- Who knew there was a "war" against emus?
History is full of events that sound as though they’re from a badly written film. From computer-generated boxing matches inspiring a real fight to an army struggling against emus, you might not entirely believe the stories in this list. But here are five unusual – and real! – historical moments that deserve another look, and probably bafflement.
- When Barbary Pirates Attacked an Irish Village
In June 1631, the Irish coastal village of Baltimore was attacked. The perpetrators were Barbary pirates (from the Barbary Coast of North Africa), led by Jan Janszoon van Haarlem, also known as Murad Reis the Younger.
The raiders arrived unexpectedly and captured around 100 villagers, taking them aboard their ships and transporting them into slavery. Some prisoners faced a life of forced labour aboard galleys, while others, particularly younger women, were taken to North Africa.
It’s not exactly the most well-known European conflict ever, but One America News Network covered the story; you can find a YouTube video entitled “Muslim Pirates Sack Baltimore, Village Disappears Overnight”.
- The Blackjack Game That Helped FedEx Survive
The history of FedEx’s is, strangely enough, connected to a Las Vegas blackjack table. In 1973, the company was left with just $5,000 in its bank account and a fuel bill of $24,000. Founder Fred Smith took the remaining money to Las Vegas.
Smith reportedly turned the $5,000 into $27,000 playing blackjack, giving the struggling business enough money to continue operating. FedEx then grew into a gigantic international transportation company, employing approximately 300,000 people worldwide.
The story is covered in various YouTube mini-documentaries, including Alux.com’s “How The Founder Of FEDEX Saved The Company From Bankruptcy With His Blackjack Winnings”. Blackjack is widely available in states that permit this kind of play. Players should remember the house always has an edge and to use responsible gambling tools, including deposit limits.
- Muhammad Ali’s Computer-Generated Boxing Match
Long before we’d gotten used to AI simulating everything, a radio producer figured out a way to stage a fantasy boxing match using a computer. In 1967, Murray Woroner used the NCR 315 Data Processing System (with a then-amazing 12 whole bits of memory!) to compare the stats and abilities of famous fighters, predicting the outcome of hypothetical bouts.
As Jem Duducu wrote for History Extra, it was a publicity stunt, but one that was “hugely popular”. It drew the attention of Muhammad Ali, who challenged the prediction that he would lose to former heavyweight champion Jim Jeffries. Ali was unable to box professionally at the time because of his refusal to be drafted into the Vietnam War, and he was close to bankruptcy.
Woroner offered Ali $10,000 to take part in a filmed contest against Rocky Marciano, who had retired 14 years earlier. The pair sparred for around 70 to 75 rounds to provide footage. The computer’s supposed verdict was a 13th-round knockout victory for Marciano. It was really Woroner who decided the result; the savvy businessman knew Marciano was more popular.
The film screened in 1,500 cinemas and reportedly generated $5 million. You can find a discussion of the origins of the fight on YouTube – check out “Muhammad Ali vs Rocky Marciano Computer Super Fight – Behind The Scenes”. There’s also a Ridiculous History podcast on the Super Fight (available on Apple Podcasts and other podcast platforms).
- Australia’s War Against Emus
Emus starred in one of the most unusual animal stories of all time. In 1932, Australian farmers in Western Australia faced serious crop damage from large numbers of emus moving through agricultural land. The government sent soldiers armed with machine guns to reduce the bird population.
The fight became known as the Emu War, and is also known as the Great Emu War of 1932. The soldiers found the birds difficult to target because they scattered quickly, making the military effort far less successful than anticipated. The campaign ended without achieving its intended results. In other words, the emus won.
Emu fans can check out ABC Australia’s “The Great Emu War: how it started and who won” on YouTube. The Rediscoverying History podcast also covered the story in an episode entitled “A War Against Emus”.
- The Mystery of Britain’s Great Sheep Panic
On 3 November 1888, thousands of sheep across hundreds of Oxfordshire farms reportedly bolted in fright. By the following morning, many had travelled considerable distances and were sheltering beneath hedges.
Decades later, the science journal Nature suggested that lightning might have been the cause of the sheep’s panic, but sheep usually deal with storms without feeling quite so “baa-ffled”, as the BBC put it. So the cause of panic remains a mystery.
It’s not the most covered topic, but there are some videos out there – Science ForEveryone has a quick doc entitled “The Great Sheep Panic”.