What a Way to Go Trivia

1. Franz Reichelt was testing out a parachute of his own design when he jumped to his death from the Eiffel Tower in 1912. What was he sometimes called?

From Quiz Death By Invention

Answer: Flying Tailor

Reichelt was born in 1878 in the Kingdom of Bohemia. He was a tailor and inventor who was an early pioneer in parachuting. He successfully tested out a parachute-suit that he had created on dummies. With that success in mind, he petitioned to conduct an experiment from the Eiffel Tower. He got the approval to conduct the test using a dummy but upon arriving in Paris, insisted on doing the test himself instead. He argued with a guard who tried to block his access to the Eiffel Tower but eventually and reluctantly was given permission. On February 4th, 1912, he jumped from the tower wearing his parachute-suit, which failed to deploy. He plunged to his death, which was witnessed by a number of spectators, press, and a cinematographer, who captured the jump on film.

From Quiz What in the World?

Answer: A snowplow

On October 20, 2014, Christophe de Margerie was about to take off from Vnukovo International Airport outside of Moscow, Russia, when his jet collided with a snowplow upon takeoff. The landing gear snapped off and the plane, a Dassault Falcon 50EX, and went out of control. De Margerie, along with three crew members, were killed when the jet rolled across the grass next to the runway. The driver of the snowplow, Vladimir Martynenko, was found to have been drinking. He pled guilty to violating safety rules and was sentenced to four years in prison, but was amnestied immediately. Four other people were also implicated in the accident.

From Quiz Revenge Of The Pets

Answer: They attacked and seriously injured a man.

The dogs (Atlas, Joy and Atos), were ordered to be euthanized after they attacked a man in 2006. A lengthy court battle followed which received national attention. Eventually, the dogs were returned to Baricevic who was ordered to pay a substantial fine. But four years later they showed their gratitude by killing him.

From Quiz Unusual Deaths of Various People

Answer: Smothered by cloaks from an appreciative audience

Draco of Athens (650-600 BCE) has been awarded the title of the first legislator in the world of Athens in ancient Greece. He took the very sensible step of replacing the oral laws and blood feuds of the time with a concise and well set out list of written laws. Unfortunately those laws he created were exceptionally harsh, and this has given rise over time to the adjective "draconian" being applied to any exceptionally severe piece of jurisdiction. Apparently Draco died while attending a theatre production on the island of Aegina, to where some say he had fled in fear of his life from the irate Athenians. When he was recognised by the much more appreciative people of Aegina at this show, they expressed that appreciation by ripping off their hats and shirts and cloaks and hurling them down on top of the unfortunate lawmaker - and he suffocated.

From Quiz How Did I Die?

Answer: By multiple gunshot wounds

How exactly Meriwether Lewis died is still not totally clear. The most prominent theory is that Lewis committed suicide. At the time of his death, Lewis was heavily in debt and had recently made a will. However, Lewis spent the night of his death at an inn that was a known target of robbers and some of his money was missing after his death. The innkeeper's wife heard the gunshots and immediately went to check on Lewis and saw no one in the room or on the way. It is generally accepted that Lewis did commit suicide (and not murdered by robbers) and it is reported that his close family and friends, including Thomas Jefferson, believed Lewis killed himself.

From Quiz They Should Have Taken the Train

Answer: Eugene Lefebvre

Eugène Lefebvre (1878-1909) was a pioneer of French aviation, and participated in the first international air race, the Grande Semaine d'Aviation, and performed a stunt echibition before the race that earned him a fine for reckless flying. He came fourth in the race, which was won by Glenn Curtiss. Less than a fortnight later he was killed when the plane he was test-flying fell to the ground from a height of only twenty feet. Lefebvre was the first pilot to die in a powered aircraft, but the first passenger to die was Thomas Selfridge, who died in 1908 during a demonstration flight by Orville Wright.

From Quiz Plane Crash Victims

Answer: Roald Amundsen

Amundsen and five crewmembers disappeared on June 18, 1928. It is believed their French Lathan 47 flying boat went down in fog. Their bodies have never been found. Amundsen is also credited with being the first explorer to cross the Northwest Passage in the Arctic.

From Quiz Another One Bites the Crust

Answer: Cockroaches

The man won the contest, the prize of which was a python, but died a short time later because his airway was blocked. No other contestants suffered any ill effects.

From Quiz Suicide Is Painless

Answer: Jumping off the "Hollywood" sign

Peg Entwistle was born in Wales, emigrated to America and became an actress on Broadway then to the mecca of Hollywood. It is believed that she sprang to her death from the letter 'H'. Her suicide note is cryptic: "I am afraid, I am a coward. I am sorry for everything. If I had done this a long time ago, it would have saved a lot of pain." She appeared in only one Hollywood film with a supporting role in "Thirteen Women" that starred Myrna Loy and Irene Dunne. She was married in 1927 to Robert Keith and became the step-mother to Brian Keith, the actor. Hollywood fund raisers for suicide prevention are done in memory of her. A musical based on the tragedy of Peg Entwistle has been produced and there are rumors that her story may be filmed.

From Quiz Bad Timing or Thinning The Herd II - You Decide

Answer: walked into a spinning helicopter blade

While on location in Oregon, Boris Segal was killed when he inadvertently walked into a spinning tail rotor blade after disembarking from the helicopter in the parking lot of the Timberline Lodge in Oregon. The investigation of the May 22, 1981 accident revealed that Segal turned the wrong way after exiting the aircraft, and walked into the blade which partially decapitated him. Segal was rushed to a hospital in Portland, Oregon, where he died five hours later. Segal, a well respected director of movies and television, had well over 100 credits, directing movies and episodes of many of the most popular television series during his career, spanning from 1955 until his death. Boris Segal was the father of singer-songwriter and actress Catherine Louise "Katey" Segal. Katey Segal is probably best remembered for her role as Peg Bundy on the 1987 hit sitcom, "Married... With Children".

From Quiz Bad Timing or Thinning the Herd - You Choose!

Answer: killed when a large moving bale of hay hit the vehicle he was driving

While driving on a rural road between the villages of Harbertonford and Halwell in Devon, England, Edwards' van was struck by a cylindrical bale of hay that was rolling down a hill. The 1,300 pound hay bale collided with the van, causing the musician's immediate death.

From Quiz Exit With a Flourish

Answer: Killed by a hippopotamus

Narmer, also known as Menes, was the ruler of Upper Egypt, and conquered Lower Egypt, unifying the country under one ruler for the first time in its history. According to Manetho, he ruled for 62 years, and was killed by a hippopotamus. Modern archaeologists discount much of what Manetho wrote, but Narmer does seem to have been a real person who ruled sometime between 3100 and 3000 BC. Because the historical record is incomplete, some people identify Menes with Narmer's son, Aha. Regardless, the account of Narmer's death is not as absurd as it sounds. Hunting hippopotamuses was a favorite sport of Egyptian royalty, and hippos still kill about 3,000 people every year in Africa.

From Quiz Celebrities Whose Parents Were Murdered

Answer: Charlize Theron

Charlize was 15 when her father and uncle came into the house after a night of heavy drinking. Her father brandished a shotgun, threatening to kill his wife and daughter before actually shooting into Charlize's room. Her mother fired a handgun, killing her husband and wounding his brother.

From Quiz Heads that Rolled

Answer: Katherine Howard

Katherine Howard was the fifth wife of Henry VIII. She was much younger than him and had amorous relationships with men who were nearer her age. As a result of these liaisons she was executed. Her execution took place on February 13, 1542.

From Quiz You Know It Can't Live Without a Head

Answer: John the Baptist

In Christianity, Islam, Mandaeism, and the Bahá'í Faith, John the Baptist is a venerated figure. According to the New Testament he baptized Jesus. Supposedly, John criticized King Herod's marriage to Herodias. As a result of this, Herodias instructed Salome, Herod's stepdaughter (who was offered a favor by King Herod) to request the head of John, on a plate. It is also believed that he was killed to stop the great influence he had over people. The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist is observed today as a holy day in the Roman Catholic Church (and many other denominations) and there is a feast day in his honor on August 29.

From Quiz Executed!

Answer: Nero

Born in Tarsus in Cilicia (now in south-central Turkey) around the year 5 A.D., Paul the Apostle is not only the main subject of the 'Acts of the Apostles' but he is also credited with writing more than half of the New Testament (14 out of 27 books). Although the exact manner of Paul's death is not certain, it does seem that he was executed at "The Fontane Abbey" (or the Abbey of Saints Vincent and Anastasius to give it its full title) in Rome around 63-67 A.D. Some reports say he was beheaded but others suggest that he suffered a more painful execution by upside-down crucifixion. (An 1887 painting by Spanish artist Enrique Simonet, "The Beheading of Saint Paul", depicts one version of the event.) One thing does seem certain -- Nero was the Emperor at the time of Paul's execution since he reigned at the 5th Emperor of the Roman Empire from 54 A.D. until his suicide in June 68 A.D. Of the alternatives, Claudius preceded Nero, his adopted son. He was poisoned in 54 A.D. Gaiba seized power when Nero died in 68 A.D. but was then himself murdered just seven months later. Trajan was not born until 53 A.D. and became Emperor in 98 A.D.

From Quiz Poisoned Again!

Answer: Cleopatra

Cleopatra and Marc Antony had joined forces in an effort to defeat Octavian's armies and gain control of the Roman Empire. In the end, they were conquered and pushed back to Egypt. In one last effort to defeat Octavian, Antony went back into battle where word spread that he had been killed. Overcome with grief from the news and desire not to be flaunted like a prized trophy through the Roman streets, Cleopatra ended her own life by way of a bite from the venomous asp.

From Quiz Why Me?

Answer: They smothered him with their cloaks.

Draco was a lawmaker in ancient Greece, responsible for introducing many tough laws, giving rise to the term "Draconian", meaning harsh laws that are enforced. According to folklore, Draco died whilst addressing his audience. To show their appreciation of his speech, they showered him with their cloaks, and other clothing. The result was the clothing thrown at him smothered Draco.

From Quiz The Shouting End of Life II

Answer: drowning

Born in Dublin in 1449, George Plantagenet was the brother of two kings - Edward IV and Richard III. He became the Duke of Clarence in 1461, after his father died, and his brother - Edward - ascended to the throne. In 1469 George married Isabel Neville, and they had four children, two of which survived infancy. Shortly after giving birth to their fourth child, Isabel died, and George was convinced she had been poisoned. Never considered stable, his mental state led him into a plot against his brother, Edward, and George soon found himself imprisoned in the Tower of London. He was executed in 1478, and according to popular history, his chosen method of execution was to be drowned in a vat of Malmsey wine.

From Quiz The Shouting End of Life

Answer: submarine

Ray "Chappie" Chapman was the first Major League Baseball player to die from being hit by a pitch. On August 16, 1920, Chapman, a shortstop for the Cleveland Indians, was hit in the temple by a submarine pitch by New York Yankees pitcher, Carl Mays. Chapman collapsed after being hit, and died the next morning at a hospital. The requirement for batting helmets was not implemented until more than 30 years after Chapman's death. A submarine pitch is an underhand pitch, and it is an unusual technique. Besides Carl Mays, a few pitchers noted for the technique are Ted Abernathy, Mark Eichhorn and Dan Quisenberry.

From Quiz Mister Greedy

Answer: He laughed so much that he died

Chrysippus lived from 279 to 206 BC. He was one of the Ancient Greece stoic philosophers. His specialities included logic, physics and ethics. He was a renowned hard worker, and during his lifetime, he wrote more than 700 works on various subjects. There are two versions to how he died. The first is that he drank himself to death. The second, and more popular one, is the donkey story. After consuming too much wine and eating too many figs, Chrysippus ordered a bucket full of wine to be given to the donkey. Then, when the donkey became somewhat the worse for wear, Chrysippus ordered it to be given some figs to eat. The result was so comical when the poor intoxicated donkey tried to chew the figs that Chrysippus laughed so hard, he dropped dead. The moral of this story: Never allow an ass to make a donkey out of you.

From Quiz Unusual Deaths No 2

Answer: Fired what they thought was an unloaded cannon in salute

To make matters worse, they fired it at Kendrick's ship. When Kendrick arrived in what is now Honolulu, there were two British ships there as well. The two nations intervened in a battle between two warring tribes on the island. When the dust settled, Kendrick fired a thirteen gun salute to honour the British - and the captain of one of the British ships fired a thirteen gun salute back. Unfortunately, one of the British cannons, which were all supposed to be unloaded, was still loaded. The shot was a direct hit on Kendrick's ship. It landed fair and square on the table where Kendrick was sitting, killing him instantly.

From Quiz I Should have Stayed in Bed!

Answer: The Eiffel Tower

It was his first ever attempt with the coat. He fell to his death from the first deck of the Eiffel tower. The Louvre was built as a fortress, but became a museum in 1793. La Sainte-Chapelle is a former royal chapel built in the 13th century, while the Arc de Triomphe was built in 1836 as a war memorial and stands 50 meters high.

From Quiz Unfortunate Demises of the Famous and Infamous

Answer: Bob Crane

Crane was a well known sex addict and videotaped his sexual acts. In 1978 he was bludgeoned to death with a camera tripod. The killer also cut a cord from Crane's VCR and tied it around his throat. John Carpenter, Crane's friend, was eventually indicted for the murder but was acquitted two months later. Bob Crane was buried eight days before his fiftieth birthday.

From Quiz Unhappy Birthday

Answer: Ingrid Bergman

Ingrid Bergman, most remembered for her role of Ilsa Lund in "Casablanca" (1942) won three Oscars, two Emmys and a Tony for Best Actress. Her role in "For Whom the Bell Tolls" (1943), scored Bergman her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. In 1975 she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Greta Ohlsson in "Murder on the Orient Express". While her role of Ilsa Lund, who has an affair with Humphrey Bogart when still married to another man, endeared her to the public, the real life version was not so well received. During her marriage to Peter Lindstrom, Bergman began an affair with Italian director Roberto Rossellini and bore his child. She was ostracised by television chat shows despite her continued popularity with the public. Marilyn Monroe (June 1, 1926 - August 5, 1962), Joan Crawford (March 23, 1905 - May 10, 1977) and Grace Kelly (Nov 12, 1929 - September 14, 1982) were all outstanding actresses, but none of them died on their birthdays.

From Quiz Unusual Deaths No 1

Answer: Laughter

Chrysippus's specialities as a philosopher were logic, ethics, knowledge and physics. Apparently he had a well developed sense of humour as well. The story is that he and his friends one day managed to get a donkey intoxicated by giving it pure wine to drink - and then gave the donkey some figs to try to eat. Watching the poor animal trying to achieve this feat caused so much merriment in Chrysippus that he died from laughing so heartily.

From Quiz But The Cat Had Nine Lives

Answer: She became tangled in power lines and, as he jumped towards her, he missed and hit the ground

This strangeness occurred in Buenos Aires in 1998. During a 'marital dispute' a man threw his wife off the balcony. She got tangled in the power lines and, as he jumped towards her (it is unclear as to why he jumped) he completely missed her and hit the ground. The woman managed to make her way to a nearby balcony, surviving her ordeal.

From Quiz Sparkling Cyanide

Answer: Jim Jones

Jim Jones was the leader of The Peoples Temple that was known for the mass murder/suicide of over 900 people in Georgetown, Guyana in November of 1978. Many subjects willingly drank cyanide mixed into grape-flavored Flavor-Aid.

From Quiz I Will Never Do That Again

Answer: Playing cards

William tore up several packs of playing cards into pieces, which, utilising various items from his cell he packed into a pipe bomb. He then held the bomb against his head so that when it exploded the pieces of pipe were forced into his skull killing him.

From Quiz One Bullet Away

Answer: His father

Mechtel had been the republican nominee for the US House of Representatives for 2006. He was also chairman of 'The Northern Crops Council'. He died at just thirty nine years of age of a self-inflicted wound. Though he was known to have been having personal and professional difficulties leading up to the time of his death, there has been no explanation for his suicide.

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Last Updated Dec 21 2024 5:50 AM

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