Radio historian J. David Goldin was browsing for archival audio on eBay one night when he stumbled into something strange: A 1937 radio interview of baseball great Babe Ruth. It seemed remarkably like a recorded interview Goldin had donated to the National Archives more than 30 years ago. Goldin started sleuthing. His detective work led him to Leslie Waffen, a longtime official at the National Archives. Waffen eventually admitted to stealing nearly a thousand recordings. Yesterday, Waffen was sentenced to 18 months in prison.
The World is an independent newsroom. We’re not funded by billionaires; instead, we rely on readers and listeners like you. As a listener, you’re a crucial part of our team and our global community. Your support is vital to running our nonprofit newsroom, and we can’t do this work without you. Will you support The World with a gift today? Donations made between now and Dec. 31 will be matched 1:1. Thanks for investing in our work!