Today's Puzzle
Name an English word that has three consecutive sets of double letters?
What Happened On
Hillary (left) with Norgay
Photo Credit: Jamling Tenzing Norgay
Hillary (left) with NorgayPhoto Credit: Jamling Tenzing Norgay
Mount Everest Summit
May 29, 1953
The summit of Mount Everest is first reached, by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.
They were the ninth mountaineering expedition to attempt the ascent of Mount Everest, and the first confirmed to have succeeded.
Years before, when George Leigh-Mallory was asked why he wanted to climb Everest, he replied "Because it's there". Mallory disappeared while attempting a summit of Everest in 1924. Some speculate that his team had reached the summit before they disappeared, but this has not been proven.
Bing Crosby Records White Christmas
May 29, 1942
Bing Crosby records the song White Christmas. This recording of White Christmas has sold over 50,000,000 copies and is the world's best-selling single of all time. It took only 18 minutes to record and was recorded for Decca Records and featured the John Scott Trotter Orchestra and the Ken Darby Singers.
This recording is the only single to top the U.S. charts three times (1942, 1945, 1946).
Crosby would also sing the song in the movies Holiday Inn (1942) and White Christmas (1954).
The song was written by Irving Berlin, who was Jewish. The various versions of the song have sold over 100,000,000 copies.
The Rite of Spring
May 29, 1913
Igor Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring premieres in Paris. Its daring harmonies and shifting rhythms created an uproar that is unequaled in music history. It has been much derided, with many calling it "The Riot of Spring." It is now one of the most recorded works of classical music.
Mehmed II's entry into Constantinople, by Fausto Zonaro
Mehmed II's entry into Constantinople, by Fausto Zonaro
Start of the Renaissance
May 29, 1453
The Turks capture Constantinople marking the end of the Byzantine Empire. After the fall of Constantinople, many scholars, poets, writers, musicians, astronomers, architects, artists, philosophers, scientists, politicians, and theologians fled to Western Europe. This migration is considered to have started the revival of Greek and Roman studies that led to the development of the Renaissance. The Turks were commanded by the 21-year-old Sultan Mehmed II, defeating the army commanded by Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos.
Secret Underground Bomb Shelter
May 29, 1992
U.S. reveals the existence of a secret underground bomb shelter, which was built for Congress in case of a nuclear attack.
Photo Credit: Zoran Veselinovic
Photo Credit: Zoran Veselinovic
Michael Jackson Tries to Buy the Elephant Man's Bones
May 29, 1987
The London Hospital Medical College refuses to sell Michael Jackson the remains of Joseph Merrick, the Elephant Man.
Mr. I. Magination
May 29, 1949
The children's show Mr. I. Magination debuts on CBS, starring Paul Tripp. One of the earliest children's television shows, it ran live as a half-hour weekly show on CBS from 1949 to 1952. On the show, a child would ask about something and Mr. I. Magination (Tripp) would play his magic slide flute, transporting them to Imagination Land where they could learn about it.
Wisconsin
May 29, 1848
Wisconsin becomes the 30th state. Wisconsin is Chippewa for "grassy place."
The American Flag
May 29, 1819
The poem The American Flag by Joseph Rodman Drake is first published, in the New York Evening Post.
"When Freedom, from her mountain height,
Unfurled her standard to the air,
She tore the azure robe of night,
And set the stars of glory there!"
Rhode Island
May 29, 1790
Rhode Island becomes the 13th state.
The History of New England
May 29, 1630
John Winthrop begins writing The History of New England, which later became the inspiration for Longfellow's New England Tragedies.
Birthdays
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
Born May 29, 1917 d. 1963
American politician. 35th U.S. President (1961-63), the youngest person elected president (43 years old). He was assassinated in Dallas.
Bob Hope (Leslie Townes Hope)
Born May 29, 1903 d. 2003
English-born American Emmy-winning comedian, entertainer of the troops. He is often credited with helping create the modern version of American stand-up comedy. Hope was declared an honorary veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces in 1997 by an act of the U.S. Congress in recognition for the 57 USO tours he made between 1941 and 1991. He also won five Oscars for his humanitarian actions and contributions to the industry.
Revolutionized Home Sewing
Ebenezer Butterick
Born May 29, 1826 d. 1903
American inventor. He and his wife Ellen invented multiple-sized tissue paper clothing patterns (1863). Before then, patterns consisted of a single size for each design and the sewer had to figure out how to resize the pattern to fit their needs. Since many home sewers were unable to resize the patterns themselves, the Butterick's patterns revolutionized home sewing.
Photo Credit: Sebastian Ritter
Photo Credit: Sebastian Ritter
Inventor of the Friction Match
John Walker
Born May 29, 1781 d. 1859
English chemist. Invented the friction match (1826). His matches consisted of wooden splints or sticks of cardboard tipped with a mixture of sulphide of antimony, chlorate of potash, and gum so that they would ignite when scratched on a rough surface. They were coated in sulfur to cause the flame to ignite the wood.
The price of a box of 50 matches was one shilling. Each box included a folded piece of sandpaper, through which the match had to be drawn to ignite it.
Early matches, including Walker's, were dangerous as flaming balls of fire would sometimes fall to the floor burning carpets and dresses, leading to their ban in France and Germany.
Walker refused to patent his idea, feeling it was too trivial of an invention.
Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death!
Patrick Henry
Born May 29, 1736 d. 1799
American patriot. Known for his famous 1775 quote during the American Revolution: "I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!"
La Toya Jackson (La Toya Yvonne Jackson)
Born May 29, 1956
American singer.
Would-Be Presidential Assassin
John Warnock Hinckley, Jr.
Born May 29, 1955
American criminal. He shot U.S. President Ronald Reagan and James Brady (1981) in an effort to impress actress Jodie Foster. He was tried and found not guilty by reason of insanity. He was released from from institutional psychiatric care in 2016, and will live full-time at his mother's home.
Maurice Bishop
Born May 29, 1944 d. 1983
Grenadian revolutionary, Prime Minister of Grenada (1979-83). He was killed by the forces of his Deputy Prime Minister Bernard Coard - A hard-line Marxist. After his execution, Grenada's governor-general Paul Scoon, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and the nations of Barbados and Jamaica appealed to the U.S. for assistance, leading to the U.S. invasion of Grenada.
Al Unser Sr.
Born May 29, 1939 d. 2021
American auto racer. Four-time Indy 500 winner (1970-71, 78, 87).
Eugene A. Marino
Born May 29, 1934 d. 2000
American religious leader. He was the first black American Catholic archbishop (1988-90, Atlanta). After becoming Archbishop, Marino became involved in addressing the sexual misconduct of priests. However, after moving to Atlanta, Marino began an affair with a female lay minister. Marino resigned when this was revealed in 1990.
Clifton James
Born May 29, 1920 d. 2017
American actor. Film: Live and Let Die (1973, the bumbling Louisiana sheriff J.W. Pepper) and The Man with the Golden Gun (1974).
Alan Roy Dafoe OBE
Born May 29, 1883 d. 1943
Canadian physician. He delivered the world's first known surviving quintuplets (1934, Dionne quintuplets) and provided care for them as they grew up. There have been several radio, TV shows, and a movie based on his work with the quintuplets.
Pius III
Born May 29, 1439 d. 1503
Italian religious leader, 215th Pope (Sept. - Oct. 1503). He died 26 days after being elected.
Deaths
Harvey Korman
Died May 29, 2008 b. 1927
American Emmy-winning comedian. TV: The Carol Burnett Show (1967-78) and Mama's Family (1983-84, Ed Higgins). Film: Blazing Saddles (1974, Hedley Lamar), High Anxiety (1977, Dr. Charles Montague), and History of the World, Part 1 (1981, Count de Monet).
Great Scott!
Winfield Scott
Died May 29, 1866 b. 1786
American general, "Old Fuss and Feathers." He is noted for his service during the War of 1812, Mexican War, and Civil War. He was the last Whig presidential candidate (1852, losing to Franklin Pierce). Some historians believe the term "Great Scott!" originated from one of the soldiers under his command. Scott served on active duty as a general longer than any other person in U.S. history (1841-61). He wrote General Regulations for the Army (1821), the first comprehensive, systematic set of military bylaws that set standards for every aspect of the soldier's life.
Empress Joséphine
Died May 29, 1814 b. 1763
French Empress, first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte. Their marriage was dissolved (1809) when she failed to produce an heir. Her first husband Alexandre de Beauharnais was guillotined during the Reign of Terror, and she was imprisoned until five days after his execution.
Gavin MacLeod
Died May 29, 2021 b. 1931
American actor. TV: The Mary Tyler Moore Show (1970-77, Murray Slaughter), The Love Boat (1977-87, Capt. Stubing), and McHale's Navy (1962-64, "Happy" Haines).
Manuel Noriega
Died May 29, 2017 b. 1934
Panamanian ruler (1983-89). He was the first foreign head of state to be convicted in a U.S. court. In 1992, Noriega was convicted on eight counts of drug smuggling and racketeering and sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Betsy Palmer (Patricia Betsy Hrunek)
Died May 29, 2015 b. 1926
American actress. TV: I've Got a Secret (panelist) and Knots Landing (Virginia Bullock). Film: Friday the 13th (1980, Jason's mother).
Dick Beals (Richard Lee Beals)
Died May 29, 2012 b. 1927
American actor. TV: Davey and Goliath (1960-64, voice of Davey). He was also the voice of Speedy in the Alka-Seltzer radio and TV commercials.
Dennis Hopper
Died May 29, 2010 b. 1936
American actor, director. Commenting on his 8-day marriage to Michelle Phillips of The Mamas and the Papas, "The first seven were pretty good." Film: Rebel Without a Cause (1955), Easy Rider (1969), Apocalypse Now (1979), and Blue Velvet (1986).
Margaret Chase Smith
Died May 29, 1995 b. 1897
American politician, former U.S. Senator (R-Maine). She was the first woman elected to both houses of the U.S. Congress. Her opposition to the tactics of Joseph McCarthy earned her the nickname "Moscow Maggie."
Erich Honecker
Died May 29, 1994 b. 1912
East German political leader. He supervised the construction of the Berlin Wall.
Billy Conn
Died May 29, 1993 b. 1917
American Hall of Fame boxer. In 1941, while leading Joe Louis 8 rounds to 4, instead of playing it safe and taking the decision, he decided to slug it out with the heavyweight champ. Louis quickly knocked him out.
Romy Schneider (Rosemarie Albach-Retty)
Died May 29, 1982 b. 1938
Austrian actress. Film: Visconti's segment of Boccaccio '70 (1962, for which she gained international acclaim), The Trial (1962), and What's New, Pussycat? (1965).
Mary Pickford (Gladys Louise Smith)
Died May 29, 1979 b. 1892
Canadian-born American Oscar-winning silent film actress, "America's Sweetheart." She was a co-founder of United Artists (1919).
She married Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. in what was called the "Marriage of the Century".
Fanny Brice
Died May 29, 1951 b. 1891
American actress, singer, dancer. She starred in the Ziegfeld Follies (1910-23). She also played Baby Snooks on radio and her life was the basis for the musical Funny Girl (1968).
John Barrymore (John Sidney Blyth)
Died May 29, 1942 b. 1882
American actor. His portrayals of Hamlet and Richard III are considered the greatest of his time. According to Errol Flynn, when Barrymore died, some of his friends took his body from the funeral home and propped it up in a chair in Flynn's home to frighten him. Quote: "A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams."
Chubby in School's Out
Chubby in School's Out
Norman Myers Chaney
Died May 29, 1936 b. 1914
American actor. Chubby of The Little Rascals. He appeared in 18 Our Gang films. He had a glandular ailment and continued to gain weight as he got older. His weight climbed to about 300 pounds (140 kg), although his height was only 4 ft 7 in (1.4 m). His weight dropped to less than 140 pounds (64 kg) after undergoing surgery for his ailment in 1935; however, he died a year later at age 21 of myocarditis.
Baha Ullah (Mirza Husayn Ali)
Died May 29, 1892 b. 1817
Persian prophet, founder of the Baha'i faith (1863).
Sir Humphry Davy
Died May 29, 1829 b. 1778
English scientist. He discovered the effects of inhaling laughing gas (1799), discovered potassium, sodium (1807), barium, strontium, calcium (1808), gave the first public demonstration of an electric light (1806), and invented the safety lamp for miners (1815).
The word anesthesia is from the Greek for "without sensation".