1 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: Welcome to Aaron Manke's Cabinet of Curiosities, a production of 2 00:00:07,520 --> 00:00:09,360 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio and Grimm and Mild. 3 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 2: Our world is full of the unexplainable, and if history 4 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 2: is an open book, all of these amazing tales are 5 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:23,760 Speaker 2: right there on display, just waiting for us to explore. 6 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities. 7 00:00:36,720 --> 00:00:39,839 Speaker 1: When we're little, we imagine living in the most amazing places, 8 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: don't we Like a giant castle with a moat full 9 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:45,920 Speaker 1: of crocodiles, or on a spaceship orbiting the Earth. But 10 00:00:46,080 --> 00:00:49,160 Speaker 1: one former Texas mayor made his own dream come true 11 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:53,159 Speaker 1: in a truly unusual way. Roy was born and raised 12 00:00:53,200 --> 00:00:55,840 Speaker 1: in Texas. He got an early start in politics when 13 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:58,880 Speaker 1: he was only sixteen years old after his father suddenly 14 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 1: passed away. Forced to find a job and keep food 15 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:04,280 Speaker 1: on his family's table, he worked as an aid at 16 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:08,120 Speaker 1: the nineteen twenty eight Democratic National Convention in Houston, and 17 00:01:08,200 --> 00:01:10,320 Speaker 1: it was there that Roy got a taste for his 18 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 1: future career. In nineteen thirty one, he started his own 19 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:17,480 Speaker 1: private law practice after graduating college. A few years later, 20 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 1: he became the youngest member of the Texas House of Representatives. 21 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:23,880 Speaker 1: His ambitions carried him up the political ladder from a 22 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:28,160 Speaker 1: judgeship in Harris County to Lyndon Johnson's congressional and senatorial 23 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:31,600 Speaker 1: campaign manager. The two had actually met at that convention 24 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: back in nineteen twenty eight, and Roy eventually went back 25 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: to law, but he found new opportunities for success in 26 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:41,560 Speaker 1: a variety of industries. He would take slag or buy 27 00:01:41,640 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 1: product from steel production and sell it off as aggregate 28 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 1: for building roads. He also made quite a bit of 29 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 1: money in broadcasting, owning a series of television and radio 30 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 1: stations across Texas. But eventually Roy found himself returning to 31 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: politics in nineteen fifty two when he was elected as 32 00:01:58,320 --> 00:02:01,800 Speaker 1: mayor of Houston, a position that he held for two terms. 33 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:05,280 Speaker 1: He didn't always get along with his constituents nor the 34 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,239 Speaker 1: other members of the local government. He'd been a strong 35 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:11,560 Speaker 1: proponent of integration when many of his white colleagues wanted 36 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:16,120 Speaker 1: to keep Houston racially segregated. Unfortunately, he was ousted in 37 00:02:16,160 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 1: a special election in the mid nineteen fifties and was 38 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,280 Speaker 1: forced to step down, But he wasn't out because Roy 39 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:26,720 Speaker 1: was about to change Texas sports forever. In nineteen fifty nine, 40 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: the former judge and Mayor joined the Houston Sports Association, 41 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:33,400 Speaker 1: which had been formed by a committee of local business owners, 42 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 1: and they all had one purpose to get Houston its 43 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: own baseball team. This dream came true in nineteen sixty 44 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:43,680 Speaker 1: when Houston acquired the Colt forty five franchise, but by 45 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:46,120 Speaker 1: the early nineteen sixties roy knew that they needed a 46 00:02:46,160 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: proper stadium to play in, so he went to the 47 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: HSA with a plan. He recalled a vacation that he 48 00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:55,239 Speaker 1: had taken to Italy with his wife in nineteen sixty two. 49 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 1: While touring the coliseum, he marveled at its design and features. 50 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:01,080 Speaker 1: It didn't matter better what was going on in the 51 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 1: center of the arena. The round shape could accommodate just 52 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:07,519 Speaker 1: about anything, and if the outside temperature got too hot, 53 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:09,720 Speaker 1: a cover could be drawn over the top of the 54 00:03:09,720 --> 00:03:13,560 Speaker 1: coliseum to keep everyone cool. And that's what the US 55 00:03:13,600 --> 00:03:17,280 Speaker 1: needed around All Weather Stadium, and it would be built 56 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 1: right in Houston. The facility was constructed on several hundred 57 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:25,080 Speaker 1: acres of swampland and featured a domed roof made of 58 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:28,679 Speaker 1: plexiglass to allow light in. It was given the futuristic 59 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:31,920 Speaker 1: name of the Astrodome, and the Colt forty fives moved 60 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:34,720 Speaker 1: in in nineteen sixty five under a new name of 61 00:03:34,760 --> 00:03:37,560 Speaker 1: their own, one to match their home. They were now 62 00:03:37,600 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: called the Houston Astros. Speaking of homes, Roy wanted somewhere 63 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 1: to live that was close to the stadium. He had 64 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,480 Speaker 1: a flare for the theatrical visible in his sprawling mansion 65 00:03:47,520 --> 00:03:51,360 Speaker 1: along Galveston Bay known as Huckster Home. For example, there 66 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 1: was a space inside called the Circus Room, which featured 67 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 1: colorful decor and old arcade games. So he had a 68 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:01,320 Speaker 1: lavish apartment constructed where he could both live and work. 69 00:04:01,800 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: Bob Hope described it as early King Faruk, referencing the 70 00:04:05,640 --> 00:04:09,000 Speaker 1: Egyptian king who was overthrown in nineteen fifty two in 71 00:04:09,080 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 1: part for spending too much money on parades and his 72 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:17,120 Speaker 1: extravagant playboy lifestyle. Within this opulent apartment, Roy built a 73 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 1: number of rooms, each one designed to fulfill a specific 74 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:24,040 Speaker 1: purpose or whim. His grandchildren had their own playrooms styled 75 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 1: like a circus tent, while adults could while away the 76 00:04:26,839 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 1: hours playing bowling or shooting pool in separate recreational areas, 77 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:34,720 Speaker 1: and if business had to be conducted on premises, there 78 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:37,799 Speaker 1: was a conference room with a long white table flanked 79 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:41,479 Speaker 1: by chairs covered in zebra fer He also had a 80 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:45,520 Speaker 1: personal movie theater, a children's library and inter faith chapel, 81 00:04:45,839 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 1: a miniature golf course, a barber shop, and a salon 82 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:52,600 Speaker 1: for his wife. There was even a special presidential suite 83 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 1: used only by Lyndon B. Johnson. But Roy wasn't content 84 00:04:57,279 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 1: living far from his beloved Astros. Wanted to be where 85 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 1: the action was, so he had this lavish apartment and 86 00:05:04,240 --> 00:05:06,560 Speaker 1: office suite built as close as he could get to 87 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 1: the team. Inside the Astrodome, Roy could literally walk out 88 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:14,120 Speaker 1: of his bedroom or office and watch a game going 89 00:05:14,160 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 1: on below. He even had a special dining area that 90 00:05:17,200 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 1: overlooked the field. Following his death in nineteen eighty two, 91 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: everything was renovated to accommodate more stadium seating. Almost all 92 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: traces of the Astrodome apartment are now gone, and the 93 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 1: building itself has sat unused since two thousand and eight. 94 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:35,279 Speaker 1: Several attempts to revitalize and refurbish it have failed. In 95 00:05:35,279 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 1: twenty thirteen, the county tried to turn it into a 96 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:40,560 Speaker 1: public park, Others tried to bring the building up to code, 97 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:44,040 Speaker 1: and some lobbied to have it demolished entirely until it 98 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: was added to the National Register of Historic Places the 99 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 1: following year. But maybe the best use of the astrodome 100 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 1: has been sitting under everyone's noses this entire time. They 101 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 1: should follow in the footsteps of Roy Hoffeinz and just 102 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:16,839 Speaker 1: turn it into an apartment building. It's strange to think 103 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:19,400 Speaker 1: that the most trivial parts of daily life might be 104 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:22,919 Speaker 1: influenced by nefarious players. It's even stranger to think that 105 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:25,800 Speaker 1: we might owe thanks to dangerous people for making our 106 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:29,159 Speaker 1: lives safer. This story is one of those twisted and 107 00:06:29,279 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: unexpected tales from history. In nineteen thirty three, the prices 108 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:37,919 Speaker 1: of dairy products in the Midwest were fixed. However, independent 109 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:41,279 Speaker 1: dairy farmers demanded a higher price for their milk, but 110 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:45,000 Speaker 1: representatives from the Associated Milk Dealers, a dairy trade group, 111 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: argued that the public would not be willing to pay more. 112 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:50,880 Speaker 1: As a result, these dairy farmers, who were union members 113 00:06:50,960 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 1: of the Pure Milk Association, went on strike. Meanwhile, two brothers, 114 00:06:55,880 --> 00:06:58,120 Speaker 1: Ralph and al were looking for a way to make 115 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:01,000 Speaker 1: more money. The brothers were a le of sorts. Their 116 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:05,160 Speaker 1: business tactics were highly uncommon unless someone was a close confidant, 117 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:08,080 Speaker 1: it was nearly impossible to even speak with them. At 118 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 1: this time. The brothers were in the business of selling alcohol, 119 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:13,360 Speaker 1: but they had reason to believe that the industry was 120 00:07:13,400 --> 00:07:16,600 Speaker 1: going to take a hit, so they turned their attention 121 00:07:16,720 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 1: to Midwestern dairies. These dairies lacked regulation, and the brothers 122 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 1: and their associates already controlled other food products like Wisconsin cheese. 123 00:07:25,880 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 1: Ralph and Al's associates acquired Meadowmoor Dairies, located in Chicago, Illinois. 124 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:35,080 Speaker 1: Ralph had milkship from neighboring Wisconsin, which was much cheaper, 125 00:07:35,360 --> 00:07:38,560 Speaker 1: and then bottled in Meadow Moore's facilities. When word of 126 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:41,000 Speaker 1: what they were doing got out to caused major conflict 127 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:45,960 Speaker 1: between themselves, union officials, and other dairies. Tensions were especially 128 00:07:46,040 --> 00:07:49,440 Speaker 1: high because the economic hits of the Great Depression left 129 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 1: many dairy farmers feeling helpless and desperate, so the two 130 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:57,200 Speaker 1: brothers hatched a scheme they wanted to take advantage of 131 00:07:57,200 --> 00:08:00,320 Speaker 1: the situation. As the story goes, there, Cronies met with 132 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:04,000 Speaker 1: the leader of the local milk wagon drivers union, Steve Sumner, 133 00:08:04,240 --> 00:08:07,720 Speaker 1: and asked him to let Meadowmoor higher non union workers. 134 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:10,240 Speaker 1: They also asked to sell their milk at a lower 135 00:08:10,280 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 1: price than other dairies. They told Sumner that later on 136 00:08:13,840 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 1: his union drivers could protest these changes, which in the 137 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 1: public eye, would force Meadowmore to increase milk prices. Since 138 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:23,840 Speaker 1: the milk they got from Wisconsin was already cheaper, Ralph 139 00:08:23,880 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 1: and al still stood to profit if Sumner agreed the 140 00:08:27,360 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 1: brothers would protect him and his union. Ralph and al 141 00:08:31,480 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 1: knew their protection was worth a lot. Two years prior, 142 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:38,080 Speaker 1: they reportedly kidnapped the president of the milk drivers union 143 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: and held him for a fifty thousand dollars ransom. They 144 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 1: used that money to buy meadow More. You could say 145 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:47,120 Speaker 1: that by offering Sumner protection, the brothers were really just 146 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:50,720 Speaker 1: promising to leave him alone. But Sumner wasn't so easy 147 00:08:50,720 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 1: to push around, you see. There was a story that 148 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:55,319 Speaker 1: he had once caught a milkman drunk on the job, 149 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 1: and he threw the man from his wagon and delivered 150 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 1: the rest of the milk himself. Always to his principles, 151 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:06,120 Speaker 1: Sumner declined the brother's offer. This decision brought the conflict 152 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:09,320 Speaker 1: to a head, with many farmers feeling cornered, and the 153 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:13,200 Speaker 1: brothers determined to make a pretty penny. Violence erupted, store 154 00:09:13,240 --> 00:09:16,760 Speaker 1: windows were smashed, people were attacked, and trucks were damaged. 155 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:20,520 Speaker 1: This period of street warfare went on for eighteen whole months, 156 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 1: and it became known as the Chicago Milk Wars. However, 157 00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:27,120 Speaker 1: Ralph and al were never actually caught in the violence, 158 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 1: and that's because both of the brothers were already behind bars. 159 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 1: Al for his part, was in on tax evasion charges 160 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 1: and perhaps by now you have realized how he and 161 00:09:36,559 --> 00:09:39,959 Speaker 1: his brother were so able to pull the strings. That's right, 162 00:09:40,040 --> 00:09:44,600 Speaker 1: I'm talking about Ralph and al Capone. The bootlegging brothers 163 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:47,640 Speaker 1: strong armed their way into the dairy industry after President 164 00:09:47,679 --> 00:09:51,320 Speaker 1: Franklin Delano Roosevelt said that he would repeal the Eighteenth Amendment, 165 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:56,560 Speaker 1: which outlawed the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol. Once 166 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 1: alcohol became legal again, no one would have had any 167 00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:02,240 Speaker 1: use for the brother underground racket. Being two of the 168 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:05,280 Speaker 1: most legendary mom men of all time, they didn't care 169 00:10:05,320 --> 00:10:07,720 Speaker 1: that their new endeavor would bring violence to the region. 170 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:10,440 Speaker 1: But there is a chance that al Capone did some 171 00:10:10,600 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 1: good while in prison. Rumor has it a family friend's 172 00:10:14,360 --> 00:10:18,199 Speaker 1: son became gravely ill and passed away after drinking expired milk, 173 00:10:18,640 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 1: so from his cell al Capone lobbied to have expiration 174 00:10:22,280 --> 00:10:26,280 Speaker 1: dates printed on all milk bottles. However, this may have 175 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:29,680 Speaker 1: just been another way for Capone to undercut his adversaries. 176 00:10:30,040 --> 00:10:33,080 Speaker 1: We know that union regulations prevented him from cornering the 177 00:10:33,120 --> 00:10:36,640 Speaker 1: dairy market and that dairy farmers were already struggling to 178 00:10:36,679 --> 00:10:40,079 Speaker 1: make a living. This was particularly because store bought milk 179 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 1: was becoming more popular than home delivered milk because it 180 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 1: was cheaper for consumers. As you know, milkmen were union members, 181 00:10:48,000 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 1: and it's no surprise that milk didn't stay fresh on 182 00:10:50,679 --> 00:10:53,520 Speaker 1: someone's doorstep for as long as it would in a store. 183 00:10:54,040 --> 00:10:57,679 Speaker 1: So it's possible that al Capone wanted the expiration dates 184 00:10:57,679 --> 00:11:00,480 Speaker 1: printed on the bottles to give customers more or reason 185 00:11:00,559 --> 00:11:03,959 Speaker 1: to opt for store bob milk. Either way, we can 186 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:07,280 Speaker 1: be grateful that milk does come with expiration dates and 187 00:11:07,320 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 1: that we no longer have to go to war just 188 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:11,120 Speaker 1: to get a bottle. 189 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:19,600 Speaker 2: I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet 190 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 2: of Curiosities. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, or learn 191 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:28,080 Speaker 2: more about the show by visiting Curiosities podcast dot com. 192 00:11:28,160 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 2: The show was created by me Aaron Mankey in partnership 193 00:11:31,760 --> 00:11:35,040 Speaker 2: with how Stuff Works. I make another award winning show 194 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:38,960 Speaker 2: called Lore, which is a podcast, book series, and television 195 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 2: show and you can learn all about it over at 196 00:11:41,280 --> 00:11:47,880 Speaker 2: the Worldoflore dot com. And until next time, stay curious.