Early Sports 'n' Pop Culture History Blog

If you've got some time to kill, scroll through the topics I've researched, read a few articles and learn something new you never knew you needed to know.esnpc.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_15…

It was introduced by an English woman named Vita, the Spark of Life, before the fair, said to have been learned in India. The name of her dance, Kouta Kouta, later merged with the preexisting American Expressions, Hoochie Coochie and Coochie Coochie. The more vulgar sense evolved later due to the erotic dances performed under the name. esnpc.blogspot.com/2016/07/part-i…

It comes from a dance called the Kouta Kouta, one of a variety of exotic and erotic dances made famous during the Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. esnpc.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-ko…

Merriam Webster's online cites my work on the origins of "hoochie coochie" in its etymology of "coochie," in the sense of female genetalia. #word-history" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coo…

@SLU_Official @SLU_Billikens

While generally correct, elements of the "official" story are a bit off. We know that it had to have happened in 1910, because the earliest use of the name appeared that year. And although a cartoon Billiken did appear in a drugstore window that year, the cartoonist himself says the cartoon was not intended as a caricature of the coach. But the coach did resemble a Billiken, so people likely made the connection naturally. Read more more about it here. esnpc.blogspot.com/2022/06/bender…

Now you know who the Billiken is, but do you know how he came to represent SLU? 🤔 Katie Mascari, university archivist, shares the origins of the Billiken and how he became Saint Louis University's mascot. #MarchMadness

@_newspapers @MyCentralJersey It's a cute story, but it was an old joke, apoearing in almost the same form dince at least 1909.newspapers.com/article/the-gr…

Cute story alert! In 1929, one young newspaper reader wrote in with a story about her 6-year-old cousin's creative way of describing peacocks. Read the full column in The Daily Home News on our site. @mycentraljersey newspapers.com/article/the-ce…

@MarchMadnessMBB @LehighMBB @LehighSports @LehighU @PatriotLeague Ray Bucknell!

LEHIGH IS IN THE BIG DANCE 🪩 Mountain Hawks return to the mountain top of the Patriot League, and will appear in #MarchMadness for the first time since 2012 👏

@KristySwansonXO @atensnut Dogs have been riding public transportation since at least 1898. esnpc.blogspot.com/2020/02/dogs-o…

@atensnut Me too 🥰

Here’s a job I’d do for free. 🦮🐕‍🦺🐕

@BadSpit That is a great video. If interested in more detailed background, check out my piece.esnpc.blogspot.com/2023/02/ground…

Evolution of ice cream scoops from 1890 to 1950

@JebraFaushay The best training video.youtu.be/ChOHnSL7ZCg?si…

This is probably the best commercial I’ve ever seen for forklift training and believe me, I’ve seen a lot. I called the number and am enrolled.

There's more regional background to the name. The cartoonist who drew the Chief Wahoo comic strip was from Toledo, where years earlier an American Indian called Wahoo, and sometimes called Chief Wahoo, played. Also, Wahoo Bitters had been sold in the region and marketed with native American imager for decades. esnpc.blogspot.com/2016/11/patent…

My latest, for @sabr, on the history of Chief Wahoo. sabr.org/journal/articl…

@wikivictorian The "Bloomer" (emancipated woman wearing trousers) asks for permission to marry a rich man's son. He wants to make sure she can keep him in the manner to which his son has become accustomed. Role reversal.

@wikivictorian Or this one. esnpc.blogspot.com/2016/02/from-b…

Portrait of a group of women in suits having a smoke. Photographed in 1896.

@foundring1 Sidney Perrin was a black man.

@foundring1 The title reminds me of the composer Sidney Perrin, one of the writers of Mammy's Little Alligator Bait, who had a long career performing in Yellowface, including singing songs like Chin Chin Chinaman. esnpc.blogspot.com/2021/06/blackf…

This song was recorded only once in 1899, but the poor quality makes it almost unlistenable. I think we know what must be done.

@ATRightMovies Bob Bruner was my local news guy back in the day.

On April 14, 1967, Iowa’s WMT‑TV Channel 2 made history with a live news bulletin that cut from black‑and‑white to colour in the middle of the broadcast.

"March Madness" Indiana high school basketball tournament now pushed earlier, to 1930. I had found a 1931 cite years ago. #MarchMadness #Indiana #highschool #basketball cc @EsnpcB @bgzimmer @btaylorblake @NetsDaily 1/2 newspapers.com/article/the-in…

@PrezWisdom He was also considered tge "Dude" President. a-dude-a-day.blogspot.com/2016/02/our-du…

📚 BOOK OF THE DAY 📚 I honestly loved it. He’s not well known for anything other than his corruption in New York…until you read this book - then your opinion changes tremendously I’m also amazed how little exists of his life - it’s a miracle this book got written! #POTUS

@BadSpit There's a whole history of violent games on Shrove Tuesday. esnpc.blogspot.com/2022/06/cocksh…

The Atherstone Ball Game, held annually on Shrove Tuesday, took place yesterday in the town of Atherstone, Warwickshire. The ball is thrown into the crowd at 3 pm, and the winner is the person holding it at 5 pm. The game has been a local tradition since at least 1199.

@jasonbingram Yes I did. But most of the details you see online are incomplete. Invented 1876 by the same guy who invented the stapler.esnpc.blogspot.com/2023/02/chines…

#funfactoftheday Did you know? Chinese takeout containers were invented in America.

@barstoolsports It's NOT "streaking" if you're wearing clothes.

POV: You went streaking at the Super Bowl