January 3 Birthdays Trivia Quiz

Answer: Marcus Tullius Cicero

While Marcus Tullius Cicero, or just Cicero, was a head figure in Roman politics, two civil wars erupted, but he could only put down one. In 63 BC, Lucius Sergius Catilina attempted to overthrow the republic, but was put down harshly. Three years later Caesar attempted to have Cicero join him, Pompey, and Marcus Licinius Crassus in the group that would be the First Triumvirate, but Cicero knew the dangers that such a group would have to the republic.

In the civil war between Caesar and Pompey, Cicero sided with Pompey, though even after Caesar took Rome he tried to woo Cicero into coming to his side. Though Cicero was not present at Caesar's assassination, Brutus supposedly called on him to restore the republic. Against Octavian's wishes, Mark Antony had Cicero put on a list of enemies to be proscribed, and in late 43 BC Cicero accepted his fate by the hand of two assassins in Formia, Italy.

Answer: Richard Arkwright

Richard Arkwright invented the water frame in 1764, which he patented in 1769 with much difficulty due to so many people copying his work during that 5-year period. In 1775, Arkwright got a patent that gave him monopolistic power over the new factory industry, but it was taken away in 1785.

In 1786 he was knighted, and the next year was made High Sheriff of Derbyshire. Because of his work, an estimated 30,000 people were employed based on his technology alone. The same obituary that reported that his factories made more money than most German principalities also reported that at his death, Arkwright's "real and personal property is estimated at little short of half a million."

Answer: J.R.R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien was born in South Africa (actually called the Orange Free State), but permanently moved to England when on what was supposed to be just an extended stay in the country. During a trip to England when he was 3 with his mother, his father died while still in South Africa, and his mother had Tolkien live with her parents.

Many of Tolkien's experiences translated themselves into his later works. When he was very young, he was bitten by a baboon spider, which is then expounded upon during the "Lord of the Rings" series when Frodo was bitten by an incredibly large spider.

When he was 19, Tolkien took a trip to Switzerland, and much of that trip was then made Bilbo Baggins' trip across the Misty Mountains in "The Hobbit." After Tolkien's death, his son Christopher collected his unpublished manuscripts and published them as "The Silmarillion."

Answer: Sergio Leone

Sergio Leone got his start in the movie industry by working as an assistant director, and in 1959 he worked on the epic "Ben-Hur." In 1964, he got TV show "Rawhide" star Clint Eastwood to be in his new movie "A Fistful of Dollars." The movie was a fantastic triumph, and was followed by "For a Few Dollars More" in 1965, and finally "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" in 1966. With his newfound success, Leone went on to make "Once Upon a Time in the West," and got stars Henry Fonda and Charles Bronson to play in it.

The film flopped in the United States and received harsh reviews, but later on was realized as a classic. Leone actually turned down directing "The Godfather" in order to make his classic "Once Upon a Time in America" starring Robert De Niro, James Woods, and Joe Pesci. Leone was born in Rome and died there at the age of 60.

Answer: Bobby Hull

Robert Marvin "Bobby" Hull had a slap shot that was recorded at around 120 miles per hour, according to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Hull made 12 NHL All-Star games in the 13 years from 1960-1972, but only because just 12 All-Star games were played during that time period.

After the 1965 All-Star game, the game was moved from the start of the season to the middle of the season. This meant that Hull never got to play in an All-Star game during the season when he became the first player in NHL history to score more than 50 goals in a season.

He finished the 1965-66 season with 54 goals, but still made the 1967 All-Star game, and he finished that year with 52 goals. Bobby Hull was elected into the Hall of Fame in 1983.

Answer: John Paul Jones

John Paul Jones (born John Baldwin) became a huge name in the musical world in the early 1960s, when he began studio work with Decca Records. He played bass, keyboards, arranged, and also directed the studio for the Rolling Stones, Jeff Beck, Donovan, Cat Stevens, Rod Stewart, Shirley Bassey, and Lulu among others, all before joining Led Zeppelin.

After Led Zeppelin broke up in 1980, Jones worked with Paul McCartney, former Led Zeppelin member Jimmy Page, re-united with Led Zeppelin for Live Aid in 1985, and worked with many other acts. Jones has been a part of 2 albums in the Grammy Hall of Fame - "Led Zeppelin" and "Led Zeppelin IV."

Answer: Mel Gibson

"Braveheart" was the second movie that Mel Gibson directed and produced, but it was the first time he had taken both positions on the same movie. In 1992, he produced "Forever Young" and the next year he directed "The Man Without a Face," and he also starred in both movies. "Braveheart" was a triumphant piece, earning Gibson the Oscars for Best Director and Best Picture.

He did not direct another movie until 2004, when he directed, but did not appear in, "The Passion of the Christ." During the mid-2000s Gibson had some very public episodes that he attributed to alcohol, but it did not stop him from making movies.

In 2006, "Apocalypto" was released and earned 3 Oscar nominations, proving that Gibson had not lost his craft.

Answer: Cheryl Miller

In high school at Riverside Polytechnic High School in California, Miller scored 105 points in a single game. That was certainly a sign of things to come, because Miller continued her amazing play at the University of Southern California. Miller led USC to two national championships in 1983 and 1984, and was named the NCAA Tournament MVP in 1983. Also in 1984, she led the US women's basketball team to a gold medal in the Summer Olympics.

In 1986, "Sports Illustrated" named her the best college basketball player in the country, male or female. Miller was drafted by teams in multiple leagues, including a men's league, the United States Basketball League, but could not play due to knee injuries.

She then moved on to coach at USC and in the WNBA before moving on to work in television.

Answer: Michael Schumacher

When Michael Schumacher retired from Formula One racing, he held more than a few records: championship titles, consecutive titles, race victories, consecutive wins, wins with one team, wins at same Grand Prix, wins at different Grands Prix, longest time between first and last wins, second places, podiums, consecutive podium finishes, points finishes, consecutive points finishes, laps leading, pole positions, front row starts, fastest laps, doubles, perfect score, championship points, most points in a season for a runner-up, most wins in a season for a runner-up, wins at Indianapolis, wins at Monza, wins in a season, fastest laps in a season, points scored in a season, podium finishes in a season, championship won with most races left, consecutive years with a win, and consecutive days as champion.

It's easy to see why he was considered the greatest driver of all time.

Answer: Eli Manning

Eli Manning, the son of former Saints quarterback Archie Manning and brother of Peyton Manning, followed in his father's footsteps by playing college football at the University of Mississippi. While at Ole Miss, Eli won several awards, especially in 2003: the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, the Conerly Trophy (given to the best college football player in Mississippi, Eli also won it in 2001), and the Maxwell Award. Before the 2004 NFL Draft Eli announced that he would not play for the San Diego Chargers, forcing San Diego (who had the #1 pick) to trade him to the New York Giants, who chose Philip Rivers at #4.

It worked out for both teams, as the Giants would win Super Bowl XLII and the Chargers drafted 2 Pro Bowlers with additional picks they received from New York - Shawne Merriman and Nate Kaeding.