January 26th Fun Facts, Trivia and History
January 26th History Highlights
- 1905 – The world’s largest diamond, the Cullinan, weighing 3,106.75 carats (1.369842266 pounds), was found at the Premier Mine near Pretoria in South Africa.
- 1915 – An act of the U.S. Congress established the Rocky Mountain National Park.
- 1911 – Glenn Curtiss flew the first successful American seaplane off the battleship USS Pennsylvania.
- 1983 – Computer program Lotus 1-2-3 debuted
- 1992 – Boris Yeltsin announces that the collapsing USSR would stop targeting United States cities with nuclear weapons.
- If you were born on January 26th,
You were likely conceived the week of… May 5th (prior year)
Australia Day
On Australia Day, January 26, 1788, Australia celebrated the arrival of British colonial rule. Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Celebrated annually in January, it marks the anniversary of the 1788 arrival of the First Fleet of British Ships at Port Jackson, New South Wales, and Governor Arthur Phillip raised the Flag of Great Britain at that site.
January 26th is…
National Green Juice Day
Peanut Brittle Day
Spouses’ Day
January 26th Birthday Quotes
– Bessie Coleman
I do believe that man is a rope between animal and superman. But the superman I’m thinking of isn’t Nietzsche’s. The real superhuman, man or woman, is the person who’s rid himself of all prejudices, neuroses, and psychoses, who realizes his full potential as a human being, who acts naturally on the basis of gentleness, compassion, and love, who thinks for himself and refuses to follow the herd. That’s the genuine dyed-in-the-wool superman.
– Philip José Farmer
If you don’t have enemies, you don’t have character.
– Paul Newman
I know war as few other men now living know it, and nothing to me is more revolting. I have long advocated its complete abolition, as its very destructiveness on both friend and foe has rendered it useless as a means of settling international disputes… But once war is forced upon us, there is no other alternative than to apply every available means to bring it to a swift end.
– Douglas MacArthur
Could I have but a line a century hence crediting a contribution to the advance of peace, I would gladly yield every honor which has been accorded me in war.
– Douglas MacArthur
Experience: that most brutal of teachers. But you learn, my God do you learn.
– Bessie Coleman
January 26th Birthdays
1880 – Douglas MacArthur, American general (died in 1964)
1891 – Frank Costello, reputed Italian-American mob boss (died in 1973)
1892 – Bessie Coleman, American pilot (died in 1926)
1905 – Maria von Trapp, Austrian-American singer (died in 1987)
1918 – Nicolae Ceausescu, Romanian dictator, 1st President of Romania (died in 1989)
1918 – Philip José Farmer, American writer (died in 2009)
1923 – Anne Jeffreys, American actress and singer (died in 2017)
1925 – Paul Newman, American actor, race car driver and businessman, co-founded Newman’s Own (died in 2008)
1928 – Roger Vadim, French actor and director (died in 2000)
1929 – Jules Feiffer, American cartoonist and playwright
1934 – Huey “Piano” Smith, American pianist and songwriter
1934 – Bob Uecker, American baseball player, sportscaster and actor
1936 – Sal Buscema, American comic book illustrator
1953 – Lucinda Williams, American singer-songwriter
1958 – Ellen DeGeneres, American comedian and talk show host
1963 – Andrew Ridgeley, English singer-songwriter
1981 – Colin O’Donoghue, Irish actor
January 26th History
1564 – The Council of Trent issued its conclusions in the Tridentinum, establishing a distinction between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.
1837 – Michigan was admitted as the 26th U.S. state.
1838 – Tennessee became the 1st state to prohibit alcohol.
1858 – The Wedding March by Felix Mendelssohn was played at the marriage of Queen Victoria’s daughter, Victoria, and Friedrich of Prussia.
1906 – The world’s steam car land speed record was set at 127.7 mph (205.5 km/h) by Fred Marriot, racing at Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S.A. in his canoe-shaped Stanley Steamer Rocket. The record stood until 2009.
1912 – Jim Thorpe relinquished his 1912 Olympic medals for being a professional athlete. He was paid for playing two seasons of semi-professional baseball before competing in the Olympics, thus violating the amateur rules at that time. His Olympic medals were reinstated posthumously by an act of Congress in 1983.
Rocky Mountain National Park: Established on January 26, 1915, in Colorado, this park spans 415 square miles. Known for its snow-capped peaks, alpine tundra, and abundant wildlife.
1963 – #1 Hit January 26, 1963 – February 8, 1963: The Rooftop Singers – Walk Right In
1966 – The Beaumont Children (ages 9, 7, and 4) disappeared from Glenelg Beach near Adelaide, South Australia.
1974 – #1 Hit January 26, 1974 – February 1, 1974: Ringo Starr – You’re Sixteen
1979 – The Dukes of Hazzard debuted on CBS
1980 – NHL – The New York Islanders and Hartford Whalers played a NHL penalty-free game.
1988 – Broadway Show – The Phantom of the Opera (Musical) January 26, 1988
1991 – #1 Hit January 26, 1991 – February 8, 1991: Surface – The First Time
January 26, 19** Birthday (fictional) Cassandra Cain, Batgirl II, DC Comics
2001 – The Wedding Planner debuted in theaters.
2009 – East End Show – Thriller – Live (revival) January 26, 2009
Today’s Random Trivia and Shower Thoughts
Biggest film of 1998: Saving Private Ryan (Drama) earned ~ $217,000,000
Anyone who uses the phrase ‘easy as taking candy from a baby’ has never tried taking candy from a baby.
Pour milk in your fresh “empty” chocolate syrup bottle for instant chocolate milk. #shakewell
You think you’re unique until you have to choose a username.
Fifty Shades of Grey started out as Twilight fan fiction, before having all references removed
TV Quotes… “Book ’em, Danno” (Steve McGarrett) on “Hawaii Five-O”
A group of Vultures is called a Venue. A group of Vultures (circling above) is called a Kettle.
Count Basie – Real Name: William Basie
The world’s only oyster museum is located in Chincoteague Island, Virginia.
A group of Lizards is called a Lounge.
Courtney Love – Real Name: Love Michelle Harrison
“Tired and sick” and “sick and tired” have completely different meanings…
“Dynamite with a laser beam” #songlyrics
The first song Prince taught himself to play on the piano, at 7 years old, was the Batman theme.