More Interesting Did You Knows

Did You Know?

Good wrestler: Abraham Lincoln is best know as the 16^th president of the United States. But before that, he had a reputation as an accomplished wrestler. There is only one recorded instance of him losing a match in 12 years.

Long name: Although he grew up in England, J.R.R. Tolkien—author of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings—was born in South Africa. The initials in his name stand for “John Ronald Reuel.”

Geysers galore: If you want to see (and smell!) geysers up close, head to Yellowstone National Park (U.S.). It’s home to about 60 percent of the world’s geysers, including the famous “Old Faithful.”

Interesting origins: You might think Chinese checkers is a game that originated in China. In fact, Germans invented the original form of the game, called Stern-Halma, in 1892. A 1928 American marketing scheme is responsible for its current name.

No rabbits: Unless you’re in the magic or circus business, it’s illegal to own a pet rabbit in Queensland, Australia. Rabbits are considered a very destructive agricultural and environmental pest in that country.

(Sources: Coffee News Vol. 16, No. 42, October 21 2019; Vol. 16, No. 44, November 4, 2019; Vol. 16, No. 46, November 18, 2019).