I enjoy unleashing a carefully-chosen trivia question when the conversation lags. I employ this weapon judiciously, though, and I’m conscious of the ramifications of spouting off unstimulating factoids.
So, I’m in the market for interesting trivia questions that will make the recipients think, not doze.
Whattaya got?
(I suppose we should spoilerize answers)
mmm
How many unassisted triple plays have been recorded in major league baseball since 1900?
15, per Wikipedia
mmm
What is the furthest distance you can get from a road on the UK mainland?
A mere 7 miles
I don’t know the answer for the US but I would guess it is similarly surprising (a road being defined as a tarmac road for the purposes of the question).
Where are the Islets of Langerhans?
in the pancreas
I used to teach a library science class, and I always saved this one for when they had to check up on their research skills.
What is the verb for which “wrought” is a past participle?
What commonly used English 3 letter word contains neither a vowel nor a y?
How would a lion fare against a tiger?
I like trivia questions that the answerer realizes they should know, but don’t.
Obscure facts do not make interesting trivia for me.
Wait a minute – you’re a Pedant and you don’t like obscure facts?
In days of old,
When librarians were bold,
And Wikipedia wasn’t invented…
BTW, I have a bit of trivia that I quite like, which I’ve shamelessly stolen from this old thread:
Which U.S. state is the closest to Africa?
Maine.
No, it’s got to be much more in the US.
For one, if we count Alaska, we’re in the hundreds of miles territory. And even if we don’t, there are areas in places like Wyoming, the Great Plains, or Montana that are further from roads than that.
Also, we have several VERY large lakes that at their widest are much, MUCH wider than 16 miles, so by being in the middle of one of them, you’re now more than eight miles from a road. 
From what I understand, the winner in the contiguous US is a spot in the southwest corner of Yellowstone that’s 22 miles from any road, although I think there’s places in Idaho that are further from a paved road.
Where was the first newspaper dedicated solely to the issue of abolition of slavery published in the United States beginning in 1820?
Jonesborough, TN
Which famous literary detective has uttered the words “Elementary, my dear Watson”?
Lord Peter Wimsey in a story called Tallboys
What was the name of the ski jumper who for years symbolized “the agony of defeat” on the opening of ABC’s Wide World of Sports?
Vinko Bogataj
Who is the only U.S. President to have learned English as a second language?
Martin Van Buren, he was from a Dutch-speaking family. He is also the first U.S. president to have been a U.S. citizen from birth.
Which r&b/funk legend did Neil Young play with in Canada before moving to the US and joining Buffalo Springfield?
Rick James. The band was Toronto-based The Myna Birds.
In the four major sports leagues in the US (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL), there are six team names that are shared. The New York Giants (NFL) and the San Francisco Giants (MLB) is perhaps the most obvious answer. What are the other five? Extra credit if you can name one more team name that made list in the past 20 years.
Note: The teams names must match exactly. so Atlanta Hawks (NBA) and Chicago Black Hawks (NHL) is not an acceptable answer.
[Spoiler]St. Louis Cardinals (MLB) and Arizona Cardinals (NFL)
New York Rangers (NHL) and Texas Rangers (MLB)
Carolina Panthers (NFL) and Florida Panthers (NHL)
Los Angeles Kings (NHL) and Sacramento Kings (NBA)
Winnipeg Jets (NHL) and New York Jets (NFL)
Extra Credit: Edmonton Oilers (NHL) and Houston Oilers (NFL)[/spoiler]
Who is the only person to win both an Olympic Medal and a Nobel Prize?
Philip Noel-Baker (British statesman who held several positions during his life including Chairman of the Labour Party).
1920 Silver Medal for 1500 meter run;
1959 Nobel Peace Prize as a “lifelong ardent worker for international peace and co-operation.”
These are my favorites to say to other people; I am certain that Dopers already know these.
What do Warren Beatty and Shirley MacLaine have in common? They are brother and sister
What do Rip Torn and Sissy Spacek have in common? They are first cousins
What do Uma Thurman and Gary Oldman have in common? They were married
