# Trivia Dominoes: Play Off the Last Bit of Trivia **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [February 4, 2010, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657 "2010-02-04T08:12:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2074
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2018, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41469 "2018-12-14T20:28:24Z")
Fifty people, exactly half of the U.S. Senate in the 115th United States Congress, which will end on Jan. 3, 2019, previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2018, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41470 "2018-12-14T20:38:16Z")
House of Pain was a Los Angeles-based hip-hop group, which styled themselves as an Irish-American group, though one of the trio is actually Latvian-American. The group’s name is a reference to H.G. Wells’s novel, “The Island of Doctor Moreau.” House of Pain was primarily known for their 1992 hit, “[Jump Around](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhzpxjuwZy0).” The song has become a tradition at University of Wisconsin-Madison football games, where it’s played at the end of the third quarter. As the song is played, fans jump up and down, causing Camp Randall Stadium to shake (though the university’s engineering department has examined the effect, and determined that there is no risk of structural collapse due to this). ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2018, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41471 "2018-12-14T22:34:48Z")
“Lord Randall” is an Anglo-Scots border ballad that probably dates back to the 1700s. Its opening lines, "“Oh where ha’e ye been, Lord Randall my son? / O where ha’e ye been, my handsome young man?” and its dialogue between mother and son inspired the pattern of Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s A Gonna Fall”. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41472 "2018-12-15T00:28:26Z")
_Strong Poison_ is one of Dorothy L. Sayers’ detective novels featuring Lord Peter Wimsey. The deceased died from poisoning, and the title comes from one of the versions of the _Lord Randall_ ballad: “O, I’ve taken strong poison, mother, And I fain would lie down.” ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41473 "2018-12-15T01:30:18Z")
Leo Sayer (born Gerard Hugh Sayer) is a British pop star (and now Australian citizen) who had enormous success in the UK before America caught on. Sayer had two consecutive #1 hits in the US in 1977, “You Make Me Feel Like Dancing” and “When I Need You” ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41474 "2018-12-15T01:30:21Z")
Gale Sayers, a native of Wichita, was a two-time All-American running back for the University of Kansas. Drafted by the Chicago Bears in 1965, he scored 22 touchdowns his rookie season, including six in one game. He earned first team all-pro honors five times, but injuries cut his career short. He retired following the 1971 season. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41475 "2018-12-15T03:06:41Z")
On February 15, 1965, Canada adopted the Maple Leaf / Feuille d’érable flag, after a bruising national debate. The flag was hoisted for the first time on Parliament Hill on that day. George Stanley, the designer of the flag, attended the flag-raising, in spite of receiving death threats. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41476 "2018-12-15T10:45:03Z")
The “Fran Tarkenton Rule” was adopted for the 1965 NFL season. That rule was the addition of a sixth official to the officiating crew. That sixth official was the Line Judge, who was positioned on the line of scrimmage opposite the Head Linesman. Together with the Head Linesman, the Line Judge would, among other duties, determine if a _scrambling quarterback_ (a new term then) like Fran Tarkenton had crossed the line of scrimmage, or not, before passing the ball. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41477 "2018-12-15T15:12:23Z")
n January 1985, two armed robbers broke into Fran Drescher and Peter Marc Jacobson’s Los Angeles apartment. While one ransacked their home, Drescher and a female friend were raped by the other at gunpoint. Jacobson was also physically attacked, tied up, and forced to witness the entire ordeal. It turned out the rapist and robber were two brothers who were on a crime spree, and had done the same to other people. The rapist, who was on parole at the time of the crime, was returned to prison and given two life sentences. The robber got a 3 to 5 year sentence. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41478 "2018-12-15T15:25:54Z")
_Ransaken_ (Middle English) and _rannsaka_ (Old Norse) are likely roots of _ **ransack** _. An early use comes from William Shakespeare (c.1564–1616): _Put forth toward Phrygia; and their vow is made. To ransack Troy, within whose strong …_ … from the Prologue of _Troilus and Cressida_. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41479 "2018-12-15T17:44:31Z")
Troy University, located in Troy, Alabama, was founded in 1887 as Troy State Normal School. The school fielded its first football team in 1909, and for many years the athletic teams were known as the “Troy State Teachers”. The nickname was later changed to the “Red Wave”. However, in the early 1970s, the student body voted to change the name to “Trojans” after many felt that Red Wave was too similar to the University of Alabama’s nickname, the Crimson Tide. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41480 "2018-12-15T18:25:22Z")
Fifties bobbysox idol Troy Donahue is mentioned by name in a song in the popular musical _Grease_: “As for you, Troy Donahue / I know what you want to do…” ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41481 "2018-12-15T18:33:31Z")
The song’s title is "Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee, and other people mentioned by full name are Doris Day, and (in the stage version) Sal Mineo, who was replaced in the movie version by Elvis (no last name sung). ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41482 "2018-12-15T19:41:43Z")
In the movie, _Grease_ (1978), on the day they filmed the scene for that song, (“_Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee_”), which was on August 16, 1977, on that day when Stockard Channing’s Rizzo sarcastically bellows “Elvis, Elvis, let me be; keep that pelvis far from me”… … Elvis Presley died. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41483 "2018-12-15T19:56:39Z")
The song “Greased Lightning” was supposed to be sung by Jeff Conaway’s character Kenickie in the movie version of Grease, as it is in the stage version. John Travolta used his clout to have his character sing it. The director felt it was only right to ask Conaway if it was okay. At first he refused, but he eventually gave in. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41484 "2018-12-15T20:35:52Z")
The songs “_Grease_” (sung by Frankie Valli), “_Hopelessly Devoted to You_,” “_You’re the One That I Want_,” and “_Summer Nights_” all became top-10 Billboard hits, but only “_Summer Nights_” came from the original Broadway production. The other three songs were written specifically for the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41485 "2018-12-15T20:58:52Z")
The original Broadway cast of “Grease” included Barry Bostwick as Danny and Carole Demas as Sandy, with Adrienne Barbeau as Rizzo, Timothy Meyers as Kenickie, Alan Paul, and Walter Bobbie and Marya Small in supporting roles. Replacements later in the run included Jeff Conaway (who had been the original understudy for Danny), Gail Edwards, Marilu Henner, Peter Gallagher, Ilene Graff, Judy Kaye, Patrick Swayze, John Travolta, Jerry Zaks, Rex Smith and Treat Williams. Richard Gere was an understudy for many roles in this production, including Danny Zuko, Teen Angel, and Vince Fontaine. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2018, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41486 "2018-12-15T21:16:16Z")
Still in _Grease_ (the movie)… John Travolta’s sister, Ellen Travolta, played a diner waitress with a single line, “Oh, there’s Danny and Sandy,” while watching them dance on TV. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41487 "2018-12-16T00:39:46Z")
Ellen Travolta played the role of Louisa Arcola Delvecchio, the aunt of Fonzie and the mother of Chachi, in the sitcoms _Happy Days_ and _Joanie Loves Chachi_. She also appeared in 3 episodes of _Welcome Back, Kotter_, a series in which her brother John was one of the stars. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657/41488 "2018-12-16T01:11:37Z")
Four _Grease_ film stars also appeared in the Broadway production: John Travolta (Doody on Broadway and Danny in the movie), Jeff Conaway (Danny on Broadway and Kenickie in the movie), Barry Pearl (Sonny on Broadway and Doody in the movie) and Jamie Donnelly (Jan on Broadway and in the movie). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657.md?page=2073) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trivia-dominoes-play-off-the-last-bit-of-trivia/527657.md?page=2075)