Bet You Didn’t Know

“Crusade in Europe” by Dwight Eisenhower and “Profiles in Courage” by John F. Kennedy are the only two books written by American Presidents that have been made into television series.

Speaking of Presidents…Abraham Lincoln was the first United States President to have been born outside of the original 13 states…he was born in Kentucky.

OK…one more about world leaders….Boris Yeltsin lost his thumb and forefinger of his left hand…how? As a kid he stole some hand grenades…..one went off as he and some buddies were trying to take it apart.

Asa Candler purchased the formula for Coca Cola from John Pemberton for $2,300 in 1887. When Mr. Candler’s sons sold out in 1916 they got 25 million for it. Good return.

The first Japanese automobile to be sold in the United States was the Datsun…..sold 83 of those rascals in 1958.

Q. The publisher G.P. Putnam had a famous wife …who was she?
A. The well-known flyer…Amelia Earhart.

Bet old Amelia and her husband brought in more income than the average American teacher in 1900….their annual salary at that time? About $325.00 yearly. Not much was it?

You thought mail order was relatively new didn’t you……not so; old Ben Franklin put out the first mail order catalog in 1744. Junk mail has been with us a long, long time.

© Peary Perry
Bet You Didn’t Know - A Treasure Trove of Trivia
November 5, 2010 column
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