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Johnny |
In Second Place
There are certain events in history that are remembered for the first person to perform it. Little attention is given to the second person. For example, everyone knows Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon yet Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin is fast fading from memory as he took his steps minutes later. Here’s a quick homage to the "runner-ups"
Charles Sweeney- He was the second person to drop an Atomic bomb. His was on Nagasaki after Paul Tibbets had dropped one on Hiroshima. Sweeney’s quote at the time is more famous than he is as he said "What have we done?" after releasing the bomb.
Henry Ford- Although well known for many things, he is seldom considered one of the rich of the men commonly referred to as the Robber Barons. Yet, he was the second man in America to officially become a billionaire, after John D. Rockefeller.
Larry Doby- The second black to play in major league baseball after Jackie Robinson had broken the color barrier. However, he was the first black in the American League.
Sir Francis Drake- In history, everyone learned that it was Ferdinand Magellan who was the first to sail around the world. It took 60 years before the next person, Drake, did it.
St. Linus the Martyr- He had the distinction, now lost in history, of serving as the second Pope, taking the mantle after St. Peter. He ruled for 12 years and was the first Italian Pope.
Robert Scott-A strange occurrence in the United States is in regards to the South Pole. Ask most people and they associated Robert Falcon Scott, yet his expedition came in second. The first was Roald Amundsen. However, Scott died on the return journey and became immortalized for his bravery (which is highly contested as most claim it was his stubborness that did him in) and became associated with the South Pole.