How many yards in a furlong? What is the medical term for the bones that make up the finger? In what year did the Toronto Maple Leafs change their jersey logo to match that used from 1938 until 1967?
Still with me? If so, you may be one of the scores of Leasiders who enjoy pursuing a good game of trivia. There are a few places in the neighbourhood to indulge this passion, such as McSorley’s on a Monday evening. But one of the most popular venues is LOCAL Public Eatery in the transformed former CIBC heritage building at 180 Laird Dr. Tuesday Night Trivia, hosted by quizmaster Jess and her team, draws at least 15 regular teams of six each who compete for prizes and a little bit of (trivial) fame. It is a diverse crowd, but all say camaraderie and community keep them coming back for more.
I stumbled upon the event. A neighbour who plays on the team called Trivial Pursuiters asked if I could pinch-hit back in March since one of their members was sick. The three rounds of 12 questions were challenging – good mental exercise for sure – but I was quickly drawn to the social aspect. The leader, Lori Patyk, explains that “we’ve been playing regularly since last autumn; it’s hard to find a fun and social activity, especially in the dead of winter, that comes close.”
She and her family went to the upstairs dining area at LOCAL to celebrate her 60th and realized trivia night was going on downstairs. “It caught our eye and so we vouched to gave it a go one Tuesday; we did and got hooked.” On her team are her husband Greg Uhrynuk and son Adam, Ted DeWelles, and John Bech Hansen and his wife Angela Burley. They have come in first five times, bagging the coveted $100 gift voucher for LOCAL each time. Lori asks, “Remember Cheers? Where everyone knows your name? It’s a bit like that; our regular server Mia is like family.”
Another team is Sky-ence Department, all science teachers at Leaside High. Says leader Iris Law, “I did trivia in the west end and would come to school sharing stories; colleagues wanted to join in, and last year when I researched trivia close to school the Tuesday event popped up. It has been a science department ritual ever since.” The Ball Chickens often place first or second. “How else can you get five or six good friends together on a weekly basis for laughs, conversation and community, not to mention prizes,” says their leader, Lindsay.
Another stalwart group is Mom’s Out Late, three women who come out only on someone’s birthday. Team leader Trina – whose birthday was on June 10th – explains, “we’re regular players in an irregular sort of way.”
Let’s not forget that Canada owns trivia. After all, Trivial Pursuit was created in 1979 by two Canadians, with the support of a number of other Canadian friends. Trivial Pursuit went on to sell some 100 million copies worldwide and became a cultural phenomenon along the way.
Lucky for us, we have trivia night right here in Leaside. As G.M. Jackson Wentz explains, “since teaming up with quizmaster Jess last year, Tuesdays have become one of our busiest nights of the week.” It’s good to play trivia there and even better to see a local business booming.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering, the answers to the brain twisters above are 220, phalanges and 2017, in that order.
