It happened This week!
● Disney’s animated feature film Tarzan swept into theaters in 1999. To make sure Tarzan’s swinging and sliding movements through the jungle were accurately depicted, animators modeled them on the movements of skateboarding legend Tony Hawk!
● Pepsi-cola became an official trademark in 1903. It was originally called Brad’s Drink after creator Caleb Bradhman, who renamed it in honor of its main ingredients—pepsin and kola nuts— and his belief that the drink helped prevent dyspepsia, otherwise known as indigestion!
● The first official Father’s Day was celebrated in Spokane, Washington, in 1910. But the origins of the celebration go way, way back 4,000 years ago to a Babylonian child named Elmesu, who carved a Father’s Day “card” out of clay to wish his father good health and a long life!
● Russian cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space in 1963, orbiting the Earth 48 times in just under three days. Communist Party leaders picked her from among 400 potential candidates for several reasons, including that Tereshkova had been an ordinary textile-factory worker, her father was a war hero, and she was an avid amateur sky-diver!
● The first Pizza Hut opened in Wichita, Kansas, in 1958. It quickly expanded into a chain, which now has more than 12,583 stores located in more than 100 countries and has even delivered pizza via satellite to the International Space Station!
● Great Britain’s Queen Victoria ascended to the throne at the age of 18 in 1837. She ultimately reigned for 63 years and 216 days, a record that was finally broken in 2015 by her greatgreat- granddaughter Queen Elizabeth II!