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There's Just Something About Kansas City

There's Just Something About Kansas City

By: Frank Boal Sarah McEnerney Kate Feder Ben Messner
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“There’s just something about Kansas City.”™ It may be the most-heard phrase from those who are from here, those who have come here, & those who have chosen to stay. It’s a sense of pride, of camaraderie, of community and comfort. A sense of small-town, back-patio warmth brimming with growth, innovation and potential. A sense of zero degrees of separation in a city of champions. For each of us, that “something” is a story crafted through years of experiences, big and small, that have planted the Heart of America so deeply in our own. Join legendary Kansas City sports broadcaster Frank Boal each week for deep, down-to-earth conversations with some of this town’s most legendary residents, both natives and transplants, and hear what it is about Kansas City that just keeps calling them home.Frank Boal, Sarah McEnerney, Kate Feder, Ben Messner World
Episodes
  • Diane Euston: Kansas City Historian on Sarah Rector, The Richest Black Child in America
    Feb 10 2026

    Almost erased from mainstream history, Sarah Rector was a young Black girl whose life defied every expectation of her time.

    In 1907, through the Dawes Allotment Act, Sarah — a descendant of formerly enslaved people — was granted 160 acres of land in Oklahoma. The land was considered undesirable and difficult to farm. But beneath it lay oil. When a well struck crude, Sarah became one of the richest Black children in American history, and that well is still producing today.

    In this episode of There’s Just Something About Kansas City, historian and educator Diane Euston brings Sarah Rector’s remarkable story to life — far beyond what’s portrayed in the film Sarah’s Oil, which focuses only on her early years.

    Diane shares how national leaders like Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois advocated for Sarah’s education at the Tuskegee Institute, why she eventually moved to Kansas City, and how she became one of the most prominent socialites in KC history — Black or white.

    We explore her marriage at 18, her children, and the Kansas City home that still stands today — where she hosted icons such as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Joe Louis, Jack Johnson, Josh Gibson, and the Kansas City Monarchs.

    It’s a powerful story of wealth, resilience, race, education, and legacy — and a vital chapter of Kansas City history that deserves to be remembered.

    🎧 A must-listen for history lovers, KC locals, and anyone inspired by untold American stories.

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    55 mins
  • Gary Lezak: Kansas City Weather to Weather 20/20
    Feb 3 2026

    In this episode of There’s Just Something About Kansas City, the longtime Kansas City and Oklahoma City TV meteorologist shares behind-the-scenes stories from the unpredictable world of live television weather — unforgettable storms, on-air surprises, and the moments viewers never see.

    After years in broadcast meteorology, Gary channeled his experience into launching Weather 20/20, an innovative long-range forecasting system designed to help individuals, businesses, and communities better prepare for what’s ahead.

    But this conversation goes beyond the forecast. Gary also offers an honest and personal reflection on growing up knowing he was gay, what that meant in earlier decades of broadcast television, and why he chooses to speak openly about it today.

    Smart, candid, and full of insight, this episode blends Kansas City media history, weather science, entrepreneurship, and personal resilience — all in one unforgettable conversation.

    🎧 A must-listen for weather watchers, media fans, and anyone who’s ever waited out a Midwest storm.

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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • Dan Meers: KC Wolf on Life as the Kansas City Chiefs Mascot
    Jan 27 2026

    Dan Meers might be one of the most recognizable people in the city — but you wouldn’t know him from Adam without his giant head, crazy eyes, and 85 inch waist. For more than 35 years, Dan Meers brought energy, humor, and heart to Kansas City as the legendary KC Wolf, the mascot of the Kansas City Chiefs.

    In this episode of There’s Just Something About Kansas City, Dan takes us behind the mask and into one of the most unique careers in professional sports. He shares how he got his start as Truman the Tiger at Mizzou, became Fredbird with the St. Louis Cardinals, and eventually found his calling as KC Wolf, one of the most beloved mascots in the NFL.

    But this conversation goes far beyond sports. Dan reflects on how he’s used his platform to share a message centered on family, faith, and encouragement, and he opens up about his wife Cam’s courageous battle with cancer. With grace and honesty, Dan speaks directly to those facing similar struggles, and wants them to know they are not alone.

    It’s a powerful, heartfelt, and unforgettable story about purpose, perseverance, and finding light in even the hardest moments.

    🎧 An episode that will inspire Chiefs fans — and anyone in need of hope.

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    1 hr
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