Browsing: January 29

A Brief History On January 29, 1907, Charles Curtis of Kansas was sworn in as a United States Senator, the first US Senator of Native American heritage.  Not only the first person of Native American heritage to serve in the Senate, he was the first person of any non-European heritage to so serve.  In fact, he is the highest ranking person of Native American ancestry ever to serve in the United States Government, reaching his political pinnacle as Vice President of the United States (1929-1933) under President Herbert Hoover!  (Were you aware that we have had a Native American Vice…

A Brief History On January 29, 1886, Karl Benz, a German engineer, became the first person to patent a successful gasoline powered automobile.  Not counting impractical inventions and steam powered cars, the Benz Patent Motorcar was the first of what we would recognize as a “real” automobile,” although of course it looked a lot different from the sleek machines we see on the roads today.  A funny looking 3 wheeled flimsy vehicle, the Benz creation was the first internal combustion engine car built to actually be sold on the commercial market.  Its 1 liter gasoline powered engine produced a pathetic…

A Brief History On January 29, 1845, Edgar Allan Poe, the Baltimore writer of such classics as “The Telltale Heart,” “The Pit and the Pendulum,” and “The Goldbug,” published his famous poem, “The Raven,” certainly one of if not the most renowned poem in American literature, and ranks among the most famous of poems. Today we list 10 great works of American Literature that feature a bird in the title. Digging Deeper 1. “The Raven,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1845. This poem is the work that got Poe widespread fame and acclaim, although unfortunately that fame never translated into wealth. The…

A Brief History On January 29, 1963, the first class of inductees to the new Pro Football Hall of Fame was announced, 17 players and executives that helped make professional football a reality. Digging Deeper Located in Canton, Ohio (because this is the birthplace of what became the NFL), the Pro Football Hall of Fame is independent of the National Football League, though it maintains a close association.  Originally a paltry 2 rooms, the building now has 5 rooms and over 82,000 square feet.  The Hall has a gift shop, research library, and of course a theater where you can…

A Brief History On January 29, 1936, the first class of baseball “Hall of Famers” was named and was comprised of Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson.  Before the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum finally opened in 1939, another 20 men were also selected for this honor. Digging Deeper This year’s (2015) group of inductees are the pitchers Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinex and John Smoltz, as well as second baseman Craig Biggio. Located in Cooperstown, New York, the alleged site of the birth of baseball, the Hall of Fame currently has over 300 inductees made up of Major…