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TIL that during his lifetime, George Washington owned almost every group of dog currently recognized by the American Kennel Club. Many of his dogs had interesting names too, such as: Madame Moose, Truelove, Tipsy, Mopesy, and Ragman.

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VJok TIL, after Jesse Owens won 4 gold medals in the 1936 Olympics held in Berlin, Adolf Hitler sent Owens a commemorative inscribed cabinet photograph of himself. Honors were not bestowed upon Jesse Owens by either President Franklin D. Roosevelt or his successor Harry S. Truman during their terms.
KY0AR TIL the story of William Tell shooting the apple on his son's head was punishment for refusing to submit to an official. Tell would be executed if he didn't hit the apple with a crossbow bolt. Tell drew two bolts, and hit it with his first shot. The second bolt was to kill the official if he missed!
epnkJ TIL Sophie, a pet Australian cattle dog, fell from a boat in choppy waters off the coast of Queensland and swam 5 nautical miles to St. Bees Island. She lived off the land for 5 months until she was captured by rangers who believed she was a wild dog and subsequently reunited with her family.
j0DQ TIL all captive white tigers can be traced to a single tiger origin. Every white tiger since has been inbred again and again causing major deformities at birth. They are also not a subspecies, thus not endangered, and only kept around to bring in more money.
4DJo TIL Bowhead whales may be the world’s longest lived mammal. In 2007, a 15m (49ft) specimen was discovered with the head of a harpoon embedded in its neck. The 3.5-inch (89 mm) projectile was manufactured in New Bedford, Massachusetts around 1890, suggesting the animal survived a hunt a century ago.