Category Archives: Misc.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Was Created By the Department Store Chain Montgomery Ward

original book cover

Today I found out Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer was created by the department store chain Montgomery Ward as a way to save money on one of their annual Christmas promotions. The year was 1939; Montgomery Ward, at that time, gave away coloring  books to try to get more shoppers into their stores during the holiday season.  Up to this point, […]

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How the Tradition of the Detroit Lions Playing on Thanksgiving Got Started

Lions Eating Turkey

Today I found out how the tradition of the Detroit Lions playing on Thanksgiving got started. In 1934, radio executive G.A. Richards bought the Portsmouth, Ohio Spartans NFL team, moved them to Detroit, and renamed them the Lions.  Unfortunately for him, nobody in Detroit cared much for watching the Lions.  Despite winning all their games but one before Thanksgiving, having […]

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50% of the Ownership of Domino’s Pizza Was Once Traded for a Used Volkswagen Beetle

Avoid the Noid

Today I found out fifty percent of the ownership of Domino’s Pizza was once traded for a used Volkswagen Beetle. The year was 1961, just a little under one year after brothers Tom and James Monaghan had purchased a pizza restaurant, DomiNick’s, for $500.  After eight months of running the business as a partnership, James Monaghan got the bright idea […]

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