Your top 5 greatest mystery unsolved

[lamboguy]

Originally Posted by reckless

At the height of the Boston Strangler hysteria and before he was captured, an old NYC sports writer wrote:

"The Boston Police are having a hard time finding where the Boston Strangler is hiding. I suggest they look in the jockey's room at Suffolk Downs."

Funny then, funny now.

that is what jockey Norman Mercier's nickname was

[_______]

Originally Posted by azeri98

1.Why is the sky blue?
2. Was the immaculate reception a catch?
3.Why is American football called football when they rarely kick?
4.In golf why is a birdie called a birdie?
5. in tennis why is a 0 score considered "love"?

1) Because molecules in the air scatter blue light from the sun more than they scatter red light. At sunrise and sunset, we see red and orange colors because the blue light has been scattered out and away from the line of sight. So long as the sun is visible, the sky will appear blue. As the angle becomes more oblique, this effect is lessened and you see more of the red and orange wavelengths.

2) If the ball touched Jack Tatum, yes. I don't think the replay is clear. It could have. Or maybe it didn't. Under today's rules, it's unquestionably a reception because there is no need for an intervening touch by a defensive player. Under the rules at the time...oh who cares. What's important is that the Raiders LOST and Pittsburgh WON. Justice was served.

3)Because of it's ancient relation to rugby. I don't think it's a very satisfying answer either but I spent a lot of time on the first two answers and still have two more to go. So that's all I'm willing invest here.

4) Because in the early 20th Century America, "bird" was slang for anything excellent. 23 skidoo kiddo. "Eagle" and "Albatross" are rare and rarer "birds"

5) From the French word "l'oeuf" which means egg. Which is shaped like a zero. Who knew there was an aviary connection between golf and tennis?

[Actor]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

-- What does Tom do for a living...and it allows him so much time to post here?

My guess, just a guess mind you, is that he's a retired civil servant.

[Actor]

Originally Posted by barahona44

Why do we say we feel "below par" when we are not feeling good,when in golf, below par is a positive attribute?

Read Andrew Beyer. Par means average.

[Inner Dirt]

Originally Posted by barahona44

Why do we say we feel "below par" when we are not feeling good,when in golf, below par is a positive attribute?

Pretty simple, unlike many games in golf the lower the score the better. Also par in golf is the score an average professional should shoot, not the average weekend hacker. I know that wasn't a serious question,ha,ha.

[jk3521]

You're asking a bunch of mostly losing horse players about unsolved mysteries ?

[Actor]

Originally Posted by Red Knave

That one is simple. It's because everything hurts or it's stiff so it might hurt if I move it. And if it's not hurt or stiff, I bet it's going to be ...
Now we're retired, we have a lot of time to worry about stuff like that.

Because it's not stiff and medical science charges me a bundle to make it stiff and it's not covered by insurance.

[Actor]

1. Could Man o' War have beaten Secretariat?
2. Who was Jack the Ripper?
3. Who staged the Piltdown Man hoax?
4. Were Butch and Sundance really killed in Bolivia?
5. What happened to Ambrose Bierce?

[PaceAdvantage]

Originally Posted by jk3521

You're asking a bunch of mostly losing horse players about unsolved mysteries ?

This is one of the better replies I've read in a while!

[_______]

Originally Posted by Actor

1. Could Man o' War have beaten Secretariat?
2. Who was Jack the Ripper?
3. Who staged the Piltdown Man hoax?
4. Were Butch and Sundance really killed in Bolivia?
5. What happened to Ambrose Bierce?

Just taking on #1 here.

In human athletic endeavors, I don't think anyone can seriously doubt that today's athletes have better conditioning, nutrition, and "medical advice" than those from earlier in history. It's the reason why records continue to be set.

My assumption is that in any sport that doesn't involve judges, later generations are better than prior.

Hall of Fame NFL offensive players in the 60's wouldn't make the cut today facing 300 lb offensive linemen that move like linebackers of their era and 250 lb linebackers that move like Seabisquit.

I don't think Man 'O War could have been entered in an allowance race on the undercard of the 73 Derby.

[Steve 'StatMan']

Originally Posted by thaskalos

-- What does Tom do for a living...and it allows him so much time to post here?

Yes, and are they hiring?

[VigorsTheGrey]

1. How does a guy like Obama appear out of nowhere and get to be president?
2. How does somebody like Hillary get to be President?
3. How come the American people don't just revolt instead of voting for Hillary or the Donald?
4. How come God doesn't just appear on Dancing with the Stars?
5. Who will be the Donalds' dancing partner when he appears on Dancing with the Stars, in lieu of God appearring?

[MutuelClerk]

Originally Posted by azeri98

1.Why is the sky blue?
2. Was the immaculate reception a catch?
3.Why is American football called football when they rarely kick?
4.In golf why is a birdie called a birdie?
5. in tennis why is a 0 score considered "love"?

Number 2. Still haunts me to this day. Justice was not served. The refs were cowards and ran off the field.

[azeri98]

Originally Posted by MutuelClerk

Number 2. Still haunts me to this day. Justice was not served. The refs were cowards and ran off the field.

Me too as you can see by my avatar