The Note Stack: 6.30.26

The Note Stack: 6.30.26

This month on The Note Stack we talk about some new research on Homo naledi burials, a Japanese Hell Ship, a mystery cave painting, and the reconstruction of the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Instead of Listener Comments Chris tells us the tale of the WWII Devil Duck (yes, she was a real duck) and then we share our Substack picks and what we are reading and watching. News Roundup Homo Naledi Burial Scientists have successfully extracted ancient proteins from the tooth enamel of Homo naledi fossils for the first time, leading to a surprising discovery. None of the 20 individuals studied showed evidence of protein from the Y chromosome, suggesting they may all have been biologically female. Because this new technique works even when ancient DNA has long since broken down, researchers now think the South African cave could have been an intentional female-only burial site more than 300,000 years ago-possibly the oldest known example of sex-specific burial practices. Scientists caution that there are other possible explanations, including a rare genetic mutation, but the discovery gives researchers an exciting new way to study our ancient relatives. It also adds another intriguing chapter to the ongoing debate over whether Homo naledi, despite its relatively small brain, deliberately buried its dead and displayed other surprisingly complex social behaviors. Original article here [https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/homo-naledi-female-proteins-fossils] and here [https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/homo-naledi-female-proteins-fossils] Japanese Hell Ship More than 80 years after one of World War II's lesser-known maritime tragedies, researchers have finally located the wreck of the Japanese "hell ship" Hōfuku Maru off the coast of the Philippines. On September 21, 1944, the unmarked cargo ship was carrying more than 1,200 British and Dutch prisoners of war-many of them survivors of the brutal Burma-Thailand Death Railway-when it was mistakenly attacked by U.S. aircraft that had no way of knowing POWs were on board. The ship split in two and sank in less than three minutes, killing more than 1,000 prisoners. By combining newly discovered Japanese wartime records with Allied reports and underwater surveys, researchers were finally able to confirm the wreck's identity. Now protected as a war grave, the site stands as a sobering reminder of the terrible conditions endured aboard Japan's infamous "hell ships" and the heartbreaking tragedies that can occur in the fog of war. Original article here [https://www.iflscience.com/in-1944-over-1000-allied-pows-sunk-on-a-hell-ship-82-years-on-theyve-just-found-the-wreck-83847] Mysterious Tusked Monster A new study suggests that a mysterious 200-year-old rock painting created by the San people of South Africa may actually depict a dicynodont, a tusked, mammal-like animal that went extinct more than 200 million years ago. The creature in the "Horned Serpent" panel has downward-pointing tusks and other features that closely resemble dicynodont fossils found throughout the nearby Karoo Basin. Researchers believe the San may have discovered these fossils and incorporated them into their art and spiritual traditions, an idea the authors call Indigenous paleontology. The study adds to growing evidence that Indigenous peoples recognized fossils and wove them into their stories and beliefs long before Western scientists began studying and naming these ancient animals. Read the article here [https://www.iflscience.com/200-year-old-rock-art-of-a-tusked-monster-may-depict-an-extinct-creature-that-vanished-200-million-years-ago-83850] and the journal article here [https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0309908] Reconstructing the Lighthouse of Alexandria Archaeologists have recovered 22 massive stone blocks from the submerged ruins of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Some of these enormous blocks weigh up to 88 tons and include pieces of the lighthouse's entrance, foundation, and tower. By combining these newly recovered stones with underwater surveys, historical records, and advanced 3D scanning technology, researchers with the PHAROS Project hope to create the most accurate virtual reconstruction of the lighthouse ever attempted. More than 700 years after earthquakes brought it crashing into the Mediterranean Sea, one of history's greatest engineering marvels is finally beginning to reveal what it really looked like. Read the article here [https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/new-updates/lost-for-700-years-one-of-the-seven-wonders-is-emerging-from-the-sea-again-as-22-giant-blocks-help-solve-a-2000-year-old-mystery/articleshow/131936754.cms?utm_source=chatgpt.com&from=mdr#google_vignette] Also, the new Sultana Disaster Museum is opening November 14, 2026! Instead of Listener Comments… Instead of listener comments this week, Chris tells us about the infamous Devil Duck of WWII. [https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2022/11/23/the-marine-who-was-a-duck-yes-an-actual-duck/] Featured Substacks Tina’s Pick: Dennis Bodzash [https://substack.com/@dennisbodzash] Chris’ Pick: Lauren Ciccomascolo [https://substack.com/@laurencicco] Watching/Reading List Mostly, we are watching World Cup games and of course, Europeans visiting Buc-ees and trying Ranch dressing. Check out Side Quest Dad [https://www.tiktok.com/@sidequestdad] for some fun soccer/Kansas City content Tina is reading: Red, White, and Royal Blue [https://www.amazon.com/Red-White-Royal-Blue-Novel-ebook/dp/B07J4LPZRN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1R9J62D0SHJ5I&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.hMDkfdpcL0cU7X8uH-TcsnNAPG2baVCcEdUKcEof1oo6LJYhmRNFIaGf42Dl_zv7EtcPlECdIebL9EZGRzVwo0exQapJ1N9xn_N-mAilPRM9fTSbUq5mDxypS-k_ZjhA9tJaOBpp88RXeZeCCf4so1eYk9_N0SlLJs3qLNDYBMW9LYtrC0KNqDHXpG-iUFLZWGo1Og6m39KRwKZCJ_m0LtS_e3qVc-NrkSPHiwuC4lo.vm0kClsg3COdUYSd-YrZMMMc2Na6nozhFCLQrKAcwbQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=red+white+and+royal+blue+book&qid=1782792067&sprefix=red+white+and+roya%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1] by Casey McQuiston [https://www.amazon.com/Red-White-Royal-Blue-Novel-ebook/dp/B07J4LPZRN/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1R9J62D0SHJ5I&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.hMDkfdpcL0cU7X8uH-TcsnNAPG2baVCcEdUKcEof1oo6LJYhmRNFIaGf42Dl_zv7EtcPlECdIebL9EZGRzVwo0exQapJ1N9xn_N-mAilPRM9fTSbUq5mDxypS-k_ZjhA9tJaOBpp88RXeZeCCf4so1eYk9_N0SlLJs3qLNDYBMW9LYtrC0KNqDHXpG-iUFLZWGo1Og6m39KRwKZCJ_m0LtS_e3qVc-NrkSPHiwuC4lo.vm0kClsg3COdUYSd-YrZMMMc2Na6nozhFCLQrKAcwbQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=red+white+and+royal+blue+book&qid=1782792067&sprefix=red+white+and+roya%2Caps%2C153&sr=8-1] Do Aliens Speak Physics [https://www.amazon.com/Do-Aliens-Speak-Physics-Questions-ebook/dp/B0DXQDMXZM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=FEFRAK2JPWQI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.GRNlstTQa9E6EVVcrcOSji57lA6OgtvArrHhjMcess7gOTo33hLMGv7sxEJNBIB6.YuhcUVQW8KBLM42J0WlEUuDKygKpzINpotdHOwlc1uU&dib_tag=se&keywords=do+aliens+speak+physics&qid=1782792111&sprefix=do+ali%2Caps%2C146&sr=8-1] by Daniel Whiteson and Andy Warner [https://www.amazon.com/Do-Aliens-Speak-Physics-Questions-ebook/dp/B0DXQDMXZM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=FEFRAK2JPWQI&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.GRNlstTQa9E6EVVcrcOSji57lA6OgtvArrHhjMcess7gOTo33hLMGv7sxEJNBIB6.YuhcUVQW8KBLM42J0WlEUuDKygKpzINpotdHOwlc1uU&dib_tag=se&keywords=do+aliens+speak+physics&qid=1782792111&sprefix=do+ali%2Caps%2C146&sr=8-1] When the Heavens Went on Sale [https://www.amazon.com/When-Heavens-Went-Sale-Geniuses-ebook/dp/B0B9SLZX9M/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5XD2D2090DK0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.76HDqEf55cEkAtWU4guBfM4WrQvN7_FHZ7fFwOg4DeR-enwG2TDoBwxC19Of9_SExRJt7JCD6iuszOI5mFwWKJ1qIu1ZDDNfCDyi0l8VyjE3U9wCNVkX-66es8Oa78OfLmO-bZVd25W7-y6DlA-781eJM-AYUpp2FYWQja4RmIrJUTXTfZHEB2bYenXkr4TZa0t1W0zFc49jc97LL7rTHvJ0rLilNDwz7y2z3Vzfqrg.2mqt07EUTJixpR2vayLxbRr4JM-hmBIl0T2v9Pk2VR4&dib_tag=se&keywords=when+the+heavens+went+on+sale+book&qid=1782792164&sprefix=when+the+heavens+we%2Caps%2C243&sr=8-1] by Ashlee Vance [https://www.amazon.com/When-Heavens-Went-Sale-Geniuses-ebook/dp/B0B9SLZX9M/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5XD2D2090DK0&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.76HDqEf55cEkAtWU4guBfM4WrQvN7_FHZ7fFwOg4DeR-enwG2TDoBwxC19Of9_SExRJt7JCD6iuszOI5mFwWKJ1qIu1ZDDNfCDyi0l8VyjE3U9wCNVkX-66es8Oa78OfLmO-bZVd25W7-y6DlA-781eJM-AYUpp2FYWQja4RmIrJUTXTfZHEB2bYenXkr4TZa0t1W0zFc49jc97LL7rTHvJ0rLilNDwz7y2z3Vzfqrg.2mqt07EUTJixpR2vayLxbRr4JM-hmBIl0T2v9Pk2VR4&dib_tag=se&keywords=when+the+heavens+went+on+sale+book&qid=1782792164&sprefix=when+the+heavens+we%2Caps%2C243&sr=8-1] Chris is watching: Alex Hormozi [https://www.youtube.com/@AlexHormozi] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fantasticfootnotes.substack.com [https://fantasticfootnotes.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The History Behind Some of World Cup's Most Famous Games

Soccer is truly a worldwide sport, which sometimes comes with worldwide issues. Today we’re going to talk a little bit about how politics affects international soccer. From outright bans and boycotts to contentious, and potentially contentious, games, let’s see how the World Cup has been shaped by politics. Let’s start with teams that have been outright banned. 1950 – Germany and Japan Germany and Japan were banned because of sanctions following World War II. Interestingly enough, both East and West Germany were barred from participating. 1970–1990 – South Africa South Africa was banned because of apartheid. It was actually illegal to have mixed-race sports teams in South Africa, and foreign countries were required to bring all-white teams into the country to play. South Africa eventually hosted the World Cup in 2010 and gave us what is, in my opinion, the greatest World Cup song ever: Waka Waka [https://youtu.be/pRpeEdMmmQ0?si=4oTObP93nzZ5qRts] by Shakira. 1994 – Yugoslavia FIFA banned Yugoslavia from participating in the 1994 World Cup because of United Nations sanctions related to the wars in the Balkans, particularly the conflict in Bosnia-Herzegovina. 2022–Present – Russia Russia has been banned from FIFA competitions following its invasion of Ukraine. Some countries have chosen to give up their chance to play in the World Cup through boycotts. In 1958, so many countries refused to play Israel that FIFA actually had to create a new rule. During the qualifying rounds, Israel managed to advance without playing a single match. Israel was originally supposed to face Turkey, but Turkey withdrew because it objected to its placement in the Africa/Asia qualifying zone. Israel was then scheduled to play Indonesia, which also withdrew. Indonesia had requested that the matches be played on neutral ground rather than in Tel Aviv or Jakarta, but FIFA declined. Next came Egypt and Sudan, both of which refused to play Israel. As a result, Israel qualified without taking the field. FIFA quickly decided that wasn’t acceptable and created a rule requiring teams to win at least one qualifying match. A European runner-up was drawn at random, and Israel ended up facing Wales. And after all of that… Isreal lost. It became the first time that Wales ever qualified to play in a World Cup. Wales made it to the quarter-finals that year and lost to Brazil. The only goal scored was by a 17yr old Brazilian player… Pelé. Interestingly, because of the qualifying debacle in 1958, Israel now competes in UEFA, the European soccer federation rather than with Middle Eastern teams. In 1966, much of Africa boycotted World Cup qualifying in protest of the allocation system. Sixteen spots were available in the tournament, but the way they were distributed was unfair. Europe received ten spots, South America received four, and North America/Central America/the Carribean received one. That left just one place for all of Africa, Asia, and Oceania combined. African nations decided that was unfair and largely refused to participate. The boycott eventually led FIFA to guarantee Africa its own qualification spot beginning with the 1970 World Cup. The unfortunate part is that many people believe the team from Ghana that year was good enough that they could have won the entire tournament. In 1973, the Soviet Union refused to play its second World Cup qualifying match against Chile. The first match had been played in Moscow, but the second game was scheduled for Chile’s National Stadium. Just weeks earlier, Chile had experienced a military coup in which President Salvador Allende was overthrown by General Augusto Pinochet. Following the coup, thousands of political prisoners were detained, interrogated, and tortured inside the National Stadium. The Soviet Union refused to play there. Humanitarian concerns were certainly part of the decision, though the fact that the Soviets had supported Allende’s government probably played a role as well. When match day arrived, the Soviet team never appeared. The referee started the game anyway, Chile kicked the ball into an empty net, and the match was immediately ended. Chile advanced to the World Cup. It is still remembered as the “Match of Ghosts”. Some games have had the potential to be contentious, though most worked out just fine. In 1998, Iran played the United States. The two countries had not had diplomatic relations since the Iranian Revolution of 1979. Many people were concerned about tensions surrounding the match, but it remained peaceful. Before kickoff, the Iranian players presented the Americans with white roses as a symbol of peace. The U.S. team reciprocated with commemorative pennants. Iran went on to win 2–1, earning its first-ever World Cup victory. In 1974, East Germany played West Germany in the group stage. This wasn’t just Germany versus Germany. It was democracy versus communism, NATO versus the Soviets, and one of the most politically charged matches in World Cup history. East Germany won 1–0, but was eventually eliminated. West Germany recovered from the loss, advanced through the tournament, and ultimately won the World Cup that year. The 2018 World Cup match between Serbia and Switzerland was also tense. Many of the Swiss players, including Granit Xhaka and Xherdan Shaqiri, had family roots in Kosovo and Albania. Serbia does not recognize Kosovo’s independence, and the legacy of the Kosovo War runs deep in the region. During that conflict, Serbian and Yugoslav forces were responsible for a campaign that resulted in the deaths of thousands of Kosovo Albanians and the displacement of hundreds of thousands more. Serbia led 1–0, but Switzerland rallied to win 2–1. After scoring, Xhaka and Shaqiri celebrated by making a hand gesture widely interpreted as the Albanian double-headed eagle. Serbia viewed the gesture as a political statement, and FIFA fined both players after the match. The final game on this list was politically charged, but it is remembered for an entirely different reason. In 1986, Argentina and England met in the World Cup quarterfinals. Just four years earlier, the two countries had fought the Falklands War, which resulted in nearly 650 Argentine military deaths. It was always going to be a tense match, but it became famous for another reason. In the second half, Diego Maradona scored one of the most famous goals in soccer history: the Hand of God goal. From the referees’ perspective, Maradona had headed the ball into the net. What they couldn’t see was that he had actually punched it with his hand. After the match, Maradona joked that the goal had been scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God.” Years later, in his autobiography, Maradona openly admitted that he had used his hand. This goal led to the Argentina win over England, 2-1. There are two games that could carry political significance in this year’s tournament. First, Iran and the United States could potentially meet. Relations between our two countries are extremely tense, and recent events in the Middle East have only increased that tension. Couple that with the fact that Iran was supposed to have a base camp here in the US and were denied last minute, and that they are not allowed to stay overnight even after games, the atmosphere if they play could be tense. The other possible matchup is Algeria versus Morocco. The two North African nations share a border, but that border has been closed since 1994. One major source of tension is Western Sahara. Morocco claims the territory as part of its country, while Algeria supports the Polisario Front, which seeks independence for Western Sahara. Another “political” game could happen, but this one would be a lot more fun than contentious. The United States could potentially play England on July 4th - the 250th birthday of America. Even better, there is a small chance the match could take place in Philadelphia, one of the original thirteen colonies. Talk about a historical rematch! In all, the World Cup brings people together, a fact you can see if you have watched even a single video of a European going to Buc-ees or the Tartan Army taking over Boston, but the matches do have the possibility of being politically and historically charged. Luckily, humanity always almost wins out and the World Cup remains a way to bring us all together. Sources: https://www.weforum.org/stories/2018/06/here-are-4-of-the-most-politically-charged-world-cup-games-ever-played-russia2018/ https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/every-world-cup-nation-banned-120000200.html https://www.forbes.com/sites/michaellewis/2026/03/09/a-history-of-teams-that-were-banned-or-refused-to-play-the-world-cup/ https://time.com/6234776/countries-banned-world-cup-russia/ https://en.majalla.com/node/331514/politics/world-cup-has-always-been-pitch-global-politics https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-36763036 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_FIFA_World_Cup_qualification https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algeria%E2%80%93Morocco_football_rivalry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_hand_of_God This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fantasticfootnotes.substack.com [https://fantasticfootnotes.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Plane Crash That Claimed a Generation of Football Talent

At 3:04 p.m. on Feb. 6, 1958, a disaster occurred that still ranks among the greatest disasters in sports. As the Manchester United team was returning from a game in Yugoslavia, their plane crashed, killing 23 people. Manchester United is an English football team (soccer for you Yanks). They were making their mark in 1958 and were famous as the Busby Babes. Their manager, Matt Busby, was making headlines because he was in favor of signing young players and developing them rather than recruiting older, more seasoned players. The average age of the Babes was only 22. They were doing well that year, and their record before the accident was 15 wins, 7 losses, and 6 draws. The day before the accident, Manchester United had been in Yugoslavia to play Red Star Belgrade. They tied the game, but had enough points on aggregate to advance to the semifinals of the European Cup. They were headed home to England from Yugoslavia with a stop in Munich to refuel. The weather in Munich that day was cold and snowy. After refueling, the plane was cleared for takeoff. However, both the first and second attempts were aborted. The aircraft, an Airspeed Ambassador, was prone to boost surging in the engines, which caused issues on the first two takeoff attempts. They returned to the terminal and had the plane looked at. The engineers concluded that the engines were working, but the surging was being caused by the fuel mixture and the conditions at the Munich airport. To fix the problem, the crew was to open the throttle more slowly on the next attempt. The passengers were all in the terminal, and some had even sent messages home saying that flights were canceled and they would not be home that evening. Everyone was surprised, and a little hesitant, when they were told to get back on the plane. To prevent another surge with the engines, the crew opened the throttles more slowly. In the time since their first attempt, it had been snowing continuously, and though the crew checked the wings for icing, they did not factor in the snow and slush on the runway. The official reports do not blame the decreased engine throttle, but the snow for what happened next. The plane barreled down the runway for a third time, passing the speed to abort takeoff but still not airborne. In fact, the plane never left the ground. At 3:04 p.m., the plane slammed through a fence at the end of the runway. It crossed a road, struck trees, and collided with a nearby house. One wing was torn away. The tail section separated, and the fuselage slammed into a building that contained a truck loaded with tires and fuel, which erupted into flames. Twenty people were killed instantly. The crew was afraid the fuel would explode and shouted for people to run from the wreckage. Many did, but not the hero of the hour, Harry Gregg. He helped pull teammates Bobby Charlton, Jackie Blanchflower, and Dennis Viollet from the aircraft. He also rescued Vera Lukić, the pregnant wife of a Yugoslav diplomat, and her young daughter. He also helped his badly injured manager, Matt Busby. Gregg would always downplay his actions, but many regard him as one of the true heroes of Munich. Of the forty-four people aboard the aircraft, 23 ultimately died. Twenty of those died at the crash site. Former England goalkeeper and journalist Frank Swift died while being transported to the hospital. Kenneth Rayment, the co-pilot on this flight, survived the initial crash but was severely injured. He died in the hospital 28 days later as a result of a brain injury. Duncan Edwards also survived the initial accident but died 15 days later in the hospital. Many considered Edwards one of the most gifted footballers England had ever produced. Even today, historians of the sport often wonder what might have been had he lived. Eight Manchester United players were among the dead: Geoff Bent, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Mark Jones, David Pegg, Tommy Taylor, Billy Whelan, and Duncan Edwards. The disaster also claimed Manchester United club secretary Walter Crickmer, trainer Tom Curry, chief coach Bert Whalley, airline steward Tommy Cable, and several journalists covering the team. A woman and her three children were in the house that was hit, but luckily all escaped and survived. Nine other Manchester United players were on board but survived. Two of those players, Johnny Berry and Jackie Blanchflower, sustained injuries serious enough that they never played again. Manager Matt Busby ultimately survived, but was in the hospital for two months. He was in very critical condition and was administered the Last Rites on two separate occasions. After the disaster, the Manchester team was devastated both mentally and physically. Their coach, Jimmy Murphy, was instrumental in rebuilding the team. He had actually stayed behind on this trip because he was coaching Wales in a World Cup qualifier, and after the accident he stepped up and helped put the team back together. The football world responded with an outpouring of support. Manchester City, United’s local rival, held a moment of silence at their game and even took up a collection for the victims. Maybe more importantly on an emotional level, Manchester City declined to take Manchester United’s spot in the European Cup. Other clubs offered players so that United could field a team. In the club’s first match after the disaster, a makeshift Manchester United side defeated Sheffield Wednesday 3–0, but the match program was heartbreaking. Where the players’ names should have appeared, there were just blank spaces. Despite the victory, their season collapsed. After the disaster, they won only one more league match and finished ninth. They reached the FA Cup Final, but lost 2–0 to the Bolton Wanderers. Today, the victims of the disaster are remembered in multiple countries. Probably the most famous memorial is the Munich Clock at Old Trafford, Manchester United’s home stadium. The clock is forever paused at 3:04. Manchester Cathedral contains a stained-glass window honoring those who died, and near the site of the crash in Munich stands Manchesterplatz, a memorial square featuring inscriptions in both English and German. Even the Majestic Hotel in Belgrade has a small memorial. The team was believed to have stayed in this hotel before leaving Yugoslavia, and the hotel displays a menu card signed by 14 of the players, including the eight who were killed. They also have a photograph taken at the meal, a match ticket, and a piano played by Mark Jones the night before the incident. The club continued to rebuild, and ten years later, in 1968, defeated Benfica to win the European Cup. Manchester United is one of the most famous clubs in the world now and has had players recognized the world over. Even non-football fans will recognize names like David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, George Best, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Many people say that without Jimmy Murphy, the team may not have survived, but luckily for soccer fans, it came through one of the worst sports disasters ever and is even stronger today. Sources: https://gjfootballarchive.com/2025/02/06/the-munich-air-disaster-a-long-read-2/ https://www.mufcinfo.com/manupag/munich_58/munich.html https://www.theguardian.com/football/from-the-archive-blog/2018/feb/05/munich-air-disaster-crash-manchester-united-busby-1958 https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5187460/2024/02/06/munich-air-disaster-manchester-united-crash/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1957%E2%80%9358_Manchester_United_F.C._season https://www.mancity.com/features/acityunited/ Podcasts: Disaster Area: British European Airways Flight 609 History Daily: The Munich Air Disaster Newspaper: Liverpool Daily Post (Merseyside ed.), Fri, Feb 07, 1958, page 1 The Birmingham Post, Fri, Feb 07, 1958, page 13 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fantasticfootnotes.substack.com [https://fantasticfootnotes.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Greatest Women's Soccer Team You've Never Heard Of

During WWI, as men left for the front, women stepped up to do all the things that needed to be done on the home front. They took care of the family, worked the farm, built the bombs, and some of them played soccer. As men left to go fight the war, many women started working in factories. During breaks, they were encouraged to socialize and even play sports. One popular pastime was soccer. Many munitions factories had teams of women, “Munitionettes”, that would play pick up games at the factory on breaks against other teams of men and women, and would also play against teams from other factories. Many of these inter-factory games were arranged to raise money for charity. Historically, The Dick, Kerr Company manufactured rail and tram equipment and during the war they started making munitions, airplanes, and locomotives for the war department. Like other companies, the women working at Dick, Kerr started playing soccer. According to an excerpt from DickKerrLadies.com, it started like this: It was October 1917 and the lads football team had been having a run of bad results, losing several of their recent games. They had suffered quite a heavy defeat that weekend and the girls were giving the lads some stick in the works canteen saying that they could play better than them. The lads were having none of it so they challenged the girls to prove their skills in a proper match. Grace accepted immediately and said, 'come on girls, let's give it a go, it'll be a laugh', and the arrangements were made for it to take place in the Penwortham area, not too far from the factory. The result of the game is not known but the girls were soon to continue with their newly formed football team. Shortly after that first game, the ladies were approached and asked to help with a fundraiser to help wounded soldiers. Originally they were asked to perform a choir concert, but the ladies decided it would be a better idea to hold a charity soccer match. On Christmas Day 1917 the Dick, Kerr Ladies football team played the Arundel Coulthard Foundry. Over 10,000 people came to watch and they raised over $65K (in today’s money) for wounded soldiers. The Dick, Kerr team won 4-0. As impressive as that was, their 1920 Boxing Day game was even bigger. The Dick, Kerr Ladies took on the St. Helen’s Ladies in Goodison Park. Over 50,000 fans attended the game, and it is estimated that another 10,000 - 15,000 were turned away at the gate. To put that in perspective: CPKC (The Kansas City Current) stadium holds 11,500 people The Sporting KC stadium holds 18,457 people And Arrowhead (home of the CHIEFS!) holds 76,416 people. In 1920, this team could have almost filled Arrowhead. The attendance at this game set a record for the largest crowd to ever watch a women’s soccer game anywhere in the world. That record would hold for 92 years, only being beaten in 2012 when Team Great Britain defeated Brazil at the London Olympics. 70,584 fans attended that game. In fact, the 1920 Boxing Day game still holds the record for the largest crowd at a women’s domestic game in England with second place having 38,262 people in attendance. That game was Arsenal v Tottenham in 2019. While still working their full-time factory jobs, the ladies played over 60 games in 1921. In February of that year, comedian Harry Weldon invited the Dick, Kerr Ladies to play a match against “the best of the rest”, a team of All-Stars from all over the UK. Over 25,000 people came to Liverpool's Anfield ground to watch the Dick, Kerr Ladies dominate 9-1. Unfortunately on December 5, 1921, England’s Football Association banned women’s teams from using the men’s fields. This put quite a damper on their ability to play, but the women continued in parks and cricket fields. The ban would not be lifted until 50 years later, six years after the Ladies played their final game. Why were they banned? The reasons are many, and not very convincing. Unofficially, people think that the women’s games were bringing in money for charity and the F.A. was upset that they had no control over which charities were supported. Officially, the F.A. expressed their concerns that the money was not being correctly accounted for, and of course, the fragility of women. Apparently it was “their strong opinion that the game of football is quite unsuitable for females and should not be encouraged.” But, yeah, cool. Women can still build bombs, and locomotives, and work the farm… This move encouraged the Ladies to travel to Canada to play matches in that country. Unfortunately, they didn’t realize until they arrived that Canada had also banned women playing on their fields. They then came to America to play, but America had no established women’s teams at the time, so the Ladies took on the men. They played nine games. They won three, drew three, and lost three. Pretty even odds. It is estimated that in their 48 years they raised around $13 million for charity (in today’s money). Over those 48 years they played 828 matches, lost only 24, and drew 46. Many of the women who played for the Dick, Kerr Ladies and other “Munitionette” teams accomplished amazing things. Three of the most well known were: Joan Whalley - Debuted at 15 years old. She was described as one of the two greatest right wingers in the world, the other being Tom Finney. She also made history in 1996 when she became the first British female soccer player to feature in a national ad campaign (for Nike) at the age of 74! Val Walsh (Robinson) - Val was a gifted player and was once spotted by Manchester United’s Matt Busby. Busby said that she was the best player he had seen in his life and that, had she have been a man, he would have signed her on the spot. As good as she was at soccer, Val actually preferred a different sport and went on to quit soccer in favor or field hockey. As a field hockey star she played in 5 world championships and was the first Englishwoman to win 100 caps. Lily Parr - Debuted at 14 years old. She played left wing and reportedly once broke the arm of a male keeper during a penalty shot. She scored 43 goals in her first season, and over 900 goals in her career. She was the only woman included in the inaugural class of the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002. The Dick, Kerr Ladies played 828 matches and lost only 24. They raised millions for charity, filled some of the largest stadiums in Britain, and set attendance records that stood for decades. But if you ask the average sports fan about them today you will probably get a blank stare. A hundred years later, women’s soccer is finally receiving the attention it deserves. And while the players on the field today have earned every bit of that success, they didn’t start the story. We owe part of that story to the ladies of the Dick, Kerr Company. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick,_Kerr_%26_Co. https://www.dickkerrladies.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Val_Robinson_(field_hockey) https://www.thefa.com/womens-girls-football/heritage/kicking-down-barriers https://www.sportingheritage.org.uk/content/news/features/dick-kerrs-ladies-2 https://www.history.com/articles/the-ww-i-era-womens-soccer-team-who-could-beat-the-men https://spartacus-educational.com/Fdickkerrs.htm https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/jun/13/how-the-fa-banned-womens-football-in-1921-and-tried-to-justify-it https://heswall.nub.news/news/local-features/rewind-a-strange-centenary-of-the-year-womens-football-was-banned This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fantasticfootnotes.substack.com [https://fantasticfootnotes.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The Note Stack: 5.26.26

Housekeeping Thank you all so much! We are up to 1.28K downloads on the podcast so thanks to each and every one of you! Also, if you want to give us a little boost, we would love a review, rating, FB Share, restack, etc. Anything to help us get to the top of that algorithm! Also, June is WORLD CUP MONTH! My son Ethan is going to be helping me host the next three episodes in June and we are going to talk all about soccer history. Don’t let that scare you off, I promise they will still be chock full of interesting history!! News Roundup Revolutionary War Soldiers Reburied In 2019 construction in the Lake George Village of New York uncovered remains of an unmarked burial plot. Initially the plot was thought to be from the French/Indian War, but discovery of a button at the site determined that the site was from the Revolutionary War Era. In fact, scientists think it is associated with a hospital that was close to the site that treated victims of smallpox and other diseases. After painstaking sifting and analysis, scientists think the remains represented at least 44 individuals, two of which were children. On May 20th, those remains were transported from the New York State Museum to the Lake George Battlefield State Park where a newly dedicated memorial called the “Repose of the Fallen” will serve as their final burial ground. The two original articles I found were here [https://nysm.nysed.gov/research-collections/archaeology/bioarchaeology/news/hallowing-this-ground-courtland-street-burials?utm_source=chatgpt.com] and here. [https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/central-ny/news/2026/05/20/fallen-revolutionary-war-soliders-laid-to-rest] Dingo burial in Australia The remains of a dingo buried 916-963 years ago were studied in Australia. The dingo was male and showed evidence of injuries caused by being kicked by a kangaroo. The dingo had not only lived with and was taken care of by humans, but the burial site had evidence of ritual “feeding” for the next 500 years. The dingo was important enough to this group of people that the tradition of honoring it lasted another half century. Articles here [https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/likely-kicked-by-a-kangaroo-this-dingo-healed-a-millennium-ago-thanks-to-help-from-an-aboriginal-community-that-continued-to-honor-it-for-500-years-180988768/] and here [https://australian.museum/about/organisation/media-centre/millennium-old-dingo-burial-baaka-darling-river/]. Also an article about dingo domestication here [https://www.uwa.edu.au/news/article/2023/october/did-australias-first-peoples-domesticate-dingoes]. Tombstone found in New Orleans A New Orleans couple clearing brush in their backyard made an astonishing discovery: a nearly 2,000-year-old Roman tombstone inscribed in Latin. Experts eventually identified it as the grave marker of Sextus Congenius Verus, a Roman sailor from the second century C.E. who had served in the imperial fleet. Researchers traced the stone to a museum in Civitavecchia, Italy, where it had apparently disappeared during the chaos of World War II bombings. The mystery deepened when the FBI’s Art Crime Team became involved, helping investigate how the artifact crossed the Atlantic and arranging for its repatriation. The most likely explanation came from the family of a former homeowner, who believed a relative stationed in Italy during WWII had unknowingly brought the tombstone home as a souvenir, where it later sat forgotten in a New Orleans garden for decades. Original article is here [https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/archaeology/a70289155/roman-tombstone-new-orleans-fbi/]. And in weird news- More records from the UAP files were released including this transcript [https://www.war.gov/medialink/ufo/release_1/nasa-uap-d3-gemini-7-transcript-1965.pdf. find recording] from the Gemini 7 spaceflight where the the astronauts saw something unexplained in space. Hear the audio here [https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=946394774676129]. Listener Comments No listener comments that needed a deep dive this week, but I did post a note that is worth some thought, and we discussed the responses and our takes on the question- “Today is Star Wars Day. If people find evidence of that 2,000 years in the future, what will they assume? Was Star Wars a religion? (LOL, it is for some people). Was Darth Vader a god? They will have lost so much of the context for what it is and why it exists. And what ancient holidays do we have completely wrong because we are missing the context?” Featured Substacks Tina’s Pick: Snakes and Stories [https://substack.com/@snakesandstories] And, as promised, a pic of Titan Chris’ Pick: Jason Ives [https://substack.com/@futurecomputer] Watching/Reading List (Just FYI, these are affiliate links, so as an Amazon Affiliate I earn from qualifying links) Chris is watching: Micheal (the movie) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zOLzsbOleM] Diary of a CEO (YouTube) [https://www.youtube.com/@TheDiaryOfACEO] Tina is reading: First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong by James Hansen [https://amzn.to/4fHr0lj] On Assignment: Memoir of a National Geographic Filmmaker by James R. Larison [https://amzn.to/3RxZHzW] Dead Man’s Hand by James J. Butcher [https://amzn.to/49oh24x] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit fantasticfootnotes.substack.com [https://fantasticfootnotes.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]