Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Trivia Q&A: September 11

We had 17 teams for Trivia Night last night. There was a good crowd watching the Red Sox game, and the game went on for a long time, so we had to play with just four categories. I was worried before the contest as to whether I could hold up for it, as I had no sleep the night before, as I went to the Ground Zero ceremonies yesterday, and I thought I might not have enough energy for it. But I got a good second wind and everything went fine.

We got going at 10:15 PM, and had a fine contest. The numbers were particularly low for September Trivia, as it was a tough category. The numbers for IQ Trivia were higher than I thought, as I thought that category was even tougher. But previous champion, I Wish This Microphone.. came up winners again, taking the title by six points. (I also awarded teams in the final round six points on the Ludwig van Beethoven question if they said Joseph Haydn, as one of the contestants showed me video evidence that Haydn was also a teacher of Beethoven.)

It was good to see so many teams for the return of Tuesday Night Trivia. There will again be a Red Sox game on at 7 next week, so we may start late again then. See you all again next Tuesday.

Current Events
1. Roger Federer won the US Open tennis tournament on Sunday, his 12th grand slam win. How many US Open titles has he won in a row?
2. A team of explorers found the wreck of a freighter called The Cyprus from 100 years ago last month in which one of the Great Lakes?
3. Apple caused a furor last week when it dropped the price of its iPhones to this price in order to boost holiday sales.
4. Avaitor Steve Fossett went missing last week and remains lost after he took off in a plane from this state last Monday.
5. This new host of the TV show, "The View" last Tuesday offered a defense of disgraced football star Michael Vick that cause some controversy.
6. This controversial celebrity has a new book coming out soon and refers to Donald Trump as a "torn scarecrow" and a "slug."
7. This famed amusement park in Coney Island closed for the season on Sunday, and many fear it may now have closed forever.
8. This acclaimed remake film brought in $14.1 million at the box office last weekend to be the number one film in America.
9. This tropical storm made landfall Sunday in North Carolina, but it turned back to the Atlantic without reaching hurricane status.
10. This actress, and Academy Award winner and onetime wife of Ronald Reagan, died on Monday at the age of 93.

Answers: 1. four; 2. Lake Superior; 3. $399; 4. Nevada; 5. Whoopi Goldberg; 6. Rosie O'Donnell; 7. Astroland; 8. "3:10 to Yuma;" 9. Gabrielle; 10. Jane Wyman.

September Trivia
1. In September 1861, Confederate General Leonidas Polk invaded this neutral border state, and that state then asked for Union assistance.
2. This online auction and shopping web site, one of the Internet's most popular, started in September 1995.
3. The American Revolutionary War ends with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in September of what year?
4. This actor, who's most famous role was that of this title character in the classic western, "Shane," was born in September 1913.
5. The Viking 2 exploartion spacecraft landed on which heavenly body in September 1976?
6. This tiny European nation, the world's oldest republic, was founded by St. Marinus in September 301 AD.
7. In September 1935, Sir Malcolm Campbell became the first man to drive a car 300 MPH at Bonneville Salt Flats in this US state.
8. Al Jardine, a guitarist and vocalist in this classic American band, was born in September 1942. 9. This football coach, a Brooklynite whom the Super Bowl trophy is named for, died in September 1970.
10. Australia celebrates this day every September, a day which is normally observed in the US in June.

Answers: 1. Kentucky; 2. eBay; 3. 1783; 4. Alan Ladd; 5. Mars; 6. San Marino; 7. Utah; 8. The Beach Boys; 9. Vince Lombardi; 10. Flag Day (I also accepted Father's Day).

General Knowledge
1. What Spanish queen commissioned the voyages of Christopher Columbus?
2. In a 1999 hit song by TLC, what nickname do they give to their freeloading boyfriends?
3. "Tin Lizzie" was a nickname for what classic car?
4. The Artful Dodger was a mischievous pickpocket from which Charles Dickens work?
5. What is a sextant designed for?
6. What pro sport's championship trophy lists the names of all the players who have won it since 1893?
7. In the 1999 movie, "The Straight Story," what vehicle does the main character ride in his long journey?
8. What does the initial "B" stand for in the name of former president Lyndon B. Johnson?
9. What hybrid animal results when bison are crossbred with cattle?
10. What film includes the classic line, "You had me at 'hello'"?

Answers: 1. Isabella; 2. scrubs; 3. Model T Ford; 4. "Oliver Twist;" 5. navigation; 6. hockey; 7. lawn mower; 8. Baines; 9. beefalo; 10. "Jerry Maguire."

IQ Trivia
1. According to the title of his 1990 best-selling book, where in France did author Peter Mayle spend a year? (5 points)
2. The White House press briefing room was renamed in 2000 after which former press secretary? (4 points)
3. Around 500 BC, what title was given to the Indian prince Siddhartha? (5 points)
4. What famous composer was Ludwig van Beethoven's teacher? (6 points)
5. The most common form of color blindness is an inability to distinguish between which two colors? (5 points)

Answers: 1. Provence; 2. James Brady; 3. Buddha; 4. Antonio Salieri (I also accepted Joseph Haydn); 5. red and green.

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