S6E11 The Crackpot's Jackpot

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you in the heart of a mystery. All stories are structured to challenge you to beat the detective to the solution. These are arrangements, which means instead of word-for-word readings, you get a performance meant to be heard. Jack and I perform these live, front to back, no breaks, no fakes, no retakes.For Season 6, Jack and I have again decided to go ad-free. I do this because I love mysteries, Jack does it because he loves me. Jack maybe a starving college student but it’s because… We do ask you support the writers of our show. You can find them all on our website at tgwolff.com/Podcast. This is Season 6, Things that Go Jack in the Night. This season contains truly imaginative mysteries around one of the most common words in the English language. From the brandy distilled from hard cider known as applejack to that nefarious one-eyed jack, to the animals, vegetables, fruits, tools, weapons, and slang, the way the word “jack” is used in the English language is truly unique, inventive, and too numerous for us to count. And yes, it is also the name of my piano player and producer. For Episode 11, a jackpot is the featured jack. This is The Crackpot’s Jackpot by TG WolffResearchJesse Burkett and Patsy Tebeau were real players for the Cleveland Spiders. Burkett was one of the best players, leading the batting statistics. He went on to have a long career as a player and then a manager. Tebeau was the player manager for the 1895 series, the one where Cleveland won the Temple Cup, a precursor to the World Series. From the records, the summer of 1895 was one for the record books in Cleveland and elsewhere. Temperatures soared in the period that pre-dated the luxury of air conditioning. ABOUT JackpotThe first known use of “Jackpot” was in 1865 according to Merriam-Webster. It was a hand or a game of draw poker in which a pair of jacks or better was required to open. This game is still played today, but largely isn’t known by the name. Today, the more common meaning is a top prize in a game or contest that is usually the accumulation of unwon prizes. A Lottery is an example. The consistent part of all the definitions is that the game or contest isn’t necessarily won each time it’s played and the money for the non-winning games is carried over. Interestingly, there was a 3rd definition, cited chiefly used in the Western US, where jackpot means a tight spot, a jam. Not the way we use the word here. A link to Merriam Webster is in the show notes. Read something from the dictionary once a day. You’ll learn something that will entertain you. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jackpotFYI, crackpot was first used in 1883. It means given to erratic or widely foolish notions. Interesting to me at least is there is only one definition and the meaning is the same as in 1883. LOL, when I scrolled down, there was a kid’s definition: a crazy or very strange person.https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crackpot#dictionary-entry-1Finally, I want to share some insults. In writing this story, I needed time-appropriate insults. Thank you Mental Floss for your 2018 article on Francis Grose's A Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, first published in 1785. They culled it to their top 25. Here are my favorite 5:1. Bob tail. “A lewd woman, or one that plays with her tail; also an impotent man, or an eunich.”2. Lobcock A large relaxed penis, also a dull inanimate fellow.”3. Unlicked Cub A rude uncouth young fellow.4. Shag Bag “A poor sneaking fellow, a man of no spirit.”5. Shabbaroon “An ill-dressed shabby fellow; also a mean-spirited person.https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/527096/25-great-insults-18th-century-british-slangMysteryRat’s MazeMystery lovers, have you heard of Mysteryrat’s Maze podcast. Lorie Lewis Ham and Kings River Life Magazine bring you mystery short stories, and first chapters of mystery novels, read and brought to life by local actors. To listen to the episodes, and subscribe to the podcast, you can go to mysteryratsmaze.podbean.com or https://kingsriverlife.com/category/area-arts/podcasts/ABOUT TG WolffLike you, I’m not one thing. I’m a writer, an engineer, a wife, and a mother. What is first on the list depends on the day. Beyond the title I claim, I’m a person who loves learning and thoroughly enjoys a good puzzle, is creative and gets bored easily. My guilty pleasures are Victorian and regency romances, so I thought I’d try my hand at a period mystery. This is the second short set in 1895, in my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.