Part lll 34:12

4M ago34:12

34:12

In part three of the Big Dipper, Wilt Chamberlain signs a record-breaking contract with the Los Angeles Lakers and wins L.A's first NBA title. But despite his storied career full of MVP awards and every basketball accolade imaginable, his legacy also includes well-publicized sexual exploits and a controversial alignment with conservative politics. …

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30 | The Big Dipper: Wilt Chamberlain | Part ll 25:02

5M ago25:02

25:02

Wilt Chamberlain goes from sideshow to superstar early in his career. But as his profile rises, so do the challenges of being a famous black athlete in the midst of the Civil Rights Era. Wilt's formative years in the NBA are spent repeatedly losing to Red Auerbach's Boston Celtics; one of the most successful dynasties in league history. In part two…

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29 | The Big Dipper: Wilt Chamberlain | Part l 30:20

5M ago30:20

30:20

Wilt Chamberlain is the greatest basketball player ever. This may sound like a controversial statement to some and even heresy to others, but reporters Shaun Assael and Peter Keating can prove it. They unearth archival footage, get a little help from Reddit and enlist data scientists to gather new and more accurate stats from Wilt's career. And tho…

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28 | Sneaker Con: The Kicks Controversy | Part II 37:54

5M ago37:54

37:54

In part two of Sneaker Con, the other shoe drops. Michael Malekzadeh’s alleged scheme comes to light and his company, Zadeh Kicks goes under. With thousands of orders left to be filled, Reporters David Gardner and Diana Moskovitz visit the former Zadeh Kick’s warehouse, and go to Michael Malekzadeh’s parent’s house looking for answers. See Privacy …

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27 | Sneaker Con: The Kicks Controversy | Part I 32:10

5M ago32:10

32:10

Social media sensation and sneaker reseller Michael Malekzadeh helmed Zadeh Kicks, an online company that netted $6 million a month. He was at the top of his game until the U.S. Department of Justice accused Malekzadeh of running a Ponzi scheme. The unregulated sneaker reselling market is projected to reach $30 billion in sales by 2030 and everyone…

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26 | The Imposter: 10 Feet from Stardom | Part II 35:01

6M ago35:01

35:01

The legend of Rashun Richardson's rise to high school basketball glory crumbles, and a much older man named Sidney Gilstrap-Portley is left to pick up the pieces. What starts as a tale of deceit and second chances, turns into an introspective look at who gets to profit from someone's story. In part two of The Imposter, reporter Max Marshall conclud…

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25 | The Imposter: 10 Feet from Stardom | Part I 40:50

6M ago40:50

40:50

In 2017, Rashun Richardson enrolled as a freshman at Hillcrest High School in Dallas. He claimed to be a Hurricane Harvey refugee from South Houston who had just lost his home, and everything else along with it. Just a few weeks later, Rashun became the star of the Hillcrest Panthers varsity basketball team, perennial losers who suddenly found them…

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24 | The Mighty Bucks | Part lll 51:50

6M ago51:50

51:50

In part three of The Mighty Bucks, the Pinebridge Bucks try to weather the storms of a losing season, dwindling ticket sales and a steep drop in team morale. But the Buck's survival is crucial to the health of all of professional hockey, whether the owner Robert Bailey knows it or not. Could a new coach mean a fresh start for the fledgling team? Re…

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23 | The Mighty Bucks | Part ll 45:06

6M ago45:06

45:06

In part two of The Mighty Bucks, the town of Spruce Pine falls in love with the Pinebridge Bucks, even if the stands are full of novice hockey fans. The Bucks players become local celebrities around Spruce Pine, as the Bucks represent a first step and even a last hope for NHL prospects. The financial realities of fielding a professional sports team…

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22 | The Mighty Bucks | Part l 37:29

6M ago37:29

37:29

In 1983, Spruce Pine, North Carolina set a record for the smallest town to ever have a professional sports team, a record that remains intact to this day. In an act of perseverance and blind ambition, a remote town of only 2,000 residents ended up with a 5,000-seat hockey stadium. In part one of The Mighty Bucks, reporters Sean and Louise Flynn int…

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21 | Dynasty: The Legend of the Brecksville Bees 35:30

7M ago35:30

35:30

In a westside suburb of Cleveland called Brecksville, nothing is more important than football. Well, football and gymnastics. The girls gymnastics team at Brecksville-Broadview Heights has won every single state title since 2002. In Dynasty: The Legend of the Brecksville Bees, reporter Nina Mandell looks back at how the team rose to dominance— star…

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20 | Cheering for Themselves: The Rise of Competitive Cheerleading | Part II 27:22

7M ago27:22

27:22

After budget cuts put the fate of the Quinnipiac University women’s volleyball team in jeopardy, the players dug in against an unlikely opponent: competitive cheerleading. The battle didn’t take place on a court, though. It took place IN one. In 2009, the volleyballers, along with the ACLU, sued to have cheerleading officially nixed as an NCAA spor…

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19 | Cheering for Themselves: The Rise of Competitive Cheerleading | Part I 29:03

7M ago29:03

29:03

In the early 2000s, a group of coaches banded together to try to make cheerleading an official NCAA varsity sport. But it turns out that was no small feat. The torchbearers faced sexism, disrespect, and a powerful corporation hell-bent on keeping cheerleaders on the sidelines. In part one of Cheering For Themselves, reporters Rose Eveleth and Lisa …

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18 | Shanghai Sharks: Yao Ming Finds a Coach 52:57

7M ago52:57

52:57

Yao Ming was the number one pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, and he came in with the hope of the entire country of China behind him. Basketball had become a hugely successful American export in the country, and Ming was the face of the confluence between cultures and continents. But after his playing career ended, Ming flipped the script, bringing a tal…

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17 | The Bison Project | Part lll 41:45

8M ago41:45

41:45

After suffering sanctions and scrutiny, the Howard University soccer team rises to the top again, earning another chance to play for the national championship in 1974. A win would be redemption for the Bison, who believe they were targeted unfairly. Reporter Mark Wright dives back into the story with five decades of hindsight to examine the NCAA's …

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16 | The Bison Project | Part ll 26:40

8M ago26:40

26:40

Shortly after the championship parties die down, the NCAA makes a grave announcement about the Howard University soccer team, alleging that some of Howard's players weren't eligible to be college athletes. The NCAA strips Howard of its '71 title and denies the players their glory, their White House visit, and their place in history. See Privacy Pol…

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15 | The Bison Project | Part l 39:12

8M ago39:12

39:12

Ian Bain and Alvin Henderson were just boys when they first met on the schoolyard soccer fields in Trinidad. They battled on the field with the same common goal, to become professional footballers. Years later, the duo is recruited to come to the United States and play soccer for the Howard University Bison. Together, they are the young anchors of …

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14 | Volley and Serve: From Wimbledon to the Front Lines | Part II 46:56

8M ago46:56

46:56

In part two of Volley and Serve, reporter Tim Rohan shows the real consequences of Sergiy Stakhovsky's decision to join the Ukrainian Army to fight against Russia. The choice destroyed his marriage. Every mission could be his last. Troops are dwindling, too. And he's now being sent out to fight in one of the most deadly battlefields of the war. Won…

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13 | Volley and Serve: From Wimbledon to the Front Lines | Part I 37:46

8M ago37:46

37:46

Ukrainian tennis player Sergiy Stakhovsky gained fame when he upset Roger Federer at the 2013 Wimbledon Championships. Stakhovsky carved out a solid tennis career that lasted nearly 20 years, and earned more than $5 million in prize money. But after retiring from tennis in 2022, Stakhovsky heard the news that Russia was invading Ukraine, and decide…

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12 | The Fixer: After the Astros | Part II 24:17

9M ago24:17

24:17

Disgraced former Houston Astros general manager Jeff Luhnow takes the reigns of a cherished, but downtrodden, professional soccer team in suburban Madrid. But can the man who built a championship baseball team by mining in the depths of Central and South American talent do the same by recruiting young African soccer players? And will Luhnow's contr…

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11 | The Fixer: After the Astros | Part I 28:24

9M ago28:24

28:24

In 2017, Major League Baseball implicated the Houston Astros in a sign-stealing scandal that rocked the sport, right after they'd won the World Series. At the center of the controversy was the team's general manager, Jeff Luhnow. In the wake of the scandal, the Astros cut ties with Luhnow, who still maintains his innocence. Reporter Josh Lewin trac…

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10 | The Perfect Game 42:34

9M ago42:34

42:34

Curt Schilling did something many Boston fans thought was impossible. He led the Red Sox to their first World Series title since 1918, finally destroying the dreaded Curse of the Bambino. And he did it with an ankle so injured, it visibly bled through his socks on live television. This larger than life accomplishment made many people believe he cou…

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9 | Running on Water | Part II 40:22

9M ago40:22

40:22

A scary swim shakes creek boater Anna Wagner's confidence. She must decide whether or not to leave the world of extreme kayaking behind. But can she live a fulfilled life without it? Our second part of Running on Water drops us back into the world of creek boating, and into a decision that will forever shape Anna's life. Wondery Plus subscribers ca…

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8 | Running on Water | Part I 35:33

10M ago35:33

35:33

Girl meets river. River meets girl. The two hit it off. Girl falls in love. She moves to a town minutes from it. Her life revolves around the river. Life is perfect. But when a gnarly rapid on the river nearly kills her, she must rethink her relationship. Paddle back in, or leave it behind for good? In part one of Running on Water, Sarah Fox introd…

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7 | The Skullman Cometh 52:34

10M ago52:34

52:34

When Lithuania broke off from the Soviet Union, they wanted revenge. Their players had led the USSR to gold medal glory. And now, ahead of the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, the Lithuanian men's basketball team had the chance to win for their own country. One problem? The country was broke and couldn’t afford to send them to the Olympic Games. The tea…

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6 | The Real Jay Mullen | Part II 39:18

10M ago39:18

39:18

In part two of The Real Jay Mullen, CIA operative Jay Mullen finds himself in trouble when the ruler of Uganda launches a campaign to force Asians out of the country, resulting in a genocide that would kill an estimated 500,000 people. As Mullen tries to save family friends, he also has to coach the Ugandan National team against a team of Soviet pr…

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5 | The Real Jay Mullen | Part I 26:30

10M ago26:30

26:30

In 1972, in the middle of the Cold War, the Soviet military sent a team of all-stars to Kampala to compete in three goodwill basketball games against Uganda’s top players. But the Soviets, who were hoping to curry favor with the leader of the new regime, Idi Amin, didn’t know that the Ugandan national team was being coached by an undercover America…

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4 | Good Company 47:40

11M ago47:40

47:40

Long summer nights and baseball on the radio. Like many other Baltimore Orioles fans of his generation, host Sam Dingman grew up listening with his dad to Jon Miller, Chuck Thompson, and the voice of his childhood, Fred Manfra, calling play-by-play on the radio. The story of every Orioles game became the story of Sam learning how to communicate wit…

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3 | Spider's Web | Part II 39:35

11M ago39:35

39:35

In part two of Spider's Web, reporter Gloria Liu travels down the winding slopes of recollection and rumor to discover a decades-held secret about Spider Sabich that completely alters the skier's legacy. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.…

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2 | Spider's Web | Part I 50:52

11M ago50:52

50:52

American Alpine skier Vladimir Peter Sabich became a sensation at the 1968 Winter Olympics. He had movie-star good looks, a famous girlfriend, and even a cool nickname—Spider. His ascent to the top of the skiing world matched the sport's own growth into the global spotlight. But at just age 31, Spider Sabich's life was cut short by a loaded .22, he…

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1 | The Engineer 34:28

11M ago34:28

34:28

As a kid, Kieran Morris, a cheeky lad from Liverpool, loved pulling pranks to fool the press. When England played Honduras in a friendly soccer match, he found a young player on the Honduran side, inflated his stats on Wikipedia to equal those of a young Messi and Ronaldo, and then dubbed the player the “Honduran Maradona.” Sky News, a top outlet, …

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Introducing: Sports Explains the World 2:15

11M ago2:15

2:15

Sports Explains the World unveils some of the wildest and most surprising sports stories you’ve never heard. And they’re all true. From the unemployed history teacher turned CIA agent and Uganda national basketball coach, to the teenager who invented a mythical athlete…then watched him sign a million-dollar deal, these stories will amaze and move y…

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