Baseball Stalker/peggy Shippen

The day the darkened skies spelled doom. Many people saw this as the end of the world. [ Thunder crashes ] An Olympian's race for redemption. She just wouldn't let her dream die. And the reckless act of an adoring fan. She says to him, "I have a surprise for you." [ Gun *** ] WILDMAN: Within the walls of great institutions lie secrets waiting to be revealed. These are the mysteries at the museum. -- Captions by VITAC -- Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC. Montclair, New Jersey. This tree-lined community has boasted an impressive list of resident celebrities, including astronaut Buzz Aldrin, comedian Stephen Colbert, and Senator Bill Bradley. And along the town's northern edge sits an institution dedicated to another legendary local hero. The Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center gives fans an up close glimpse of the baseball idol's most prized possessions. Including team jerseys, bronzed gloves, and World Series Championship rings. But amongst this cherished collection hangs an item once employed by a less-celebrated player. BERKOW: This artifact from the 1940s is honey-colored, 31 ounces in weight, and made of weathered maple. WILDMAN: The man who wielded it was linked to a violent attack that threatened to end his career. BERKOW: This bat led one player to incredible glory but also to destruction. WILDMAN: How did this simple baseball bat drive an obsession that haunted America's favorite pastime? June 14, 1949 -- Chicago. Baseball lovers descend upon Wrigley Field to watch the home team take on Philadelphia in a game that marks the return of a familiar face -- 29-year-old Eddie Waitkus. Waitkus was traded at the end of the 1948 season from Chicago to Philadelphia. WILDMAN: In front of his former fans, Waitkus leads his new team to an easy victory. He's at the top of his game. WILDMAN: Later that evening, upon returning to his hotel, Waitkus finds an unexpected note from a fellow guest. BERKOW: The note begins, "It is extremely important that I see you as soon as possible." And it was signed, "Ruth Anne Burns." WILDMAN: The message puzzles Waitkus. There's something about the name that seems hauntingly familiar. So he decides to see what she wants. He goes up to room 1297. He knocks on the door. [ Knocking ] WILDMAN: A young woman answers and invites him in, and Waitkus accepts the stranger's invitation. But before he can ask questions, she makes a cryptic statement. She says to him, "I have a surprise for you." And pulls out a .22-caliber rifle. She says, "You've been bothering me for two years, and you're not gonna bother me anymore." WILDMAN: And then, with an eerie calm, she pulls the trigger. [ Gunshot ] The bullet tears into the ballplayer's chest. He says, "Why did you do that, baby?" WILDMAN: But the woman offers no explanation. She simply walks over to the nightstand and picks up the phone. BERKOW: She calls downstairs and says, "Eddie Waitkus has just been shot." WILDMAN: When police and paramedics arrive, they find a chilling scene. The famous athlete lying in a pool of blood, clinging to life, while his attacker kneels next to him, holding his hand. [ Siren wails ] As Waitkus is rushed to the hospital, investigators question the shooter. The police learn the woman's name is Ruth Ann Steinhagen. She's just out of high school, 19 years old. WILDMAN: A South Side native, Steinhagen is an avid baseball fan and has religiously attended games at Wrigley for years. And she reveals that there, in the Spring of '47, she fell madly in love. BERKOW: She was at Wrigley Field. She was standing, before a game, behind the dugout. WILDMAN: As she watched the team warm up, one player in particular caught her eye -- Eddie Waitkus. In his hands, he held a worn wooden bat, just like this one on display at the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center. Steinhagen couldn't take her eyes off the handsome and confident slugger, and suddenly, like magic, he was looking right back at her. BERKOW: And their eyes met, and he winked at her. I'm sure he winked at a lot of people in the stands, but she took this very personally. WILDMAN: The momentary encounter sent Steinhagen reeling. BERKOW: She was just smitten, fell head-over-heels in love, and that was the beginning of her obsession. WILDMAN: For the next two years, she was consumed by the thought of Eddie Waitkus. BERKOW: She learned that he was Lithuanian. She tried to study the Lithuanian language. She learned that he was from Boston. She decided she was gonna eat beans. She would sleep with his picture in her bed. WILDMAN: But when Chicago unexpectedly traded the player to Philadelphia, the obsessed teenager was pushed to the brink. She felt, "If I can't have him, I don't want anyone else to," and she determined that she was going to kill him. WILDMAN: But how did Steinhagen manage to beckon the ballplayer to her hotel room? For this, it seems she delved deep into Waitkus's past. BERKOW: She gets his high-school yearbook. She sees the name "Ruth Anne Burns" as one of his classmates and decides that's the name she's going to put in her note to try to lure Waitkus to her room. WILDMAN: Despite the severity of his wounds, Waitkus makes a miraculous recovery. BERKOW: Eddie spent months in painful rehabilitation, but was able to come back to the 1950 season and had one of his best years. [ Cheering ] WILDMAN: By the time he returns to the field, Ruth Ann Steinhagen is locked away at an Illinois mental hospital. Though a judge deems her fit for trial three years later, Waitkus opts not to press charges. Waitkus' harrowing tale becomes the inspiration for the book, "The Natural," which is eventually adapted into an acclaimed film. And this bat, on display at the Yogi Berra Museum & Learning Center, is a reminder of a brilliant baseball career that was nearly snuffed out by deadly obsession. Ranked as one of the best places to live in the United States, Ann Arbor is home to a prestigious institution -- the University of Michigan. And located on the school's main campus is the William L. Clements Library. This repository of rare manuscripts and collectibles contains maps used by early explorers, a clock once owned by President George Washington, and an ornate trunk that belonged to Sir Henry Clinton, a prominent general who commanded British troops in the American War of Independence. But it's a collection of artifacts found inside this very trunk that shocked historians. CASE: They are on flimsy paper, approximately 7x9 inches and hard to read, but very important. WILDMAN: In fact, according to author Stephen Case, these aging letters turned a long-accepted and infamous tale of deceit on its head. They were critical elements in one of the world's most famous episodes of slippery treachery. WILDMAN: So, what do these letters reveal about the Revolutionary War's most notorious act of betrayal? 1780. The War of Independence rages on as rebels in the North American colonies continue to fight to sever ties with the British crown. One of the most critical locations in this 5-year-old struggle is West Point, New York. Perched on the Hudson River, this Patriot fort is vital to defending the flow of communications and supplies. CASE: If the fort had been lost, then it would have divided the middle and southern colonies from New England, which was the bastion of Patriot support. WILDMAN: But on September 23, there's an alarming development. Colonial forces intercept papers that reveal that the site's security has been breached. The documents were instructions to the British on how to invade and conquer West Point. WILDMAN: Yet even more unsettling is the source of the instructions. The post's own commander, the brilliant war hero, General Benedict Arnold. CASE: Arnold was one of the finest field leaders of troops in battle in American history. WILDMAN: It isn't long before word of this deception reaches the head of the Continental Army, General George Washington. He is devastated that one of his most trusted officers has betrayed him. It produced an episode of George Washington breaking down into tears for maybe the only time in the whole Revolution. WILDMAN: Washington and his men immediately set out to apprehend the traitor, but upon reaching Arnold's home, they discover he is nowhere in sight. Instead, they find his beautiful 20-year-old wife, Peggy Shippen, alone and hysterical. CASE: She appeared stark, raving mad. She was saying, "General Washington, "you have come to *** my child. People are trying to put hot iron rods in my brain." WILDMAN: Taking pity upon the suffering woman, Washington arranges for Peggy to join her family in Philadelphia, but he continues his quest to stop her traitorous husband. Yet the wanted man manages to evade capture, and for the remainder of the Revolution, serves as a high-ranking officer in the British Army. Following the war, Arnold relocates to England, where he dies in 1801. As time passes, his name becomes synonymous with betrayal. CASE: Whenever anybody does something disloyal, he's called a Benedict Arnold. WILDMAN: But in the 1920s, long-forgotten letters surface that could forever alter the accepted story of this infamous turncoat. Seemingly written by Arnold himself, the yellowing communications, now held at the William L. Clements Library, contain a stunning revelation. It was always assumed that Arnold was a solitary traitor. But it appears that wasn't the case at all. CASE: The letters incontrovertibly reveal that Arnold had not acted alone, and the identification of who the conspirator was set the American history community on its ear. WILDMAN: So, who was this mysterious secret agent who helped to mastermind one of history's most notorious plots? For over 100 years, historians have believed that when the infamous turncoat Benedict Arnold conspired with the British, betraying Colonial forces, he was acting alone. But in 1920, a cache of letters surface that will flip this tale of turncoat treachery on its head. While most of the letters were penned by Arnold, a closer examination exposes a second distinct handwriting style belonging to another author. And by comparing the script to historical records, scholars determine the second writer's identity. It is none other than Arnold's young and seemingly vulnerable wife, Peggy Shippen. Peggy knew about the whole thing from the beginning and had been intimately involved in the plot. WILDMAN: But how did a woman who appeared so mentally troubled orchestrate such a complicated scheme? Many believe that, when confronted by Washington, Shippen put on a show. Peggy put on a phenomenal mad scene to distract attention from anybody suspecting her of treason. WILDMAN: In fact, records indicate that Peggy possessed a brilliant mind with no history of mental illness. CASE: Her letters reveal her as a calm, sensible woman with a big vocabulary. There's really nothing indicating any small iota of mental or emotional instability. WILDMAN: When historians learn that Arnold's main British contact was a former acquaintance of his wife, it leads some to believe that it was Shippen who convinced her husband to turn traitor. Yet, while we may never truly know who masterminded the plot, one thing is certain. The story of this beguiling beauty rewrites history as we know it. It's a different, richer perspective on the American Revolution and the role that women played in the whole event. WILDMAN: And today, these letters, preserved at the William L. Clements Library, stand as a lasting testament to this intriguing figure who is part of one of America's most treacherous couples. 30 miles off the coast of Massachusetts, the island of Nantucket is a thriving vacation spot. But this picturesque parcel of land rose to fame on the back of the whaling industry. And today, that legacy is celebrated at the Nantucket Historical Association Whaling Museum. Here, visitors can view the skeleton of a *** whale, a figurehead from an 1870s schooner, and artifacts made of whalebone. But there is one artifact here that paints a vivid scene that took place far from the ocean's depths. TYLER: The artifact is 13 inches wide and about 29 inches long. It's mostly blue, and it also has pink and beige tones and a little brown. WILDMAN: As Research Chair Betsy Tyler can attest, this image tells an astounding tale of astronomical intrigue. TYLER: The universe, the stars, the constellations have always been a topic of interest for people. WILDMAN: What event does this picture portray, and what does it reveal about our grand quest to understand the universe? New York -- 1835. For centuries, the world has been fascinated by the subject of astronomy. But the limits of technology have rendered much of the heavens above a mystery. TYLER: Because of the primitive nature of telescopes and other devices used to look at the stars, we did not know a whole lot at that point in time. WILDMAN: And there's one topic that evokes the most curiosity -- whether life exists on the moon. On August 25th, a New York newspaper called "The Sun" features a front-page story that taps right into this fascination. The author of the article, Dr. Andrew Grant, cites new, earth-shattering research from a prominent South African astronomer. TYLER: In the article, they proclaim that world-renowned astronomer Sir John Herschel had built an enormous telescope. It was powerful enough to peek into the interior of the moon's surface. WILDMAN: And Herschel's observations are jaw-dropping. TYLER: Supposedly, Herschel had found dark red flowers on the moon. Amazingly, he had glimpsed an animal similar to a bison. In addition, Herschel had seen a bluish goat and a strange, amphibious, spherical creature. WILDMAN: The public is astounded by Herschel's announcement. Over the following days, they devour a series of subsequent stories detailing the peculiar life forms on the moon. TYLER: Even more amazing creatures were revealed as these additional articles came out, and one of them was a two-legged beaver that walked upright, carried its young in its arms, and lived in huts from which smoke was emanating. WILDMAN: But on day four, the newspaper prints its most striking revelation yet. There was seemingly intelligent humanoid life forms on the moon. They had wings. They looked like humans, and they appeared to be conducting animated conversations. WILDMAN: According to "The Sun's" report, Herschel has named the humanoids vespertilio-***. Meaning "man-bat." TYLER: Everyone in all walks of society was so overwhelmed with this information and very excited to talk about it and to think about what it meant. WILDMAN: But one week after the first story was published, "The Sun's" rival paper, "The New York Herald," releases its own breaking news. On August 31st, "The New York Herald" flung a tremendous accusation against "The Sun." WILDMAN: So, what's the truth behind these outlandish tales of man-bats on the moon? It's 1885. A popular newspaper, "The New York Sun," publishes a series of extraordinary articles that report that life exists on the moon. But at the height of the excitement, a rival newspaper reveals it has shocking information about its competitor's sky-high claim. So, what's the truth behind the amazing tales of lunar life forms? On the morning of August 31st, "The Sun's" chief rival, "The New York Herald," publishes a scathing takedown of the moon-life articles. It claims the supposed author of the stories, Dr. Andrew Grant, is nothing more than a fiction. They said that the true author of the articles was Richard Adams Locke, who was the editor of "The Sun." WILDMAN: "The Herald" goes on to point out a significant problem with the source of "The Sun's" so-called exclusive. The journal that the articles supposedly originated in had actually ceased publication years earlier. He had also pointed to the well-educated Locke's background in astronomy. WILDMAN: But what of the renowned astronomer Sir John Herschel, who reportedly observed the mythical moon creatures? It seems the story was news to him. Herschel's name had been used without his knowledge. WILDMAN: On hearing about the shenanigans in New York, Herschel is initially amused, saying that his own actual observations could never be as exciting as the fiction printed in "The Sun." Richard Adams Locke, the man who appears to be at the center of the scandal, initially denies orchestrating it. But following weeks of speculation, he drunkenly confesses to a friend and fellow journalist that he was, indeed, the story's author. And it seems his ruse was a smashing success. In the midst of the hoax, "The Sun" became the most widely read newspaper in the world, and when the duped readers of "The Sun" learn the truth, they react in a surprising fashion. The odd thing is that when the public discovered that it was a hoax, they weren't particularly upset by that. They absolutely loved the story. WILDMAN: In fact, the lunar tales proved so popular, that "The Sun" sells lithographs depicting fictitious moon activity, as well as this wallpaper now on display at the Nantucket Whaling Museum. TYLER: So, they made money from the hoax this way, and they reaped substantial profits. WILDMAN: Today, this creative act of deception has gone down in history. This moon hoax story was probably the first mass-media hoax ever. WILDMAN: And this wallpaper stands as a testament to the power of mass media and the public's desire for a good story, whether it's true or false. Boston, Massachusetts, is a city of firsts, and is home to the United States' first public school, post office, and subway system. And in the Center for Innovation is an institution dedicated to preserving American history, the Massachusetts Historical Society. The museum has amassed a collection of objects that chronicle the birth of a nation, including a late 18th century clock, a French flintlock pistol, and the robe of a justice who presided over the trial for the Boston Massacre. But among these iconic artifacts sits an item that documents a more terrifying event. DRUMMEY: The artifact is an eight-page document about four inches by six inches, with the pages joined together with pins. WILDMAN: According to society librarian Peter Drummey, these pages tell of an event that many thought would lead to humanity's demise. This looked like the end of the world, and people believed that it really was. WILDMAN: What is this book, and what awful cataclysm is documented within its pages? It's 1780 in New England. America is still in the throes of Revolution against the British, and residents of the Colonies have become accustomed to bleak news from the battlefield. But on May 18th, throughout pockets of New England, locals report a dark story that is unrelated to any war. DRUMMEY: People started to observe a yellow sky -- a sun that they described as a devilish red. WILDMAN: Most residents write off the strange conditions as nothing more than a coming storm. But the next morning, New Englanders awaken to something even more unsettling. Very quickly, people were observing weather that no one had experienced before. WILDMAN: In Worcester, Massachusetts, newspaper publisher Isaiah Thomas observes that after a brief rain, the sky grows darker and more ominous. Then the air is filled with a suffocating, acrid stench, and it's not long before the sun completely disappears from the sky. DRUMMEY: By noon, Thomas reports that people needed candles to eat or read by. WILDMAN: Even the natural world responds to the darkness as if it is the black of night. The cows went to the barn. Frogs peeped. Bats flew in the middle of the day. WILDMAN: Hours pass with no change, and residents across New England grow even more terrified. Most of the population is sure it's a sign from God. This was a deeply religious society, so many people saw this darkening as a portent for the end of the world. WILDMAN: As throngs of people crowd into churches to pray, a lawyer in Salem, Massachusetts, named William Pynchon records the events of the day in a small diary, now on display at the Massachusetts Historical Society. DRUMMEY: William Pynchon records that a preacher, in explaining these events, quoted from the book of Amos. "...saith the Lord God, That I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will darken the Earth in the clear day." WILDMAN: Churchgoers are terrified the divine judgment prophesied in the Bible has finally arrived. So, what is causing the oppressive darkness over New England? And how will it end? [ Thunder crashes ] It's May 19, 1780. An ominous darkness falls on New England, blackening the sky, turning day into night. Science cannot explain this freak occurrence, and many fear it's the beginning of the apocalypse. So, what has caused this terrifying event? Is it a portent from an angry God? As the dark day transitions into night, citizens across New England fear the worst. Most people at the time must have gone to bed thinking that the world had come to an end, that they would never see a bright, sunny day again. WILDMAN: But on the morning of May 20th, New Englanders awaken to a misty daylight with the sun growing more prominent in the sky. Despite their joy and relief, the population is left mystified by the experience. The inhabitants of New England are baffled and shaken by this event. It's a true mystery. WILDMAN: The seemingly inexplicable phenomenon comes to be known as "New England's Dark Day." Then, over 200 years later, researchers from the University of Missouri shed light on the source of the bizarre blanket of black. While studying the life cycle of a forest in Ontario, Canada, they discover tree-ring patterns that indicate that the area experienced a massive fire two centuries ago. DRUMMEY: The scientists looked at weather observations from 1780 and determined that prevailing winds and low barometric pressure pushed soot and smoke into the upper atmosphere. WILDMAN: The scientists calculate the winds then carried the thick, dirty air eastward, directly toward New England. DRUMMEY: They determined this is almost certainly the cause of the dark day, May 19, 1780. WILDMAN: This massive fire remained completely unknown to anyone outside the remote region, leaving the mystery unsolved for over two centuries. Today, at the Massachusetts Historical Society, this diary stands as a witness to the power of nature and to a terrifying day that many thought would be their last. New York City. Pedestrians in this high-speed metropolis are said to walk quicker than most people on Earth, with an average speed of nearly 3.5 miles per hour. And on the northern tip of this island is an institution as fast and tenacious as the city itself -- the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. Inside is a collection of memorabilia and equipment ranging from a 1904 marble starting block, a discus used by four-time Olympic champion Al Oerter, and a relay baton used at the 1936 Olympics. But one artifact on display tells an awe-inspiring tale of strength and determination. SANDER: It is soft, flexible, supple. At the same time, there's a sturdiness to the construction. WILDMAN: According to Executive Director Dr. Norbert Sander, this pair of leather shoes saw its owner through one of the most harrowing sagas in athletic history. This has to go down in the annals of sports as one of the greatest comebacks of all time. WILDMAN: To whom did these shoes belong, and how did she race past a death-defying tragedy? 1931 -- Chicago, Illinois. 19-year-old sprinter Betty Robinson is riding high. Just three years earlier, she became the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in the 100-meter dash. And she's determined to defend her title at the upcoming Los Angeles games. At that time, Betty Robinson was a national hero. WILDMAN: One day in March, Robinson takes a break from training and accepts an invitation for a biplane ride over the Chicago suburbs. But just minutes into the flight, something goes horribly wrong. The pilot loses control, and the plane smashed into the earth. Onlookers rush to the scene and discover an unconscious Betty Robinson and assumes she's dead. But weeks later, Robinson miraculously emerges from a coma. A physician informs her that pins have been surgically inserted into her left leg to repair a devastating break. Then the once-spirited sprinter receives a crushing blow. The doctor thinks she'll never walk again. Several weeks later, a wheelchair-bound Robinson is released from the hospital. SANDER: This was very frustrating for someone who had been so fit and agile. WILDMAN: Yet, she is as determined as ever to get back on her feet and throws herself into the excruciating process of rehabilitation. SANDER: She pushed herself with great determination to regain all the faculties that she had lost due to the crash. WILDMAN: After months of grueling work, she miraculously regains the ability to walk. People were just amazed that she was even trying. WILDMAN: Now the emboldened Robinson sets her sights on the seemingly impossible -- Olympic glory. SANDER: It was the driving force in her mind to return to running -- probably the most important thing to her. WILDMAN: She soon enlists the help of a family friend and fellow sprinter to get her back up to speed. Little by little, she was able to narrow the gap. WILDMAN: While pain still lingers, it seems the 1936 Olympics in Berlin are within reach. She just wouldn't let her dream die. WILDMAN: But soon she encounters a painful reality. The 100-meter dash requires the runners to start in a crouched position. The surgery prevented her from bending her knee so that she could crouch. WILDMAN: Can Robinson overcome yet another hurdle and recapture Olympic gold? It's 1931. In the wake of a horrific plane crash, gold-medal sprinter Betty Robinson is informed she'll never walk again. But the dogged athlete persists and manages to, once more, stand on her own two feet. But can she somehow get back up to speed and recapture Olympic glory? Robinson is crestfallen by her inability to crouch in the 100-meter dash starting position. But then she realizes there is another event she can compete in. The 4x100 meter relay, where three of the team's four runners start in a standing position. And in 1936, the sprinter once thought to be dead competes in the U.S. Olympic team qualifiers. Incredibly, she was able to make the team. WILDMAN: Later that summer, having already accomplished more than anyone thought possible, Robinson arrives in Berlin. And on August 9th, she and her teammates prepare for the finals in front of Adolf Hitler and 100,000 spectators. Germany was clearly the favorite in front of a hometown crowd. Wearing these shoes on display at the National Track and Field Hall of Fame, Robinson prepares to run the third leg. The starting gun fires, and the Germans spring into an early lead. With baton in hand, Robinson bears down on her opponent, then, as she approaches her teammate, something remarkable happens. SANDER: Just as Betty Robinson completed her leg, the Germans dropped the baton. WILDMAN: The American sails to the finish line, securing the gold. When word of the victory reaches stateside, the nation revels in the inspirational comeback of the athlete who was once told she would never walk again. Today, Robinson's shoes, on display at the National Track and Field Hall of Fame, are a fitting tribute to the indefatigable spirit of a true Olympic champion. Chicago, Illinois, is a mecca for unique architecture and is home to two of the tallest skyscrapers in the United States. It's also home to the largest science center in the Western Hemisphere, the Museum of Science and Industry. among its 35,000 artifacts are a set of bicycles from the early 19th century. A steam locomotive that achieved a land speed record in 1893. And an original U-505 German submarine. But there's one relic here that wasn't built for travel on land or sea. McCARTHY: It's a sphere, 7-feet in diameter. The top of it's painted white, the bottom half black, and it has a small, round porthole and ropes attached to its rim. WILDMAN: According to Director of Collections Kathleen McCarthy, this object launched one of the most dizzying adventures of the 20th century. Not only was this history-making, there was also an element of danger to this journey. WILDMAN: What is this armored contraption, and how did it push our understanding of the universe to new heights? It's 1933, 30 years after the Wright brothers launched the aviation age. Two twin brothers are aiming for even loftier heights. Swiss scientists Auguste and Jean Felix Piccard are driven by a singular goal to send a man higher into the sky than anyone in history. The Piccards set their sights on the stratosphere, a thin layer of the atmosphere beginning seven miles above the Earth's surface. If these brothers can succeed getting to the stratosphere, they will have opened up a new frontier. WILDMAN: The brothers plan to employ a giant balloon filled with hydrogen gas, but there's a problem. Air pressure in the stratosphere is so low that humans can't survive, so the brothers must design a specialized vessel. What they come up with is ground-breaking. McCARTHY: They invented an airtight gondola, and that's how they planned to reach the stratosphere. WILDMAN: This sophisticated device is now on display at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. All the Piccards need now is a pilot, and they find just the man for the job in a decorated U.S. Navy lieutenant commander named Thomas Settle. McCARTHY: Settle was an experienced military pilot and an experienced balloonist, so he was well prepared to fly on this unprecedented journey to the upper atmosphere. WILDMAN: The brothers select the perfect venue for the maiden launch. The Century of Progress Exposition, also known as the World's Fair. [ Applause ] And on the early morning of August 5, 1933, 40,000 spectators fill Chicago's Soldier Field to witness the potentially record-breaking flight. With bands blaring, Lieutenant commander Settle climbs into the gondola, and the balloon is inflated for liftoff. Then the vessel rises from the field. [ Applause ] And spectators eagerly follow its path. But it quickly becomes apparent that something's terribly wrong. McCARTHY: Suddenly, 10 minutes into the flight, the balloon ceased to rise. WILDMAN: Then, without warning, the balloon abruptly plummets towards Earth, dropping into a rail yard less than two miles from the field. A panicked crowd rushes to the site, fearing the worst. Has Thomas Settle survived this unexpected landing? And does this spell the end of the Piccards' dreams of stratospheric flight? It's 1933 at the Century of Progress Exhibition in Chicago. Navy Lieutenant commander Thomas Settle takes off in a high-altitude balloon in a bold attempt to reach the stratosphere. But when his balloon suddenly plummets into a nearby rail yard, thousands of onlookers hold their breath. Did Settle survive this harrowing crash? As the gathered crowd anxiously waits for news, Settle emerges from the gondola in one piece, stunned by the near deadly disaster. And in the coming hours, Settle explains to the Piccards that a simple technical malfunction doomed the historic journey. McCARTHY: Settle planned to level off his flight and give people a chance to watch, and he opened one of the gas escape valves, but the valve stuck. That kept it from rising up. WILDMAN: As gas rushed out of the balloon, the gondola quickly lost altitude and crashed. Settle and the Piccards are devastated by the failure, but the pilot begs the brothers to let him try again. The brothers agree. However, they decide that this time, Settle will receive technical assistance. McCARTHY: For the second flight, Settle was joined by a Marine co-pilot, Major Chester Fordney, who would operate the instruments. WILDMAN: And on November 20, 1933, Settle and Fordney are ready to attempt the balloon's second launch. McCARTHY: The second attempted flight was much different from the first flight. This time, there were only a few hundred observers. WILDMAN: Just after 9:00 a.m., the Piccards watch the balloon rise into the skies and slowly disappear from view. The brothers wait anxiously for news of a safe landing, but the night passes without updates. Finally, the next morning, they receive word. The pilots have successfully landed in a New Jersey swamp. And when the balloon's altimeter is examined, the National Bureau of Standards announces the men have set a new record. McCARTHY: They confirm that these two military pilots had, indeed, reached altitude of 61,237 feet, nearly 11.5 miles above the surface of the Earth. WILDMAN: It's the news of a lifetime for both the pilots and the Piccard brothers. Finally, they've charted the upper reaches of the Earth's atmosphere. Their revolutionary vessel goes on to inspire the sealed cabins and life-support systems still used in modern spacecraft. Today, the gondola from the Century of Progress balloon lives on at the Museum of Science and Industry as a reminder of the men who helped launched the dream of space travel. From a fanatical fan to a spirited sprinter, a stratospheric flight to an out-of-this-world hoax... I'm Don Wildman, and these are the mysteries at the museum.