Breakfast of Champions Trivia

1. Who was the first living person whose image graced a box of Wheaties?

From Quiz Who's on Your Wheaties?

Answer: Lou Gehrig

New York Yankees first baseman Lou Gehrig was not only the first athlete but the first living person to appear on a box of Wheaties. Earlier that year, 1934, the fictional Jack Armstrong had been portrayed. Though it wouldn't be until 1958 that the picture moved to the front of the box with Olympic pole vaulter Bob Richards, precedent had been set.

From Quiz Who eats the Breakfast of Champions?

Answer: Lou Gehrig

1934 was also a successful year for Lou Gehrig (1903-1941) on the field as he won the MLB Triple Crown with a .363 batting average, 49 home runs, and 165 runs batted in. Gehrig played his entire MLB career (1923-1939) for the New York Yankees, primarily as a first baseman. He was the American League MVP in 1927 and 1936 and part of six World Series-winning teams. Lou Gehrig is perhaps best known for appearing in 2,130 consecutive games during his career. Lou Gehrig would appear again on a Wheaties box in 1992. NBA star George Mikan appeared in 1952. NFL star Benny Friedman appeared in 1935. Amazingly, Jesse Owens, who won fame in the 1936 Olympics, did not appear on the Wheaties box until 2003.

From Quiz Have you had your Wheaties?

Answer: Lou Gehrig

Babe Ruth, known also as the "Sultan of Swat", as well as the "Great Bambino," was voted by The Sporting News as #1 on the list of "Baseball's 100 Greatest Players". Cobb was the first player selected to MLB's HOF. Ruth was the name of Jesse Owen's wife. Lou Gehrig appeared on his box in 1934.

From Quiz Who's on Your Wheaties?

Answer: Elinor Smith, 1934

Elinor Smith was not a sportswoman as we would now understand the term. Rather, she was an aviatrix. Later in 1934 aviators and wild life photographers cum film makers Martin and Osa Johnson also appeared on Wheaties. Multi-talented athlete Babe Didrikson Zaharias appeared on the box in 1935, while swimmer and film star Esther Williams graced it in 1959. Despite being very possibly the finest female tennis player of all time, Althea Gibson didn't rate a place on the Wheaties box till 2001.

From Quiz Who eats the Breakfast of Champions?

Answer: Elinor Smith

Elinor Smith (1911-2010) was an early aviator who rode on her first flight at the age of eight and began training to become a pilot at ten. Earning her pilot's license when she was 16, she was known as the "Flying Flapper of Freeport". During her career she held several records at various times including speed, endurance, and altitude. She also worked as a test pilot for various companies. Olympic gold medalist and LPGA legend Babe Didrikson Zaharias appeared in 1935. Speed skater Kit Klein appeared in 1936. Swimmer Esther Williams appeared in 1959.

From Quiz Who's on Your Wheaties?

Answer: Jesse Owens, 1936

Track and field star Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics, held in Berlin, discomforting Hitler and his Nazi government. On his return to the United States, Owens got a ticker tape parade in New York City and his picture on Wheaties, though at this time the pictures were confined to the back and sides of the box. Owens appeared again in 2003, this time on the front. In 1986 football great Walter Payton became the first black athlete to appear on the front of the Wheaties box. Boxer Cassius Clay (better known as Muhammad Ali) and baseball's Hank Aaron were superb and indeed iconic athletes, who have since appeared on the Wheaties box.

From Quiz Who eats the Breakfast of Champions?

Answer: Bob Richards

Bob Richards (born 1926) represented the United States in the Olympics in the pole vault, winning the bronze in London (1948) and the gold in Helsinki (1952) and Melbourne (1956). He would become the first athlete to appear on the front of the Wheaties box--earlier athletes had appeared on other parts of the box. He would later become one of the early participants in Masters Athletics. NFL quarterback Otto Graham appeared on the Wheaties box in 1951 but not on the front. The same is true of MLB star Roy Campanella who appeared in 1952. Muhammad Ali did appear on the front of the Wheaties box twice, but in 1999 and 2012.

From Quiz Have you had your Wheaties?

Answer: Babe Zaharias

Babe Didrikson Zaharias excelled mostly in golf, but also in track and field as well as basketball. Mary Lou Retton was the first female Wheaties spokesperson, and third spokesperson overall, and known for her incredible performance in the 1984 Olympic Games. Chris Evert was the fifth Wheaties spokesperson and winner of over 157 women's single titles, including 18 Grand Slams. Billie Jean King never was covered on a box of Wheaties.

From Quiz Who's on Your Wheaties?

Answer: 2004

In 2004 the Sox finally broke the Curse of the Bambino and won the World Series (they last win the World Series in 1918 with Babe Ruth on their team - they sold him to the NY Yankees in 1919) . The team was also featured on the box in 2007, when they won the World Series again.

From Quiz Have you had your Wheaties?

Answer: Dale Earnhardt

A J Foyt was the only driver to win the Indianapolis 500, the Daytona 500, the 24 Hours of Daytona, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Richard Petty, also known as "The King," was a 7 time winner of the NASCAR Championship, and won 200 races during his career. Jeff Gordon, drives the number 24 car for Hendrick Motor Sports has also been on numerous television shows. Credits have been for Arlis, Spin City, and The Drew Carey Show, amoungst others. Earnhardt, also known as "The Intimidator," won 76 races in his career. Sadly, Earnhardt died in a crash during the 2001 Daytona 500 on the final lap.

From Quiz Who's on Your Wheaties?

Answer: It didn't.

In its wisdom General Mills has not featured the American tennis star Roscoe Tanner on the Wheaties box.

From Quiz Who eats the Breakfast of Champions?

Answer: Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan's (born 1963) first appearance on a Wheaties box occurred in 1988. Best known for his Hall of Fame career with the Chicago Bulls (1984-1993, 1995-1998), Michael Jordan also played for the Washington Wizards (2001-2003). He won six NBA championships--all with the Bulls. Michael Jordan was a 14-time NBA All-Star and five-time NBA MVP. He scored almost 33,000 points in his career. NFL Hall of Famer Troy Aikman appeared in 1996 and 1999. MLB Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., appeared in 1995 and 2001. Cyclist Lance Armstrong appeared in 1999.

From Quiz Have you had your Wheaties?

Answer: Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins appeared on their box after winning the 1991 Stanley Cup. The "H" in Montreal's logo has long been misunderstood to stand for "Habitants," when in fact its meaning is meerly, "hockey." The Lightning were founded in 1992 and won the Stanley Cup during the 2003-2004 season. The Bruins have been in existence since 1924, and are the oldest NHL hockey team in the United States. They are the third oldest overall.

From Quiz Who eats the Breakfast of Champions?

Answer: Mary Lou Retton

Mary Lou Retton (born 1968) appeared on the front of the Wheaties box in 1984. She won a gold medal for the all-around individual performance in Women's Gymnastics in the 1984 Summer Olympics (in Los Angeles) as well as two silver medals and two bronze medals. After her retirement from competitive gymnastics Mary Lou Retton frequently served as a commentator for gymnastic competitions. Golfer Babe Didrikson Zaharias appeared in 1935, but not on the front of the box. Tennis player Chris Evert appeared in 1987. Figure skater Peggy Fleming appeared on a box of Kellogg's Bran Flakes in 1991.

From Quiz Have you had your Wheaties?

Answer: Chicago Bulls

Sure, the give away was the "slam dunk" and "red and black" clues. Miami finished 36-46,5th in the NBA Atlantic Division. They do wear the red and black though. The 1992-93 season was Manchester United's first season in the newly-formed Premier League and was marked by the club winning the inaugural Premier League title, ending their 26-year run without an English league title. The 1992 Boston Red Sox season involved the Red Sox finishing seventh in the American League East with a record of 73 wins and 89 losses.

From Quiz Have you had your Wheaties?

Answer: Bob Richards

Bob Richards first appeared in an olympic event in 1948 where he competed and won a bronze medal in London. He won gold in the same event in both the 1952 Helsinki and 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. Jenner was married to Kris Jenner on April 21, 1991. Most of you know Kris from her previous marriage to attorney, Robert Kardashian. Rafer Johnson, too, was an olympic decathlete, and competed in the 1956 Melbourne and 1960 Rome Olympic Games. Daley Thompson won the decathlon in both the 1980 Moscow and 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games.

From Quiz Who's on Your Wheaties?

Answer: Stone Cold Steve Austin

Also known as the Texas Rattlesnake, Stone Cold Steve Austin was born on December 18, 1964 in Victoria, Texas. Now an actor and television host, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in professional wrestling.

From Quiz Who eats the Breakfast of Champions?

Answer: Lee Trevino

Lee Trevino (born 1939) appeared on the front of the box in 1969. In his career, he won the US Open (1968 and 1971), the British Open (1971, 1972), and the PGA Championship (1974, 1984) as part of his 29 PGA tour wins. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1981. Arnold Palmer appeared on a Wheaties box in 1999. While Tiger Woods has appeared on multiple different Wheaties boxes, his first was not until 1997. Jack Nicklaus appeared in 2003.

From Quiz Who's on Your Wheaties?

Answer: Baseball

Over 160 individual baseball players have appeared on the Wheaties box over the years, as well as famed Baseball broadcaster Harry Caray and Abner Doubleday, popularly believed to have invented the sport of Baseball. In addition, seven Baseball teams have been featured (the Boston Red Sox twice).

From Quiz Who eats the Breakfast of Champions?

Answer: Wilbur Shaw

Auto racer Wilbur Shaw (1902-1954) appeared on a Wheaties box in 1936. He won the Indianapolis 500 in 1937, 1939, and 1940. His efforts were in part responsible for reviving the Indianapolis 500 as a significant auto race after World War Two. Richard Petty appeared on the Wheaties box in 1998. Bill Elliot appeared on Wheaties boxes in 1999, 2000, and 2001. A. J. Foyt appeared on the Wheaties box in 2002.

From Quiz Have you had your Wheaties?

Answer: Michael Jordan

Jordan has been featured on a Wheaties box for a record 18 times. Iverson was named the NBA Rookie of the Year during the 1996-1997 season. Bryant's nickname is the "Black Mamba." Jerry West has a very interesting nickname, "The Logo," due to his silhouette "allegedly" being used as the logo for the National Basketball Association.

From Quiz Who eats the Breakfast of Champions?

Answer: Amy Van Dyken

Amy Van Dyken (born 1973) won gold medals in the 1996 Summer Olympics (Atlanta) for the women's 50 meter freestyle, 100 meter butterfly, 4x100 freestyle, and 4x100 medley. She also won gold medals in the last two events at the 2000 Summer Olympics (Sydney). After her retirement, she pursued various endeavors, including as a sports talk radio host. The US Women's gymnastics team, including Dominique Dawes, Kerri Strug, and Shannon Miller, appeared on a special team edition box.

From Quiz Have you had your Wheaties?

Answer: Ronald Reagan

To this day, Wheaties takes much credit for Reagan being led into show business. Barack Obama did throw out the first pitch at the 2009 All-Star Game. By the way, he's a south paw. Baseball wasn't around yet in George Washington's era, however he did excel in quoits, which we now call horseshoes. The game is said to have began in Rome and by the 17th century was very popular in England. Daniel Webster and Abraham Lincoln both were said to enjoy the game of quoits.

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