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TIL in 1973 two players for the New York Yankees held a press conference to announce they were swapping families with each other (wives, children and their dogs)

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Z8Blp TIL that when Hattie McDaniel became the first black person to win an Academy Award (for her performance in "Gone with the Wind") in 1940, she was seated at a segregated table at the side of the room
W7L TIL before Ang Lee directed Brokeback Mountain, Gus Van Sant wanted to make a version starring Matt Damon and Joaquin Phoenix. It never got off the ground, partially because Matt Damon “didn’t want to do a gay cowboy movie right after doing a gay movie and a cowboy movie”.
wgaY TIL that in 1382, a French bookseller named Nicholas Flamel claimed to have transformed lead into gold after decoding an ancient book of alchemy. True or not, historical records show that Flamel did come into considerable wealth around this time, and donated his riches to charity.
6rYZ TIL Vermont is the US state with the highest percentage of people claiming no religion
166W8 TIL that Canadian hero Isaac Brock defeated American forces by using scam tactics, such as having his forces wear cast-off uniforms to make the Americans believe that they were the feared British redcoats.