Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Trivia Q&A: April 14

We had 20 teams in for Trivia Night, with a huge crowd turning up, and a Red Sox game going on in Oakland that started about midway through. Before we got going I wrapped my Liverpool scarf around the house mic, in memory of the 96 fans who were killed in the Hillsborough Stadium disaster of 1989, which will be marked with the 20th anniversary remembrance on Wednesday.

We had a mixed bag of scores for "Lincoln Assassination/Titanic Sinking Trivia." But they were much better for both The Q Train lightning round and General Knowledge.

We had five teams separated by five points going into IQ Trivia. It would prove to be a tough round, as no teams got the Joanne Woodward question correct. We had only one team that got as many as four of the questions correct, and that would be the team of Don't You Think Jim and I Would Make a Cute Couple. They were in sixth place going into the round, but the 15 points they got would propel them all the way to the title, as they won by just two points.

My congratulations to Rob and Melinda and their team on a terrific comeback in getting the win.

Current Events
1. Malaysia, the Philippines and this Central American nation were blacklisted recently by the Organization for Economic Cooperation & Development as non-cooperative tax havens.
2. A group called 24/7 Wall Street named this company "The Top Greenwasher in America," ones who say they've gone "green" but still are bigtime polluters of the environment.
3. Nick Adenhart, a pitcher on this MLB team, was killed along with two companions last Thursday when his car was struck by a drunk driver just hours after he pitched his 4th game in the majors.
4. A NJ businessman claimed in recently filed papers that his wife had an ongoing affair with this mega rock legend and that he is responsible for their divorce.
5. This New England university officially changed the name of the Columbus Day holidat at the school to "Fall Weekend" due to the insistance of some students who did not want the school honoring the 15th century explorer.
6. Dave Arneson, who created this fantasy game into a huge hit that was spawned into a video game, as well as books and movies, died last week at age 61.
7. This filmmaker filed a $10 million lawsuit against clothing manufacturer American Apparel over the use of his image in advertising billboards, which he called "sleazy" and "infantile."

Answers: 1. Costa Rica; 2. General Electric; 3. Los Angeles Angels; 4. Bruce Springsteen; 5. Brown; 6. Dungeons and Dragons; 7. Woody Allen.

Lincoln Assassination/Titanic Sinking Trivia
1. Edwin Stanton, who said the immortal line, "Now he belongs to the ages" at the moment of Lincoln's death, was what secretary in Lincoln's cabinet?
2. What city did the Titanic begin its maiden and doomed voyage from?
3. Lincoln's assasin, John Wilkes Booth, was caught 12 days later after the killing and shot dead by Union troops in what US state?
4. What book by Walter Lord about the Titanic sinking was made into a successful movie?
5. How many co-conspirators were executed in July 1865 in connection with Lincoln's murder?
6. In what Canadian city were a number of Titanic victims whose bodies were recovered buried?
7. How many years were there between the Lincoln assassination and the Titanic sinking?

Answers: 1. Secretary of War; 2. Southampton; 3. Virginia; 4. "A Night to Remember;" 5. four; 6. Halifax, Nova Scotia; 7. forty-seven (1865 and 1912).

5-6-7-8 Trivia ("The Q Train")
1. This was the number worn by MLB Hall of Famers George Brett, Johnny Bench and Brooks Robinson.
2. This is the atomic number of oxygen.
3. The number of stars in the constellations of The Big Dipper and Orion.
4. In the Bible, it was on this day that God created Man.
5. Within the walls of Rome there are these number of hills.
6. In Islam, there is this number of basic pillars.
7. Scorpio is this number sign of the Zodiac.
8. The number of points on a Star of David.
9. The number of basketball players allowed on the court at any one time for one team.
10. The shortstop in baseball is this numbered position.

Answers: 1. five; 2. eight; 3. seven; 4. six; 5. seven; 6. five; 7. eight; 8. six; 9. five; 10. six.

General Knowledge
1. "I Got Blisters on My Fingers" is the last words of what famous rock song?
2. "Adeste Fideles" is the Latin title of what Christmas carol?
3. In the board game Clue, Mrs. Peacock is represented by what color token?
4. Wal-Mart's headquarters have been located in what US state since its founding?
5. In humans, the ulna is a bone located where?
6. The Rio Grande river originates in what US state?
7. "Made in Great Britain" appears on the packaging of what popular mint?

Answers: 1. "Helter Skelter;" 2. "Oh Come, O Ye Faithful;" 3. blue; 4. Arkansas; 5. forearm; 6. Colorado; 7. Altoids.

IQ Trivia
1. Captain Hastings is the well-meaning sidekick of what fictional detective? ( 4 points)
2. What 1986 movie is based on David Mamet's play, "Sexual Perversity in Chicago?" ( 4 points)
3. Phalaenopsis is the scientific name for what popular type of flower? ( 4 points)
4. What Oscar-winning actress was the first person to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960? ( 5 points)
5. In American casinos, a roulette wheel is divided into how many slots? ( 3 points)

Answers: 1. Hercule Poirot; 2. "About Last Night;" 3. orchid; 4. Joanne Woodward; 5. thirty-eight.

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