Trivia People

Thirty years ago, the Coca-Cola Company introduced New Coke, replacing the formula of its flagship soft drink.

Here are some things you may not have known about the New Coke fiasco.

One: In 1983, Pepsi-Cola had begun to outsell Coca-Cola in grocery stores. Coke believed that this was due to younger drinkers preferring the sweeter taste of Pepsi. They also believed, rightly, that diet drinks would become more popular due to baby boomers becoming more health conscious.

Two: The New Coke recipe was a slightly rebalanced version of the Diet Coke formula with high-fructose corn syrup instead of artificial sweeteners.

Three: After realizing the error of their ways, Coca-Cola executives reintroduced the original recipe as “Coca-Cola Classic” three months after introducing New Coke. Sales of Coca-Cola Classic soon passed New Coke and Pepsi. New Coke was renamed Coke II, and discontinued in 2002. In 2009, the company removed the word “Classic” from its North American products.

Our question: What spokesman did Coca-Cola use to promote New Coke after reintroducing Coca-Cola Classic?

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On this date in 1970, Earth Day was celebrated for the first time.

Here are some things you may not have known about it.

The first Earth Day was organized by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, who planned it as a day of environmental education.

In New York, the event drew an estimated crowd of more than 1 million people to Central Park. The city also shut down Fifth Avenue for the event.

It’s estimated that the first Earth Day was observed on 2,000 college and university campuses in the United States, and thousands of primary and secondary schools.

The concept of Earth Day was then largely dormant for the next 20 years.

In 1990, more than 200 million people in 141 countries were involved in the celebration. Two separate organizing committees put on programs. One of them, Earth Day 20 based its festivities at the Gorge Amphitheatre near the town of George, Washington. The event was hosted by John Ratzenberger from the TV sitcom “Cheers” and was headlined by musician Chuck Berry. There was also an international climb of Mount Everest, the first time climbers from the U.S., the Soviet Union and China had climbed the mountain as part of the same group.

The event is now held on an annual basis around the world, largely focusing on climate change and pushing for clean energy sources.

In 1995, Gaylord Nelson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his efforts in starting Earth Day.

Our question, what state did Gaylord Nelson represent in the Senate?

Today is Discovery Day in Brazil and Holocaust Remembrance Day in Serbia.

It’s National Jelly Bean Day and April Showers Day.

It’s the birthday of Vladimir Lenin, who was born in 1870, pinup Bettie Page, born in 1923, actor Jack Nicholson, who is 79 and director John Waters, who is 70.

This week in 1970, the top song in the U.S. was “Let It Be” by The Beatles.

The No. 1 movie was “Patton,” while the novel “The French Lieutenant’s Woman” by John Fowles topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaylord_Nelson

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_22

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-april-22

http://www.billboard.com/archive/charts/1970/hot-100

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1970_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

http://www.hawes.com/1970/1970-04-19.pdf

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On this date in 1934, what went on to become known as the most famous photo of the purported Loch Ness Monster was published in The Daily Mail.

Here are some things you may not have known about the Loch Ness Monster and other legendary beasts.

The study of creatures whose existence has not been proven is called cryptozoology and is widely described as a pseudoscience. The Loch Ness Monster is probably the best known example, but others include the Yeti, Sasquatch and Chupacabra.

The first contemporary report of the Loch Ness Monster was in 1933 when George Spicer and his wife saw something cross the road in front of their car. They said the creature was 25 feet long and about four feet around. They said they saw it from 20 yards away. More sightings were reported in 1933, the same year as the first alleged photograph of the creature. Hugh Gray said he saw a large creature splashing in the lake. One of his photographs showed a blurry object, which he claimed was the monster affectionately nicknamed Nessie. However, some have claimed that it might have been Gray’s Labrador retriever.

In 1934, The Daily Mail published the “Surgeon’s Photograph” which showed the supposed head and neck of the monster sticking out of the lake. Several decades later, most experts would conclude that it was a hoax perpetrated against The Daily Mail. The sightings are generally attributed to hoaxes or misidentifications of common objects like driftwood.

Similar supposed lake monsters or sea serpents include Champ, which is said to live in Lake Champlain in New York and Vermont, and Ogopogo, which allegedly lives in British Columbia’s Lake Okanagan.

The Yeti, or Abominable Snowman is said to live in the Himalayan region. It appears to have been a part of Himalayan folklore for centuries, although researchers have not been able to find any conclusive proof of its existence. Interest in the creature increased as westerners gained access to the area in the 1950s. Many mountaineers, including Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay have claimed to have seen footprints left by the creature, but have later downplayed those experiences.

Sasquatch, also known as Bigfoot, is said to live in the forests of the Pacific Northwestern United States. Legends of Bigfoot stretch back centuries in Native American and First Nations lore. The generally accepted explanation for the sightings is the misidentification of the common black bear.

The Chupacabra, meanwhile is a more recent legend. The first reports were made in 1995 when eight sheep were found dead, and allegedly drained of blood. From there the story exploded and thousands of killings were reported. Experts say most of the animal killings were likely the result of attacks by coyotes and other canines.

Our question, what does Chupacabra translate as in English?

Today is San Jacinto Day in Texas marking the end of the Texas Revolution. In Mexico, it’s Heroic Defense of Veracruz Day marking the beginning of the American invasion of Veracruz in 1914.

It’s National High Five Day, Keep Off the Grass Day, and National Ask an Atheist Day.

It’s the birthday of writer Charlotte Bronte, who was born in 1816; naturalist John Muir, born in 1838; Queen Elizabeth II, who is 90 today, and actor Tony Danza, who is 65.

Because our topic happened before 1960, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1990, the top song in the U.S. was “Nothing Compares 2 U” by Sinead O’Connor.

The No. 1 movie was “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” while the “The Bourne Ultimatum” by Robert Ludlum topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

Today is the 100th anniversary of the Chicago Cubs' first game played at what is now Wrigley Field.

Here are some things you may not have known about the ballpark and the Cubs.

The stadium was built in 1914 for the Chicago Whales of the Federal League. That team's owner, Charles Weeghman, named the stadium after himself. The team and the league were disbanded after the 1915 season. Weeghman took over ownership of the Cubs and moved them into his almost-new stadium.

The first Cubs game played at Weeghman Park was a 7-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in 11 innings. Weeghman, however had financial troubles and was forced out as owner after four seasons.

William Wrigley Jr., the owner of the chewing gum company that bears his last name, assumed total control of the team in 1921. The stadium was named Cubs Park between 1920 and 1926.

Chicago's Wrigley Field wasn't the first baseball stadium to have that name. The Cubs' minor league affiliate in Los Angeles opened their own Wrigley Field in 1925. The Chicago stadium didn't get the name Wrigley Field until a year later.

In 1927, an upper deck of seating was added and the field's signature wall-covering ivy was planted in 1937. The ivy is a combination of Boston and Japanese Bittersweet ivies. If a ball that is in play is lost in the ivy, the result of the play is a ground-rule double.

The stadium is also famous for being the last Major League park to install permanent lighting. The Cubs played their first home game at night on August 8, 1988. They were persuaded to add the lights after Major League Baseball threatened to move any scheduled postseason night games to St. Louis, the home of the Cubs' bitter rivals, the Cardinals.

While the Cubs' first night game at Wrigley Field was played in 1988, the first ever night game played there happened on July 1, 1943. It was the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League's all-star game. It was played under temporary lights.

The Cubs are now the stadium's only permanent tenant. Other teams to have called Wrigley Field home over the years include three NFL teams, including the Chicago Bears, and the Chicago Sting of the North American Soccer League.

In 2009, the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League played an outdoor game against the Detroit Red Wings. Center ice was at roughly the location of second base.

Despite the fact that they’ve played there for 100 years, the Chicago Cubs have yet to win a World Series title since moving to Wrigley.

Our question: Which Major League Baseball stadium is older that Wrigley Field?

oday is Chinese Language Day. It's also the favorite day of marijuana enthusiasts everywhere.

It’s Lima Bean Respect Day, National Look Alike Day and National Pineapple Upside-Down Cake Day.

It’s the birthday of French Emperor Napoleon III, singer Luther Vandross, and actor George Takei.

Because our topic happened before 1960, we'll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1975, the top song in the U.S. was “Philadelphia Freedom” by Elton John.

The No. 1 movie was “Shampoo,” while the novel “Centennial” by James Michener topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Links

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Sources

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrigley_Field

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrigley_Field_(Los_Angeles)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Whales

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_League

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_20

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-april-20

https://www.checkiday.comhttps://www.checkiday.com

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1975_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_Unite...

On this date in 1775, the American Revolutionary War began with the battles of Lexington and Concord.

Here are some things you may not have known about the start of the war and the battles themselves.

Following the French and Indian War in 1763, the British government found itself deep in debt. Parliament passed several measures meant to increase tax revenues from the American colonies. The Stamp Act of 1765 and the Townshend Acts of 1767 are examples. Many colonists argued that Parliament was taking taxes without the consent of representatives, counter to the British Constitution.

In 1773, Parliament passed the Tea Act, which allowed the British East India Company to sell tea directly to the colonies. The act also added a tax on tea. This, being another example of taxation without representation, led to the Boston Tea Party of December 16, 1773, when a group of colonists destroyed several tons of tea by pitching it overboard.

Parliament responded to the Boston Tea Party by passing the Coercive Acts, which were known as the Intolerable Acts in the colonies. The first of the acts closed the port of Boston until the East India Company had been repaid for its tea and the king felt order had been restored. The second brought control of the local government under the supervision of the king. The third allowed all trials for royal officials to be held in Great Britain. The fourth allowed British troops to be housed in private buildings if other quarters were not provided.

Instead of the desired effect of stamping out the radical element among the colonists, it had exactly the opposite effect. The acts were so punitive that it was difficult to find anyone to defend Parliament. It also caused other American colonies to sympathize with Massachusetts and led to the formation of the First Continental Congress. This led to a boycott of British goods and a mutual assistance pact between the colonies.

The crown had little control of the colony outside of Boston, where its troops were garrisoned. This allowed the colonists to form an illegal government and train local militias. By February 1775, the British government declared Massachusetts to be in a state of rebellion.

The British sent about 700 soldiers to find and destroy military supplies held by the Massachusetts Militia in Concord. On April 18, 1775, Paul Revere began his midnight ride to warn the towns of Lexington and Concord. The next day the British entered Lexington, where the first shots were fired. The militia was outmanned and quickly retreated. The British continued on to Concord. There, at the North Bridge, the first real exchange of gunfire happened. The Americans capitalized on their larger numbers and the lack of effective leadership on the part of the British to force them to retreat to Boston. As the British retreated, colonists continued to fire on the British, who were rescued by troops under General Hugh Percy.

The British reached Boston, followed closely by the Americans who cut off land access to the peninsula. This eventually led to the Siege of Boston and the British evacuation of the city.

During the battles of Lexington and Concord, a total of 73 British troops were killed and 174 were wounded. 49 Americans died and 39 were wounded.

Paul Revere’s ride made famous the phrase “one if by land, two if by sea.” Our question: Which signal was given that night?

Today is Dutch-American Friendship Day. Of the more than 50,000 downloads of our show, a whopping 28 have come from the Netherlands, so the Dutch need to be a bit more friendly.

It’s Holocaust Remembrance Day in Poland, Indian Day in Brazil and Primrose Day in Great Britain, the anniversary of the death of prime minister Benjamin Disraeli.

It’s the birthday of the leader of the Untouchables, Eliot Ness; actor Dudley Moore and actor Tim Curry.

Because our topic happened before 1960,

On this date in 1924, Rand McNally published its first road atlas.

Here are some things you may not have known about the company that went on to become synonymous with road maps in the United States.

The company was formed in 1868, when William Rand and Andrew McNally purchased the printing business of the Chicago Tribune. Its first products were tickets and schedules for the Chicago railway industry. A year later, it introduced a complete railroad guide. Soon it was making business directories and an illustrated newspaper.

The first Rand-McNally map appeared in the December 1872 edition of its Railroad Guide. By 1880, the company was making maps, globes, geography textbooks and a world atlas. Its first road map, called “The New Automobile Road Map of New York City & Vicinity” was printed in 1904. In 1910, Rand McNally began making Photo-Auto Guides, which used photographs of routes and intersections for directions. In 1917, one of the company’s cartographers created a system of road numbering for a map of Peoria, Illinois. The company also put up route number signs along the roads. Many of these numbering conventions were adopted by federal and state highway authorities.

The road atlas, at first known as “The Rand McNally Auto Chum,” debuted in 1924. The first color version was published in 1960.

Our question: What year was the first map of the United States copyrighted?

Today is Universal Day of Culture and World Art Day.

It’s the anniversary of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in Major League Baseball and it’s usually the income tax-filing deadline in the United States. This year the deadline is April 18 because federal employees in the District of Columbia have the day off in observance of Emancipation Day, which is tomorrow.

It’s the birthday of Leonardo da Vinci, actress Elizabeth Montgomery, actress Emma Thompson and actress Emma Watson.

Because our topic happened before 1960, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1966, the top song in the U.S. was “(You’re My) Soul and Inspiration” by The Righteous Brothers.

The No. 1 movie was “The Singing Nun,” while the novel “The Source” by James Michener topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

The post Rand McNally: The Lost Episode appeared first on Trivia People.

On this date in 1980, the Republic of Zimbabwe came into existence, replacing Rhodesia.

Here are a few facts about countries that have been renamed.

The most recent renaming of a country happened last week. The Czech Republic has decided it wants the short form of its name to be Czechia, along the same lines as its neighbor the Slovak Republic, better known as Slovakia.

The country of Myanmar came into existence in 1989 when it changed its name from Burma. The United States and some other countries have never recognized the name change.

Persia became Iran in 1935, although it was always called Iran internally. The same is the case for Sri Lanka, which was known as Ceylon until 1972.

Thailand was Siam until 1939, Cambodia was known as the Khmer Republic from 1970 to 1975 and Democratic Kampuchea from 1975 to 1979.

Jordan began its existence as Transjordan in 1946, before dropping the Trans two years later.

The United Arab Emirates, which was founded in 1971, was known as the Trucial States from 1952. The Emirates themselves retained their individual names.

Burkina Faso was called Upper Volta before 1984 and the Democratic Republic of the Congo was called Zaire from 1971 to 1997.

Our question, what current country was once known as Abyssinia?

Today is World Heritage Day. It’s Patriots’ Day in parts of the United States. It’s Army Day in Iran, Coma Patients’ Day in Poland and Invention Day in Japan.

It’s International Amateur Radio Day, National Animal Crackers Day, and Newspaper Columnists Day.

It’s the birthday of attorney Clarence Darrow, actor David Tennant, and actress America Ferrera.

This week in 1980, the top song in the U.S. was “Another Brick in the Wall (Part II)” by Pink Floyd.

The No. 1 movie was “Coal Miner’s Daughter,” while “The Bourne Identity” by Robert Ludlum topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_former_sovereign_states

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_18

https://www.checkiday.com

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-april-18

http://www.billboard.com/archive/charts/1980/hot-100

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1980_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

http://www.hawes.com/1980/1980-04-13.pdf

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On this date in 1935, the Black Sunday dust storm pummeled the panhandles of the states of Oklahoma and Texas.

Here are some things you may not have known about the worst storm of the Dust Bowl.

First a little background. Poor farming techniques coupled with a severe drought were the major causes of the Dust Bowl. Deep-rooted prairie grasses were used to feed livestock, or removed to cultivate land for crops. The grasses, which were drought tolerant, helped prevent the wind erosion of the topsoil. The disaster started when the crops failed in the drought and there was no grass remaining to hold the dirt in place.

High winds that are common on the plains were then able to pick up huge amounts of fertile topsoil and spread it across the country. The lack of water and topsoil made it nearly impossible to eke out a living by farming.

Earlier in 1935, one storm blew dust to New York and Washington DC. It darkened the sky of the nation’s capital as lawmakers were debating a soil conservation bill. Hugh Hammond Bennett, one of President Franklin Roosevelt’s advisers was urging Congress to pass the bill. As for his evidence, he pointed out the window and said, “This, gentlemen, is what I’ve been talking about.”

On April 14, 1935, the sun was shining, allowing people an opportunity to do their weekly chores, go to church or have a picnic. However, by mid-afternoon the temperature dropped quickly, birds began squawking, and an ominous black cloud formed on the horizon. The storm moved fast, hitting the town of Beaver, Oklahoma at 4 p.m., and then Boise City, one hundred miles away, about an hour later. It moved through Amarillo, Texas by 7:20 p.m.

The storm looked like a tsunami of dust. The dust was so thick that a person couldn’t see their hand in front of their face, not from the amount of dust between the face and the hand, but because of the lack of sunlight. Winds topped 60 miles per hour. The dust would cause short circuits in automotive electrical systems, so drivers pulled over and sought shelter wherever they could.

The day after the storm, the term “Dust Bowl” appeared in print for the first time in a news story on the storm by The Associated Press.

It’s unknown how many people died during the storm itself, but thousands died as a result of dust pneumonia, as a result of inhaling fine silt particles.

The soil management techniques Bennett was pushing in Congress helped reduce the amount of blowing dust by 65 percent by 1938. Some of the techniques included crop rotation, strip farming and contour plowing. The Civilian Conservation Corps also planted more than 200 million trees to act as windbreaks. In 1939, after nearly 10 years of drought, the rains returned.

Our question: What is the name of the protagonist in John Steinbeck’s novel “The Grapes of Wrath”?

Today is Black Day in South Korea, which is sort of an anti-Valentine’s Day. It’s also Youth Day in Angola.

It’s National Pecan Day, National Dolphin Day and Children with Alopecia Day.

It’s the birthday of actor John Gielgud, baseball legend and gambler Pete Rose, and actress Julie Christie.

Because our event happened before 1960, we will spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1979, the top song in the U.S. was “What a Fool Believes” by The Doobie Brothers.

The No. 1 movie was “The Champ,” while the novel “The Matarese Circle” by Robert Ludlum topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/?n=events-19350414

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/dustbowl-black-sunday/

https://en.

On this date in 1902, James Cash Penney opened his first store in Kemmerer, Wyoming.

Here are some things you may not have known about J.C. Penney and department stores in general.

James Cash Penney Jr. was born in 1875 in Missouri. In 1898 he started working for a chain called the Golden Rule stores. The owners of the chain were impressed by Penney and offered to go into business with him. He moved to Wyoming, and with $2,000 opened his store. He later opened two more before buying out his partners in 1907.

In 1920, he owned 120 stores. That number grew to 1,400 in 1929. However, the stock market collapse of 1929 saw Penney lose virtually all his money, forcing him to borrow against life insurance policies to make payroll. He suffered health issues, which saw him check himself into the Battle Creek Sanitarium, run by John Harvey Kellogg. Kellogg was famous for his treatment regimen of corn flakes, exercise and enemas. While in Battle Creek, Penney became a born-again Christian. He relinquished daily control of the company, but stayed involved until his death in 1971.

By the time Penney opened his first store, the concept of a department store had been around for more than 100 years. Some claim the first department store was Bennett’s in Derby, England. The first reliably dated department store is Harding, Howell & Co. which opened on Pall Mall in London in 1798. Harrod’s in London opened in 1834. Le Bon Marche opened in Paris in 1838. That store is not related to the former American chain.

The first department store in America, was probably Arnold Constable and Company, which opened in New York in 1825. In 1858, R.H. Macy opened his dry goods store on Sixth Avenue in New York City. IN 1902, the company moved even further uptown to 34th Street and Broadway on Herald Square. The store eventually came to occupy almost the entire city block and was the largest store in the world from 1929 through 2009.

Our question: Where is the largest store in the world located?

Today is the beginning of new year festivals in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and parts of India.

It’s National Bookmobile Day, National Peach Cobbler Day and Scrabble Day.

It’s the birthday of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson, bank robber Butch Cassidy and writer Samuel Beckett.

Because our topic happened before 1960, we’ll spin the wheel to pick a year at random.

This week in 1971, the top song in the U.S. was “Just My Imagination” by The Temptations.

The No. 1 movie was “Summer of ’42,” while the novel “QB VII” by Leon Uris topped the New York Times Bestsellers list.

Also, if you’re enjoying the show, please consider supporting it through Patreon.com

Please rate the show on iTunes by clicking here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._C._Penney

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Department_store

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Harvey_Kellogg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/April_13

https://www.checkiday.com

http://www.biography.com/people/groups/born-on-april-13

http://www.billboard.com/archive/charts/1971/hot-100

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_1971_box_office_number-one_films_in_the_United_States

http://www.hawes.com/1971/1971-04-11.pdf

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55 years ago today, Yuri Gagarin became the first person to travel into outer space.

Here are some things you may not have known about Gagarin and his flight.

Yuri Gagarin was born in 1934 near the border between Russia and Belarus. During World War II, his family was displaced from their home and forced to live in a mud hut for almost two years.

As a teenager Gagarin began training as an air cadet, while also working as a dockworker on the Volga River.

In 1960, he was selected among 20 candidates for the Soviet space program. During the selection process, all but three of his fellow candidates selected him as the candidate they would most like to see take the first flight. On April 8, 1961, Gagarin was chosen as the prime pilot of Vostok 1. Aside from his popularity with his fellow cosmonauts, one of the other main considerations was that was five-feet-two-inches tall. The tight fit of the cockpit made smaller candidates highly prized.

One additional precaution was made just before the launch, which happened less than a year after American pilot Francis Gary Powers was shot down over the Soviet Union. Officials decided to paint “CCCP” on Gagarin’s helmet so local officials who spotted him after landing would know he wasn’t a foreign agent.

The launch of Vostok 1 was the 24th Soviet space flight, 12 of them had failed. On April 12, 1961, Sergei Korolev, known to the public only as “The Chief Designer,” was so nervous he suffered a panic attack at ground control. Gagarin, meanwhile had a recorded pulse rate of 64 beats per minute less than a half-hour before launch.

At 6:07 a.m. Universal Time, the rocket took off. The Chief Designer told Gagarin, “We wish you a good flight. Everything is all right.” Gagarin replied with “Let’s go!”

Ten minutes later, Vostok 1 reached orbit. After 30 minutes, Gagarin crossed into night, northwest of Hawaii. The orbit would take him southeast around most of South America, then northeast across the Atlantic and Africa. At 7:25 Universal Time, the automatic systems on Vostok 1 began preparing for re-entry. The service module, which was supposed to separate from the re-entry module, remained attached as the craft began hitting Earth’s atmosphere. The craft gyrated unexpectedly until the two modules separated over Egypt. The re-entry capsule then behaved as planned. At 7:55, the hatch was released and two seconds later, Gagarin was ejected from the capsule. Gagarin and the capsule came back to earth on separate parachutes. He landed about 175 miles west of the intended landing site.

Gagarin was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the country’s highest honor. He eventually became a colonel in the Soviet Air Forces and remained in the cosmonaut rotation. In 1967, he was on the ground as the backup pilot for Soyuz 1, which crashed to earth when its parachute failed to deploy on re-entry. Gagarin was then removed from the list of cosmonauts.

A year later, Gagarin was killed when his MiG-15 crashed on a training flight. He was 34 years old.

Three weeks after Vostok 1’s successful mission, the United States had its first man in space when Alan Shepard and Freedom 7 were launched on a suborbital flight.

Our question,  Who was the first American to orbit the Earth?

Today is Children’s Day in Bolivia and Haiti.

Unofficially it’s Drop Everything and Read Day, National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day, and National Licorice Day.

It’s the birthday of author Beverly Cleary, musician Herbie Hancock and television host David Letterman..

This week in 1961, the top song in the U.S. was “Blue Moon” by The Marcels.

The No. 1 movie was “The Sins of Rachel Cade,” while “Hawaii” by James Michener topped the New York Times best sellers list.

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