Trivia makes the world go round, but where did general knowledge trivia come from? The word has Latin origins in Trivium meaning crossroads, or meeting three ways and Trivialis common or trivial. The brainchild of Canadians Scott Abbott and Chris Haney, Trivial Pursuit was co-purchased by Hasbro in 1983. Monopoly made Charles Darrow wealthy. In 1936, Parker Brothers purchased the rights to the game from both he and Lizzie Magie. Hasbro purchased the game from Parker Brother and grew their own Monopoly. Monopoly buster Dr. Anspach created the Anti-Monopoly game. Ruling against Anti-Monopoly, a lower court had 40,000 Anti-Monopoly games buried in a Minnesota landfill.
Music icon John Lennon fronted a British skiffle group “The Black Jacks in 1957.” The Quarry Men, followed, morphing into Johnny and the Moondogs, who became the Beatals, then the Silver Beetles. They turned into The Silver Beats. John ran out vowels and the Beatles were born. Pete Best the ex-drummer from the Silver Beatles 60-62 had a 1965 album called “Best of the Beatles.” Speaking of icons, in 1893 storyteller Nancy Green better known as “Aunt Jemima, was crowned the “Pancake Queen.” She flipped flapjacks at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The recipe was not hers, but she became the first living trademark, selling 50,000 orders. In 1999, Springfield Mass. had the world’s biggest pancake swarae. 71, 233 fluffy cakes were served to 40,000 people. Stacked, the flapjacks would be 2 miles high.
Sports enigmas, and general knowledge trivia, in 1911 racecar driver Ray Harroun won the inaugural Indianapolis 500 driving car #32. Racecar spelled backwards is racecar. 1963, MVPS, Elston Howard, Sandy Koufax, (NBA) Jim Brown, and Elgin Baylor (NFL), all wore #32. In 1968, OJ Simpson won the Heisman Trophy for Southern Cal wearing # 32.
Llanfairpwllgwyngyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwyll-llantysilogogogoch is the Welsh village name for the Church of Saint Mary in the hollow of the white hazel trees near the rapid whirlpool by Saint Tysilio’s of the red cave. Another Welsh fact, actor Richard Burton was born in the village of Pontrhydyfen. French monk Dom (Pierre) Perignon left his legacy to both Champagne the city and sparkling wine. He devised “riddling” the fermenting bottles, so the sediment could be removed, adding a secondary fermentation and corks to seal the bubbles and bottles. Today Dom Perignon Champagne vintage 1947 sells for $2,160 and 1996 for $339.00.
General knowledge trivia really is anything, but common.
I’ve searched numerous books, magazines, and websites related to trivia and have compiled the best of what I’ve found. And I want to share it with all of you for FREE.
I’ve created websites about fun general knowledge, sports quizzes and many other things. Check them out, you’ll be happy that you did.
