First the Russians went up in a trice
In the third, the U.S. team scored twice
Left the Russians bereaved
Al asked if we believed
In miraculous vict’ries on ice

Event: The “Miracle on Ice”: the U.S. Hockey team defeats the heavily-favored Soviet team in the Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York
Year: 1980
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_on_Ice

At the time, most folks chose to blame Spain
But no one could completely explain
Just what happened that day
In the Havana bay
Simply put: what did blow up the Maine?

Event: Battleship U.S.S. Maine explodes in Havana harbor, one of the major events leading to the Spanish-American War
Year: 1898
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Maine_%28ACR-1%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish%E2%80%93American_War

Twenty thousand leagues under the sea-
A good start, but we’ve places to be
Round the world by balloon
Take a trip to the moon
Then get down with some geology

Event: Birth of Jules Verne, author of such works as Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Around the World in Eighty Days, From the Earth to the Moon, and Journey to the Center of the Earth
Year: 1828
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jules_Verne

Finding definitions far too scant
They sought to dictionaries supplant
After twenty-six years
Hundreds of volunteers
They had gotten from “A” down to “Ant”

Event: Publication of the first fascicle of what would become the Oxford English Dictionary, covering words from A to Ant
Year: 1884
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxford_English_Dictionary

Written for A Midsummer Night’s Dream
‘Twas in winter this song picked up steam
Groom in tux, bride in dress
Hear this as they recess
Out of Mendelssohn’s crop, it’s the cream

Event: Felix Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March” is played at the wedding of Victoria, Princess Royal to Prince Frederick William of Prussia, leading to its widespread popularity
Year: 1858
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wedding_March_%28Mendelssohn%29

There are some who might think to ask why
Wilhelm’s reign was proclaimed in Versailles
They had just beat the pants
Off the army of France
Rubbed it in before saying goodbye

Event: Wilhelm I proclaimed first German Emperor in the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles
Year: 1871
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_I_of_Germany
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franco-Prussian_War

Alex Hamilton, he was no fool
All the Fed’ralists thought he was cool
He founded a party
But could not the Prez be
Then he would up in that famous duel

Event: Birth of Alexander Hamilton (Benjamin Franklin really would have been more appropriate for the 100th post, but things don’t always work out the way you’d like)
Year: 1755 or 1757 (we’re not sure)
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Hamilton

Who’d have thought that a little gray ball
Could so greatly the U.S. appall?
But it was just a phase
After ninety-three days
Plucky Sputnik would back to Earth fall

Event: Sputnik 1 burns up in the atmosphere
Year: 1958
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sputnik_1

Football games, as a rule, are not staid
But sometimes there is history made
Johnny’s Colts would not yield
They marched straight down the field
To win the Greatest Game Ever Played

Event: The Baltimore Colts win “The Greatest Game Ever Played,” that year’s championship and the first NFL playoff game to end in sudden death overtime
Year: 1958
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NFL_Championship_Game,_1958

She was pretty but not very bright
Taking that highly suspicious bite
Most sane people these days
Would the apple appraise
But then, none of us are named Snow White

Event: Premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the first animated feature film
Year: 1937
Learn more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snow_White_and_the_Seven_Dwarfs_%281937_film%29