Ken Jennings's Trivia Almanac (113 page)

JULY 9

1846
C
ONGRESS RETURNS TO
V
IRGINIA
the portion of the District of Columbia that lies south of the Potomac River.

GIVE THAT BACK!

1.
What object was returned to Edinburgh Castle in 1996, though Westminster Abbey is still allowed to borrow it for coronations?

2.
What president returned the U.S.-controlled Panama Canal Zone to Panama?

3.
What painting was recovered by Norwegian police three months after it was stolen, the same day the Lillehammer Olympics opened?

4.
To whom did Brian Leetch hand over the team captaincy of the New York Rangers when he returned to the team in 2000?

5.
Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure
is to recover what beloved stolen item?

1927
T
HE
T
ERRITORY OF
A
LASKA
first flies its official flag. Designed by 13-year-old Benny Benson of Seward, it depicts the Big Dipper and the North Star.

A-LIST STARS

Can you identify these constellations with the naked eye?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

A. Cassiopeia

B. Cygnus

C. Draco

D. Leo

E. Lyra

F. Orion

2002
W
ITH BOTH TEAMS OUT
of pitchers in the eleventh inning, Major League Baseball calls the 73rd All-Star Game a 7–7 tie. “Let them play! Let them play!” the unhappy Milwaukee crowd chants, throwing garbage onto the field.

SPORTFOLIO

How many players to a side in each of these sports? (Not counting the bench, where appropriate.)

Easy

1.
Basketball

2.
Beach volleyball

3.
Ice hockey

4.
Baseball

5.
American football

Harder

1.
Volleyball

2.
Curling

3.
Water polo

4.
Soccer

5.
Men’s field lacrosse