JUNE 20, 1939

Full News Archive

• Headline: Lewis Loses Title, New Bout Proposed. Impact: If Lewis had fought Lesnevich while still holding the title, he would have been hailed as a hero, leading to a boxing renaissance. Instead, his partial blindness inspired the invention of the 'Blindfold Boxing Championship'—a sport that never actually existed but definitely should have.. Fact: Did you know that being stripped of a title for blindness is a rare occurrence? Usually, it's just for 'not being good enough' or 'failing a drug test.'.
• Headline: Merritt Toll Initiates New Era in Transit. Impact: The Merritt Toll collections led to the invention of the phrase 'just paying the toll for life,' which then became a motivational poster in countless office cubicles, ironically inspiring people to just accept mediocrity.. Fact: Fun fact: The word 'toll' originally meant 'a price to pay'—which is exactly how you feel every time you reach for your wallet at a toll booth..
• Headline: Honorary Degree Awarded to Dr. Hyppa. Impact: Colby's honorary degree to Dr. Hyppa sparked a revolution in honorary degrees. Suddenly, every university was handing them out like candy, leading to an influx of 'Doctored' social media influencers.. Fact: Did you know that honorary degrees are often given to celebrities? Because nothing says 'scholarship' like a famous actor who can't remember their lines..
• Headline: STRIKE FOR 3 MEALS A DAY; Several in Group of 200 Invade Welfare Office, Others Picket. Impact: The strike for three meals a day prompted a culinary movement. This led to a legendary 'Three Meals a Day' diet craze that swept the nation—where people ate three meals of only ice cream for a month, claiming it was a revolutionary health strategy.. Fact: Protesting for food is as old as time. In fact, the first recorded food protest involved a group of ancient Romans demanding more bread... and maybe some olive oil..
• Headline: REV. FLAVIAN MULLINS, MISSIONARY IN CHINA; Superior of the Passionist Order There Served Long in Far East. Impact: Rev. Mullins' missionary work in China sparked an unexpected increase in the popularity of fortune cookies in the West, leading to countless misguided assumptions about Chinese culture.. Fact: Interestingly, fortune cookies were invented in California, not China. So much for authenticity—next, they'll tell us sushi comes from Idaho..
• Headline: KAHN HOME BOUGHT FOR CITY EMPLOYES; BOUGHT BY SANITATION DEPARTMENT EMPLOYES FOR REST AND PLAY CENTER. Impact: The purchase of the Kahn home for city employees created a trend in municipal governments buying lavish properties for 'rest and play.' This eventually led to city employees advocating for a 'mandatory spa day'—because who doesn't want a massage on the taxpayer's dime?. Fact: Did you know that recreational centers in the past included things like 'swinging on trees'? Now it’s all about hot tubs and free Wi-Fi!.
• Headline: FLOWER SHOW AT FAIR; Long Island Garden Clubs in List --Other Events Tomorrow. Impact: The Long Island Flower Show became the catalyst for the rise of floral Instagram influencers, who took it upon themselves to define beauty with nothing but peonies and hashtags.. Fact: Fun fact: People actually have flower shows to showcase plants. Who would have thought that the humble daisy could be so... showy?.
• Headline: PAVILION DRIVE EXTENDED; Czecho-Slovak Committee Seeks More Funds for Fair. Impact: The extended pavilion drive for the fair led to the establishment of a 'Pavilion of Endless Fundraising,' where people are still trying to raise funds for... well, no one really knows what anymore.. Fact: Pavilions are just fancy tents. If you put a sign on a tent, suddenly it's a 'pavilion'—which might explain the state of modern art installations..
• Headline: DONOVAN FAVORED BY GALENTO PILOT; Jacobs Will Ask Commission to Name Him Referee for Title Bout--Louis Rests. Impact: Donovan's favor for the title bout referee led to a bizarre conspiracy theory that referees were secretly controlling the outcomes of fights to boost ratings—because who doesn’t love a good conspiracy?. Fact: Referees are often considered the unsung heroes of sports. At least until they make a bad call, then they’re just the 'guys ruining everything.'.