On its steps the old bird woman sits
Later on, it would live through the Blitz
There atop Ludgate Hill
You can see it now still
An enduring old symbol for Brits

Event: St. Paul’s Cathedral in London is consecrated
Year: 1697
Learn more: St. Paul’s Cathedral (London)

Though the twist at the end’s meant to stun
Far more shocking’s the length of its run
Now they’re caught in the trap
All the West Enders clap
With no sign that the show’ll e’er be done

Event: The Mousetrap, written by Agatha Christie, opens in the West End of London. With more than 25,000 shows, it is the longest continually-running production of any kind in the world
Year: 1952
Learn more: The Mousetrap

Placing apple atop the boy’s head
Albrecht Gessler “Just shoot it off!” said
William Tell did not bow
Nor did skill fail him now
Soon ’twas Gessler, not son, who’d be dead

Event: William Tell shoots an apple off his son’s head
Year: 1307
Learn more: William Tell
Apfelschuss
William Tell Overture

When America took in the Shah
Zealous students conspiracy saw
Fifty-two were inside
Swept beneath the young tide
Diplomatic immunity? Nah

Event: The Muslim Student Followers of the Imam’s Line seize the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, beginning the Iran hostage crisis
Year: 1979
Learn more: Iran hostage crisis

The past century’s brinkiest brink
Made of missiles a thunderous stink
Would the Cold War get hot?
In the end, it did not
It was thanks to the X-Men, I think?

Event: Nikita Khrushchev commits to the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba, ending the Cuban Missile Crisis
Year: 1962
Learn more: Cuban Missile Crisis
X-Men: First Class

Epic showdown of east versus west
Put the Warring States Era to rest
Mitsunari was burned
When Mt. Matsuo turned
Ieyasu the schemer proved best

Event: The forces of the east under Tokugawa Ieyasu defeat the forces of the western coalition under Ishida Mitsunari at the Battle of Sekigahara
Year: 1600
Learn more: Battle of Sekigahara

Tip your cap to the North Side’s own Cubs
One of baseball’s most woebegone clubs
Yes, by Bartman and goat
It’s misfortune they wrote
Good thing Clark Street’s got plenty of pubs

Event: The Chicago Cubs defeat the Detroit Tigers in Game 5 of the World Series. This would be the last World Series title for the Cubs in 107 years (BUT MAYBE THIS IS THEIR YEAR!)
Year: 1908
Learn more: 1908 World Series
Drought (sport)
Curse of the Billy Goat
Steve Bartman

IMPORTANT FACT: The two starting pitchers in that Game 5 were named Orval Overall and Wild Bill Donovan

In his field, not afraid to cause rifts
Said electrons have orbital shifts
That don’t do it for you?
He defied Hitler, too!
And was prized for his numerous gifts

Event: Birth of Nobel Laureate in Physics Niels Bohr
Year: 1885
Learn more: Niels Bohr
The Bohr Model of the atom
Bohrium

The Mojave’s a brutal expanse
Fit to live? You’d not think at first glance
But the Dam made Lake Mead
And it keeps them AC’ed
Now I’d say they’ve a fighting good chance

Event: Hoover Dam (or Boulder Dam, to sticklers) is dedicated
Year: 1935
Learn more: Hoover Dam

“Don’t be daft, Christine! Don’t be a fool!
You can’t marry this opera house ghoul!”
“If he takes me to wife
It will save your sweet life
My beloved, my darling Raoul!”

Event: The first installment of The Phantom of the Opera is published in Le Gaulois
Year: 1909
Learn more: The Phantom of the Opera (novel)
The Phantom of the Opera (Broadway musical)
The Phantom of the Opera (pinball machine)