Episode 211: Super Mario Bros Turns 40, The Debut of ESPN, Defunct Supermarket Chains(9-10-2025)

Send us Fan MailWhen sports got its own network. When the most famous video game character burst onto the scene. Supermarket chains that faded into history.Episode 211 of the podcast bridges the gap between Labor Day and the beginning of fall with a heavy dose of Gen X nostalgia.The show starts in the olden days of the 1970s. Back then, sports were limited to local news broadcasts and a select few games on major networks. Then, in 1979, a revolution began. The letters ESPN have become synonymous with excellence in sports broadcasting, but it had to start somewhere. We take a deep dive into the beginning of the first 24-hour sports channel.40 years ago this week a plumber changed the world of gaming forever. We go back and look at the debut of Super Mario Bros. for the NES. In the decades since his humble beginnings, Mario has become the most popular and profitable gaming franchise ever. It is a trip down memory lane just with lots more coins, mushrooms, and koopas. In a new Top 5 we will take a trip around some defunct supermarket chains. Did you ever get your groceries at any of these?There is, as always, a brand new This Week In History and Time Capsule looking at the first self-service supermarket, Piggly Wiggly.You can support my work by becoming a member on Patreon. Or you can Buy Me A Coffee!Helpful Links from this EpisodeSearching For the Lady of the Dunes True Crime BookCape Cod Beyond the Beach Photography BookIn My Footsteps: A Cape Cod Travel Guide(2nd Edition)Hooked By Kiwi - Etsy.comDJ Williams MusicKeeKee's Cape Cod KitchenChristopher Setterlund.comCape Cod Living - Zazzle StoreSubscribe on YouTube!Initial Impressions 2.0 BlogWebcam Weekly Wrapup PodcastCJSetterlundPhotos on EtsyPlay Super Mario Bros Online!Listen to Episode 210 hereSupport the show