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Big Ben: The Story Behind the Bell
On this date in 1858, the bell known as Big Ben was cast in London. Here are some things you may not have known about Big Ben. The nickname Big Ben refers to the bell only. The clock is called the Great Clock, while the tower is named Elizabeth Tower. The namesake of the bell…
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March 28, 2017: Trivia Minute Update
On this date in 1979, the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania suffered a partial core meltdown. What is the name of the river in which Three Mile Island is located? We’ll have the answer later in the show. Today is Teachers’ Day in the Czech Republic and Slovakia and Serfs Emancipation Day…
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1977: Tenerife Airport Disaster
On this date in 1977, 583 people died in the deadliest accident in aviation history. Here are some things you may not have known about the Tenerife Airport Disaster. KLM Flight 4805 from Amsterdam, and Pan Am Flight 1736 from Los Angeles via New York, were both traveling to Gran Canaria Airport at Las Palmas…
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1894: The First Stanley Cup Playoff
On this date in 1894, the first Stanley Cup playoff game was held. Here are a few things you may not have known about the oldest trophy in North American professional team sports. The cup was commissioned as the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup by Lord Stanley of Preston, who was then the governor general of…
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A New Abbreviated Tuesday Show!
We’ll start off with a random trivia question: What is the largest city named after a U.S. President? Today is International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, International Color Day, International Day of Forests, World Down Syndrome Day, World Poetry Day and World Puppetry Day. It’s Independence Day in Namibia, and Human Rights Day…
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Iditarod: Racing Across Alaska
On this date in 1985, Libby Riddles became the first woman to win the Iditarod Trail sled dog race. Here are some things you might not have known about the annual tradition. The Iditarod is run in honor of the 1925 serum run, which was a sled dog relay to deliver a diphtheria antitoxin to…
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St. Patrick’s Day: Common Misconceptions
Today is St. Patrick’s Day. Here are some things you should know. While a four-leaf clover may be lucky, it’s not a shamrock. Shamrocks have three leaves and are more common than their quad-leaved brethren. It’s said that St. Patrick used the three leaves of the shamrock to help explain the Christian Holy Trinity to…
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1820: Maine, America’s Vacationland
On this date in 1820, Maine was admitted to the Union. Here are some things you may not have known about the 23rd state. The first inhabitants of what would become Maine was a loose confederacy of Algonquin-speaking people, called the Wabanaki. The first European contact came about 800 years ago when Norwegians arrived on…
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1926: Book of the Month Club Starts Delivering
On this date in 1926, the first Book of the Month Club selection was published. Here are some things you might not have known about it. The Book of the Month Club was founded by Harry Scherman in New York. Scherman had earlier success selling a collection of 30 leather-bound books for just under $3.…
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An Abbreviated Thursday Show
Today is Teachers’ Day in Lebanon. It’s unofficially False Teeth Day, Barbie Day, and National Meatball Day. It’s the birthday of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, who was born in 1934; actor Raul Julia, who was born in 1940; and actress Juliette Binoche, who is 53. This week in 1967, the top song in the U.S. was…