Annie Londonderry gained fame for being the first woman cyclist to circumnavigate the globe. Sort of. In the 1890s, she DID circle the globe, but there are a LOT of inconsistencies in the details of her story, including why she did it in the first place. 

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Annie Londonderry gained fame for being the first woman cyclist to circumnavigate the globe. Sort of. In the 1890s, she DID circle the globe, but there are a LOT of inconsistencies in the details of her story, including why she did it in the first place.  Learn more about your ad-choices at <a href="https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com">https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com</a>

Join Holly and Tracy as they bring you the greatest and strangest Stuff You Missed In History Class in this podcast by iHeartRadio.

Stuff You Missed in History Class

Annie Londonderry’s Dubious Bike Trip Around the World

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/991b3224-753e-46dd-956a-ae28002fc549/transcript

In the 1950s, two men tried to corner the market on onions on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and manipulate futures contracts. Then Congress took up legislation to expressly forbid contracts for the sale of onion futures. 

Research:
Butz, Earl L. “VINCENT W KOSUGA, SAM S. SIEGEL, AND NATIONAL PRODUCE DISTRIBUTORS, INC.” Docket 73. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. CEA Cases. 6/18/1956. https://www.cftc.gov/sites/default/files/idc/groups/public/@lrceacases/documents/ceacases/kosuga-jun1956-644.pdf
Chicago Tribune. “Chicago Onion Dealer Named for Price Fix.” 6/22/1956. Page 43.
Chicago Tribune. “Siegel Denies Manipulating Onion Futures.” 6/22/1956. Page 43.
Commodity Exchange Authority. “Futures Trading in Onions.” United States Department of Agriculture. December 1956.
Commodity Futures Trading Commission. “History of the CFTC.” https://www.cftc.gov/About/HistoryoftheCFTC/history_precftc.html
Commodity Futures Trading Commission. “VINCENT W. KOSUGA, SAM S. SIEGEL, AND NATIONAL PRODUCE DISTRIBUTORS, INC.” Decision and Order. 6/3/1960. https://www.cftc.gov/sites/default/files/idc/groups/public/@lrceacases/documents/ceacases/kosuga-jun1960-555.pdf
Lambert, Emily. “The Futures: the Rise of the Speculator and the Origins of the World’s Biggest Markets.” Basic Books. 2011.
Miller, Rena S. “Introduction to Derivatives and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.” U.S. Congress. Report. 3/13/2025. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48451
Mininger, Wayne. “Public Comment: Agricultural Commodity Definition, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Final Rule: Pages 25-26.” SEC. https://www.sec.gov/comments/s7-16-11/s71611-13.pdf
NPR Planet Money. “Episode 657: The Tale Of The Onion King.” 10/14/2015. https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/10/14/448718171/episode-657-the-tale-of-the-onion-king
Romer, Keith and Robert Smith. “The tale of the Onion King (Update).” NPR Planet Money. 6/22/2022. https://www.npr.org/2022/06/22/1106861476/the-tale-of-the-onion-king-update
Romer, Keith. “The Great Onion Corner And The Futures Market.” NPR Planet Money/Morning Edition. 10/22/2015. https://www.npr.org/2015/10/22/450769853/the-great-onion-corner-and-the-futures-market
S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. “Vincent W. Kosuga, Plaintiff-appellee, v. Jack H. Kelly, Defendant-appellant, 257 F.2d 48 (7th Cir. 1958).” October 13, 1958. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/257/48/78496/
S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. “Chicago Mercantile Exchange v. Tieken, 178 F. Supp. 779 (N.D. Ill. 1959).” 12/2/1959. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/178/779/1642330/
S. Supreme Court. “Kelly v. Kosuga, 358 U.S. 516 (1959).” 2/24/1959. https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/358/516/
Warwick Valley Dispatch. “Vince Kosuga to be Named Pine Island Citizen of the ” 10/14/1987. https://www.pineislandny.com/Scrapbook/0048_sp_sm.pdf
Binghamton Press Bureau. “Both Engines Are Torn Off as Ship Makes Forced Landing.” Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin. Page 1. 9/7/1948.
Roesch, Roberta Fleming. “Couple’s Success Recipe: ‘We Know Our Onions.’” Wilkes-Barre Record. Page 9. 10/23/1964.

In the 1950s, two men tried to corner the market on onions on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and manipulate futures contracts. Then Congress took up legislation to expressly forbid contracts for the sale of onion futures.&nbsp;
Research:
<ul>
<li>Butz, Earl L. &ldquo;VINCENT W KOSUGA, SAM S. SIEGEL, AND NATIONAL PRODUCE DISTRIBUTORS, INC.&rdquo; Docket 73. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. CEA Cases. 6/18/1956. https://www.cftc.gov/sites/default/files/idc/groups/public/@lrceacases/documents/ceacases/kosuga-jun1956-644.pdf</li>
<li>Chicago Tribune. &ldquo;Chicago Onion Dealer Named for Price Fix.&rdquo; 6/22/1956. Page 43.</li>
<li>Chicago Tribune. &ldquo;Siegel Denies Manipulating Onion Futures.&rdquo; 6/22/1956. Page 43.</li>
<li>Commodity Exchange Authority. &ldquo;Futures Trading in Onions.&rdquo; United States Department of Agriculture. December 1956.</li>
<li>Commodity Futures Trading Commission. &ldquo;History of the CFTC.&rdquo; https://www.cftc.gov/About/HistoryoftheCFTC/history_precftc.html</li>
<li>Commodity Futures Trading Commission. &ldquo;VINCENT W. KOSUGA, SAM S. SIEGEL, AND NATIONAL PRODUCE DISTRIBUTORS, INC.&rdquo; Decision and Order. 6/3/1960. https://www.cftc.gov/sites/default/files/idc/groups/public/@lrceacases/documents/ceacases/kosuga-jun1960-555.pdf</li>
<li>Lambert, Emily. &ldquo;The Futures: the Rise of the Speculator and the Origins of the World&rsquo;s Biggest Markets.&rdquo; Basic Books. 2011.</li>
<li>Miller, Rena S. &ldquo;Introduction to Derivatives and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.&rdquo; U.S. Congress. Report. 3/13/2025. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R48451</li>
<li>Mininger, Wayne. &ldquo;Public Comment: Agricultural Commodity Definition, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Final Rule: Pages 25-26.&rdquo; SEC. https://www.sec.gov/comments/s7-16-11/s71611-13.pdf</li>
<li>NPR Planet Money. &ldquo;Episode 657: The Tale Of The Onion King.&rdquo; 10/14/2015. https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/10/14/448718171/episode-657-the-tale-of-the-onion-king</li>
<li>Romer, Keith and Robert Smith. &ldquo;The tale of the Onion King (Update).&rdquo; NPR Planet Money. 6/22/2022. https://www.npr.org/2022/06/22/1106861476/the-tale-of-the-onion-king-update</li>
<li>Romer, Keith. &ldquo;The Great Onion Corner And The Futures Market.&rdquo; NPR Planet Money/Morning Edition. 10/22/2015. https://www.npr.org/2015/10/22/450769853/the-great-onion-corner-and-the-futures-market</li>
<li>S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. &ldquo;Vincent W. Kosuga, Plaintiff-appellee, v. Jack H. Kelly, Defendant-appellant, 257 F.2d 48 (7th Cir. 1958).&rdquo; October 13, 1958. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/257/48/78496/</li>
<li>S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. &ldquo;Chicago Mercantile Exchange v. Tieken, 178 F. Supp. 779 (N.D. Ill. 1959).&rdquo; 12/2/1959. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/FSupp/178/779/1642330/</li>
<li>S. Supreme Court. &ldquo;Kelly v. Kosuga, 358 U.S. 516 (1959).&rdquo; 2/24/1959. https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/358/516/</li>
<li>Warwick Valley Dispatch. &ldquo;Vince Kosuga to be Named Pine Island Citizen of the &rdquo; 10/14/1987. https://www.pineislandny.com/Scrapbook/0048_sp_sm.pdf</li>
<li>Binghamton Press Bureau. &ldquo;Both Engines Are Torn Off as Ship Makes Forced Landing.&rdquo; Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin. Page 1. 9/7/1948.</li>
<li>Roesch, Roberta Fleming. &ldquo;Couple&rsquo;s Success Recipe: &lsquo;We Know Our Onions.&rsquo;&rdquo; Wilkes-Barre Record. Page 9. 10/23/1964.</li>
</ul>

In the 1950s, two men tried to corner the market on onions on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and manipulate futures contracts. Then Congress took up legislation to expressly forbid contracts for the sale of onion futures. 

Onion Futures Act

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/6d788f2c-652e-4f09-b98a-b4f20154f5a7/transcript

This 2022 episode covers Helen Duncan, sometimes described inaccurately as Scotland’s last witch, or the last person imprisoned for witchcraft in Britain, or the last person to be tried under the UK’s 1735 Witchcraft Act.

This 2022 episode covers Helen Duncan, sometimes described inaccurately as Scotland&rsquo;s last witch, or the last person imprisoned for witchcraft in Britain, or the last person to be tried under the UK&rsquo;s 1735 Witchcraft Act.

SYMHC Classics: Helen Duncan

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/552ca6ad-0114-4ad3-a085-b4f20154daf7/transcript

Tracy shares her surprise at discovering some of the details of Montague Summers's life. Holly talks about bickering within the Society for Psychical Research.

Tracy shares her surprise at discovering some of the details of Montague Summers's life. Holly talks about bickering within the Society for Psychical Research.

Behind the Scenes Minis: I Keep No Monkey

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c7ea19aa-06ee-434c-97d0-b4f201543142/transcript

Annie Londonderry’s Dubious Bike Trip Around the World

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