April 23 in Pop Culture History

April 23 Fun Facts, Trivia and History

April 23 History Highlights

• 1516 – The Munich Reinheitsgebot, rules regarding the ingredients of beer, took effect in all of Bavaria.
• 1635 – America’s oldest school, The Boston Latin School opened.
• 1914 – First baseball game at Wrigley Field, then known as Weeghman Park, in Chicago.
• 1940 -The Rhythm Club fire at a dance hall in Natchez, Mississippi, killed 198 people.
• If you were born on April 23rd,
  You were likely conceived the week of… July 31st (prior year)

Saint George

Legend has it that George arrived upon a village where a dragon was terrorizing the local people. To appease the creature, they had begun to sacrifice a sheep per day to feed its hunger until they no longer had any sheep. The King then decreed that they must sacrifice the local children to keep the dragon at bay.

Each day, the sacrifice was chosen by lottery until the King’s daughter was selected. As she was being led to the dragon, George happened by. Horrified by what he discovered, he offered to slay the dragon. During his battle with the dragon, George noticed a vulnerable patch of skin under its arm and charged forward with his sword, slaying the beast. (St. George Society)

King Edward III made Saint George the country’s official saint shortly after ascending to the throne in 1327. The Knights of the Round Table had as their patron saint St. George because he was the only one of all the saints who was a horseman. He is the Patron Saint of cavalry from which the word Chivalry is derived, and the special saint of England.

April 23 is…

April 23 Birthday Quotes

“There are moments in life where it gets so hectic that time becomes a blur. Keep calm and never give up.”
– John Cena

“There are many of us who should be in a position to bring peace to the world.”
– Shirley Temple

“No particular race is the enemy. Ignorance is the enemy.”
– George Lopez

“Science cannot solve the ultimate mystery of nature. And that is because, in the last analysis, we ourselves are a part of the mystery that we are trying to solve.”
– Max Planck

“Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it.”
– William Penn

April 23 Birthdays

1621 – William Penn, English admiral and politician (died in 1670)
1791 – James Buchanan, American politician, 15th President of the United States (died in 1868)
1858 – Max Planck, German physicist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (died in 1947)
1917 – Dorian Leigh, American model (died in 2008)
1928 – Shirley Temple, American actress, singer, dancer, and diplomat (died in 2014)
1932 – Halston, American fashion designer (died in 1990)
1936 – Roy Orbison, American singer-songwriter (died in 1988)
1939 – Lee Majors, American actor
1942 – Sandra Dee, American model and actress (died in 2005)
1957 – Jan Hooks, American comedic actress (died in 2014)
1960 – Valerie Bertinelli, American actress
1961 – George Lopez, American comedian and actor
1968 – Timothy McVeigh, American terrorist, Oklahoma City bombing co-perpetrator (died in 2001)
1977 – John Cena, American professional wrestler and actor
1977 – John Oliver, English comedian, actor and television host
1977 – Kal Penn, Indian-American actor
1979 – Jaime King, American actress and model

April 23 History

1516 – A Beer Purity Law was put into law still in effect today in Germany. It was decreed on April 23, 1516, by Munich’s Duke Wilhelm, protecting the country’s beer drinkers from contaminants, chemicals, and any other additives that unsavory merchants might have thought of adding.

1564 – William Shakespeare was born. He went on to write 38 plays and invent dozens of English words.

1635 – The first public school in the Americas, the Boston Latin School, was founded in Boston.

1916 – The Chicago Cubs played their first game at Weeghman Park (now Wrigley Field).

1940 – Rhythm Club Fire (or The Natchez Dance Hall Holocaust) Natchez, Mississippi killed 198 people.

1940 – A leak-proof flashlight battery (the Ray-o-Vac) was patented (#2,198,423) by Herman Anthony.

1961 – Judy Garland performed at Carnegie Hall, the performance is often called “the greatest night in showbiz history.”

1977 – #1 Hit April 23, 1977 – April 29, 1977: Thelma Houston – Don’t Leave Me This Way

1982 – The Sword and the Sorcerer was released in theaters.

1983 – #1 Hit April 23, 1983 – April 29, 1983: Dexys Midnight Runners – Come On Eileen

1985 – Coca-Cola changed its formula and released ‘New Coke’.

1988 – #1 Hit April 23, 1988 – May 6, 1988: Whitney Houston – Where Do Broken Hearts Go

1994 – Physicists at the Department of Energy’s Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory discovered the subatomic particle called the top quark.

2002 – Year of the Comet and Newsies debuted in theaters.

2004 – 13 Going on 30 was released in theaters.

2005 – First YouTube video was uploaded, titled “Me at the zoo”.

#1 Hit April 23, 2022 – April 29, 2022: First Class – Jack Harlow

Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts

People in 1996 would be really impressed by our technology today, but people in the 1950s would be really unimpressed because of their idea of the future.

It is possible for some people to sneeze with their eyes open. #concentrate!

TV Quotes… “Here it is, your moment of Zen” on “The Daily Show”

28 Days Later was filmed on a Canon XL-1 DV camera using mini-DV tapes instead of 35mm film.

Every movie, book, television show, and game that deals with time travel stresses the importance of not changing the timeline. It’s like we’re being conditioned not to interfere should we fall back through time.

The mechanical shark used in the movie ‘Jaws’ was nicknamed Bruce, after Steven Spielberg’s lawyer.

Kids today are so coddled – Teddy Ruxpin, Elf on the Shelf, Toy Story. In my day, if dolls magically came to life, they murdered you and everyone you loved.

The Capital of Togo is Lome

“Have no fear of perfection- you’ll never reach it.” – Salvador Dali

“Confidence doesn’t come out of nowhere. It’s a result of something, hours and days and weeks and years of constant work and dedication.” – Roger Staubach

“To be a better cook, cook more. To be a better writer, read more.” – Mokokoma Mokhonoana

More Pop Culture History Resources

• Today in History
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• Award Winners
• Conception Songs