ON THIS DAY
JULY 28, 1965
FOUR warders told a court yesterday what happened when Great Train Robber Ronald Biggs, right, escaped from Wandsworth jail. First, a head appeared over the wall. Then two ladders — one of aluminium, the other of rope — were flung over. The warders were grabbed by prisoners as four escaped. One prisoner said: ‘It’s all over, guv, you’ve lost Biggs.’
JULY 28, 1966
WORLD Cup ticket touts are confident that they are about to make the biggest ‘ killing’ ever known in British sport. Hundreds of tickets are available for Saturday’s final between England and West Germany, with touts giving these prices last night: a £5 ticket for £40 and 10 shillings; and standing tickets for £5.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
MAHA VAJIRALONGKORN, 65. The King of Thailand succeeded his father last year. As Crown Prince, he made his poodle Foo Foo an air chief marshal. The u.S. ambassador said the dog wore evening dress including paw mitts at an official event. JIM DAVIS, 72. The u.S. cartoonist created Garfield, the lazy cat, right. Newspapers dropped Garfield after a few weeks in 1978, but he was reinstated when readers complained. The strip is read by 200 million people and merchandising makes up to $1 billion a year. An Eighties stuffed Garfield made with suction cup paws to hang in car windows was so popular it sparked vehicle break-ins. Davis said it was a mistake and that it should have had instant fastener feet to hang on curtains.
BORN ON THIS DAY
EARL TUPPER (1907-1983). The American inventor of Tupperware generated $5 million in sales within five years of starting his plastic food container company. Tupper’s firm sold its wares at Tupperware parties and, by his death, more than 75,000 were taking place every day. RUDY VALLEE (1901-1986). The u.S. crooner, saxophonist and band leader started to play the drums at four to alleviate earache. Vallee sang using a megaphone — which became his trademark — and fronted u.S. radio’s first variety show in the Thirties. He unsuccessfully petitioned Los Angeles authorities to rename his street in the Hollywood Hills Rue de Vallee.
ON JULY 28…
IN 1750, composer johann Sebastian Bach died in Germany, aged 65. IN 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, marking the beginning of what would become World War I.
WORD WIZARDRY GUESS THE DEFINITION Pugil (coined 1576)
A) A handful or what is taken up between the thumb and two first fingers. B) A grip round the small of the back. C) A box on the ear. Answer below. PHRASE EXPLAINED
Fifteen minutes of fame: To be famous for a short time. Comes from u.S. pop artist Andy Warhol. In a 1968 catalogue of his work he wrote: ‘In the future everyone will be world famous for 15 minutes.’
QUOTE FOR TODAY
SOME men are born mediocre, some achieve mediocrity, and some have mediocrity thrust upon them. Joseph Heller, U.S. novelist (1923-1999)
JOKE OF THE DAY
WHICH vegetable scares a sailor? A leek. Guess the Definition answer: A