Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Ignatius of Loyola

Ignatius of Loyala could recite the Gospel of Mark from memory, alternating each word between Latin and Greek.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Pope Pius V

Pope Pius V had one rooster named after eleven of the apostles; everyone except Philip.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

William Shakespeare

It is recorded that William Shakespeare's last words were composed in iambic pentameter; however, his actual last words are lost to history.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

King Henry VIII

The second wedding of King Henry VIII was briefly interrupted by an escaped pig.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Francisco Pizarro

Francisco Pizarro pioneered an early version of dental floss, and insisted that his soldiers use it daily.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Niccolo Machiavelli

Niccol Machiavelli preferred to dine on horseflesh.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Martin Luther

Martin Luther played jacks.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Baden Powell

Baden Powell once donated a hand-built catapult to England's National Portrait Gallery.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Lady Bird Johnson

Lady Bird Johnson once wrote a fan letter to The Clash.

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf once bid on an actual wolf at a London police auction. She was turned away for not having the necessary licenses.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Frank Lloyd Wright

Frank Lloyd Wright had a series of large-scale tricycles built for himself, insisting that the two-wheeled variety would never truly catch on.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Laurel and Hardy

Stan Laurel died of a heart attack while visiting the grave of Oliver Hardy.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt had recurring nightmares about his time with the Rough Riders.

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

John D. Rockefeller

John D. Rockefeller funded early research into what would become cryogenics.

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Harry Houdini

Harry Houdini boiled a potato every day of his adult life, and always gave it away.