Episode 162: The Skirvin Hotel – The Grande Dame’s Double Life

"I don't think it's haunted. I think NBA players are just a bunch of sissies." — Petra Germany, Skirvin Artist-in-Residence

In this episode, we step inside the revolving doors of Oklahoma City’s most storied landmark: The Skirvin Hilton. From its 1911 debut as the "Waldorf of the Heartland" to its dark years as a boarded-up ruin, the Skirvin has mirrored the boom-and-bust soul of Oklahoma itself.

We trace the vision of oil tycoon W.B. Skirvin, a man who didn't let Prohibition dampen the party, installing a statue of Bacchus in the lobby and allegedly running a high-stakes speakeasy on the 10th floor. We also highlight the hotel's pivotal role in the Civil Rights movement, marking the moment in 1958 when activist Clara Luper led the charge to make the Skirvin the first fully integrated major hotel in the city.

But luxury and legacy aren't the only things checking in. We dive deep into the "Spooks" that have made the Skirvin a legendary adversary for the NBA. Is there any truth to the tragic tale of Effie, the ghost of a desperate maid, or is she a folk legend born from the hotel's colorful past?

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Architecture of Ambition: How Gothic Revival style and $100,000 Austrian chandeliers defined Oklahoma luxury.

• Prohibition & Perle Mesta: Secret tunnels, "The Hostess with the Mostess," and a 99% perfect restaurant score.

• The NBA vs. The 10th Floor: Why stars like Kyrie Irving, Lou Williams, and Metta World Peace are terrified of this hotel (and why the resident artist thinks they're "sissies").

• Fact vs. Folklore: Uncovering the real-life tragedies of the Skirvin, from the 1903 murder of the real Effie to the mysterious death of manager Frederick Scherubel.

Sources:

• Haunted Oklahoma by Jeff Provine

• BBC

• Abandoned Oklahoma

Episode 161: Jim Thorpe Pt. 2 – The Bright Path Beyond the Gold

In the conclusion of our two-part series, we follow Jim Thorpe as he hangs up his cleats and heads west to the silver screen. While the world remembers him as the "greatest athlete in the world," this episode explores the gritty, complex, and often heartbreaking chapters of his life that followed his Olympic and professional sports career.

From the glitz of Hollywood to the halls of Washington D.C., and finally to a controversial resting place in a town he never visited, we trace the "Bright Path" of a man who spent his final decades fighting for the dignity of his people.

• Hollywood & Activism: Discover Jim’s prolific film career, appearing in over 70 movies. We dive into his role as a pioneer for authentic Indigenous representation, his fight against "Redface," and his work founding the Indian Center in Los Angeles.

• The Lobbyist: Hear how Thorpe used his fame and speaking fees to lobby the federal government for Sac and Fox land rights, earning the title Akapamata (Caregiver).

• Personal Triumphs and Tragedies: A deep look at Jim’s three marriages, his eight children—including the activist legacy of his daughter Grace—and his lifelong battle with alcoholism and poverty during the Great Depression.

• A "Stolen" Legacy: The shocking story of Jim’s 1953 funeral, where his third wife, Patricia, interrupted traditional Sac and Fox rites to "shop" his remains to a Pennsylvania coal town in search of a monument Oklahoma refused to build.

• Justice Delayed: The 110-year journey to restore Jim as the sole gold medalist of the 1912 Olympics, finally achieved in 2022.

• The Path Forward: We highlight the modern-day efforts of his descendants and the Sac and Fox Nation to bring his "bones" home, alongside upcoming film projects produced by LeBron James and Angelina Jolie.

"His mother named him Wa-Tho-Huk, meaning 'Bright Path.' Though that path was often shadowed by tragedy and systemic racism, it remains a beacon for Indigenous athletes and activists today."

• 70+: The number of films Thorpe appeared in between 1931 and 1950.

• 110 Years: The time it took for the IOC to officially reinstate him as the sole gold medalist (1912–2022).

• 1982: The year the "30-day rule" was discovered, proving his disqualification was illegal.

• $2,000: The annual scholarship amount currently offered by the Jim Thorpe Memorial Foundation to Native youth.

Sources:

• Olympics - Jim Thorpe

• Oklahoma Historical Society

• United States Olympic and Paralympics Museum

• CBS News

• Pro Football Hall of Fame

• Path Lit By Lightning by David Maraniss
  

Episode 160: Jim Thorpe – The Bright Path of an American Icon

"Sir, you are the greatest athlete in the world." — King Gustav V of Sweden to Jim Thorpe, 1912.

This episode explores the Herculean life of James Francis Thorpe (Wa-Tho-Huk), a man whose athletic dominance was so absolute that he redefined the limits of human potential. From the rugged wilderness of Oklahoma to the podiums of Stockholm, Thorpe’s journey is a testament to resilience in the face of systemic erasure.

• A Natural Foundation: Born in a log cabin in Indian Territory (1887/1888), Thorpe’s childhood was his training ground. He developed legendary lung capacity by swimming the North Canadian River and explosive power by chasing wild horses.

• The Weight of Loss: The tragic death of his twin brother, Charlie, and later his parents, fueled a "restless disposition" that manifested in his habit of running hundreds of miles to escape the rigid discipline of Indian boarding schools.

• The Street-Clothes Legend: In 1907, Thorpe walked onto a track in overalls and a dress shirt, borrowed shoes, and immediately shattered the school high jump record at 5' 9".

• Pop Warner’s Protégé: Under the legendary coach, Thorpe became a "one-man track team" and a football terror. He famously scored all 18 points in the 1911 upset against Harvard and once eluded 30 varsity players in a single drill to prove his toughness.

• The Mismatched Shoes: After his shoes were stolen on the morning of his events, Thorpe scavenged two different shoes from a trash bin, wearing extra socks to make them fit. He still won gold in both the Pentathlon and Decathlon.

• The Statistical Margin: In the decathlon, he scored 8,412.95 points, beating the runner-up by nearly 700 points—a record that remained untouched for 36 years.

• The Non-Citizen Champion: Ironically, as a Native American, Thorpe was not legally a U.S. citizen when he won gold; the Indian Citizenship Act didn't pass until 1924.

• The Scandal: In 1913, the AAU stripped his medals over a technicality: he had earned roughly $25 a week playing minor-league baseball, a common practice college athletes usually hid under aliases. Thorpe, famously honest, used his real name.

  • Three-Sport Titan:

  • • MLB: Played six seasons, ending with a .327 average in his final 60 games.

    • NFL: Helped found the league; served as the first president of the APFA (now the NFL) in 1920.

    • The Oorang Indians: Led an all-Native American NFL team that featured halftime shows of tomahawk throwing and bear wrestling.

Jim Thorpe wasn't just an athlete; he was a political and cultural symbol. While American officials sought to strip his identity and his medals, his competitors—the very men who "won" by default—refused to accept his titles, recognizing him as the sole true champion. His medals were finally restored in 1982, and in 2022, he was officially reinstated as the sole winner of his 1912 events.

Sources:

• Olympics - Jim Thorpe

• Oklahoma Historical Society

• United States Olympic and Paralympics Museum

• CBS News

• Pro Football Hall of Fame

• Path Lit By Lightning by David Maraniss

In a departure from our usual schedule, this week we are slowing down to look backward. Driven by a surge of missing persons reports, and a personal desire to cut through the noise of a busy season, we are revisiting three names that the world has begun to whisper, but must never forget.

"Time heals all wounds" is a lie told to those who aren't waiting for a phone call that never comes. In this episode, we explore why a case only truly goes "cold" when the public stops looking. We discuss the shifting landscape of 2026, where forensic genealogy is turning decades-old dead ends into DNA matches, and why your memory of a "minor" detail from years ago might be the final piece of a family's puzzle.

We also take a quick look at 3 "cold" Oklahoma cases:

• Billy “Wild Bill” Lange (2016): A ranch hand with a steady routine who vanished from a job site near Binger, Oklahoma. His truck was found abandoned on I-40, but Bill—and his cracked glasses—were nowhere to be found.

• James Curt “Kirt” Peavy (2016): He walked away from a home in Broken Bow with a payroll check in his pocket and never looked back. Ten years later, his family is still haunted by a three-minute call from a blocked number that serves as his final footprint.

• Ondre Vondell Ogans (2007): A Tulsa man who left on a bicycle to meet a friend and never returned. We discuss the suspicious circumstances of his disappearance and the fears that he may have been targeted for his sexual orientation.

We break down the data driving modern investigations:

• The Scale: There are currently over 26,200 active missing persons cases and 15,480 unidentified remains in the NamUs system.

• The Hope: Forensic science is peaking. In 2025 alone, breakthroughs in degraded DNA samples solved multiple "Jane Doe" cases from the 70s and 80s.

• The Power of You: A 1% increase in the national homicide clearance rate means hundreds of families get answers. Public awareness is the fuel for that progress.

Justice doesn't have an expiration date. If you traveled I-40 in March 2016, or lived in Broken Bow or Tulsa during these disappearances, listen closely. You might be the witness who doesn't know they are one.

"To those who are missing: we are still looking. We haven't forgotten you, and we won't stop until your story has its final sentence."

Links & Resources:

• OSBI Cold Case Tipline: (580) 248-4050

• Tulsa Police Department: (918) 596-9143

• National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Sources:

• NameUS

• OSBI Cold Cases

• OK Cold Cases

• The Charley Project

• Missing & Murdered FB Page

• TPD Unsolved Crimes

Episode 158: The "Belle" of Rogers County – The Belvidere Mansion

In this episode, we travel to Claremore, Oklahoma, to explore the Belvidere Mansion, a three-story Victorian Gothic "castle" with a history as grand as its four turrets. Built at the turn of the 20th century by wealthy entrepreneur John Melville Bayless, this 9,000-square-foot masterpiece was meant to be a dream home—but it quickly became a site of tragedy and transition.

From its origins as a high-society residence to its stints as a specialized hospital for "blood diseases" and a 12-unit apartment complex, the Belvidere has seen it all. We dive into the life of the ambitious Bayless family, the eerie "Kooky Facts" surrounding the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair materials hidden in the walls, and the heartbreaking string of deaths that left the mansion filled with more than just memories.

The Highlights--

• The Visionary: The story of John Melville Bayless, the man who built Claremore's infrastructure but died just six months before his "dream home" was finished.

• Architectural Salvage: How pieces of the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair ended up as permanent fixtures in an Oklahoma mansion.

• The Darker Years: The mansion’s transformation into the Cinnabar Hospital in 1919 and its eventual slide into disrepair as a "condemned hazard."

• The Residents Who Never Left: From the "friendly" ghost of John Bayless greeting guests on the porch to the tragic, lingering presence of his daughter Bland and the "distraught woman" of the 1940s.

• Modern Day: A look at the mansion's rebirth via the Rogers County Historical Society, featuring a tea room (The Pink House), a genealogical library, and a ballroom that still hosts weddings today.

Spook Scale--

We discuss the "hotspots" identified by paranormal investigators, including:

• The Basement: Disembodied footsteps and "ghost stick figures" captured on SLS cameras.

• The Second Floor: The most active area, where visitors report the sensation of a rope burn on their necks and whispers asking, "Who are you?"

• The Self-Flushing Toilets: Because even spirits appreciate indoor plumbing.

Plan Your Visit--

If you’re brave enough to visit the Belvidere in person, here is what’s on the 2026 calendar:

• Dine: Grab lunch at The Pink House (Mon–Sat, 11 AM – 2 PM).

• Events:

• • Stargazers Gathering: March 12, 2026.

  • Nightcap at the Belvidere (Tales of the Macabre): April 26, 2026.

  • Kentucky Derby Garden Party: May 3, 2026.

Sources:

• Rogers County Historical Society

• TravelOK

• Legends of America

• Claremore Museum of History

• Ghosts and Legends of Oklahoma by Mike Ricksecker

• Oklahoma's Haunted Route 66 by Tanya McCoy

• OHS - Claremore

Episode 157: OK Black Rodeo – The Dust, The Duty, and The Dynasty

In this episode, Tiff kicks up the red dirt of Oklahoma to uncover a history often "whitewashed" out of the Hollywood Western: the formidable legacy of the Black cowboy. From the "Soul Circuit" of all-Black towns to the modern-day "Super Bowls" of rodeo, we explore how Oklahoma became the epicenter of a movement where skill met defiance.

We dive into the linguistic origins of the word "cowboy"—originally a derogatory label that Black riders reclaimed as a badge of honor—and trace the 100-year history of the Boley Rodeo, a Memorial Day tradition born in one of America's wealthiest historic all-Black towns.

• The 1-in-4 Statistic: Despite mainstream narratives, roughly 25% of cowboys on the 19th-century trail were Black. Oklahoma’s unique status as Indian Territory made it a sanctuary for skilled Black, Native American, and Mexican riders.

• Boley & Okmulgee: We break down the differences between these two titans. Boley is the historical soul, while Okmulgee (home of the Roy LeBlanc Invitational) is the professional heart.

• The Legend of Bill Pickett: Meet the "Dusky Demon," the Oklahoman who revolutionized the sport by inventing bulldogging (steer wrestling)—a technique inspired by herding dogs.

• Modern Shifts: We discuss the major 2026 news: the Roy LeBlanc Invitational's historic move from Okmulgee to Shawnee to accommodate its massive, growing audience.

If you're ready to trade the headphones for the grandstands, we’ve got your 2026 roadmap. So listen in as we celebrate the "Soul Circuit"—a world where the DJ plays R&B, the BBQ is legendary, and the riders are some of the best in the world.

Sources:

• University of Illinois

• Oklahoma State University

• Tamron Hall Show

• Boley Rodeo

• Bill Pickett Rodeo

• MVSKOKE Media

Podcast Episode 156: The Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken Tragedy

In this chilling episode, we travel back to the summer of 1992 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to revisit a crime that shattered the sense of safety in a tight-knit community. Lee’s Famous Recipe Chicken wasn't just a restaurant; it was a "fried chicken royalty" landmark with direct ties to Colonel Sanders himself. But on August 17, that legacy of hospitality was met with unthinkable violence.

We detail the harrowing "execution-style" robbery that left four young employees dead in a walk-in cooler—all for a sum of just $2,000. From the "inside man" who planned the heist to the rapid-fire investigation and the 14-year legal battle that followed, we examine how one night changed Tulsa forever.

What You'll Hear in This Episode:

• The Legend of Lee’s: The fascinating history of Lee Cummings, the nephew of Colonel Harland Sanders, and how his family built a 42-year legacy at the corner of 9th and Sheridan.

• The "Kooky" Connection: How the Tulsa franchise owners were actually part of the extended Sanders family and why the community viewed the staff and regular patrons as one big family.

• A Planned Betrayal: The role of Donnie Daniels, a former employee who used his knowledge of closing procedures and the store safe to lead three others into a deadly trap.

• The Crime & The Victims: A somber tribute to the four lives lost: Joey Gooch (17), Ted Kindley (19), Stephen Williams (24), and Sendy Lara (27).

• The Investigation: How a suspicious security guard and a blue Chevrolet led Tulsa PD to identify and arrest all four suspects within just 48 hours.

• Justice and Appeals: A breakdown of the trials, the "Felony Murder Rule," and the final, controversial words of triggerman Corey Hamilton before his 2007 execution.

Key Facts & "Kooky" Insights:

• The Take-Home Price: When Lee’s first opened in 1966, a full three-piece chicken box with all the fixings cost just $1.25.

• The Inside Knowledge: The killers didn't wear masks because two of them were certain the employees would recognize them regardless—a chilling detail that foreshadowed their intent.

• A Community Staple: Despite the horror of 1992, the restaurant reopened and thrived for another 20 years, finally closing its doors in 2012.

"These four beautiful people were put on their knees and executed like they were a piece of trash... He had no remorse. None at all." — Janice Ramsey, mother of victim Stephen Williams.

Sources:

• News on 6

• The Oklahoman

• Find Law.com

• The Oklahoman - Taped Confessions

• The Oklahoman

• The New York Times

• Wikipedia

• Murderpedia

• OCCA

Episode 155: The Ghosts of Fort Sill

Is it possible for a military base to never truly "close," but instead just layer century after century of restless energy into the soil?

In this episode, we are heading to Lawton, Oklahoma, to explore Fort Sill. Unlike other frontier posts that were abandoned to the elements, Fort Sill has been continuously active since 1869. It has evolved from a horseback frontier outpost to a high-tech artillery hub—but it has never quite managed to shake its past.

From its founding by General Philip Sheridan and George Armstrong Custer to its dark days as a prisoner-of-war camp for Geronimo and the Chiricahua Apaches, Fort Sill is a pressure cooker of American history. We dive into the "Old Post Quadrangle," built by the legendary Buffalo Soldiers, and explore why this site is considered one of the most haunted military installations in the United States.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Founding & The "Peace Policy": How a tent city became the epicenter of the Indian Wars.

• The Sherman Incident: The bloody struggle on a front porch that almost cost a General his life.

• Geronimo’s Final Years: The truth behind his death and the chilling "Skull and Bones" legend surrounding his grave.

• The Most Haunted Locations: From the "rocking chair lady" in the Sherman House to the phantom riders on the Cavalry Parade Field.

• Modern Shadows: Why current trainees still report "shadow people" and phantom drumbeats in the barracks today.

Whether it’s the spirit of a mother searching for her lost children or the rhythmic cadence of a 19th-century bugle call, Fort Sill proves that some soldiers never truly finish their watch.

Want to see the "Gun Park" or walk the haunted quadrangle yourself? Check out our show sources for info on Fort Sill’s historical walking tours and a list of the episodes mentioned in today's show (Ft. Washita #26, Ft. Reno #45, and Quanah Parker #132).

Sources:

• Army Family and MWR Site: Ft Sill

• Ghosts and Legends of Oklahoma by Mike Ricksecker

• US Army

• KWSO 7News

• X94