The questions are all related to today’s date, September 20th.
The Queen Elizabeth 2 is now a hotel in Dubai. Image Wikipedia
One
On 20 September 1967, the Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth 2 was launched from which company’s shipyard?
John Brown and Company, Clydebank, Scotland, UK
Harland & Wolff, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Swan Hunter, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, England, UK
Two
The ‘Battle of the Sexes’ tennis match took place at Houston Astrodome on 20 September 1973. Who were the two players who competed in the match?
Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs
Chris Evert and Jimmy Connors
Evonne Goolagong and Marlon Brando
Three
On 20 September 1870, Rome was occupied, leading to the unification of Italy. Who was the ruler of the Kingdom of Italy at this time?
Victor Emmanuel I
Victor Emmanuel II
Victor Emmanuel III
Four
Which explorer set out from Spain on 20 September 1519, embarking on a quest to circumnavigate the globe?
Bartolomeu Dias
Ferdinand Magellan
Vasco da Gama
Five
On 20 September 1881, a US Vice President was sworn in as president following the death of his predecessor who had died the previous day two months after being shot. Who was the vice president who was sworn in as president on this day?
On 13 September 1959, the first spacecraft successfully made contact with another celestial body. Which spacecraft and celestial body were involved?
Kal-L 1 and Mercury
Luna 2 and the Moon
Mariner 3 and Mars
Answer: Luna 2 And the Moon
…the Soviets launched their second Cosmic Rocket (later renamed Luna 2) on Sep. 12 and it successfully achieved escape velocity and placed the spacecraft, virtually identical to Luna 1, on an intercept course with the Moon. The upper stage once again released its one kilogram of sodium gas at a distance of 97,000 miles. On Sep. 13, Luna 2 became the first spacecraft to make contact with another celestial body when it impacted the Moon between Mare Imbrium and Mare Serenitatis, about 160 miles from where Apollo 15 would land 12 years later. The spacecraft’s scientific instruments detected no magnetic field or radiation belts around the Moon. Luna 2 deposited Soviet emblems on the lunar surface, carried in two metallic spheres. During his only visit to the United States a few days after the Luna 2 mission, Soviet Premier Nikita S. Khrushchev presented a replica of the spherical pennant to President Dwight D. Eisenhower. That sphere is kept at the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene, Kansas, while a copy is displayed at the Kansas Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, Kansas.
The 13 September Japanese release of Super Mario Bros marked the start of the Super Mario series of platforming games.
1985
1991
1997
Answer: 1985
Super Mario Bros. is a 1985 platform game developed by Nintendo for the NES. Players control Mario or Luigi to rescue Princess Toadstool from Bowser, traversing side-scrolling stages and collecting power-ups. The game is praised for its precise controls and is credited with reviving the video game industry after the 1983 crash.
Three
On 12 September 1988, Hurricane Gilbert set a record as the strongest hurricane in the Western Hemisphere, based on barometric pressure. Which 2005 hurricane surpassed this record?
Maria
Rita
Wilma
Answer: Wilma
Hurricane Gilbert, a Category 5 hurricane in 1988, caused widespread destruction in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. It was the second-most intense Atlantic landfalling hurricane (only behind 2005’s Hurricane Wilma) and the most intense to strike Mexico.
Four
Hannibal Goodwin patented celluloid photographic film on this date. In what decade did this occur?
1890s
1900s
1910s
Answer: 1890s
Five
On 13 September 1899, the first ascent of Batian was achieved. Of what mountain is Batian the highest peak?
Mount Erebus
Mount Fuji
Mount Kenya
Answer: Mount Kenya
Mount Kenya, located near the equator in Kenya, has three highest peaks: Batian, Nelion, and Point Lenana. It is the source of the country’s name.
Five multiple choice questions related to today, September 13th.
One
On 13 September 1959, the first spacecraft successfully made contact with another celestial body. Which spacecraft and celestial body were involved?
Kal-L 1 and Mercury
Luna 2 and the Moon
Mariner 3 and Mars
Two
The 13 September Japanese release of Super Mario Bros marked the start of the Super Mario series of platforming games.
1985
1991
1997
Three
On 12 September 1988, Hurricane Gilbert set a record as the strongest hurricane in the Western Hemisphere, based on barometric pressure. Which 2005 hurricane surpassed this record?
Maria
Rita
Wilma
Four
Hannibal Goodwin patented celluloid photographic film on this date. In what decade did this occur?
1890s
1900s
1910s
Five
On 13 September 1899, the first ascent of Batian was achieved. Of what mountain is Batian the highest peak?
Here are the answers to the questions from my earlier post.
V2-Rocket in the Peenemünde Museum. Image Wikipedia
One
On 6 September 1944, Nazi Germany launched the first V-2 rocket, a precursor to modern long-range missiles. What city was the target of this inaugural launch?
Answer: Paris
[The first] was fired against Paris on September 6, 1944. Two days later the first of more than 1,100 V-2s was fired against Great Britain (the last on March 27, 1945). Belgium was also heavily bombarded. About 5,000 people died in V-2 attacks, and it is estimated that at least 10,000 prisoners from the Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp died when used as forced labour in building V-2s at the underground Mittelwerk factory. After the war, both the United States and the Soviet Union captured large numbers of V-2s and used them in research that led to the development of their missile and space exploration programs.
Joseph Kenney, United States Ambassador to the Court of St James’s. Image Wikipedia
Two
Joseph Kennedy Sr. was born on 6 September 1888. He was the father of the Kennedy dynasty, which included John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. He was appointed as the US Ambassador to the United Kingdom but what is the formal name for that post: US Ambassador to the…?
Answer: US Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s
The Court of St James’s serves as the official royal court for the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It formally receives all ambassadors accredited to the UK and, conversely, ambassadors representing the UK are formally accredited from this court. It is named after St James’s Palace, the most senior of Britain’s royal palaces.
Three
On 6 September 957, Liudolf, the Duke of Swabia and son of the Holy Roman emperor Otto I, passed away. Today, the area known as the Duchy of Swabia is located in which modern country?
Answer: Germany
Swabia is a cultural and linguistic region in southwestern Germany, roughly coinciding with the Swabian Circle of the Holy Roman Empire. Swabians, natives of Swabia and speakers of Swabian German, numbered close to 800,000 as of 2006.
On 6 September, Leon Czolgosz shot a US president. Who was the president?
Answer: William McKinley
On 6 September 1901, President McKinley was attending the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, when he was shot twice in the chest and abdomen by Leon Czolgosz, an anarchist. He lingered for a week before succumbing to his injuries on 14 September, when Theodore Roosevelt succeeded him.
Victoria, the sole ship of Magellan’s fleet to complete the circumnavigation. Detail from a map by Ortelius, 1590. Image Wikipedia
Five
The Victoria, the first known ship to circumnavigate the world returned to Spain on 6 September. In which decade did this event occur?
Answer: 1520s
On 6 September 1522, the Victoria, the only surviving ship of Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition, completed the circumnavigation of the world and arrived at Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Spain. Of the 270 men who had set sail on the expedition on 20 September 1519, only 18 or 19 survived. Magellan had been killed approximately 18 months earlier.
V2-Rocket in the Peenemünde Museum. Image Wikipedia
One
On 6 September 1944, Nazi Germany launched the first V-2 rocket, a precursor to modern long-range missiles. What city was the target of this inaugural launch?
Two
Joseph Kennedy Sr. was born on 6 September 1888. He was the father of the Kennedy dynasty, which included John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy. He was appointed as the US Ambassador to the United Kingdom but what is the formal name for that post: US Ambassador to the…?
Three
On 6 September 957, Liudolf, the Duke of Swabia and son of the Holy Roman emperor Otto I, passed away. Today, the area known as the Duchy of Swabia is located in which modern country?
Four
On 6 September, Leon Czolgosz shot a US president. Who was the president?
Five
The Victoria, the first known ship to circumnavigate the world returned to Spain on 6 September. In which decade did this event occur?
Good luck! As usual I will post the answers later today.
George Mallory (3rd from left), Tibet, 1924. Image Wikipedia
One
People ask me, ‘What is the use of climbing Mount Everest?’ and my answer is ‘because it’s there.’
— George Mallory
In what decade of the twentieth century did mountaineers George Mallory and Sandy Irvine go missing near the summit of Mount Everest?
Answer: Twenties
English mountaineer George Mallory participated in the first three British Mount Everest expeditions. In 1924, he and fellow Englishman Sandy Irvine were last seen near Everest’s summit, sparking debate about whether they reached the summit.
What British motor racing commentator (1923-2021) said…
The lead car is unique, except for the one behind it which is identical.
Answer: Murray Walker
Murray Walker (1923-2021) did his first broadcast commentary in 1948 and became a full-time commentator in the mid-seventies. He was known for making comical blunders which became known as ‘Murrayisms’ Wikipedia has supplied the following examples:
We’ve had cars going off left, right and centre Do my eyes deceive me, or is Senna’s Lotus sounding rough? With half of the race gone, there is half of the race still to go There is nothing wrong with the car, apart from that it is on fire, and The gap between them is now nine-tenths of a second; that’s less than a second! — Wikipedia
Yogi Berra, an American professional baseball catcher, manager and coach, played 19 seasons in Major League Baseball, winning 10 World Series championships with the New York Yankees. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest catchers in baseball history and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. Berra was known for his malapropisms and paradoxical statements, some examples below courtesy of Wikipedia It’s déjà vu all over again. You can observe a lot by watching On why he no longer went to Ruggeri’s, a St. Louis restaurant: ‘Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded’ When complimented by a woman in the grandstands on how he seemed to be enduring the heat well on a hot summer’s day: ‘Thanks, ma’am. You don’t look so hot yourself’ Always go to other people’s funerals; otherwise they won’t go to yours The future ain’t what it used to be A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore If you can’t imitate him, don’t copy him I really didn’t say everything I said — Wikipedia
Chuck Yeager next to experimental aircraft Bell X-1 Glamorous Glennis. Image Wikipedia
Five
If you can walk away from a landing, it’s a good landing. If you use the airplane the next day, it’s an outstanding landing.
The above quote was from a pilot who, on 14 October 1947, while piloting Glamorous Glennis broke the sound barrier. Who was the pilot?
Answer: Chuck Yeagar
Yeagar became the first person to break the sound barrier on that flight. Piloting Glamorous Glennis, a Bell X-1 named after his wife, he reached Mach 1.05 st 45,000 feet (13,700. metres) over the Mojave Desert, California.
Henry Hudson’s voyages to North America. Image Wikipedia
One
On 3 September 1609, an English navigator and explorer sailed into what is now known as New York Harbour. He made four expeditions to find a route from Europe to Asia, and a bay, river and strait are named after him. What are his first and second names?
Answer: Henry Hudson
In 1606, Henry Hudson sailed up the river that now bears his name. In Canada, the Hudson Strait links the North Atlantic Ocean (Labrador Sea) to Hudson Bay.
On 3 September 1935, who became the first person to drive an automobile at over 300 miles per hour?
Answer: Sir Malcolm Campbell
On September 3, 1935, at the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, his automobile was timed at 301.1292 miles (484.62 km) per hour, the first officially clocked land-vehicle performance exceeding 300 miles (483 km) per hour. — Encyclopædia Britannica
Three
On 3 September 1939, after the invasion of Poland, Britain, France, and which two of these countries – Australia, Canada, or New Zealand – declared war on Germany?
Answer: Australia and New Zealand
On 3 September 1939, Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King announced the recommendation for a declaration of war in a radio broadcast. On 10 September 1939, a declaration of war by Canada against Germany was made by order-in-council signed by King George VI, King of Canada.
NASA’s Viking 2 on the surface of Mars. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech
Four
On this day in 1976, Viking 2, a NASA spacecraft, completed its journey, landed at its destination, and began sending information back to Earth. What planet had it landed on?
Answer: Mars
The Viking 2 mission, part of the American Viking programme, included an orbiter and a lander. The lander operated for 1,316 days, while the orbiter functioned for 706 orbits until July 25, 1978.
James Stewart, Jean Arthur and Frank Capra on the set of Mr Smith Goes to Washington. Image Wikipedia
Five
The director of 1939’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and 1946’s It’s a Wonderful Life died on 3 September 1991. Who was he?
Answer: Frank Capra
Italian-American film director Frank Capra, known for his influence in the 1930s and 1940s, won three Academy Awards for Best Director. Despite a career decline after World War II, his films, including It’s a Wonderful Life, were later critically acclaimed.
Another five questions which are related to today, September 3rd.
Set of Mr Smith Goes to Washington. See question 5. Image Wikipedia
One
On 3 September 1609, an English navigator and explorer sailed into what is now known as New York Harbour. He made four expeditions to find a route from Europe to Asia, and a bay, river and strait are named after him. What are his first and second names?
Two
On 3 September 1935, who became the first person to drive an automobile at over 300 miles per hour?
Three
On 3 September 1939, after the invasion of Poland, Britain, France, and which two of these countries – Australia, Canada, or New Zealand – declared war on Germany?
Four
On this day in 1976, Viking 2, a NASA spacecraft, completed its journey, landed at its destination, and began sending information back to Earth. What planet had it landed on?
Five
The director of 1939’s Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and 1946’s It’s a Wonderful Life died on 3 September 1991. Who was he?
Bookplate of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Tarzan, shown with one of his great-ape family, is holding the planet Mars and is surrounded by other characters from Burroughs’ stories and symbols relating to his personal interests and career. Image Wikipedia
One
On 1 September 1875, an American novelist was born. Starting in 1914, following a 1912 magazine story, he wrote a series of novels about an ape-man who was also known as John Clayton. Who was this novelist?
Answer: Edgar Rice Burroughs
Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875–1950) was an American writer known for creating Tarzan and John Carter. Tarzan, aka John Clayton and Viscount Greystoke, first appeared in Tarzan of the Apes as a 1912 magazine serialisation and 1914 novel. This was followed by 23 further novels and Tarzan became a cultural icon, spawning comic strip, films and merchandise.
On this date in 1969, Muammar al-Qaddafi, or al-Gaddafi, along with a group of fellow young army officers, deposed the king and declared Libya a republic. Who was the deposed king?
Answer: King Idris I
Muammar Gaddafi ruled Libya from 1969 to 2011, initially as a revolutionary leader and later as the Brotherly Leader of the Great Socialist People’s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya. He implemented his Third International Theory, nationalised the oil industry, and promoted Islamic socialism. Gaddafi’s rule was marked by authoritarianism, human rights abuses, and support for terrorism, leading to his overthrow and assassination during the 2011 Libyan Civil War.
On 1 September 1954, Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window opened in American film theatres. Starring James Stewart, it also featured a future princess. Who was this future princess?
Answer: Grace Kelly (Princess Grace of Monaco)
Grace Kelly, an American actress, achieved stardom in Hollywood films before marrying Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956. As Princess of Monaco, she focused on charity work, particularly for children and the arts. Kelly passed away at the age of 52 due to injuries from a car crash.
On this date in 1972, the first native-born American to become world champion achieved that title. Who was the American and who did he defeat to win the world title?
Answer: Bobby Fischer (USA) defeated Boris Spassky (USSR)
The 1972 World Chess Championship, held in Reykjavík, Iceland, marked the end of 24 years of Soviet dominance. The first game was played on 11 July 1972. The 21st and last game, begun on August 31, was adjourned after 40 moves, with Spassky resigning the next day without resuming play or attending the venue. Fischer won the match 12½–8½, becoming the eleventh undisputed world champion. This victory made Fischer the first US-born world champion.
On 1 September 1985, a search found the wreck of the Titanic lying at a depth of 13.000 feet (4,000 metres). Who was the oceanographer who led this search?
Answer: Robert Ballard
Robert Ballard, an American oceanographer, is renowned for discovering the Titanic in 1985 using the submersible Argo. He pioneered deep-sea archaeology and explored the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and Galapagos Rift, uncovering thermal vents and chemosynthesis. Ballard also founded the JASON project, the Institute for Exploration, and the Ocean Exploration Trust, continuing his search for shipwrecks and sharing his discoveries through writing.
Lord of the…
The post title refers to both Lord of the Jungle and Lord of the Apes which have been used for Tarzan.
Tarzan and the Golden Lion. Illustration by James Allen St. John. Image Wikipedia
On 1 September 1875, an American novelist was born. Starting in 1914, following a 1912 magazine story, he wrote a series of novels about an ape-man who was also known as John Clayton. Who was this novelist?
Two
On this date in 1969, Muammar al-Qaddafi, or al-Gaddafi, along with a group of fellow young army officers, deposed the king and declared Libya a republic. Who was the deposed king?
Three
On 1 September 1954, Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window opened in American film theatres. Starring James Stewart, it also featured a future princess. Who was this future princess?
Four
On this date in 1972, the first native-born American to become world champion achieved that title. Who was the American and who did he defeat to win the world title?
Five
On 1 September 1985, a search found the wreck of the Titanic lying at a depth of 13.000 feet (4,000 metres). Who was the oceanographer who led this search?