› added 7 years ago

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TIL that after a ticker-tape parade to celebrate his Olympic medals, Jesse Owens was not permitted to enter through the main doors of the Waldorf Astoria and instead forced to travel up to the event in a freight elevator to reach the reception honoring him.

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vPyPD TIL there are only 14 possible (Gregorian) Calendars but it takes 26 years to cycle through them. If you start with 9 different consecutive calendars it takes another 17 years to “collect” the other 5.
e094J TIL that Napoleon actually lost most of his troops during the summer period of his invasion of Russia rather than during the infamous winter retreat. France started with ~650,000 troops and many died from heat exhaustion and disease. The army numbered about 100,000 by the time it reached Moscow.
k9rE TIL that in 1937, a gas leak in the basement at the local school in New London, Texas caused a massive explosion which killed almost 300 children and teachers, the deadliest school disaster in US history. Adolf Hitler even sent his condolences by telegram.
oBPa7 TIL a study shows that the average male gets bored on shopping trip after just 26 minutes while average woman tires after around two hours
kPGe TIL Balding at age 21, Sean Connery was wearing a toupee in all his Bond films