Monopoly

The real estate board game Monopoly was invented in 1934 by Charles B. Darrow. His first version of the game was rejected by Parker Brothers due to design flaws. After Darrow sold 5,000 handmade sets of the game to a Philadelphia department store, Parker Brothers agreed to sell the game. Since then, over 200 million Monopoly games have been sold worldwide.
More Famous Firsts

First photograph

Joseph Nicéphore Niépce produced the world's first photograph in Chalon-sur-Saône, France in 1826. Niépce's appreciation and experiments with lithography led to his first permanent photograph produced on pewter. Niépce had begun experimenting with light-sensitive materials as early as 1816, but spent the most of his time with his brothers attempting to develop a combustion engine.
More Famous Firsts

The first Major League All-Star Game

The first Major League All-Star Game was played on July 6, 1933 at Comiskey Park in Chicago. The exhibition game was scheduled to coincide with the celebration of Chicago's Century of Progress Exposition. Major League Baseball managers and fans selected the all stars from both leagues. The American League defeated the National League 4-2.
More Famous Firsts

Born on the 4th of July

John Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States, was the first and only President to be born on the 4th of July. President Coolidge was born on July 4th, 1872 in Plymouth, Vermont. Vice President Coolidge became President on August 3, 1923 after the death of President Harding. He easily won a second term in 1924.
More Famous Firsts

First novel

The Tale of Genji is considered the world's first true novel. The book was written over 1,000 years ago in Japan by Murasaki Shikibu. The story is about the interactions between the main character Genji and the people he encounters. Themes of love, affection, friendship, loyalty, and family are explored through overlapping mini-sagas in the fifty-four chapter story.
More Famous Firsts

Gladiators

The first recorded gladiatorial combat in Rome occurred when three pairs of gladiators fought to the death during the funeral of Junius Brutus in 264 BC. Gladiator games peaked around 80 AD with the completion of the 50,000 seat Coliseum, built specifically for the games. A typical day at the games featured a procession of combatants, animal displays, executions of criminals, and individual gladiatorial combats.
More Famous Firsts

First Wi-Fi city

Grand Haven, Michigan is credited with being the first Wi-Fi city in the United Sates. In 2004, a wireless network was deployed to provide coverage throughout the town's six square miles as well as fifteen miles into Lake Michigan. Grand Haven's citizens, workers, and students were the first to enjoy high-speed, secure Internet access available anywhere within their town.
More Famous Firsts