Truth is stanger than fiction
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A: It appears that Lt. Fletcher Christian came to an early demise. During December 1787, the Bounty left England headed for Tahiti. After 10 months at sea, on Oct. 26, 1788, the ship reached the island paradise. For the next five months, more than 1,000 breadfruit plants were collected and prepared for transportation. During the return voyage, on April 28, 1789, Christian took control of the Bounty, and William Bligh was set adrift with 18 loyal men. After a brief return visit to Tahiti, Christian and eight other mutineers left with Tahitian men and women and set up home on Pitcairn Island. In 1808, the American sailing ship Topaz discovered the island. Only one mutineer, John Adams, and a number of women and children were still alive. Violence was the main cause of the deaths, while disease, suicide and accidents played a part as well. As for Christian, he was murdered in 1793, at the age of 29.
Q: I just received an e-mail trivia list stating that Dick Clark’s wife gave Chubby Checker his stage name. Is this true? ‘ B.H.L., Flagstaff, Ariz.
A: It’s true. Ernest Evans (1941-), who popularized the song ‘The Twist’ in 1960, was raised in Philadelphia. He attended South Philadelphia High School and called future teenage heartthrobs Frankie Avalon and Fabian classmates. At the time, Dick Clark hosted the incredibly popular TV show ‘American Bandstand,’ which originated in Philadelphia. Clark’s wife suggested the stage name Chubby Checker as a spin-off from another popular singer of the era, Fats Domino.
Q: What exactly is a charwoman? I think she’s a housekeeper, but I’m not sure. ‘ R.M., San Francisco, Calif.
A: A charlady, or charwoman, is an English term for a house cleaner. A maid or housekeeper is typically a live-in position, while a charwoman is paid a weekly wage but does not live at her place of employment.
Did you know … the middle name of Sheriff Andy Taylor (Andy Griffith) in the TV sitcom ‘The Andy Griffith Show’ is Jackson?
Q: In college football, which two teams play for the Jeweled Shillelagh? I have a feeling one of the teams is the Fighting Irish of the University of Notre Dame. ‘ R.B., Halifax, Pa.
A: You are right. The trophy is the prize for winners of games between the University of Notre Dame and the University of Southern California Trojans. For each victory, a medallion, either a Trojan head or a shamrock, is added to the shillelagh. Each medallion bears the final score and date of the game. A tie game consists of a medallion sharing both images. To date, there are 42 shamrocks, 32 Trojan heads and five combination medallions on the shillelaghs. After the 1989 game, the original shillelagh was retired because all the space for the medallions had been exhausted; a second one is now in use.
Q: In the 1970s, a rock duo called Seals and Crofts filled the airwaves. What were their first names? Also, another rock duo, England Dan & John Ford Coley, became popular around that time. England Dan’s real name is Dan Seals. Is this the same Seals of Seals and Crofts? ‘ P.R.T., Salem, Ore.
A: The singers Jim Seals and Dash Crofts are best remembered for their hits ‘Summer Breeze,’ ‘Diamond Girl’ and ‘We May Never Pass This Way (Again).’ England Dan of England Dan & John Ford Coley is Dan Seals, younger brother of Jim Seals.
Send your questions to Mr. Know-It-All at [email protected] or c/o United Feature Syndicate, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016.