Fast Facts Rear-view Mirror Events from a century ago in 1923. ▶ King Tut’s burial chamber was first opened. ▶ An earthquake devastated the Japanese cities of Tokyo and Yokohama. ▶ The Irish Civil War came to an end. ▶TIME magazine was launched. ▶ Mount Etna volcano erupted. ▶ Construction began on the Sydney Harbour Bridge. ▶ Warner Brothers was established. ▶ Foster Hewitt announced his first ice hockey game. ▶ Insulin was introduced for the treatment of diabetes. ▶ California’s Hollywood sign was inaugurated (formerly Hollywoodland). ▶ The USSR was established. ▶ The first aerial refuelling took place. ▶ Interpol was formed. ▶ The first transatlantic radio broadcast took place. ▶ Game show host Bob Barker, country singer Hank Williams and boxer Rocky Marciano were born. Grey Matter A wee list of brainy inventions credited to Canadian innovators. ▶ Canada Dry Ginger Ale: invented by John J. McLaughlin in 1907. ▶ McIntosh apple: developed by John McIntosh in 1811. ▶ Poutine: created in the Centre-du-Quebec region in the 1950s. ▶ Yukon Gold potato: invented by Gary Johnston in 1966. ▶ Snow blower: invented by Arthur Sicard in 1927. ▶ Defendo: a Canadian martial art. ▶ Caesar cocktail: introduced in Calgary in 1969. ▶ Easy-Off: oven cleaner invented by Herbert McCool in Regina in 1932. ▶ Alkaline battery: invented by Lewis Urry in 1954. ▶ Kerosene: discovered in the 1840s by Abraham Gesner. ▶ Basketball: invented by James Naismith in 1891. ▶ Goalie mask: invented by Jacques Plante in 1959. ▶ Artificial cardiac pacemaker: John A. Hopps in 1950/51. ▶ Standard time: invented by Sir Sanford Fleming in 1878. Betcha Didn’t Know! ▶ The heart of a shrimp is in its head. ▶ It’s impossible for most people to lick their own elbow (try it!). ▶ A crocodile cannot stick out its own tongue. ▶ It’s physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky. ▶ Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated. ▶ A shark is the only known fish that can blink with both eyes. ▶ Almond is a member of the peach family. ▶ An ostrich’s eye is bigger than its brain. ▶ A cat has 32 muscles in each ear. ▶ The giant squid has the largest eyes in the world. ▶ Like fingerprints, everyone’s tongue-print is different. ▶ There are only four words in the English language that end in “dous”: tremendous, horrendous, stupendous and hazardous. ▶ “Stewardesses” is the longest English word that is typed with only the left hand. Batter Up!! Be the champ with your knowledge of baseball trivia. ▶ Baseball gloves have evolved more than any other piece of the sport’s equipment. ▶ The base most stolen in a game is second base. ▶ Japan has the largest pro baseball league outside of the U.S. ▶ The baseball team with the most World Series wins is the New York Yankees at 27 times. ▶ An easy fly ball is historically called “a can of corn,” a term dating back to when old-time grocers used their aprons to catch cans knocked down from a high shelf. ▶ In 2008, Dr. David A. Peters found that sliding headfirst into a base is faster than a feet-first slide. ▶ “Soaking” was a very early baseball rule that allowed a runner who was off base to be put out by throwing a ball at him. ▶ Hot dogs are the most popular ballpark food item. ▶ During a baseball swing, a bat may travel about 80 mph at its peak. ▶ A baseball pitcher’s curve ball can curve 17 inches away from a straight line. ▶ The first TV broadcast of a major league baseball game was on August 26, 1939. ▶ During an average major league baseball game, an average of 50 foul balls are hit into the crowd. ▶ The Atlanta Braves team, which originated in Boston, was at one time called the “Beaneaters” after the area’s famous Boston baked beans. ▶ A major league baseball has 108 double stitches of lacing, for a total of 216. Answers to Outside the Box Puzzles from page 46 1. The second coming 2. Star Trek 3. That’s beneath him 4. Wheelbarrow 5. A friend in need is a friend indeed 6. Sharp as a tack 54 | www.snowbirds.org
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzMzNzMx