Ever heard of Antoni Swart? What Delawarean was an Olympic flag bearer? Do you know who played the original Phillie Phanatic? (Hint: He’s related to one of the state’s most revered football coaches.) It’s time to test your knowledge of everything First State.TRIVIA(Scroll to the bottom for answers.)1. When the United States declared its independence in 1776, what was Delaware’s capital?2. ILC and ILG are both important to Delaware. What are they?3. Where is the world’s largest banana port?4. The DuPont Co.’s famous concern for safety started in the gunpowder mills. For safety, what were workers at the mills banned from having?5. What TV show included this line: “Live from the famous brown sands of Public Beach, Delaware, it’s the Grand Nationals of Sand Castle Building?”6. How tall is YoUDee, the University of Delaware mascot?7. What first belongs to Delawarean Antoni Swart?8. What is Delaware Punch?9. The chicken industry is important to not only Delaware but Maryland. Explain these terms: chicken Maryland, Maryland Chicken, Maryland Fried Chicken and chicken a la Maryland.10. Where does the “blue hen” nickname come from?11. Who was Delaware’s “gentleman bandit?”12. Capriotti’s was started on Union Street in Wilmington’s Little Italy in 1976. Where is Capriotti’s headquartered today?13. Where is the world’s largest collection of operating Stanley steam-powered cars?14. What is the name of the Dover Downs mascot?15. Thrasher’s Fries has been a tradition in Bethany Beach and Ocean City, Md., since 1929. Besides a drink, what else can you order to eat with your fries? 16. What state has the lowest high point?17. Before the du Ponts branded their black powder “Du Pont” in 1808, what did they call it?18. What Delaware actor played the first gay teen in a soap opera?19. What Delawarean was the original Phillie Phanatic?20. Where is the world’s largest population of horseshoe crabs?21. Who is the only patriot who signed both the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution for Delaware?22. If you mix pork stock, pork livers, pork fat, pork snouts, corn meal, pork hearts, wheat flour, salt and spices, what do you get?23. What was the county seat of New Castle County before Wilmington?24. What Delawarean was honored by being named a flag bearer for the Olympics?25. The University of Delaware as the Science, Technology & Advanced Research Center used to be Chrysler auto assembly plant. What model of vehicle was made on the site from 1951-59?ANSWERS1. New Castle. The capital a year later moved to Dover, to get distance from British forces. The government moved among those places, Wilmington and Lewes before settling permanently in Dover.2. ILC is the Frederica-based company that makes high-tech items like the spacesuits used by lunar astronauts. ILG is the way that New Castle Airport is known in airline systems.3. Wilmington is “the world’s largest banana port and the nation’s leading gateway for imports of fresh fruit and produce,” Murphy Marine’s says.4. Metal in any form, including buttons, cobblers’ tacks on shoes and even coins, for concerns that metal might generate a spark—and an explosion.5. That’s from the seventh season of “The Simpsons.” In the 11th, they were excited about leaving Springfield: “I can’t believe it, we won another contest!” – Marge Simpson. 
“The Simpsons are going to Delaware!” – Homer Simpson. 
“I want to see Wilmington!” – Lisa Simpson. 
“I want to visit a screen door factory.” – Bart Simpson.6. He is “6 feet, 8 inches, from the soles of his blue and yellow sneakers to the top of his comb,” according to BlueHens.com. Those sneaks, by the way, are size 28FF.7. He was the first known black Delawarean. He came to the colony from the West Indies in 1639 aboard the Swedish ship Vogel Grip. He later became a free man and “an employee of Governor Johan Printz, who cut hay and sailed Printz’s sloop during the 1640s and 1650s,” according to the Delaware Public Archives. 8. It’s a non-carbonated grape soda, invented in 1913 and now a Coca-Cola brand with limited distribution, according to the Metropolitan News-Enterprise. It’s named after a grape from a place in Ohio, but we’ll accept the connection.9. In Australia, chicken Maryland is a butcher’s cut for the leg-thigh combo. In England, Maryland Chicken is a fast-food chain. “It’s all about the Mmmmmaryland taste,” the Brits say, adding that the chicken is all halal and prepared with a secret mix of herbs and spices. In Florida and a few other states, Maryland Fried Chicken is a different restaurant chain, where the chicken is cooked in broaster (a pressure cooker and fryer) with 21 herbs and spices. The chain was founded in the Orlando area 50 years ago by Delaware native Albert Constantine, according to MarylandFriedChicken.com. Chicken a la Maryland is fried chicken. Baltimore magazine notes it was on the last lunch menu of the Titanic (cue Céline Dion) but is unable to agree upon a definitive recipe, although it notes one version from influential chef Auguste Escoffier calls for pan-fried chicken garnished with bananas (cue weird reaction).10. A. From blue chickens that were carried around for cockfights by the Kent County regiment led by Jonathan (or John) Caldwell during the Revolutionary War. Caldwell gets a historic marker on his Felton-area farm; the University of Delaware started using the nickname for its teams in 1911; and the blue hen was named the state bird in 1939. UD tells the story here, and also maintains a flock of blue-feathered chickens.11. Ronald W. Clouser confessed to a 1979 series of politely executed robberies, but not before a similar-looking priest named Bernard T. Pagano was accused. The 1981 TV movie starred Ralph Waite and was filmed in New York.12. Las Vegas. In 1991, Lois and Alan Margolet, the siblings who founded the restaurant, began franchising. “In 2008, they sold the company to an investment group led by Ashley Morris, who had been a Las Vegas area Capriotti’s franchisee since 2004,” according to Entrepreneur.com. 13. Auburn Heights. Tom and Ruth Marshall in 2008 gave the state four acres near Yorklyn that is a center of a state park. The family also donated 14 Stanley steam-powered cars – the world’s largest collection of operating steamers – and three other cars to the Friends of Auburn Heights Preserve, which will continue to care for them. The four-acre compound is amid 240 acres of protected land.14. Miles the Monster is a creature with ominous red eyes, scary big teeth and a hand big enough to hold a car. Read more at RoadsideAmerica.com.15. Nothing. The menu has only a few sizes of fries and drinks. It famously does not offer ketchup, and this photo on Yelp notes it doesn’t have trays or trans fats, either. You can add malt vinegar.16. Delaware. Its peak, as it were, is on Ebright Road, north of Concord High School. There’s a bench to relax on if you’re winded by the 448-foot journey up to it. Scientists have proven that Kansas is flatter than a pancake, but it’s unclear what is the flattest state. Kansas’ highest point is 4,039 feet, and its lowest 679, but the greater variation in height is compensated with a larger land area.17. Eagle. They also used Brandywine, and they made the change when a competitor started using “Brandywine” as well.18. New Castle native Ryan Phillippe played Billy Douglas on “One Life to Live” in 1992-93.19. New Castle native Dave Raymond, who turned his years under the fake fur into a business that does sports marketing and corporate programs. He calls himself the emperor of fun at Raymond Entertainment Group. 20. Delaware Bay. The horseshoe crab was designated as Delaware’s official marine animal in 2002. Limulus amebocyte lysate, found in their blood, is used to detect bacterial poisons in medications, vaccines and medical devices. Chitin, a polymer found in their shells, is used to make bandages. Horseshoe crabs are used in vision studies, and they are the principal food source for hundreds of thousands of shorebirds, according to Delaware.gov.21. George Read. Fellow signers of the declaration are Thomas McKean and Caesar Rodney. Fellow signers of the Constitution are Richard Bassett, Gunning Bedford Jr., Jacob Broom and John Dickinson.22. Scrapple. That is the original recipe from Rapa, which brothers Ralph and Paul Adams began in 1926 in Bridgeville. All the ingredients are blended, cooked and formed into a loaf, usually sliced and fried. Maple syrup is optional. 23. New Castle, which served that role until 1881.24. Luge competitor Frank Masley carried the flag in the 1984 Winter Olympics. He was a pole vaulter at Christiana High School, Joe Nye writes in “Delaware Sports Legends.”25. Tanks. More than 6,000 of the Patton M48, according to MilitaryHeritage.org.
The University of Delaware’s YoUDee stands tall |