Martin Stezano Archives

How MLB’s First Japanese Player Made it to Big Leagues

In 1964, Masanori ‘Mashi’ Murakami debuted with the San Francisco Giants. But two years later, the pipeline of big‑league talent from his country was closed.

World War I—in Color

Digitally colorized photographs from a century ago help bring “The Great War” to life.

One Man Exposed the Secrets of the Freemasons. His Disappearance Led to Their Downfall

Before his book could be published, William Morgan was dragged away by a group of Masons, never to be seen again.

5 Presidential Scandals in American History

From adulterous affairs yielding secret children to hotel break‑ins and secret gun deals, scandal has always followed American politicians.

Jackie Robinson’s Battles for Equality On and Off the Baseball Field

Best known for breaking Major League Baseball’s color barrier, Robinson is also remembered for his poise and strength in the face of adversity—both on and off the field.

How Super Mario Helped Nintendo Conquer the Video Game World

Originally a second banana character in ‘Donkey Kong’ in 1981, Mario went on to conquer the video game world.

In 1950, Alan Turing Created a Chess Computer Program That Prefigured A.I.

The first chess algorithm didn’t even run on a computer.

They Can’t All Be iPhones: The Story of Apple’s Forgotten Flop

June of 2017 marked the 10‑year anniversary of the release of Apple’s iPhone, a device that not only revolutionized the way the world communicates, but also helped catapult Apple into a global economic and technological powerhouse. At a time when an estimated 700 million users around the world currently enjoy the fruits of Steve Jobs’ […]

What Were the White Night Riots?

On May 21, 1979, thousands of members of San Francisco’s predominantly gay Castro District community took to the streets to protest the lenient sentence received by Dan White for the murders of local politician and gay rights activist Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone. Their anger–combined with the actions of police who arrived to quell […]

What is Patriots’ Day?

To most Massachusetts residents—and long distance running enthusiasts—the third Monday in April is “Marathon Monday.” The Boston Marathon has shared the limelight in the Bay State with another celebration for the last 120 years: Patriots’ Day. So what is Patriots’ Day, and what does it have to do with the marathon? For the answer, let’s […]

4 Black Baseball Players Who Followed Jackie Robinson’s Lead in 1947

After Jackie Robinson famously broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball, four other Black players joined MLB teams—the same year.

14,000 Long‑Lost Army Dog Tags May Soon Be on Their Way Home

After relic hunter Dan Mackay discovered 14,000 dog tags mysteriously buried in a field outside London, he set out on a quest to reunite the artifacts with the families of the British soldiers who were meant to wear them.