Robert
Pershing Wadlow, the world's tallest man
Robert Wadlow weighed a modest 8 lbs., 6 oz. at
birth. But, it didn't take him long to start growing….and
growing.
At 18 months, he weighed 62 pounds. When he was eight years
old, he was 6'2" and weighed 195 pounds.
At his maximum height, he was recorded in the Guinness Book
of Records as the tallest man in history. When he died in
1940, he weighed 490 pounds.
His growth spurt was attributed to an over-active pituitary
gland.
Wadlow was the first born of Addie and Harold Wadlow. Later,
Mrs.Wadlow gave birth to two more boys and two daughters.
All of the other kids were of normal height and weight.
At
18, Wadlow was over eight feet tall and wore a size 37 shoe.
At 20, the International Shoe Co. began providing him his
shoes for free because he was a traveling ambassador for the
company.
With his father, he visited over 800 towns in 41 states for
the company. Harold Wadlow modified the family car by removing
the right-hand seat so Robert could sit in the backseat and
stretch his legs to the front floorboard.
When Wadlow died in 1940, his parents had virtually all of
his belongings destroyed. They said they didn't want his clothes
and personal items to be displayed as "freak" memorabilia.
For more on Wadlow, visit www.altonweb.com/history/wadlow.
Henry
W. Kiel, namesake of the Kiel Center
Henry Kiel was a noted St. Louis contractor before he got
into city politics. Under his father's guidance, he learned
the bricklayer's trade and then moved into management of the
Kiel and Duanes Contracting Co.
He was instrumental in building Soldan, Central and McKinley
high schools. The Delmonte, Loew's State and Ambassador theaters
also were built by his firm.
He was elected mayor of St. Louis for the first time in 1913
by a very narrow margin. He won again in 1917 by a larger
margin. And, in 1921, he was the first man elected mayor for
a third term.
After his terms as mayor, Kiel stayed active in city government.
He was named president of the St. Louis Police Board, which
still is a Missouri governor's appointment.
In the construction business, he built the Municipal Auditorium,
which now bears his name.
For more on Kiel, visit http://exhibits.slpl.org/mayors/data/dt48283221.asp.
First
successful Negro baseball league
The first successful organized Negro baseball league began
in Kansas City on Feb. 13, 1920. Andrew "Rube" Foster was
considered to be the "father of black baseball."
The St. Louis entry into the Negro National League was the
St. Louis Giants.
The Eastern Colored League was formed in 1923 and the two
leagues staged the first Negro World Series in 1924.
For a more complete history, visit www.nlbpa.com/history.html.
Another
famous "freedom" case in Missouri
Lots of kids have heard of the Dred Scott slavery
case from Missouri. But, there were many others involving
the question of freeing residents from slavery.
The Winny v. Phebe Whitesides case was important
because it was the first "freedom" case appealed to the Missouri
Supreme Court. On Feb. 13, 1822, a St. Louis jury decided
to free Winny from slavery to the Whitesides.
The decision was based on a 1807 territorial
statute that gave slaves freedom if they resided in a free
territory or state. The Whitesides appealed the decision but
the Missouri Supreme Court upheld the lower court decision.
The case was included in an article concerning
freedom cases from 1814-1860. For more, visit, www.stlcourtrecord.wustl.edu/about-freedom-suit.
Lightning
destroys Missouri Capitol in 1911
Missouri had lots of state capitol buildings
in its early history. There were three before the government
was moved to Jefferson City. Then, three more in that central
Missouri city.
The third one was needed because of a storm
on Feb. 5, 1911. Lightning hit the dome of the old capitol
building and it burned to the ground.
The current capitol was built between 1913 and
1917. Total cost of construction was about $4.21 million.
For more on the Missouri capitol, visit www.sos.mo.gov/kids/facts/state-capitol.asp
