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Bobby Bones
Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirrorball trophy from Dancing with the Star. So where else are you going to find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything. Listen to Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.
Tisha Allen
You are cordially invited to the hottest party in professional sports. I'm Tisha Allen, former golf professional and the host of welcome to the Party, your newest obsession about the wonderful world that is women's golf. Featuring interviews with top players on tour, tips to help improve your swing, and the craziest stories to come out of your friendly neighborhood country club. Welcome to the Party with Tisha Allen is an iHeart Women's fourth production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. Listen to welcome to the Party that's P A R T E e on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcast.
Mel Reid
This is Mel Reid, LPGA Tour winner and six time Ladies European Tour winner.
Kira K. Dixon
And Kyra K. Dixon, NBC Sports reporter and host.
Mel Reid
And we've got a new podcast, Quiet Please with Mel and Ciara.
Kira K. Dixon
We are bringing you spicy takes on sports and pop culture, some interviews with incredible people who have figured out how to make golf their superpower and I.
Mel Reid
Heart Wins Sports production in partners Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
Kira K. Dixon
Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.
Ashlyn Harris
We all have a moment that splits us wide open. On my new podcast Wide Open with Ashlyn Harris, I'll sit down with trailblazers from sports, music, fashion, entertainment and politics to explore their toughest moments and the incredible comebacks that followed. Listen to Wide Open with Ashlyn Harris, an iHeart women's sports production on the iHeartradio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Kira K. Dixon
Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.
Chad Millman
Welcome to the Favorites the podcast presented by Beth365. We are part of the Volume Podcast Network. I am Chad Millman of the Action Network. I'm live from my Tommy John home studio and I'm joined as always by my co host, my companion, my compadre, my BFF Professional Better Simon Hunter. Hello, Simon.
Simon Hunter
Chad. Our first show of the off season.
Chad Millman
First show of the off season. But you know what? It's a special episode. I know you love gambling stories. You know I love gambling stories. It's how I got into this was just hearing good stories about people who gamble, people who take risk. The language of betting, all of that, the romance of it all is fascinating to me. So today we're going to be joined by producer Matt Mitchell, who we love to have on the show. He's always, he's a high quality ad, as they say. He's also excited for this one. He's taking us through a list of great moments in historical gambling history, a collection of very special stories that he's curated just for you. For me, our audience, who he believes are also going to love these old school gambling stories. Man, I feel like you've been dreaming about this. This is Tailor made for you.
Matt Mitchell
Yes, I'm very excited to present two special great moments in American gambling history to you guys and to our audience. And this is a very unusual episode. Typically we take some time off after the season, but I want to make sure that we, you know, continue to deliver episodes. If you're on a treadmill or you're commuting to work or, you know, you're in the subway or you're holding hands with your mom bouncing on a trampoline, whatever it is that you do when you listen to this show every week, you still have something to join you in the timeless and evocative medium of audio.
Chad Millman
Chad, this is going to be the Matt Mitchell episode, but I feel like this is a, a combination of how I built this and Drunk History. Remember the show Drunk History?
Matt Mitchell
Yes. This is very similar to that, except sober. Yes.
Chad Millman
I loved that show. It was one of my favorites. We actually did this when, when we first started. Action. I remember I wanted to do shows that were like Drunk History for gambling. Do you remember this, Matt? And we did, I do like, you know, Terry Glenn catching that pass from Doug from Drew Bledsoe to beat the Buffalo Bills. And we did Drunk History. Bad beats.
Matt Mitchell
Yep.
Chad Millman
And it was super fun. Really, really fun. So I'm excited to do this today and I'm, I'm glad you had this idea. I always like getting Matt Mitchell. The more Matt Mitchell on the show, the better. As a reminder, the Favorites podcast is presented by bet365 and now new bet365. Customers get 150 doll bets when you bet $5. Sign up using promo code Favorites Deposit $10 Place a bet for $5 to get $150 in bonus bets. Those bonus bets can be used on spreads, totals, player props, futures and more. Whatever the moment, it's Never ordinary. At bet365 must be 21 or older and present in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia or 18 and older in Kentucky. Gambling problem. Call 1-800- GAMBLER or 1-800-BITS OFF in Iowa. Terms, conditions, restrictions apply. Before we get into the storytelling we are having, I mentioned this on Tuesday, we're having another live event. This is gonna be March 29, Joe's on weed in Chicago. That's the name of the street. Weed. Joe's on Weed in Chicago, my hometown. We did Simon's Hometown in December in Philly. We're doing Chicago in March.
Matt Mitchell
Guys, I am unbelievably excited about this live event. I was hoping we could do it in Chicago. We were able to convince them of that. I was hoping we do it at Joe's Joe's bar on Weed Street. Commonly and affectionately known as Joe's on Weed. We got that. I was hoping it would be March 29th, the evening of the Elite Eight. We got that. I think we'll have an absolute blast. RSVP site is not quite ready. But please save the date. It will be March 29th, Joe's on Weed, Chicago, Illinois for the exciting launch of BET 365 in Illinois. So mark your calendars, March 29th.
Chad Millman
And we're going to have some special college basketball guests, right?
Matt Mitchell
Absolutely. We will almost certainly be joined by by Stuckey and some others from the action universe. It'll be a great time. Whether or not you care about the Elite Eight, just come because it's going to be an absolute riot.
Chad Millman
Save the date March 29th. Matt, you're basically doing your life's goal here, which is co opting the show completely. So I will do my best hosting here and just pass the baton to you. Can you please tell us what happened to Captain Patton and Mary Ann Patton?
Matt Mitchell
All right, so this first story is the story of an American clipper ship called Neptune's Car in the year 1853.
Chad Millman
Boy, every listener is so excited. They definitely did not fast forward till we get to the ad reads.
Matt Mitchell
Thank you, Chad. Your excitement is palpable. One of the hardest parts about doing stories like this is for the listener. What are you supposed to be picturing? So I'm going to do you a favor here. I'm going to kind of instruct you on what you should be visualizing. Okay. Because it's a long time ago. All right, so for listeners at home for Neptune's car, you just picture a big ass wooden sailing ship. It's a beautiful, bold ship with sails and the whole thing. When you picture who owns the ship, the financiers kind of behind the ship. I want you to just picture the owners and operators of the Cleveland Browns. Okay, we'll use the Browns as our extended metaphor.
Chad Millman
I thought for sure you were going to say me.
Matt Mitchell
No, no, it's. You'll see why at the end. It's basically the Cleveland Browns go to sea. All right, so this ship, Neptune's car, takes her maiden voyage from New York City in 1853. And it's a total disaster. The captain worked the crew so hard that there's a mutiny and he threatened to kill all of them. And by the time they get back to New York, everything's a total mess, Cleveland Brown style. So for the next voyage, these 1850s Browns, they need a new captain. Okay? So on about 12 hours notice, they land on a guy named Captain Joshua Patton. And captain Patton had just married his wife Marianne, who was just shy of her 16th birthday, as was the style at the time. So we've got captain Patton and we got his teen bride, Marianne. For this first trip on the, on Neptune's car, Mary Ann insists on joining her husband, Captain Patton, which was extremely unusual. But her father was a sea captain. She loved the sea. Her husband's like, sounds great. Why not? So they set sail around the world.
Chad Millman
What could go wrong with my 16 year old bride on a round the world voyage and a sea full of crewmen.
Matt Mitchell
It's going to go great. And indeed it does. The entire voyage. Marianne, who again is not an official member of the Browns for the purposes of this metaphor. She's teaching herself navigation. She's showing herself how to use charts. She's learning medicine. She's just being a real kind of young go getter here. And they go from New York around the, the bottom of South America. Remember, there's no Panama Canal yet. That's like 75 years away. So you got to go the long way around South America. They go to San Francisco, they go to China, then they go to London, they go back to New York. Game balls all around. Huge success. Wow. Incredible job, Captain Patton. Maybe this ship isn't cursed after all. Here is where the gambling comes in. When it's time for the next trip from New York to San Francisco, the Cleveland Browns ownership here, they discover that there are three Other ships making this journey at about the same time. So in addition to all the money they have tied up in this operation, they make a very large wager with those other boats to see who's going to get to San Francisco first. Obviously a proud and time honored tradition of rich pricks betting against other rich pricks based on people they employ. You know all about this chip. So normally the departure date for a trip like this would have a little bit of flexibility, but because there's now a big ass bet on who gets there first, the Browns here, they need Neptune's car to get the hell out of here right away. But as Captain Patton is preparing the ship for voyage number two here, he runs into three problems. So problem number one. First mate breaks his leg. So you gotta replace the first mate.
Chad Millman
How did he break his leg, do we know?
Matt Mitchell
I'm getting to the ship ready ship stuff. Chad, I'm a man of the land. I'm not a man of the sea.
Chad Millman
I just want you to know I'm going to have questions.
Matt Mitchell
That's great. And I'm happy to answer all of your questions just like in real life, as patiently and as calmly as I answer the questions of my own children. So you need a new first mate. And sometimes if it's a close call, you can just elevate the second mate. Like when Cleveland started Bailey Zappi instead of Dorian Thompson Robinson, and it's like, who fucking cares? But as it turns out, it is crucial that a first mate be able to read stuff. And the second mate in this case, he couldn't read for shit. So it was more like when Kyle Allen was backing up Josh Allen. Like, it's totally different classes here, so it won't work. But the Browns say, hey, no problem. And they go out and they just grab the first literate sailor they can find, a guy named William Keiller, and they say, hey, Captain Patton, we found your first mate. He can read and everything. So as far as they were concerned, problem number one is now solved.
Chad Millman
Speaking of betting on employees, we had a bet on who would be the first person to ultimately take down this show. I put my money on you. Simon put on Gifford. And I feel like, Simon, I don't know about you, but I feel like I'm going to win this bet. You want to weigh in on that?
Simon Hunter
I would have bet on that as well. I can't believe you said I bet on Gifford. No, it's got to be Matt Mitchell. Have you seen this man's social media presence? Oh, my go every Time he tweets, I'm like, oh, my God, is this the one?
Chad Millman
All right, Matt, keep going.
Matt Mitchell
All right, so they grab this literate sailor. They find a replacement for the first mate. But Captain Patton, he's feeling pretty sick. He should probably rest for a day or two. And his third problem is Marianne, his wife, who's now 19. She's pregnant. So we got an emergency fill in first mate. Captain Patton's not feeling so great. His wife, she's pregnant.
Chad Millman
Not to interrupt you again. This has the classic makings of how to handicap. Right. Everyone would have thought, oh, my God, they did so well on the first one. They're amazing. We got a bet on them in this second one. No one's accounting for aggression. But also, you really got to be inside Neptune's car to understand the center. You got to go to a backup center because the first center is struggling and he's injured. So now you're bringing in a backup, and people are like, oh, it doesn't really matter. The first mate, it's not the most important person. But it turns out first mate, like a center, incredibly important, right? So now you're at the third string center, and that's terrible for the cohesiveness of the offensive line. And you don't know that your quarterback is sick. Like, that's not something that shows up on the injury report for these teams and these boats. So now all of a sudden, we got a lot of circumstances that, you know, if you're handicapping this, it's starting to look pretty bad for Neptune's car.
Matt Mitchell
Yeah.
Chad Millman
Which start as a favorite.
Matt Mitchell
Two classic issues that we run into all the time are about to rear their ugly heads, Chad. Volatility and cluster injuries. So here we go. All right, so we got these three problems, but the Browns, as usual, have the perfect solution. They say, rub some fucking dirt on it. It's time for kickoff, and these sons of bitches set sail for San Francisco on time. And again, no Panama canal. So it's 30,000 nautical miles away around the bottom of the earth, back to San Francisco, and immediately this trip is a total fucking nightmare. Because one of the first jobs of a first mate, in this case, this. This felon, William Keeler. You have to navigate when the captain goes to sleep. But every time he takes over, he keeps fucking it up, and he puts him off course, and he's finally so insubordinate that Captain Patton just goes, you know what? And he just chains them up in his room. He goes, you are totally useless. I'm just Going to lock you away. And the second mate and third mate are totally hapless. They end up, they can't really do anything. It's truly a Cleveland Browns quarterback room situation. It's a bust and two losers. So now Captain Patton's like, I great. I guess I can't go to sleep. He just stays up nonstop using his wife to help navigate. And it's freezing cold and they make it to the tip right by Antarctica and he's been awake for eight days straight now and he just collapses. He's out of commission. The Browns are so inept, they essentially almost kill their coach. Captain Patton is caught pneumonia, but as I mentioned, he was already feeling pretty sick before they left. And that's because he has tuberculosis meningitis which has now left him totally deaf and blind. He is totally cooked. So now Mary Patton, the pregnant 19 year old wife, she takes control of the ship and the navigation and she has to take care of her essentially comatose husband. And there are icebergs and storms and all sorts of shit because they're by again Antarctica and they're only halfway there. They couldn't be further away from both their home port and their destination. And there's still a ton of pressure on them because there's a huge bet they have to win to beat these three other ships because they were making great time because their captain wasn't sleeping. So they get around the horn and they start heading north. And immediately the first mate, this guy, William Keiller, he's locked up in his room, he hears that the captain is totally cooked. So he tries to stage a mutiny to get unlocked and take over. But the crew's like, you know what, this lady Marianne, she's doing a good job. She can read stuff. She's not trying to cause a mutiny. I think it's going to be okay. So she thinks, great, I've won the starting job. It's going to be okay. And then out of nowhere, Captain Patton wakes up out of his coma, right? He's got his sight back, but it still seems like he's, he's totally scrambled eggs because he benches her and orders Keeler unchained and he can take over. And Keeler immediately tells Marianne, hey, great, now you can go play nurse. I'm going to take over. Within two days she's looking out the window and, and she's convinced we're definitely going off course. He wouldn't let her have access to any of the, any of the navigation stuff. And again, I'm a man of the land I don't know, like how one could make one's own compass. But she does. She figures it out. And she proves it to the scrambled eggs. Captain. Hey, we're headed in the wrong direction. And it works. He commands her back in charge. Marianne gets the starting job back in place. Keeler gets locked up again. And. And then Captain Patton slips back into a coma. He's deaf and blind. We won't hear from him again. But here's the best part. Are you ready? As it turns out, mutiny boy William Keiller, the last minute replacement, he wasn't simply an incompetent asshole. Chad and Simon, he was throwing the fight. He'd bet. No, he'd bet on the other ship. He was intentionally fucking with Neptune's car, his own vessel. Because he was point shaving on the high seas.
Chad Millman
That is crazy.
Matt Mitchell
So now Marianne is incredibly pissed, just like my wife was the entire time she was six months pregnant. And they just start hauling ass north. She's totally exhausted. She ends up wearing the same clothes for two months straight. And when she finally steers them into San Francisco Bay, Mutiny boy William Keiller gets a crewman to unchain him. And he slips out and he jumps overboard and swims away, never to be heard from again. And in the most Cleveland Browns ending of this entire thing, when they finally arrive in port after surviving these unimaginable hardships, the terrible weather, the brutal conditions, the blind death captain, the nautical point shaving, they get off the ship and they go, hey, hey, did we win? Do we beat the other four ships? They finished second, Chad. Their owners lose their bat on a truly terrible beat. And lucky for them, lucky for the Browns, they get to refuse to pay Captain Patton the $5,000 they owe him because he was basically dead half the time. And they don't have to pay Mary Patton anything because she doesn't even work for him. So, like I said, the perfect ending for a Cleveland Browns allegory. And that is the story of Neptune's car, Marianne Patton, the first woman to command an American ship and the hero of an epic historical bad beat.
Chad Millman
I can't believe. And that's a beautiful story and excellent work researching it. I know it was a labor of love for you. I'm just so disappointed that there were nefarious deeds taking place with. Related to gambling in the 19th century. Yeah, when it came to ship captaining, those people all seemed pretty much, and I say this pun intended, above board.
Matt Mitchell
Wow.
Chad Millman
Did you.
Matt Mitchell
When did you think of that?
Chad Millman
Right after I said nefarious, incredible well done. Thank you.
Matt Mitchell
To put a bow on this. What happens to them afterwards? Marianne and Captain Patton return to Boston, finally put him in an asylum. He dies shortly thereafter. She gives birth successfully, and then she also gets sick and dies four years later at the age of 24. And now the hospital at the US Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York is named after her. And that's the end of that.
Chad Millman
Wow. How did you find this story?
Matt Mitchell
Chad? I was able to do exhaustive research. I've always got my ears to the gambling streets. Those ears stretch back hundreds of years, Chad. But one of the best sources for, for many gambling stories, which I absolutely love, which I will quote many times from, is Roll the Bones, the history of gambling, an absolutely incredible book by David G. Schwartz. This is a totally unpaid plug. I've read this book four times. It's not a new book, but Roll the Bones. If you know someone that is, that is literate, like a good first mate and likes gambling, it's a great book. I highly recommend it.
Chad Millman
Matt, I know David Schwartz. I know Roll the Bones because I've interviewed David Schwartz many, many times. He's a sort of gambling historian and professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Matt Mitchell
Oh, I've read the book jacket. Chad. I'm glad that you two have such a cozy relationship. That's wild.
Chad Millman
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Simon Hunter
Because comfort is king right now.
Chad Millman
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Matt Mitchell
Favorites it was a moment that should have broken me. But just because of how I was raised and my bullishness and arrogance to want to be great hardened me, it gave me a platform to be so singularly focused on greatness.
Ashlyn Harris
We all have moments like this. Something happens that's supposed to break us, but it's in these moments that we discover what we're really made of. I promise you, if anyone knows this, it's me. I'm Ashlynn Harris.
Tisha Allen
I'm Tisha Allen, former golf professional and the host of welcome to the Party, your newest obsession about the wonderful world that is women's golf. Featuring interviews with top players on tour like LPGA superstar Angel Yin.
Matt Mitchell
I really just sat myself down at the end of 2022 and I was like, look, either we make it or.
Tisha Allen
We copy expert tips to help improve your swing and the craziest stories to come out of your friendly neighborhood country club.
Matt Mitchell
The drinks were flowing, twerking all over the place, vaping.
Kira K. Dixon
They're shotgunning.
Tisha Allen
Women's golf is a wild ride full of big personalities, remarkable athleticism, fierce competition, and a generation of women hell bent on shanking that glass ceiling. Welcome to the Party with Tisha Allen is an I heart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. Listen to welcome to the Party. That's P A R T e on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever.
Ashlyn Harris
You get your podcast, presented by Capital.
Kira K. Dixon
One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.
I
Hey you guys, I'm Katherine Legg. I'm a racing driver who's literally driven everything with four wheels across the planet. And I'VE got a new podcast. It's called Throttle Therapy. This season, I'm gearing up to make history, competing in some of the world's most notorious racing events, starting at the Indy 500. Join me as I travel from racetrack to racetrack in my quest to continue a memorable career in racing. I'm also going to bring you inside stories with legends of sports, new faces from the next generation of auto racing, and conversations with the people who've supported me throughout my career. We'll be getting into everything from karting to nascar, even Formula one. Whether you dream about being a pro athlete or an astronaut, we're talking about what it takes to make it. Listen to Throttle Therapy with Katherine Legg, an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Kira K. Dixon
Presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports. I'm so sick of hearing men talk about women's basketball. If only there were a professional WNBA player with her own podcast I could listen to. Hey, this is Lexi Brown, WNBA player and professional yapper. And this is Mariah Rose. You may know me from spilling the tea on Hoops for hotties on TikTok. And we've got a new podcast, Full Circle. Every Wednesday. We're catching you up on what's going on in women's basketball, and not just in the wnba, but with Athletes Unlimited unrivaled and college basketball. We've got you with analysis, inside stories, and a little bit of tea. I know you guys have seen a lot of former and current basketball players telling their stories from their point of view, and I just think it's time for the girlies to tap in. We want to share all of the women's basketball stories that you won't see anywhere else. Tune in to Full Circle, an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.
Chad Millman
All right, Matt, do we have your second story?
Matt Mitchell
Yes. This is the story of Andrew Jackson, a brief glimpse into one of America's most maniac gambling presidents. So in this story, I'm going to be using some dollar figures, and instead of just saying a number like $1,500, I'm just going to say the amount of money in today's money so that we can just be kind of singing off the same sheet of music here. So just kind of keep that in mind. All right. So in the early 1800s, America was rapidly expanding westward, and it was a time of a great excitement on the American frontier. Because I can't overstate how unbelievably boring life on the frontier really was. I could totally see why if you're, you know, just trying to chop a tree down or whatever, you know, to skin a beaver, playing cards would be just about the most exciting thing in the whole world.
Chad Millman
I feel like anybody listening to this podcast has a very clear idea of what that journey was like.
Matt Mitchell
Everyone here can really picture that. So politicians of that era, especially frontier politicians, they love to gamble. Many of them were incredibly skilled players. For example, Henry Clay of Kentucky, Daniel Webster of Massachusetts. These guys were real card sharks. But this story going to focus on their great political adversary and one of America's all time sons of bitches, Old Hickory himself, Andrew Jackson of Tennessee. Jackson loved the ponies because he was an incredibly skillful rider. And why was he skillful? Well, he was born in 1767 to Scott's Irish parents. And if you know anything about the Scots or the Irish, you know they hate the English. Isn't that right, Simon?
Simon Hunter
Facts.
Matt Mitchell
When young Andrew Jackson was a kid with a burning hatred for the English he received from his parents, he served as a messenger for the Continental army during the Revolutionary War. And he was dope at it because it required a lot of bravery. But the kind of bravery where you don't consider kind of personal consequences exactly like being a gambler, you also have to be a great writer. And Jackson was indeed a great writer. He ended up getting captured and imprisoned by the British at the age of 12. Truly ride or die, literally. And spoiler alert, America wins the Revolutionary War. And by the time Jackson was 38 years old, he was a major general in the Tennessee militia. He was a U.S. representative. He'd already gotten rich and then almost bankrupt and rich again and bankrupt again. But by the time Tennessee gained statehood, he was a pretty big deal. He already owned several racehorses, and one that he particularly loved was a horse called Indian Queen. And Jackson challenged his neighbor, a guy with the incredible name of Lazarus Cotton. And Lazarus Cotton owned Greyhound, the fastest horse in the South. And they had a big race with multiple heats. And Greyhound absolutely whips Indian Queen's ass. And Jackson is deeply embarrassed. So Jackson is determined to be Greyhound, and he knows a horse that can do it. The horse is called Truxton. And that presents two problems. The first is obviously that he doesn't own Truxton. And the second problem is that Truxton had just raced greyhound and had lost. But luckily problem number two kind of solves problem number one, because the loss of Truxton to greyhound had basically bankrupted his owner. So Andrew Jackson slides up and he offers this guy a hell of a deal. He says, listen, bro, if you let me borrow Truxton, I will pay off your debts, I'll get you out of your jam, and I'm going to train Truxton to run a big race. And if he wins that race next fall, I get to buy Truxton for 40 grand and I'll give you five other horses. And the guy says, all right, you son of a bitch, you got yourself a deal. So now Andrew Jackson has his dream horse, Truxton, and he reaches out to his neighbor, Lazarus Cotton again and he says, let's run it back, baby, since I just bought Truxton, the one your horse just beat. But there's a new trainer in town, that's me. So he, Jackson and Cotton agree to a race. But Jackson says, this time I'm all in. And remember, he just paid off this guy's debts. He's a little strapped for cash. So, like, what is all in for a 38 year old Andrew Jackson? What's that look like? Well, in like a cash and prizes sense, like in a Price is Right showcase showdown value, it was $140,000. Today's money, 100,000 of that was in cash and another 40,000 in Jackson's clothes, valued at another 40 grand.
Chad Millman
Wow, talk about a clothes horse.
Matt Mitchell
Good boomer vernacular. Incredible.
Chad Millman
Just do what I can, do what I can to contribute here.
Matt Mitchell
Absolutely. Huge wager, is betting the clothes off his back and back. Then Chad, no odds. This is just straight up, he's just going to bet him 140 grand. Straight up, straight baller. Now it's set. Jackson has to start training Truxton and he does so like an absolute savage. He tells people he's going to run the horse incredibly hard to instill a will to win in this animal. Just like classic maniac stuff. And everyone thinks, okay, Jackson's killing this horse. There's no way he's going to win this race. The horse already lost a greyhound already. So when race day comes, it's in Nashville. Everybody rolls up. It's an unbelievably exciting enterprise here in an incredibly boring place, an incredibly boring part of American history. So this is the most exciting thing that's like ever happened. Every report from this race says that gambling there is absolutely out of control. There's a congressman in attendance who says multiple people are betting their entire properties, like 600 plus acre properties. People are going full Jackson, they're betting all their clothes. He watched a guy take off his riding gloves and just bet the guy next to him. Like, everybody has got gambling fever for this giant race. Even the jockey that Jackson hires, he bets his entire net worth on himself. He even uses horses he doesn't even own to make more bets. And then finally, Chad, they're going to do the race. It's the 1805 version of Muhammad Ali versus Joe Frazier. Truxton Greyhound 2. This one's for all the clothes. And Truxton absolutely crushes ground. Huge win. Jackson wins a shitload of money. The old owner of Truxton, he gets his prize money. Both men are totally bailed out. The jockey doubles his net worth. Unbelievable. Andrew Jackson, just a total gambling maniac. And you could kind of picture the equivalent of a guy like this today. Fun little bonus nugget. 20 years after this race, Andrew Jackson runs for president, and he's running against John Quincy Adams. It's a classic matchup. You got a Southern maniac versus a pedigreed Northeastern fancy boy. I wonder who you would be. And Jackson wins the popular vote, but it's too close to call. So the election goes to the House of Representatives, and John Quincy Adams takes the White House. Jackson's furious about it, and he blames his old adversary, the card shark Henry Clay. He thinks they brokered some kind of crooked deal. Stop the steal. All very familiar stuff to us. But during the election, Jackson had painted John Quincy Adams as this pansy boy, right? This pansy Puritan. But after entering the White House, John Quincy Adams is like, oh, shit, I'm going to have to talk to, like, a lot of foreign dignitaries. I gotta find something for them to do. They all love billiards. Europeans love playing pool. So Adams gets an old pool table and he has it refurbished, and he buys the sticks and the balls and all that shit. Like some, you know, Midwestern dad redoing his rec room, except it's the White House. When Andrew Jackson, who just lost the election to him, he hears about this, he's like, my God, yes. I'm going to fucking bury this guy for this. And he manufactures an entire scandal saying he can't believe the President would use tax money for, quote, gaming tables and gambling equipment. It says betting inside the White House would, quote, shock and alarm the religious and moral part of this country. And John Quincy Adams is like, bro, what the fuck are you talking about? I bought the table with my own money and I'm not even using it to bet. It's just like bullshit with ambassadors. And obviously they call out that Jackson is a known enormous maniac gambler and loves betting on cards and horses and cockfights and anything else. And Jackson had challenged a dude to a duel over a canceled horse race. He got shot in the chest in that duel and still killed the other guy. Like not a kind of guy you're going to take a lot of shit about gambling from. But it didn't matter. Scandal totally works. The next election is a rematch. Adams Jackson is full of dirty tricks and all sorts of bullshit. But just like Truxton Greyhound to this one's for all the clothes. Jackson as a maniac beats Adams, wins the presidency. And to end the story, when Jackson goes to dc, he immediately strong arms Congress. He makes them renovate the White House stables so he can bring all of his famous horses with him. And that is just a glimpse into the life of President Andrew Jackson, American gambling psychopath.
Chad Millman
What do you think of that one, Simon?
Simon Hunter
Honestly, not shocking, because if you do go through American history, all these presidents have had pretty wild lives, right? And I didn't know all that about him in horse racing though. I knew he was a gambler. I never knew it was all horse racing. So pretty cool. Pretty cool story. Honestly.
Chad Millman
I gotta say, I like the second one better. The second one felt a lot cleaner. Well, I had no idea. Yeah, a little more connected to the gambling, but I had no idea that he made that much money from betting horses and that he was that much of an accomplished rider. That's actually incredibly cool. Is that also from David Schwartz's book? You want to repeat where you got this stuff?
Matt Mitchell
Roll the Bones the History of Gambling. Wonderful book by David Schwartz. Other sources include The Smithsonian, rejected princesses.com, wikipedia, a host of other books. It's been a great time.
Chad Millman
Surprise. The better collective VPN let you get to rejected princesses dot com.
Matt Mitchell
Hey, fair is fair. You always credit your sources. Chad, I can't be some fly by night bestselling author like yourself, you know, I can't just, you know.
Chad Millman
Listen, nobody wants hat tips and credit sourcing more than I do. I think we all have to be diligent when it comes to that. Matt, I credit you for being the ultimate source for these incredible gambling stories. You know what, I say it every show feedback is a gift. I got to get feedback from people on what they thought of this episode and these stories because I found them charming and fascinating. I have no idea if anyone else did, and I'm very curious to know if this is something people are going to want repeated. So by all means, you must, must must send the feedback. Send it directly to Matt Podcasts Podcasts s at the end podcasts@actionnetwork.com that's awesome. As a reminder, the Favorites podcast is presented by bet365 and now new bet365. Customers get $150 in bonus bets. When you bet $5. Sign up using promo code favorites deposit $10. Place a bet for $5 to get $150 in bonus bets. Those bonus bets can be used on spreads, totals, player props, futures, and more. Whatever the moment, it's never ordinary. At bet365 must be 21 or older and present in Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia or 18 and older in Kentucky. Gambling problem. Call 1-800- gambler or 1-800-bets off and I what terms, conditions, restrictions apply. Simon and I will return with our next episode of the Favorites on the Action Network YouTube page, Tuesday, 1:30pm Eastern. Download us from Spotify, Apple Pods wherever you get your pods. Rate, Review Subscribe Leave us. 5 stars. Say whatever you want. As I said, feedback is a gift. Until next time. Love you.
Tisha Allen
Action Network reminds you please gamble responsibly. If you or someone you care about.
Chad Millman
Has a gambling problem, help is available 247 at 1-800-GAMBLER.
Bobby Bones
Hey, it's Bobby Bones. Join me and former NFL quarterback Matt Castle every Wednesday for our new podcast, Lots to say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle. Between us, we have over 17,500 passing yards, multiple New York Times bestsellers, and one mirrorball trophy from Dancing with the Star. So where else are you going to find a show with that much athleticism and football insight? We talk sports, but we talk pop culture and music and a little bit of everything. Listen to Lots to Say with Bobby Bones and Matt Castle on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get.
Tisha Allen
Your podcasts, you are cordially invited to the hottest party in professional sports. I'm Tisha Allen, former golf professional and the host of welcome to the Party, your newest obsession about the wonderful world that is women's golf. Featuring interviews with top players on tour, tips to help improve your swing, and the craziest stories to come out of your friendly neighborhood country club. Welcome to the Party with Tisha Allen is an iHeart Women's fourth production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. Listen to welcome to the party that's P A R T E e on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.
Mel Reid
This is Mel Reed, LPGA Tour winner and six time Ladies European Tour winner.
Kira K. Dixon
And Kyra K. Dixon, NBC Sports reporter and host.
Mel Reid
And we've got a new podcast, Quiet Please with Mel and Kira.
Kira K. Dixon
We are bringing you spicy takes on sports and pop culture, some interviews with incredible people who have figured out how to make golf their superpower and iheart.
Mel Reid
WINS Sports Production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts.
Kira K. Dixon
Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.
Ashlyn Harris
We all have a moment that splits us wide open. On my new podcast, Wide Open with Ashlyn Harris, I'll sit down with trailblazers from sports, music, fashion, entertainment and politics to explore their toughest moments and the incredible comebacks that followed. Listen to Wide Open with Ashlyn Harris, an iHeart women's sports production on the iHeartradio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Kira K. Dixon
Presented by Elf Beauty, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports.
Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Episode: The Favorites - Great Moments In Historical Gambling History
Release Date: February 18, 2025
The Herd with Colin Cowherd takes a deep dive into some of the most intriguing moments in the annals of gambling history. Hosted by Chad Millman and Simon Hunter from the Action Network, this episode features guest producer Matt Mitchell, who shares meticulously researched stories that blend the thrill of gambling with historical significance. Below is a comprehensive summary of the episode, highlighting key discussions, insights, and memorable quotes.
The episode kicks off with Chad Millman welcoming listeners to a special edition of "The Favorites," focusing on historical gambling moments. He emphasizes both his and co-host Simon Hunter's enthusiasm for gambling stories, setting the stage for an engaging exploration of the past's high-stakes wagers.
Matt Mitchell introduces the first historical gambling story centered around the American clipper ship, Neptune's Car, and its captain, Joshua Patton, alongside his young wife, Marianne Patton.
Setting the Scene:
Neptune's Car embarks on its maiden voyage in 1853 from New York City. Under Captain Patton's stern leadership, the voyage is fraught with tension, resulting in mutiny and chaos reminiscent of the infamous Cleveland Browns' mismanagement.
"It's like the Cleveland Browns go to sea." — Matt Mitchell [07:38]
The Gamble:
Post-successful first voyage, the ship's financiers place a hefty bet on Neptune's Car to outpace three competing ships to San Francisco. This high-stakes wager compels Patton to undertake a tumultuous second journey with minimal preparation.
Challenges Faced:
The second voyage is plagued by unforeseen issues:
"Problem number one is now solved." — Matt Mitchell [12:28]
Marianne Takes Charge:
As Captain Patton succumbs to illness, Marianne steps up, showcasing remarkable leadership and navigational skills. Her determination steers the ship through icy Antarctic waters, demonstrating her pivotal role in the voyage.
"She is the hero of an epic historical bad beat." — Matt Mitchell [19:34]
Conclusion of the Voyage:
Despite their efforts, Neptune's Car finishes second, leading to financial losses for the ship's owners. The story concludes with Marianne's legacy honored by the naming of a hospital at the US Merchant Marine Academy.
"Neptune's Car, Marianne Patton, the first woman to command an American ship." — Matt Mitchell [20:34]
The episode transitions to the colorful life of Andrew Jackson, the seventh President of the United States, highlighting his notorious gambling tendencies and their impact on his political career.
Early Life and Gambling Prowess:
Jackson's youth is marked by his rebellious spirit and burgeoning love for gambling, particularly horse racing. His competitive nature leads him to challenge fellow horse owners, setting the stage for significant wagers.
"Andrew Jackson, just a total gambling maniac." — Matt Mitchell [36:30]
The Truxton vs. Greyhound Race:
Jackson orchestrates a high-stakes horse race against Lazarus Cotton's horse, Greyhound. After meticulously training his horse, Truxton, Jackson wins the race, securing substantial financial gains and cementing his reputation as a formidable gambler.
"Truxton absolutely crushes ground. Huge win." — Matt Mitchell [31:42]
Political Ambitions and Scandal:
Jackson's gambling exploits intertwine with his political ambitions. In a contentious election against John Quincy Adams, Jackson leverages his gambling persona to tarnish Adams' reputation, accusing him of moral corruption and promoting scandal.
"He manufactures an entire scandal... proving that betting in the White House would shock and alarm the nation." — Matt Mitchell [35:00]
Presidency and Legacy:
Upon winning the presidency, Jackson continues his gambling ways, ensuring that his political life remains as tumultuous and high-stakes as his personal endeavors.
"Andrew Jackson, American gambling psychopath." — Matt Mitchell [36:44]
Chad Millman and Simon Hunter reflect on the stories, expressing both astonishment and admiration for the historical figures' gambling exploits. Matt Mitchell credits David G. Schwartz's Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling as a key source, alongside other reputable references like The Smithsonian and various historical websites.
"Roll the Bones, the history of gambling, an absolutely incredible book by David G. Schwartz." — Matt Mitchell [21:13]
The episode wraps up with Chad Millman urging listeners to provide feedback and share their thoughts on these captivating gambling tales. Additionally, advertisements for betting platforms like bet365 and promotions for other podcasts fill the concluding segments, though these sections are not the focus of the episode's main content.
Matt Mitchell on Neptune's Car Allegory:
"It's like the Cleveland Browns go to sea." — [07:38]
Matt Mitchell on Mariahn Patton's Role:
"She is the hero of an epic historical bad beat." — [19:34]
Matt Mitchell on Andrew Jackson's Gambling:
"Andrew Jackson, just a total gambling maniac." — [36:30]
Matt Mitchell on the Truxton Race:
"Truxton absolutely crushes ground. Huge win." — [31:42]
Matt Mitchell on Sources:
"Roll the Bones, the history of gambling, an absolutely incredible book by David G. Schwartz." — [21:13]
Intersection of Gambling and History:
The episode effectively illustrates how gambling has influenced significant historical events and figures, shaping outcomes in both personal and political arenas.
Role of Leadership and Risk-Taking:
Both stories emphasize the themes of leadership under pressure and the inherent risks associated with high-stakes gambling. Marianne Patton's resilience and Andrew Jackson's relentless pursuit of victory highlight different facets of leadership and ambition.
Cultural Reflections:
The narratives provide a window into the societal norms and cultural landscapes of their respective eras, showcasing how gambling mirrored the values and conflicts of the time.
This episode of The Herd with Colin Cowherd offers a captivating exploration of historical gambling moments, enriched by detailed storytelling and insightful analysis. Whether you're a history buff, a gambling enthusiast, or simply intrigued by the intertwining of chance and destiny, this episode provides a compelling listen that brings the past's high-stakes wagers to life.