Today's Trivia and What Happened on December 13

Why do U.S. Marines wear brass buttons on their dress uniform?

Why do U.S. Marines wear brass buttons on their dress uniform? Close Large View

To keep their coats buttoned.

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Quote: Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. - Anonymous

Quote: Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. - Anonymous Close Large View

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What Happened On

Saddam Hussein Captured

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Saddam Hussein Captured

December 13, 2003

Former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein is captured during the Iraq War while hiding in a spider hole near his home town of Tikrit. The operation was code named "Operation Red Dawn" after the film Red Dawn (1984).

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Adamski's photo of Orthon's ship featured on a Grenada stamp (right) Adamski's photo of Orthon's ship featured on a Grenada stamp (right)

Adamski's photo of Orthon's ship featured on a Grenada stamp (right) Adamski's photo of Orthon's ship featured on a Grenada stamp (right)
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UFOs

December 13, 1952

George Adamski, who is often referred to as the first abductee, has his second encounter with the Venusian named Orthon where he took his now famous photograph of Orthon's ship. Grenada would depict this photograph in a 1978 commemorative stamp.

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Churchill giving "V sign" in 1943 Churchill giving "V sign" in 1943

Churchill giving "V sign" in 1943 Churchill giving "V sign" in 1943
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Churchill Hit by Car

December 13, 1931

The English statesman and future Prime Minister Winston Churchill is hit by a cab while walking across Fifth Ave. in New York City. Churchill had apparently forgotten that American traffic keeps to the right and didn't look in the correct direction.
Churchill suffered a serious scalp wound as well as two cracked ribs and was admitted to the hospital, where he later told police that the accident was entirely his fault. Concerned that the driver of the cab would be blamed and then have trouble finding work, Churchill arranged to meet him at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, where Churchill served the driver tea and gave him an autographed copy of his book, The Unknown War.
Churchill used his time in the hospital to write an article about the incident, titled "My New York Misadventure", which he then sold for $2,500.
The following month, Churchill got a prescription from his doctor for alcohol to help alleviate the pain from this accident. This was during prohibition when the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcoholic beverages was prohibited, except for special circumstances.

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National Guard

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National Guard

December 13, 1636

The Massachusetts Bay Colony organizes three militia regiments to defend the colony against the Pequot Indians. This is recognized as the founding of the U.S. National Guard.

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Bill Gates Arrested

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Bill Gates Arrested

December 13, 1977

The future co-founder of Microsoft Bill Gates is arrested for reckless driving and driving without a license.

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The Beatles

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The Beatles

December 13, 1961

Brian Epstein becomes the Liverpool group's manager. He had heard them play a month earlier in a local club called "The Cavern Club." Epstein's initial attempts to get a recording contract for the Beatles were rejected by virtually every label in London, until he secured a contract with EMI, who had also previously turned them down.

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First Measurement of a Star's Diameter

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First Measurement of a Star's Diameter

December 13, 1920

For this first time, the measurement of the diameter of star (other than the Sun) is made. Albert Michelson, of Mount Wilson Observatory, California, uses a stellar interferometer determine Betelgeuse (the bright red star in the right shoulder of Orion) is 260 million miles in diameter.

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Civil War - Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia

December 13, 1862

The Union Army loses 12,000 men in its defeat to Robert E. Lee's forces.

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First Savings Bank in the U.S.

December 13, 1816

Provident Institution for Savings in Boston is chartered.

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First U.S. Music Store

December 13, 1759

A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania music store, which had opened earlier in the year, begins advertising the sale of musical instruments and supplies.

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New Zealand

December 13, 1642

The southern island of New Zealand is discovered, by Dutch navigator Abel Janszoon Tasman.

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Sir Francis Drake - Circumnavigation of the Globe

December 13, 1577

The English navigator Sir Francis Drake departs from Plymouth, England, beginning his voyage. He completed the trip in September of 1580.

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Birthdays

Dick Van Dyke with Mary Tyler Moore from The Dick Van Dyke Show Dick Van Dyke with Mary Tyler Moore from The Dick Van Dyke Show

Dick Van Dyke with Mary Tyler Moore from The Dick Van Dyke Show Dick Van Dyke with Mary Tyler Moore from The Dick Van Dyke Show
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Dick Van Dyke (Richard Wayne Van Dyke)

Born December 13, 1925

American Tony-Emmy-Grammy winning actor. Although he is popular in the U.K., his Cockney accent in Mary Poppins was so notorious that a "Dick Van Dyke accent" is now slang for an American's poor attempt at a British accent.
Film: Bye Bye Birdie (1963), Mary Poppins (1964), and Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang (1968). TV: The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-66, Emmy, Rob Petrie), and Diagnosis: Murder (1993-2001, Dr. Mark Sloan).

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Sgt. York

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Sgt. York (Alvin Cullum York)

Born December 13, 1887 d. 1964

American World War I hero. In 1918 during the Meuse-Argonne offensive, he killed 25 members of a German machine-gun battalion and captured 132 others.
He had originally applied for conscientious objector status, but was denied.

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Mary Todd Lincoln

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Mary Todd Lincoln

Born December 13, 1818 d. 1882

American First Lady, wife of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln. She was declared insane and committed to an mental institution (1875), but was later released.

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Taylor Swift Photo Credit: UltimateWarrior13

Taylor Swift Photo Credit: UltimateWarrior13
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Taylor Swift

Born December 13, 1989

American Emmy-Grammy-winning singer-songwriter. She is one of the best-selling artists of all time. Music: Fearless (2009, 4 Grammys, best-selling album of year - making Swift the youngest Album of the Year winner).

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Ted Nugent

Born December 13, 1948

American guitarist, the "Motor City Madman." Music: Cat Scratch Fever (1977) and Little Miss Dangerous (1986).

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John Davidson (John Hamilton Davidson, Sr.)

Born December 13, 1941

American singer, TV personality. TV: host of That's Incredible! and Hollywood Squares.

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Christopher Plummer

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Christopher Plummer (Arthur Christopher Orme Plummer)

Born December 13, 1929 d. 2021

Canadian Oscar-Tony-Emmy-winning actor. Film: The Sound of Music (1965, Baron Von Trapp) and The Man Who Would Be King (1975, Rudyard Kipling).

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George Shultz

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George Shultz (George Pratt Shultz)

Born December 13, 1920 d. 2021

U.S. Secretary of State (1982-89) under President Ronald Reagan. He signed a 1998 advertisement published in the New York Times entitled "We believe the global war on drugs is now causing more harm than drug abuse itself."

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Mark Stevens (Richard Stevens)

Born December 13, 1916 d. 1994

American actor. TV: Martin Kane, Private Eye (title role) and Big Town (Steve Wilson).

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Ross Macdonald (Kenneth Millar)

Born December 13, 1915 d. 1983

American mystery author. Creator of the private eye Lew Archer.

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Larry Parks (Samuel Lawrence Klausman Parks)

Born December 13, 1914 d. 1975

American actor. Film: The Jolson Story (1946, title role) and Jolson Sings Again (1949, title role). He admitted to having been a member of a Communist party cell, which led to his blacklisting by all Hollywood studios.

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Phillips Brooks

Born December 13, 1835 d. 1893

American clergyman. He wrote the carol O Little Town of Bethlehem (1868).

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Heinrich Heine

Born December 13, 1797 d. 1856

German author, poet, lyricist. Among his writings are some of Germany's best-known lyrics.

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Sixtus V (Felice Peretti di Montalto)

Born December 13, 1521 d. 1590

religious leader, 227th Pope (1585-90).

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Deaths

Grandma Moses

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Grandma Moses (Anna Robertson Moses)

Died December 13, 1961 b. 1860

American artist, known for her bright pictures of American rural life. She began her painting career at age 78.

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Nancy Wilson go to Video for Nancy Wilson

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Nancy Wilson

Died December 13, 2018 b. 1937

American Grammy-winning soul, jazz singer. Music: (You Don't Know) How Glad I Am (1964) and her version of the standard Guess Who I Saw Today (1960).

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Alan Thicke (Alan Willis Jeffrey)

Died December 13, 2016 b. 1947

Canadian actor. TV: Growing Pains (1985-92, Jason Seaver) and Animal Crack-Ups (1987-90, host).

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Ricky Ray

Died December 13, 1992 b. 1977

American AIDS victim. He was the oldest of three HIV infected hemophiliac brothers who won a federal court order allowing them in school after they were barred in 1986. Their family home was burned down a week after the court decision.
The three brothers contracted HIV from infusions of Factor 8 when they were less than 8 years old.

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Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney

Died December 13, 1992 b. 1899

American businessman, co-founder of Pan American Airways (1927) and co-producer of Gone with the Wind (1939).

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Alice Marble

Died December 13, 1990 b. 1913

American tennis player, winner of four U.S. amateur singles titles.

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Heather Angel

Died December 13, 1986 b. 1909

British actress. TV: Family Affair (Miss Faversham).

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Dewey "Pigmeat" Markham

Died December 13, 1981 b. 1904

American comedian. TV: Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (the judge).

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Thomas Augustus Watson

Died December 13, 1934 b. 1854

American telephone technician and shipbuilder. He was Alexander Graham Bell's assistant during his discovery of the telephone and was one of the founders of Bell Telephone.

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Samuel Gompers

Died December 13, 1924 b. 1850

English-born American labor leader, first president of the American Federation of Labor (AFL).

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William Augustus Barstow

Died December 13, 1865 b. 1813

American politician, governor of Wisconsin (1854-56). After the discovery of election irregularities, he became the first U.S. governor removed from office by a state supreme court (1856).

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Samuel Johnson

Died December 13, 1784 b. 1709

English lexicographer, poet. He wrote the first major English language dictionary (1755).

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Donatello (Donatodi Niccolo di Betto Bardi)

Died December 13, 1466 b. circa 1386

Italian Renaissance artist, father of modern sculpture. He created the masterpiece David.

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Moses Maimonides

Died December 13, 1204 b. 1135

Jewish rabbi, Talmudic scholar, philosopher. His teachings greatly influenced the Christian religion.

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Calixtus II

Died December 13, 1124 b. ????

religious leader, 162nd Pope (1119-24).

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