Delaware Trivia & Tidbits

Looking for Delaware trivia? Try our list Delaware little know facts, tidbits and trivia.

James "JJ" Johnson was a junior and adult league bowling phenomenon in Delaware who climbed into the upper echelons of the game as a Professional Bowling Association member from 1988 to 2001. Considered the best male bowler in Delaware history by many, Johnson was a three-time Delaware state average champion and three-time Delaware Top 20 Tournament champion.

first appeared: 11/1/2009

The Delaware History Center in Wilmington (pop. 72,664) covers most of the 500 block of Market Street Mall. The center includes the Delaware History Museum, the Old Town Hall, Willingtown Square and the Historical Society of Delaware's research library.

first appeared: 10/18/2009

Golfer Patsy Hahn of Wilmington turned pro in 1962 and placed sixth in the 1964 U.S. Open. She was inducted into the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame in 1990.

first appeared: 10/4/2009

Mary Ann Hitchens, a native of Milford (pop. 6,732), garnered a 196-76-30 record as the University of Delaware's field hockey coach from 1973 to 1988. She retired as senior associate director of athletics in 2006. The first woman president of the America East Conference, Hitchens is a member of the University of Delaware Athletics Hall of Fame and the Delaware Sports Museum and Sports Hall of Fame.

first appeared: 9/20/2009

DuPont Corp., headquartered in Wilmington, replaced the natural animal hair bristles on toothbrushes with nylon ones in 1938. Because the first nylon bristles were stiff and sometimes hurt gums, the company introduced a softer nylon brush by 1950.

first appeared: 9/6/2009

The DuPont Theatre in Wilmington (pop. 72,664), formerly known as The Playhouse Theatre, has presented national touring productions of Broadway shows since 1913. Located in the Hotel du Pont, the theater seats 1,252 patrons.

first appeared: 8/23/2009

Madge Vosters of Wilmington was a top 10-ranked tennis player in 1942. She was awarded the U.S. Tennis Association Service Bowl in 1949 and teamed with daughters Nina and Gretchen to win a record 26 mother-daughter titles. She was inducted into the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 1980.

first appeared: 8/9/2009

In 1847, the phrase "Liberty and Independence" became the state motto when it was added to the Great Seal of the State of Delaware. The motto was derived from the Order of Cincinnati, a hereditary organization formed in 1783 of Revolutionary War officers.

first appeared: 7/26/2009

—Football player Tim Wilson, of New Castle (pop. 4,862), played from 1977 to '82 with the Houston Oilers, rushing for a career-best of 431 yards in 1978. From 1983 to '84, he played with the New Orleans Saints. In 1991, he was inducted into the Delaware Sports Museum and Hall of Fame.

first appeared: 7/12/2009

—On the grounds of the Apex Medical Center in Newark (pop. 28,547) sits a large sculpture of the traditional doctor's satchel, complete with stethoscope. The sculpture is illuminated at night.

first appeared: 6/28/2009

—Born in Milford (pop. 6,732), Chris Short (1937-1991) was a two-time All-Star lefty pitcher and right-handed batter. In his 15-year major league baseball career, he had a win-loss record of 135-132 and an ERA of 3.43.

first appeared: 6/14/2009

—Located in New Castle (pop. 4,862), the Amstel House was the home of the state's seventh governor, Nicholas Van Dyke, from 1775 to 1786. The residence has been turned into a historic attraction.

first appeared: 5/31/2009

—"The First State" was chosen as Delaware's official nickname in 2002 because, on Dec. 7, 1787, Delaware became the first of the 13 original states to ratify the U.S. Constitution.

first appeared: 5/17/2009

—An obscure nickname for the state of Delaware, "Uncle Sam's Pocket Handkerchief" most likely refers to the state's small size. At 1,982 square miles, the state is the country's second smallest state. Rhode Island lays claim to the "smallest" designation.

first appeared: 5/3/2009

–Major league baseball pitcher Victor Willis moved to Newark (pop. 28,547) at a young age. As a rookie in 1898, he won 25 games for the pennant–winning Boston Beaneaters. He also threw for the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals, compiling 249 career wins.

first appeared: 4/19/2009

—Elisabeth Shue, born in 1963 in Wilmington, was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role opposite Nicolas Cage in the 1995 film Leaving Las Vegas. Her acting skills landed her roles in other films, including The Saint (1997) and Hollow Man (2000).

first appeared: 4/5/2009

—Wilmington-based DuPont has been a prime mover behind the development of modern body armor. During World War II, its ballistic nylon was used in flak jackets to protect against munition fragments. Today, the company's Kevlar brand fiber is used in bullet-resistant vests worn by police and military units.

first appeared: 3/22/2009

—Editor and critic Henry Seidel Canby, born in 1878 in Wilmington (pop. 72,664), established and edited the Literary Review of the New York Evening Post and later, he, along with others, founded the Saturday Review of Literature. Among his critical and literary works are Classic Americans, Thoreau, Whitman, The Brandywine, The Gothic Age of the American College and Turn West, Turn East: Mark Twain and Henry James.

first appeared: 3/8/2009

—Football player Conway Hayman, born in Newark (pop. 28,547) in 1949, was named an All-American at the University of Delaware in 1970. Hayman, who led the Blue Hens to three consecutive Lambert Cup titles and two Middle Atlantic Conference championships, went on to play for the Houston Oilers.

first appeared: 2/22/2009

—Actress Teri Polo, born in 1969 in Dover (pop. 32,135), is best known for her role as Pamela Martha Byrnes in the 2000 movie Meet the Parents, and its sequel, Meet the Fockers. She also was one of the stars in TV’s political drama series The West Wing.

first appeared: 2/8/2009

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