ASK MR. KNOW-IT-ALL
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A: Lafayette Ronald Hubbard, born on March 13, 1911, in Tilden, Neb., became a prolific fiction writer and controversial church founder. He died on Jan. 24, 1986.
Q: Michael Todd, husband of actress Elizabeth Taylor, died in a plane crash. When and where? — M.Z., Walker, La.
A: The plane carrying Todd, a movie producer and cinematography innovator, crashed near Grants, N.M., on March 22, 1958. Ironically, the plane, a Lockheed Lodestar, was named The Lucky Liz.
Q: What was the last name of Dorothy in the movie “The Wizard of Oz”? — J.L., Reading, Mass.
A: As in L. Frank Baum’s “Oz” series of books from which the movie was adapted, Dorothy’s last name was Gale.
Q: Back in my high school days, a long, long time ago, I memorized the mnemonic “May I have a large container of coffee?” I don’t remember what it was for. Can you help me out? — R.M.S. Bangor, Maine
A: I smiled from ear to ear when I read your question, because I used the very same mnemonic as a youngster. It’s a way to remember the first eight digits of pi (3.1415926). The numbers correspond to the number of letters in each word of the phrase.
Q: While in Florida I saw my first jai alai game. What does “jai alai” mean? — K.L., Dillon, Mont.
A: In the Basque language, it means “merry festival.” Over 300 years ago, in Spain’s Pyrenees Mountains, an outdoor game was played in which a ball was thrown against a wall (very often a church wall). According to legend, a boy had a sore hand and was unable to catch and throw the ball, so he used a basket. The idea caught on, and the game first became known as “pelota vasca” (or Basque ball). The game was later popular at festivals and became known as jai alai.
According to most sports books, jai alai was introduced to Cuba in 1898 and Florida in 1926. “The Guinness Book of World Records” cites the fastest recorded jai alai ball at 188 miles per hour, thus the sport’s nickname of “the World’s Fastest Game.”
Q: Where is Losantville, Ohio? I can’t find it on any map. — J.R., Columbus, Ohio
A: You’d need a very old map. Losantville, Ohio, changed its name to the more familiar Cincinnati on Jan. 3, 1790.
Q: In 1915, the British luxury ocean liner Lusitania sank. What does “Lusitania” mean? — R.Q., Troy, N.Y.
A: Lusitania was the ancient Roman name for Portugal.
Q: I have heard of the World’s Longest Yard Sale, which is held back East. It stretches something like 50 miles. Can you tell me when and where this sale is located? — J.E., New Bern, N.C.
A: The World’s Longest Yard Sale originated in Jamestown, Tenn., 18 years ago as a way to get travelers onto old U.S. Highway 127. Over the years, the sale has grown and now stretches for 450 miles north to Covington, Ky., and south to Gadsden, Ala. Promoters say there are more than 2,000 vendors along the way. The event starts the first Saturday of August and runs through the following Sunday. This year, the dates are Aug. 7 to 15. For more information, go to the yard sale’s Web site at www.bargain-mall.com/127cor.
Q: In church, after a prayer, we say “amen” — “so be it.” From what language does the word “amen” come? — K.L., Centralia, Wash.
A: Hebrew.
Q: The NFL’s Washington Redskins originated in Boston. What was the team’s nickname then? — K.M., Greenwood, Ark.
A: The original team was known as the Boston Braves when they formed in 1932. They changed their name to the Redskins the following year, and then moved to the nation’s capital in 1937.
Q: Is there any record of who the first Union soldier killed during the Civil War was? — M.S., Gainesville, Fla.
A: It was Pvt. Thornberry Bailey Brown. He was killed on May 22, 1861, at Fetterman, W.Va.