Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The 29th February 1960 proved to be a very tragic day around the world with the most destructive and deadliest earthquake in Moroccan history causing the deaths of 12,000 people in the coastal city of Agadir. It also saw the passing of Melvin Purvis who was the chief investigator for the Chicago FBI during the prohibition-driven gangster period of the early 1930s. Purvis also led manhunts to track down dangerous outlaws Babyface Nelson, Prettyboy Floyd and, most famously, John Dillinger. He died by his own hand with a gunshot wound thought to be accidental. On the other side of the ledger, this "leap day" produced one of America's most brutal killers who orchestrated a reign of terror on the west coast of the US in the mid 1980s and was responsible for 13 murders, 5 attempted murders, 11 sexual assaults and 14 burglaries. He was finally apprehended in August 1985 by a group of citizens in Los Angeles who identified him and handed him over to the law in a not-too-perfect condition. At the conclusion of his trial he was handed the death sentence. As these vigilant citizens did, can you also identify this man?
2. On January 16th 1935 automobile racing legend Anthony Joseph "AJ" Foyt was born in Houston Texas. AJ's achievements over the years are far too many to list here, but suffice to say that he was inducted into the Halls of Fame for International Motor Sports, National Sprint Cars, Motorsport of America and the National Midget Auto Racing. Added to this was his induction to NASCAR'S 50 greatest drivers. This day also saw the demise of one of America's most notorious female gangsters who led a gang of criminals in a crime spree across the US mid-west during the country's "golden" era of criminal activity during the 1930s with bank robberies, kidnapping and murder commited by them. Although there has been some doubt about her actual participation in the gang, the director of the FBI at the time, J Edgar Hoover, described her as "the most vicious,dangerous and resourceful criminal brain of the last decade". She was eventually gunned down with other members of the gang by the FBI who were tipped off about the property they were renting. Can you name this woman who was immortalised in song by a record released in 1977 that reached number 1 in ten countries, and number 2 in six others even though the group got the title slightly wrong?
3. One of professional basketball's most successful, yet controversial, player of any era came into the world on the 13th May 1961 when Dennis Keith Rodman made his first appearance in Trenton New Jersey. With his renowned defensive pressure and great rebounding ability and aged in his mid-thirties he was able to perform admirably in the all-conquering Chicago Bulls team alongside Michael Jordan and Scotty Pippen in the 1990s. However the day in question saw the passing of one of Hollywood's greatest actors who succumbed to prostate cancer only six days after his 60th birthday. This superstar received five academy award nominations for Best Actor and won twice. He was ranked at number eleven on the AFI's list of greatest screen legends. Baseball fans will remember his portrayal and famous speech for the great Lou Gehrig in the movie "Pride of the Yankees". Who was this actor that was mentioned in an Irving Berlin immortal classic as "super duper"?
4. Emma Watson was born in Paris, France on the 15th April 1990 to British parents and lived in France only until aged five before moving to England. She was cast as Hermione Granger in what turned out to be a hugely successful series of Harry Potter movies. Amazingly she was only nine years old but casting agents had been alerted to her ability by the theatre teacher from the Dragon School in Oxford, which she attended. During the decade from 2001-2011 she starred in eight Harry Potter movies and several other unrelated films, including a voice-over. Over forty nominations for fifteen wins in various categories followed to 2014 with many coming from MTV and Teen Choice. So if reincarnation was ever relevant, then Emma Watson could well have inherited much of her acting expertise from a Hollywood legend who passed away on the day Emma was born. This lady was born in Europe and after starring in silent movies in her native country for a few years, was noticed by MGM Chief Louis B Mayer who persuaded her to go to Hollywood. She was nominated three times for a best actress Oscar for no wins, but received an honorary one in 1954 by the Academy for her unforgettable screen performances. In 1999 the American Film Institute ranked her fifth in their list of greatest female stars of all time. So who was it that was mentioned in the lyrics of a smash 1981 Kim Carnes hit as having "stand off sighs"?
5. Sir Malcolm Campbell, who died on the 31st December 1948, was the true pioneer of motor speed racing on both land and water. Between 1924 and 1935 he broke nine world land speed records in his legendary "Bluebird" racing machines. In the final race of this series, he topped 300mph for the first time on the Bonneville salt lakes in Utah. He also bettered the world water speed record four times with the final effort producing 142mph at Coniston Water, England. On this final day of 1948, across in Boston Massachusetts, was the birth of a lady who would find musical fame in the 1970s with four number ones on the Billboard charts in just over a year and eleven top tens between 1975 and 1980. Add to this she had five Grammy Awards and the first artist to have three consecutive double albums to reach number one on the Billboard albums chart. Do you know this lady, who's song peaked at number three on the Billboard charts, and won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for the best original song in the same year?
6. The 16th May 1957, saw the passing of a famous and well documented lawmen in Eliot Ness. Ness, with his team of incorruptible officers known as the "Untouchables" declared war on the illegal production and distribution of alcohol in Chicago during the prohibition era and were a force in having crime boss Al Capone imprisoned for tax evasion. The exploits of these people have been glorified over the years in a television series and a major film. Following the repeal of prohibition in 1933 and 1934 Ness was hired as an alcohol tax agent and went up against "Moonshiners" who were still operating illegal alcohol stills in the southern states. However, on this fateful day a baby girl, who was to become a great distance runner, came into the world. In what seems to be a cotradiction in terms, she started running distances in an attempt to recover from a broken leg while slaloming. She then received a running scholarship and so concentrated on distance events, especially the marathon. Over the next ten years she scored six major marathon wins including the Boston marathon twice with a world record in one of them , and finished no further back than third in three others. But her crowning achievement came when the Olympic Games were held in her own country and despite doubts about her fitness in an interrupted preparation, she duly took the gold medal by nearly four minutes. So who is this great athlete who, in retirement, went on to promote distance running and, herself, founded an annual 10K race?
7. On the 11th May 1981 Australia's greatest basketballer, Lauren Jackson, was born in Albury, New South Wales to parents who were both former Australian basketball representatives - Gary Jackson and Maree Bennie. A meteoric rise up through the women's ranks saw her make the Australian under 20 team at age 14 and called into the Australian team (the Opals) when only 16. Then moved from being Australia's champion player in the WNBL to the US champions league WNBA where she was drafted by the Seattle Storm in 2001. A great domestic and international career eminated from there and was widely considered the number one player in the world. Her battles with great rival Lisa Leslie from the University of Southern California are legendary. This day, too, saw the passing of a great musical talent who had a massive following around the world for his unique style. It's hard to give much relevant information about him without giving the pot away completely but suffice to say that his career lasted from 1962 until his death at the age of 36. As a singer-songwriter- guitarist he led his band who were named by "Rolling Stone" magazine as band of the year in 1976, and internationally his style of music reverberated greatly, especially among the many indigenous communities. Can you name the man who is remembered as the greatest talent in his type of music but also as the least understood?
8. On December 18th 1971, the greatest amateur golfer in history passed away. Bobby Jones maintained his amateur status right through his career and earned his living as a lawyer. Golf had many talented professional players at that early time in golf history, including legends such as Gene Sarazen, Walter Hagen and an up-and-coming Ben Hogan in the 1920s, but Bobby was at least their equal on many occasions. In that decade he went on to win four US Opens and three British Opens, as well as five US amateur titles. Rated an honest player and gentleman beyond belief, he once penalised himself a stroke when gently touching the ball on the tee despite being told by his opponents that it was unnecessary, and this cost him a chance of tying up this tournament and being able to play off for the title. On this day, however, the birth occured of a lady who would become one of the best tennis players of the 1990s. During this time she would win three French and one US open titles and runner-up in two Wimbledon and two Australian opens. Add to this six doubles and four mixed doubles triumphs in the four majors. The information given seems that it could apply to quite a number of players in this era, so to put you on the right track, can you name this lady who won an Olympic bronze medal in her own home town?
9. The 18th September 1961 saw the untimely death of the United Nations'Secretary-General, Dag Hammarskjold, in a plane he was travelling in on a diplomatic UN mission to negotiate a ceasefire. This Swedish diplomat, economist and author was so admired internationally for his political and negotiating abilities that he was elected UN Secretaty-General at the relatively young age of forty-seven in 1953. His tireless efforts in peacemaking around the globe brought him much esteem, but may have earned him enemies as well. Suspicions rose concerning the cause of the fatal air crash, but nothing concrete was ever proved. Following his death, US president John F Kennedy called him "the greatest statesman of our century." But on this fateful day the world welcomed a man who would become one of the best "tough-guy" actors of our time. Starring in several movies such as "True Romance", "Get Shorty" and "Killing Them Softly" but was better known as a racketeer in a long-running TV extravaganza. During his career he picked up three Emmy Awards, Three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and one Golden Globe Award. So can you name this fine actor who made his debut in "A Streetcar Named Desire" on Broadway in 1992?
10. On the 15th March 1975, the Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis died. Best known on the other side of the Atlantic for marrying former US first lady Jackie Kennedy, he passed away in a French hospital suffering respiratory failure. On the same day, a young lady destined to become a star movie and TV actress was born. She began her career in 2000 with a couple of cameos before winning a regular role in the "Young and the Restless"(for two awards), before movies including "The Sentinel" and "Over Her Dead Body". In 2004, she landed the part in a TV series that would win or share her four awards and make her more well known worldwide. Your job now is to identify this lady who promotes humanitarian causes and was named Philanthropist of the Year.
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muffin1708
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