The Horse That Lost Kentucky Derby From a Birthday Cake AND Flight Hostesses who pushed airplanes!
“Have YOU heard that in 1969, a Kentucky Derby-winning horse was stripped of his title after failing a drug test… because a baker put cough medicine in his birthday cake? STAY TUNED!”
On May 14, 1969, the Kentucky Derby winner Dancer’s Image became the only horse in Derby history to be disqualified after winning. Why? Traces of phenylbutazone(FEE-NUL-BYOOT-AH-ZONE), an anti-inflammatory drug, were found in his system. The strangest part? The most likely source wasn’t nefarious cheating – it was a birthday cake! A local baker who loved the horse had baked him a special cake containing cough medicine that contained the banned substance. Talk about a bitter taste of victory!
*[Source: Sports Illustrated archives, 1969]*
May 12th is National Limerick Day! This quirky celebration honors the birthday of Edward Lear, who popularized this five-line poetic form in his 1846 “Book of Nonsense.” Here’s a limerick about limericks:
*There once was a form with five lines,*
*Whose rhythm particularly shines,*
*With wit and with mirth,*
*It circled the Earth,*
*And thrives as new talent combines!*
Now that’s a day worth celebrating with some wordplay!
*[Source: NationalDayCalendar.com]*
On May 15, 1930, airline hostesses took to the skies for the very first time! Boeing Air Transport hired eight nurses as the world’s first flight attendants, with Ellen Church becoming the pioneer of this profession. But here’s the catch – these women had to be single, under 25 years old, weigh less than 115 pounds, and stand no taller than 5’4″! Their duties included not just serving food and reassuring nervous passengers, but also hauling luggage, fueling planes, and even helping pilots push planes into hangars! For their extraordinary multi-tasking skills, they earned a whopping $125 per month. Next time you request an extra pillow mid-flight, remember your flight attendant’s predecessors once had to help push the actual plane!
*[Source: OnThisDay.com]*
On May 16, 1960, physicist Theodore Maiman demonstrated the world’s first functioning laser at Hughes Research Laboratories. But did you know that when Maiman submitted his paper on this groundbreaking invention to the prestigious journal “Physical Review Letters,” they REJECTED it? They thought it wasn’t important enough! The paper was later published in Nature, and lasers now power everything from barcode scanners to eye surgery tools. Talk about missing the beam for the light!
*[Source: TodayIFoundOut.com]*
May 13th marks the birthday of Stevie Wonder, born in 1950. Despite being blind since shortly after birth, Wonder signed with Motown Records at just 11 years old! Here’s something most people don’t know – Stevie Wonder’s real name is Stevland Hardaway Judkins, and he was born six weeks premature, which contributed to his blindness. The oxygen-rich atmosphere in his incubator damaged his developing retinas – a condition now known as retinopathy of prematurity. Despite this challenge, he went on to win 25 Grammy Awards and revolutionize music!
*[Source: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame archives]*
May 17th is “World Baking Day” – but did you know that the world’s oldest bread was discovered in Jordan and dates back 14,400 years? That’s right – our ancestors were baking before we even invented agriculture! These ancient flatbreads were made from wild cereals that people gathered long before formal farming began. So next time you’re enjoying a slice of toast, remember you’re participating in one of humanity’s oldest traditions!
*[Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2018]*
And finally, May 18th is “Visit Your Relatives Day”! And here’s a story from a viewer that says their reunions are a little different than most – I wonder how many of you can relate to this: “Last year’s reunion was WILD – my uncle tried to show everyone how he could still do a cartwheel at age 72. Let’s just say the ambulance drivers are now considered extended family! My cousin brought her new robot vacuum to clean up after dinner, but Grandma kept putting her feet up every time it came near her, yelling “I’m not going anywhere yet, you electronic grim reaper!” And don’t get me started on the family photo – we tried using a drone for an aerial shot, but Aunt Mildred swatted it down with her purse screaming “THE ALIENS ARE HERE!” The photographer said he’d never seen a $1,200 drone taken out by a $12 handbag before! So remember folks, on Visit Your Relatives Day, nothing says “I love you” like showing up with a good excuse to leave early!
[Source: National Day Calendar’s “Visit Your Relatives Day” – May 18th]
Watch, Learn and Enjoy!
Troy W. Hudson
💚🎤 #haveyouheard