A Brief History On May 28, 1934, the famous Dionne Quints (quintuplets) were born in an unincorporated rural area of Ontario, Canada, making them instant celebrities. Other births have also captured the imagination of the public, and here we list 10 of the most famous births. Digging Deeper 10. Prince William, 1982. The world was in love with Princess Diana, so when the Princess of Wales gave birth to William, a healthy future King of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, many people in the vast former British Empire celebrated. For some reason, many in the United States were captivated…
Author: Major Dan
Major Dan
Major Daniel Zar is a retired veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served during the Cold War and has traveled to many countries around the world. Prior to his military service, he graduated from Cleveland State University, having majored in sociology. Following his military service, he worked as a police officer eventually earning the rank of captain prior to his retirement.
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A Brief History On May 27, 1703, Czar Peter the Great founded St. Petersburg, Russia. At 6 feet 8 inches his height alone made him “great,” but of course there were other reasons. Over the years a variety of people have been called “The Great,” “The Greatest,” or “The Great One,” and here we list 10 of them that really are great. (Note: The Great Gatsby is not a real person, just a character from a book. Jackie Gleason, comedian, composer, television pioneer was known as “The Great One.”) Digging Deeper 10. Muhammad “The Greatest” Ali. This former Olympic and…
A Brief History On May 27, 1958, the McDonnell Aircraft (later McDonnell Douglas) F-4 Phantom II naval interceptor made its first flight. Designed as a carrier airplane to defend the fleet against Soviet supersonic bombers, the concept was to create an interceptor that could climb rapidly and fly fast enough to catch bombers before they got close enough to attack the fleet. Digging Deeper Prior to entering service in 1960, the F-4 proved its concept by setting 15 aviation records for such things as speed and altitude. Designed to shoot down bombers rather than dogfight with fighters, the F-4 was…
A Brief History On May 26, 1923, the first 24 Hours of Le Mans automobile race was held. It remains today as one of the greatest auto races and is the oldest endurance race for cars. Here we list 10 of the all time Greatest Races, with no limit as to the category. Digging Deeper 10. F1 Powerboat World Championship, 1981. A 155 mph boat that weighs only 860 pounds powered by a 400 horsepower engine, loud and exciting! The races last about 45 minutes and are run through a course incorporating several turns marked by buoys. This contest is…
A Brief History On May 26, 1977, daredevil George Willig, a toymaker from Queens, climbed the South (#2) tower of the World Trade Center. Willig climbed the 110 story skyscraper (the 3rd tallest building in the world at the time) using specialized clamps designed to use built in brackets in the windows. Digging Deeper Not only did Willig face the possibility of a traumatic landing if he fell from as high as 1300 feet, he was slammed with a $1.10 fine when he was arrested afterwards. (Not a typo, just a dollar ten.) As stupid as this stunt seems to…