In 1867, Brooklyn pitcher William Arthur Cummings threw the first curveball in baseball.

Also in 1867, Macy’s stayed open ’til midnight for the first time on Christmas Eve. But it wasn’t until 1875 that Macy’s became the first department store to open a toy department.

When is the letter W used as a vowel? In the word “cwm,” (pronounced coom”), which means a short valley or hollow on a hillside or coastline. “Coombe” is a more common spelling of the word.

Before performing at the Frank Erwin Center in June 1990, David Bowie had his own private bowling session at the Texas Union Bowling Alley.

In 1552, Nostradamus wrote a treatise on making jams and jellies.

This article appears in January 17 • 2014.

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