My Birthday in History Trivia Quiz

Answer: James Cook

Cook landed in Hawaii in early 1779, coinciding with the Harvest Festival known as Makahiki. He left after a month, but due to damage he sustained under sail, returned to the island. Tension between him and the natives rose, and he was killed. It has been suggested that his vessel and the route he took to arrive were similar to those of the Polynesian god of the Harvest, Lono, and so the Hawaiian people felt honored by his presence.

However, upon his return, the season had changed, and he was unwelcome.

Answer: James Herriott

Wight (or Herriott, as we all knew him) wrote stories about his practice, but they are considered "semi-autobiographical." Although he fashioned most of his characters from actual peers and clients, many of the stories were only loosely based on the actual history.

Herriott died on Febraury 23, 1995, at the age of 78.

Answer: Gore Vidal

Vidal was born Eugene Luther Vidal Jr. His father was a West Point cadet at the time of his birth. He took the name "Gore" from his maternal grandfather, Thomas Gore, who was a United States Senator from Oklahoma.

Answer: Roy Horn

Siegfried and Roy were the magic team that became one of the highest paid entertainment acts in American (2000 Becky Celebrity list). They had a lifetime contract at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, until Roy Horn was injured during a performance on his 59th birthday, October 3, 2003.

Although the injury effectively ended their career, the pair did appear on stage for "one final performance" in February 2009.

Answer: New York Giants

One of the most famous radio recordings of this moment was by Russ Hodges, who was broadcasting on WMCA-AM radio for the Giants fans. In this recording, Mr. Hodges, repeatedly screamed, "The Giants win the pennant!" Generally considered a calm reporter, his exuberance caught the excitement of the moment.

Answer: Al Sharpton

The Rev. Al Sharpton began his career early, touring with the gospel singer Mahalia Jackson at the age of four years. He is involved heavily in civil rights activism, and has been very vocal on liberal issues during appearances on various talk shows.

Answer: Captain Kangaroo

Bob Keeshan was both the star and creator of "Captain Kangaroo." Prior to his appearance as the Captain, he appeared as Clarabell the Clown on the Howdy Doody Show. Mr. Keeshan appeared as Captain Kangaroo from 1955 until 1984.

Answer: Walter Marty "Wally" Schira / Sigma 7

The "Mercury Seven" were the first seven Americans scheduled to be launched into space through Project Mercury. Alan Shepard was launched first, on May 5, 1961. Second was Gus Grissom, on July 21, 1961. John Glenn flew on February 20, 1962, and Malcolm Scott Carpenter on May 24, 1962. Schirra's flight was October 3, 1962, and Gordo Cooper flew sixth on May 15, 1963.

This was the last flight of Project Mercury. The seventh astronaut, Deke Slayton, was grounded for medical problems.

Answer: Atlantis

All Space Shuttle missions are named "Mission STS..." The "STS" is an acronym for "Space Transportation System."

The Atlantis is the fifth vessel to have joined the NASA Space Shuttle program. Its maiden launch was October 3, 1985.

The six vessels to have been part of NASA's Space Shuttle program are, in order of their first flights: Enterprise, Columbia, Challenger, Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour.

Answer: German Unity Day

Germany was split into two countries following World War II, the Eastern part becoming part of the Communist Bloc, and named the "German Democratic Republic." The most visual sign of this split was the Berlin Wall, which separated not only the countries, but families from 1961 till 1989. On November 9, 1989, a GDR government spokeman announced the lifting of all travel restrictions for citizens of the GDR. Soon after that announcement, vast crowds gathered in East Berlin, near the Wall and demanded the right to cross into West Berlin.

This "Fall of the Wall" helped pave the path to German re-unification.

Answer: F. Lee Bailey and Johnny Cochran

The entire Simpson "Dream Team" defense included F. Lee Bailey, Robert Shapiro, Alan Dershowitz, Robert Kardashian, Gerald Uelmen, Carl E. Douglas and Johnnie Cochran. Marcia Clark was the lead Prosecuter in the case, assisted by Christopher Darden. The trial was presided over by Judge Lance Ito.

Answer: Roddy McDowall

In a listing of his filmography, Roddy McDowall is said to have performed in 117 movies and 57 television series. He has ten Broadway credits to his name, as well. Two of his closest friends, both of whom he met on movie sets, were Angela Lansbury and Elizabeth Taylor.

Answer: Janet Leigh

Janet Leigh was married to Tony Curtis from 1951 until 1962. Their two daughters, Kelly Lee Curtis and Jamie Lee Curtis, are also both actresses.

Answer: $700 billion

U. S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson proposed the Act, and the original proposal was three pages. By the time it made its way through the Senate and the House, the bill had swollen to 451 pages. The Senate voted 74-25 in favor of the bill, and the House's vote was 263-171. President Bush signed the Act within hours of its passage, creating a $700 billion "Troubled Assets Relief Program."

Answer: October 3

October 3. What a perfect day of the year! In the Northern Hemisphere, the weather has just started cooling down after the hot summer, and is perfect for enjoying the outdoors (while in the Southern Hemisphere you are warming up from the winter, and have equally enjoyable weather). American football season is in full swing, and the smell of woodfires from fireplaces permeates the air. Those who were born on that day were, in most cases, conceived around Christmastime, making their births a Christmas miracle in October.