Know it all

The poem “Casey at Bat,” by Ernest Lawrence Thayer (1863-1940), was first published in the San Francisco Examiner in 1888. In the poem, cocky baseball player Casey purposely strikes out twice in the ninth inning, with confidence that he will hit the last pitch. However, the last line of the poem is “But there is no joy in Mudville — mighty Casey has struck out.”

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Radio show host and voice actor Casey Kasem (born 1932) did the voice of Shaggy on “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” (1969-1972).

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Casey Kasem began hosting “The American Top 40 Countdown” syndicated radio show in 1970. The weekly three-hour program counted down the current top 40 songs. Kasem left the show in 1988 due to a contract dispute.

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“American Bandstand” (1952-1989) began as a local dance show in Philadelphia called “Bandstand.” Dick Clark (born 1929) became the host of the show in 1956. In 1963, the show moved from Philadelphia to Los Angeles.

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“Your Hit Parade” was a radio show from 1935 to 1955 that presented the top tunes of the week every Saturday night. Statisticians employed by the show determined the most popular songs by looking at sheet music sales and the most-played songs on jukeboxes.

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Originally, floats in parades were decorated barges. Parade marchers on shore pulled the barges along canals by rope. That is why the decorated motor vehicles in parades are called floats.

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A root beer float is vanilla ice cream with root beer. Vanilla ice cream with cola is called a black cow. Ice cream with ginger ale is called a Boston cooler.

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Ginger has been used medicinally for thousands for years. Eating ginger helps motion sickness and reduces nausea from anesthesia following surgery and nausea of pregnancy.

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We know the tale of the fateful trip of the S.S. Minnow. Can you name the castaways full names on “Gilligan’s Island” (1964-1967). See answer at end.

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The prefix letters in a ship’s name historically indicate the type of propulsion of the ship or the purpose of the ship. SS meant steamship. RV meant research vessel.

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The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom uses the abbreviation H.M.S. for His/Her Majesty’s Ship.

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“H.M.S. Pinafore,” a comic operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan, was first performed at the Opera Comique theater in London in 1878. The show made fun of the Royal Navy and the British aristocracy.

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William Gilbert (1836-1911) was a playwright and lyricist that partnered with composer Arthur Sullivan (1842-1900) to create internationally successful musicals that include “The Pirates of Penzance” (1879) and “The Mikado” (1885).

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While attempting to save a woman from drowning in a lake, William Gilbert had a heart attack in the water and drowned in 1911.

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In the 1948 Olympics in London, the United States won every event in the swimming competition.

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Answer: The seven castaways are: Skipper Jonas Grimby, Professor Roy Hinkley, Mr. Thurston Howell III, Mrs. Eunice “Lovey” Wentworth Howell, Ginger Grant, Mary Ann Summers and Gilligan. Gilligan’s full name was never officially stated. It is not known whether Gilligan is his first name or his last name.

Know It All is by Kerry McArdle. It runs in the weekend and Wednesday editions of the Daily Journal. Questions? Comments? Email knowitall(at)smdailyjournal.com or call 344-5200 ext. 114.