Uncovering the Roaring Twenties: 11 Amusing Facts about 1923 You Never Knew!

1. Coolidge's Double Oath

In a move that would make any commitment-phobe proud, President Calvin Coolidge took the whole "till oath do us part" thing to new heights by playing the presidential commitment-card twice: On August 21, 1923, Coolidge repeated the oath of office at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., due to doubts about a state official's authority to administer the federal presidential oath, a secret second swearing-in that wasn't confirmed until Justice Adolph A. Hoehling Jr. spilled the beans in 1932.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

2. Hefner Saves the Hollywood Sign

Back before Hefner hopped in to save the day: In 1923, the original wooden Hollywood Sign, which read "HOLLYWOODLAND," was constructed to promote a local housing project. After gaining fame and recognition, the sign was left up but deteriorated over time. In 1978, severe windstorms left it on the brink of collapse, prompting the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to gather funds for its restoration. Among the nine magnanimous sponsors was none other than Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, who played a key role in rejuvenating the iconic sign to its current all-steel, landmark status.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

Did you know Thomas Jefferson had a pet mockingbird that freely roamed his office, serenading him with its melodies? Discover more about this unique bond between a president and his feathery friend!

=> Fun Facts about History

3. Brewery Turns to Ice Cream

When life gives you Prohibition, make ice cream: In 1923, Frank D. Yuengling, President of D.G. Yuengling & Sons Brewery, churned the tide of alcohol drought by starting a separate company called Yuengling's Ice Cream, eventually expanding into milk processing and distribution too. With the end of Prohibition in 1933, Frank returned to his frothy roots, but the legacy of this sweet reinvention lived on, with the ice cream being reintroduced in 2014 to honor the family tradition.
Source => yuenglingsicecream.com

4. Marx Brothers' Stage Debut

Before they perfected their 'monkey business' and became cinema's wild and crazy jesters, the Marx Brothers kicked it old school with a razzle-dazzle stage revue that had audiences in stitches: In June 1923, the famous comedic siblings premiered "I'll Say She Is" at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia, a musical comedy written by Will B. Johnstone that ran for 313 performances and marked their Broadway debut, setting them on the path to comedic superstardom in both theatre and motion pictures.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Insulin's Life-Saving Discovery

In a time when Sugar Daddies were literally life-savers and insulin was the new kid on the block: Frederick Banting and John Macleod won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1923 for discovering insulin, a breakthrough that's saved millions of lives since then by managing blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Their sweet success story started in 1922 when a 14-year-old Leonard Thompson got his first taste of insulin and sent his sky-high blood sugar levels plummeting back to normal within 24 hours.
Source => diabetes.org

6. Babe Ruth's Yankee Stadium Domination

Babe Ruth walked into the brand-new Yankee Stadium like a boss - chest puffed, bat swinging, and all-clear to paint the town pinstriped: In 1923, Yankee Stadium opened its gates to a monumental year, with Babe Ruth hitting the inaugural home run, batting .393, scoring 41 homers, nabbing the league MVP award, and ultimately leading the Yankees to their first ever World Series title. Amidst the Yankee hullabaloo that year, a young Henry Louis Gehrig slipped in for his first Major League appearance – a prelude to greatness and a future Yankee titan.
Source => sabr.org

7. Paris Bans Seine Swimming

Once a Seine-ful retreat, now a swimming pool delight: In 1923, Paris banned swimming in the Seine river due to pollution, a decree that held for almost a century. Recent clean-up projects have made it swimmable again, and Parisians can now enjoy a dip in the Bassin de la Villette, a natural water pool connected to the Seine, opened in 2017 with the hopes of lifting the ban in time for 2024 Summer Olympics.
Source => architecturaldigest.com

8. First Crossword Book Published

In the roaring twenties, people were jazzed about more than just flapper dresses and speakeasies – they found a novel 'cross' to bear: Before there were Wordle aficionados and Sudoku-addicts, the fine folks of 1924 were entranced by the almighty crossword puzzle. Simon & Schuster took note of this obsession and boldly published The Cross Word Puzzle Book, the first-ever collection of crossword puzzles: Little did they know, they were creating a cruciverbalist's dream that would scramble brains and entertain minds for generations, with their series still reigning as the gold standard in the crossword kingdom today.
Source => simonandschuster.com

9. Disney's Animated Wonderland

Before Alice ever tumbled down the rabbit hole in search of a tea party, she was traipsing through Walt Disney's inkwell, onto a sketch pad and into his Wonderland of animation: In 1923, Disney debuted his first animated short film called Alice's Wonderland which ingeniously featured a live-action girl in a cartoon world and eventually laid the foundation for the birth of the world-famous Mickey Mouse in 1928.
Source => silentfilm.org

10. Record-Breaking Mid-Air Refueling

When "fuel for thought" became more than just a figure of speech: In 1923, Lts. Lowell H. Smith and John P. Richter tested the limits of air travel by setting 16 world records, including the first nonstop flight from the Canadian to the Mexican border in their gravity-defying 37-hour, 15-minute marathon - all made possible by refueling mid-air a groundbreaking three times!
Source => nationalmuseum.af.mil

11. Birth of Time Magazine

In the era of twirling mustaches and fancy monocles, two fine gentlemen thought busy men ought to take a break and indulge in an hour of quick-witted snippetry from the world of celebs, politics, and pop culture: Thus, in 1923, Briton Hadden and Henry Luce founded Time Magazine, charmingly encouraging folks to "Take Time – It's Brief" as they devoured news with a charming mix of flamboyant flair and succinct storytelling, starting with the retired Speaker of the House, Joseph G. Cannon, gracing their inaugural cover.
Source => en.wikipedia.org