› added 8 years ago

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TIL in the Olympics, the gun used to signal the beginning of a race gave an advantage to the athlete in the lane closet to the gun. They now have use speakers in each lane.

yV0Dp TIL at the Battle of Marathon, the Athenians advanced towards the Persians at a run, a tactic not previously seen in Greek warfare. This approach surprised the Persians, who considered it madness for the Greeks to charge without cavalry or archers.
wLMV8 TIL when John Balson started off as a butcher in Dorset in 1535, Henry VIII was on the throne. Hundreds of years later, the Balson family continues to trade just a few streets away from where their first market stall was set up in Bridport. They are the oldest family business in UK.
m1vPE TIL that the father of the Doors’ guitarist Robby Krieger, Stu, loved picking up young hitchhikers in the ‘60s & ‘70s as it gave him an opportunity to brag about his son. Robby’s dad was also the one who got Ray Manzarek his Fender Rhodes Piano Bass, which was an important part of the Doors’ sound.
jNX0j TIL that Bob Munden was known as “the fastest man with a gun who ever lived". He could draw, fire, break a balloon target with a blank using a standard weight single-action revolver and return his gun to his holster faster than the blink of an eye
rRxeo TIL that the age of clog didn't only introduce "clog dancing", but also the illegal "clog fighting" or "purring". In this fighting, men would wear clogs on their feet and violently kick each other, while otherwise being entirely naked! This would be to try and settle disagreements once and for all.