Last month we asked a three-part question about U.S. history: Who is the only president to serve two non-consecutive terms; which president became Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court after leaving office; and who was the only president before 1900 to reach the ripe old age of 90 after leaving office? Four people got all three questions correct. In fourth place, a new name to Legal Bytes UBCF – Brad Mirkin. In third place, long-time fan and faithful Legal Bytes reader, Shari Gottesman.
But in first and second, not only do we have two new winners (I couldn’t resist giving both prizes), BUT we also have some unique coincidences. Now you can’t make this up – I certainly didn’t. First is Sam Dressler. In between stickball and poker games and the “Wall” in Washington Heights (J. Hood Wright Park), Sam and I grew up around the corner from each other in New York City. We went to elementary school and junior high school together, parted ways for a brief rivalry between Science and Stuyvesant in high school, and then reconnected in our university days. In fact, we became fraternity brothers in Beta Sigma Rho – Xi Chapter, City College of the City University of New York.
Then in second place is Bernie Slome. I was a camp counselor (before I became a legal counselor) at Camp Beaver Lake (no longer in existence), and Bernie and I met on visiting day. You see, his younger brother Mark was one of my campers. Bernie was attempting to maul his brother with a Frisbee, while I was attempting to get a better tip by protecting him. Neither was particularly successful. Well it turns out that Bernie and I were to meet again (and Sam too). Bernie became a fraternity brother of both Sam and me during those college years, although Bernie was a much better Risk® player than a poker player. Then again, during his fraternity days, in between brushing up on the stairway, he was extraordinary at keeping lookout for Mongolian hordes – hey, like Legal Bytes and the New York Lottery, you never know. So congratulations to Sam and Bernie, nice work Shari and Brad, and hats off to the coincidences that make such a big planet with billions of people, a very small world indeed!
As we do every year in December, we take a break from our trivia – I mean "Useless But Compelling Facts" – contest. But rest assured, we’ll be back in 2010 to start the new decade challenging your physical and logical memories once again.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to everyone.