February 08, 2023

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The first Super Bowl

The very first Super Bowl took place on January 15th, 1967, with a halftime show featuring The Three Stooges, The University Of Arizona and Grambling State marching bands, and two men in jetpacks. Bill Suitor and Robert Courter flew around the stadium for about 22 seconds - the maximum flight time of the jetpacks - reaching as high as 60 feet and wowing the crowd.

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Today's Random Fact:

Dueling was a sport at the 1906 Olympics and 1908 Olympics.

In the 1906 Olympics, male competitors fired dueling pistols at plaster dummies from 20m and 30m. In 1908 pistol duelling was demonstrated as part of the concurrent Franco-British Exhibition, using the Olympic fencing arena and in front of invited guests. The competition involved two male competitors firing at each other with duelling pistols loaded with wax bullets and wearing protective equipment for the torso, face, and hands. Teams were sent by countries including France, the UK and the USA. The competition was won by the French team of Major Ferrus, J Marais and J Rouvcanachi.

Bonus Fact:

When notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar was shot dead in 1993, the Colombian government took control of his luxurious estate in northwestern Colombia, including his personal zoo. Most of the animals were shipped away, but the four hippopotamuses - of which Escobar was especially fond - were left to fend for themselves in a pond. Now, there are dozens and dozens of them. They are the only wild hippos outside of Africa.