A Brief History On May 30, 1911, one of auto racing’s top 3 events was born with the initial running of the Indianapolis 500. (The other 2 of the 3 most prestigious auto races are the 24 Hours at Le Mans and the Monaco Grand Prix, with the 3 races combined referred to as the Triple Crown of Auto Racing.) Digging Deeper Built in 1909 as a primitive asphalt track (using gravel and tar) the fragility of the surface caused the owner to repave the track surface with 3.2 million bricks. Cost of the brick paving: $155,000, a big chunk…
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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 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 25, 1935, Jesse Owens of Ohio State won four events at the Big Ten Conference Track Meet, setting three world records and tying a fourth. What a performance! Over the years some great athletes have attended Ohio State, and here we list the 10 greatest. Digging Deeper 10. Tom Cousineau, Football. Tom was such a good linebacker that he became the first pick overall in the 1979 NFL Draft. He had set the OSU season tackles record and the OSU record for tackles in a game, and is still ranked 2nd on the all time…
A Brief History On May 19, 1802, Napoleon Bonaparte founded the Legion of Honor, the highest award France can bestow upon their heroes. Many countries have a famous and prestigious award and even international organizations have created such symbols to recognize particularly noteworthy behavior. Here are a list of ten of the most prestigious of these awards. 10. Pour le Merite (Blue Max) Imperial Germany/Prussia. How does a country issue its highest award with a name in a foreign language? Germans receiving the award did not seem to mind, as The Blue Max was literally something to die for, as…