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black collar, blue wool pantaloons (loose-fitting pants gathered at the ankle), and chip (straw) hats for his players to wear. It was a simple outfit, but the choice of wool had an underlying meaning. Cotton would have been less expensive and made more comfortable uniforms, but during this time, it was strongly associated with work clothing. Cotton was not fashionable and respectable dress. The early baseball clubs wanted to distance themselves from the working class. Wearing wool aligned the players with organizations of a higher status.

Battery
    Around 250 B.C.E., the first battery was used by the Parthians who ruled Baghdad. Now famously called the “Baghdad battery,” it was made of a clay jar (for support) about 5½ inches high and 3 inches in diameter with a 1½-inch opening at the top. Inside this opening, and held in place with asphalt, was a tube made of a copper sheet. This tube was sealed at the bottom with a copper disc held into place by more asphalt. An iron rod suspended from the asphalt lid hung down inside the center of the copper roll. The use of asphalt sealing indicates that the apparatus must have contained some liquid, most likely vinegar, which is acidic. The pottery jar and its contents, the world’s first battery, successfully produced an electric current of approximately 1.5 volts. There are a couple fields of thought as to the use of this first electrical current, from enabling primitive jewelers to electroplate precious metals to assisting physicians in medical therapy.

Battleship
    Admiral Yi Sun-shin of Korea invented the first armored battleship in 1592. It was called a Kobukson, or “turtle ship,” because of its appearance and toughness. Its crew was usually 50 to 60 fighting marines and 70 oarsmen. Turtle ships were propelled by oars or sails or both and were decked with iron plates that deflected incoming cannon fire. Spikes and knives were attached to the armored plates to discourage enemies from boarding. The bow of the ship had a large iron ram in the shape of a dragon. The ship was equipped with at least five different types of cannons and guns that could be fired in any direction. For camouflaging purposes, clouds of sulfur smoke could be emitted through the bow’s dragon head to obscure the ship’s position in short-distance combat. These first battleships were pretty much impervious to any other weapons or seaworthy vessels of the time, and Admiral Yi Sun-shin initially had five turtle ships built.

Beauty Pageant
    The first beauty contest was around 475 B.C.E. in Susa, the capital of Persia. The Persian king, Ahasuerus, also known as Xerxes I, became drunk one night and sent for his beautiful queen, Vashti, to appear at a royal banquet. She refused to come. Disgraced by her action, the king banished her, and held a beauty contest at Shushan, the palace, to find the most beautiful girl to become his new queen. Many fair young maidens gathered together for the king to judge, and the king chose a young Jewish girl called Esther. As winner of this first beauty pageant, she became queen and was showered with gifts and servants.

Beer
    Beer is the first alcoholic beverage known to civilization, with mentions dating to thousands of years ago. Nearly every culture developed its own version of beer, using various grains like millet, maize, cassava, rice, and barley. It’s not known when the first alcoholic beer was created, but it was the first product humans made from grain and water, even before they learned to make bread. The Egyptian texts of 1600 B.C.E. contained medical prescriptions calling for beer. In 1935, the first canned beers by Krueger went on sale in Richmond, Virginia.

Bicycle
    In 1790, Comte Mede de Sivrac of France constructed a wooden scooter-like device with two wheels, no pedals, no brakes, and limited steering ability. Between the two wheels, the rider straddled a wooden seat. The top of this first bicycle was only about 30 inches above the ground, and the rider