12th Annual(?) Year in Review (100 Years Later)

By Aaron Boyes and Sean Graham

When we started this humble tradition back in 2013, it was based on a frustration with seeing year in review think pieces and declarations of things like the word of the year being released in November – which always signalled to us that December didn’t count. So tough luck to all the inventions, birthdays, and monumental events that happen in the 12th month, you get overlooked because editors are impatient.

In the past couple years, however, we are pleased to see that that trend has started to reverse. This year, for instance, Spotify had enough restraint to avoid releasing Wrapped until December. Whether this signals that our frustration has become more widespread or that perhaps the algorithm overlords that now run our lives are getting better, there seems to be a greater recognition that the year isn’t over until it’s actually over. 

Despite this move in that positive direction, our original motivation that we need time and historical context to truly understand what was important in any given year still holds true. A lot of things happened in 2024, but we won’t know the true implications of these for years to come, so we will refrain from commenting on them. 1924, on the other hand, has enough historical distance that we are ready to look back and determine the most important event of the year.

As always, we have set up a four brackets – Entertainment, Business, International, and the fan-favourite Potpourri – and selected 16 of the biggest events from 100 years ago. They will square off in head-to-head matchups until only one is left to be crowned the winner. (A full list of past winners and links to previous editions are included at the bottom of the post). As always, events that fall in the same category as winners of past years are not eligible and have not been included.

We hope that you enjoy this year’s version!

First Round

Entertainment Bracket

(1) Metro Pictures and Goldwyn Pictures Merge

v.

(4) First Winter Olympics

Aaron: The motion picture industry was big business in the 1920s and the desire for new movies kept studios busy. American businessmen Marcus Loew had established a studio in Hollywood but wanted to expand his offerings. In 1919 he purchased the Metro Pictures Corporation to enable a steady stream of films in his theatres. Then in 1924, Loew purchased Goldwyn Pictures. On April 17, 1924, the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer company was incorporated. Its logo, the roaring lion, is an instantly recognizable symbol and one that starts numerous famous films, including Ben Hur, Gone with the Wind, and the James Bond series. In 2011, MGM declared bankruptcy protection and was ultimately purchased by Amazon.

The modern Olympic Games were first held in Athens, Greece, in 1896, under the International Olympic Committee (IOC). For the next three decades this event was held only for traditionally summer sports. Following the First World War, the summer games resumed in 1920 and, interestingly, had figure skating and an ice hockey tournament. In 1921, the IOC decided to hold a winter-version of the games in France. The First Winter Olympics opened on January 25, 1924, in Chamonix, France. Over the next 12 days, there were 16 events in five sports, in which 16 nations participated. Norway came out on top with a total of 17 medals – Canada won one Gold, its sole medal of the Games. Over the next century, the Winter Games were held every four years – except for during the Second World War. The most recent games held in 2022 featured athletes from 91 nations (Norway once again came out on top with 37 medals).

Simply because it features a good chunk of the world’s nations today, I think the First Winter Olympics wins this one. MGM played a significant role in the history of film, but more people, I would argue, have been impacted by the Olympics. As a Canadian, I have always preferred watching the Winter Olympics, and some of my fondest memories of sport are watching our athletes proudly represent us wearing the maple leaf. Fun story: I was in Washington, DC, during the 2014 Olympics. I was at the Library of Congress doing research when the Canadian Women’s hockey team beat team USA to win gold; and my friend and I purposefully waited to leave for the drive home after watching the Men’s team beat Team Sweden. The one downside, the Canadian embassy wouldn’t let us in to watch any of the games! I’m still sour.

Sean: That’s nonsense! What good is an embassy if it won’t let random people who are in town watch the Olympic pucks?

I must disagree with my esteemed colleague on this one. The Winter Olympics are fun and all – I mean all sports in which you don’t wear shoes! – but the reality is that they cut off more countries than they include (less than half of the UN recognized 195 nations participated in the 2022 games). MGM, on the other hand, can have its films in nearly every country. So I would argue that the opposite of your argument is true, with more people engaged in MGM films than the Winter Olympics.

Aaron: We were stunned that we were turned away from the Embassy. I, in turn, disagree with your thought that more people have had their eyes on an MGM product than the Olympics. We’re talking about billions of people all over the world watching the Olympics every four years; more, I would think, than watch an MGM film. Plus, MGM went bankrupt in 2011; the IOC, on the other hand, is only morally bankrupt because they have made it crystal clear that cheating is ok (as long as it’s not caught) so long as the money comes rolling in.

Sean: I will remind you that nobody wants to host the winter Olympics.

Aaron: Ok, yeah, that’s fair. Then again, I turned off the last James Bond movie promising to finish it one day…and haven’t.

Metro Pictures and Goldwyn Pictures Merge Wins (66-65)

(2) Alice’s Day at Sea Debuts

v.

(3) Little Orphan Annie Debuts

Sean: Walt Disney and his brother Roy formed their business partnership in 1923, setting the stage for a media and entertainment empire that has dominated popular culture for the past century. One of the earliest characters they shared with the world was Alice. Alice’s Wonderland was already completed, but Disney couldn’t find a distributor for the film so he used it to try and entice distributors to make more films. Margaret Winkler proposed a series of adventures featuring Alice, so the brothers got to work, bringing young actress Virginia Davis and her family from Kansas to Los Angeles to film new features. Like the film, Alice at Sea places the live-action actress within the cartoon world. Incredibly innovative at the time – and still very cool to see today – Alice at Sea debuted a beloved Disney character.

Annie, on the other hand, had a very different debut, appearing in the New York Daily News on August 5, 1924. Taking its name from a James Whitcomb poem, the comic strip followed the adventures of Annie, her dog Sandy, and benefactor Oliver ‘Daddy’ Warbucks. Written and illustrated by Harold Gray, Annie became recognizable over the years for her red dress with white collar and cuffs as she expanded her presence to radio in the 1930s, Broadway in 1977, and a number of movies. The comic strip ended in 2010, answering a bunch of unanswered questions that lingered over the years, but Annie kept her place within pop culture. Over the years, Annie made quite a number of social and political statements, which helped keep the strip relevant through the significant cultural shifts over the course of the 20th century. 

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I have to go with Little Orphan Annie here. Between the two, I really think Annie has more staying power. Alice is a game-changing character, but those stories have fallen out of style in recent years, whereas Annie keeps getting revived (including right now on Broadway). Plus, the iconic song – which has been sampled by so many artists – gives it the longevity and brand recognition that we are often looking for in these brackets.

Aaron: I disagree. I would argue that more people are familiar with  the character of Alice than Annie. However, I don’t think I have seen a single film with Alice or Annie… This may disqualify me from this debate. 

Sean: It’s a Hard Knock Life for you.

Little Orphan Annie Debuts Wins (47-41)

International Bracket

(1) Capture of Mecca

v.

(4) Victoria-Vélez Treaty

Sean: On October 13, 1924, the city of Mecca was captured without struggle by Abd al-Saud. Twenty-two years after riding out to the desert with 60 of his cousins and brothers, the capture of the Mecca was part of a decades-long effort to restore the rule of Al Saud across the region following the 1818 capture of Mecca and Medina by the Ottomans. Over the years, they had successfully captured the ancient Saudi capital of Riyadh and built alliances, but they had not been able to re-establish their presence on the Arabian peninsula. As the group captured province after province on its way to Mecca, it set the stage for not only its capture of Mecca, but also Medina the following year. With their presence on the peninsula reestablished, Abd al Aziz ibn Saud declared himself King in establishing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932.

Following its declaration of independence from Spain in 1810, Colombia went through a number of changes, including uniting with Venezuela and Panama in 1819 and subsequently splitting in 1829-30. Panama became a state within Venezuela in 1855 and over time separatism within the state grew, ultimately leading to its own declaration of independence in 1903. This had the backing of the United States, which was quite eager to build a canal through Panama to significantly reduce the travel time (and more importantly cost) of getting goods from Asia to the east coast of North America. Construction on the canal was completed in 1914, but the question of the border between Panama and Colombia was not fully settled until a decade later, when Panama and Colombia signed the Victoria-Vélez Treaty. The border was based on a 1855 Colombian law and allowed for the full demarcation of the border between the two nations, a process which was finally completed in 1938.

In establishing borders and new nation states, I think I have to go with the Capture of Mecca. Given that the Victoria-Vélez Treaty was largely based on a 1850s Colombian law, there was a clear precedent and it merely formalized something that had long been in the works. The Capture of Mecca was a significant step towards the establishment of a new country and represented a significant change to the political landscape of the Middle East. And given how powerful Saudi Arabia remains, given its extensive wealth, the capture of Mecca has the edge in this one. 

Aaron: I completely agree with you. Saudi Arabia’s dominance in the region and the geo-polticial role it plays gives it the edge in my opinion.

Capture of Mecca Wins (87-39)

(2) Trial of Adolf Hitler et al for Beer Hall Putsch

v.

(3) Italy Opens World’s First Divided Highway

Aaron: Following the First World War, things were not going well in Germany (understatement alert!). The Weimar Republic was under threat from various political factions, including from the National Socialist German Workers Party, or Nazi Party. In November 1923, thinking that the moment was right to seize power, Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler and former German General Erich Ludendorff launched what is called the Beer Hall Putsch in Munich. This failed uprising resulted in the deaths of 15 Nazi supporters and 4 police. Hitler fled the scene but was arrested a few days later and charged with high treason. Historical note: while in custody at Landsberg Prison Hitler began dictating his now infamous Mein Kampf. Hitler’s trial lasted from February to April 1924 and, in the end, he was ultimately sentenced to five-years in prison – a pretty lenient sentence from a Nazi-friendly court. Ludendorff, meanwhile, was acquitted. Hitler would only serve 8-months of his sentence; he used that time in prison to continue dictating Mein Kampf and, once released, spent the next decade plotting the legal overthrow of the Weimar Republic, which he and the Nazis accomplished in 1934.

With the mass-production of automobiles well underway, people needed something to drive on and places to go. In 1922 the idea of an autostrada (Italian for motorway) was conceived by engineer Piero Puricielli. The idea was to have straight roads with as few obstacles as possible, enable high speeds, and the transportation of goods quickly. On September 21, 1924, King Victor Emmanual III inaugurated the Autostrada del Laghi (Lakes Motorway) in northern Italy, becoming the first motorway constructed in the world. This stretch of the motorway is now part of Autostrada 8 and Autostrada 9 which connects Milan and Varese. As of 2022, the Autostrada has more than 7,000 km of roads.

Since this is not related to planes I don’t think Dr. Graham will disagree with me that the trial of the Beer Hall Putsch is the more important event in this match up. The Beer Hall Putsch and subsequent trial are essential events in the march toward the full Nazification of Germany. There are so many “what ifs” surrounding this event and whether they would have prevented Hitler and the Nazis from assuming control over Germany which, as we know, drastically shaped the world from 1934 to today. What if Hitler was sentenced to a more severe punishment? What if he served his full five years rather than being released early? What if Ludendorff, a hero of the First World War, was convicted and sentenced to prison as well? We will never know the answers to those questions, but we know that Hitler got off easy for trying to overthrow the government and eventually led Germany into the most catastrophic war in human history.

Sean: You are correct, Dr. Boyes, that when the topic at hand doesn’t involve planes, it is much easier to sway me one way. One anecdote, though, when my parents visited me in Saskatchewan, they very much enjoyed that the highway between Regina and Saskatoon was simply referred to as ‘the divided highway.’ It has no bearing on the matchup, but at least gives some flowers to the idea of the divided highway.

Trial of Adolf Hitler et al for Beer Hall Putsch Wins (63-34)

Business Bracket

(1) Kleenex Trademark

v.

(4) Simon & Schuster Founded

Aaron: When you need one, do you ask (and be honest): “I need a tissue” or “I need a Kleenex”? I am fully in the latter camp and I bet most of our readers are too. A facial tissue is a generic, paper-based product that has a multitude of uses; and yet, we have been programmed to ask for the brand name. The name Kleenex is owned by the US company Kimberly-Clark and its patent was submitted in July 1924 by its original manufacturer Cellucotton Products. On September 12, 1924, the Chicago Daily Tribune first marketed the name Kleenex in an ad reading “A soft, velvety tissue for removing cold cream from the face. It is safe, sanitary and inexpensive. Use it once and throw it away.” Although not based in law, the name Kleenex has become synonymous with any brand of facial tissue. Of note, in 2023 Kimberly-Clark announced that it would stop selling Kleenex in Canada. Maybe I should retrain my brain and call them facial tissues in protest.

In the world of publishing, there are several companies that immediately come to mind. Simon & Schuster, at least in the English-speaking world, is certainly one of them. Founded in 1924 by Richard Simon and Max Schuster in New York City, it was originally launched to publish a collection of crossword puzzles. Over the years, the company expanded to publish all sorts of collections and books, both fiction and non-fiction. Today it is considered part of the Big Five  along with Penguin Random House, Hachette, HarperCollins, and Macmillan Publishers, and in 2017 was the third largest publisher in the United States.

In this match up we have two brand names going head to head. For me, I think Kleenex gets the slight advantage simply because of the ubiquity of its use. As I mentioned before, I ask for a Kleenex not for a tissue; I don’t ask for a book published by Simon & Schuster – although when I am browsing books and see a title published by them I have a positive reaction. But because more English-speakers (okay, in North America specifically) ask for Kleenex I think it should move on.

Sean: I completely agree, Dr. Boyes. Kleenex is in the same category of escalator, band-aid, and tupperware as brand names that have become shorthand for the entire product category. I love me a good book, but Simon and Schuster have not come to dominate their industry in the same way as Kleenex.

Kleenex Trademark Wins (101-75)

(2) First Modern Mutual Fund Created

v.

(3) First Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Sean: In the midst of the roaring twenties, bankers were looking for ways to further capitalize on the record-breaking heights reached by the stock market. On March 21, 1924, the Massachusetts The brainchild of Edward Leffler, who had for years had wanted to help investors after coming to the realization that there was no sound vehicle for investment for Americans. In an effort to create a fairer system, he wanted to ensure that the fund was both ethically and transparently managed, giving investors the opportunity to invest more as they could while also retaining the right to sell shares back to the fund. One of the biggest changes in Leffler’s plan was creating an open-ended fund, which provided more agency to investors and created greater incentive to fund managers to act in the best interest of investors, rather than pursue the short-term gains that marked closed funds. Today, it is estimated that 5 million Canadian households have investments in mutual funds with $1.7 trillion invested between 1990 and 2019. The most popular investment for the everyday investor, mutual funds are a major factor in shaping economies all over the world.

In the early 1920s, Macy’s was doing a brisk business, both in its New York City flagship and the regional stores it was opening. One of the most powerful signs of the store’s success was that the New York location was expanded to include the entire city block stretching from Broadway to Seventh Avenue. To both celebrate the opening of the ‘World’s Largest Store’ and kick off the start of the holiday shopping season, Macy’s decided to have a parade on Thanksgiving. So on a beautiful Thursday morning in November 1924, a series of floats that matched the nursery rhyme theme of that year’s store windows worked their way down the street. Of course, Santa Claus was part of the festivities, descending from his sleigh on arrival at the store to declare the opening of ‘The Fair Frolics of Wondertown,’ the window display designed by Tony Sarg. While the idea of a Thanksgiving parade was not an original one by Macy’s – Gimbels held one in Philadelphia in 1920 – the Macy’s parade has become a globally recognized staple of the fourth Thursday in November.

Two things that I don’t fully understand – the management of mutual funds and why people find parades fun (what’s with all the waving?). Despite that, I think my vote in this one goes to the mutual fund. As a tool for saving and building wealth, it has been instrumental in allowing people to get into markets without purchasing individual stocks. Of course, Warren Buffet has been clear that you should always go with low fee index funds, but those were able to exist because of what came first.

Aaron: Despite my brother’s best efforts to explain them, I, too, don’t understand mutual funds – or much of modern money-making to be honest. I also don’t like parades. I understand the draw – especially when kids get free candy – but as an adult, standing around, especially in the cold, isn’t fun. As for the match up, I agree that the mutual fund should move on. Macy’s Parade is famous, but likely not that popular outside of North America. Mutual funds, on the other hand, are worldwide and continue to play a significant role in modern commerce. 

First Modern Mutual Fund Created Wins (88-44)

Potpourri Bracket

(1) First Fax Sent Overseas

v.

(4) Caesar Salad Invented

Aaron: By the 20th century how humans communicated with one another had changed immensely (understatement alert!), and things continued to change into the 1920. The fax machine was invented in the 19th century and scientists and engineers continued to improve its process and what could be sent – originally simple script and then signatures. As seen below, the first images by fax were sent in May 1924. Later, in November 1924, the Radio Corporation of America provided a demonstration of how images could be sent by fax overseas, sending an image from New York to London. As the Washington Herald reported on December 1, “It was almost uncanny to see a fountain pen pluck from the air end [sic] record on a cylinder no bigger than a baking powder can the features of famous faces selected in Marconi House London.” The first image? A picture of US President Calvin Coolidge.

If you’re like me, nothing completes a pasta feast like a Caesar Salad. The fresh lettuce, creamy dressing, the crunchy croutons, and (although not entirely necessary but oh-so-appreciated) the bacon bits; they all combine to please the palate with a fine margherita sauce. The origin of the salad, if legend is to be believed, is not in Italy but Tijuana, Mexico, where Italian-born Caesar Cardini ran a restaurant for American tourists. On July 4, 1924, facing an immense crowd and dwindling supplies, Cardini whipped together this now famous salad with what he had left on hand. It must be stated that some of the restaurant’s staff claim that it was them, not Cardini, who invented the salad. Although Cardini is generally accepted as the dish’s creator, what is not disputed is that it was invented in 1924.

As much as I enjoy a Caesar salad, I have to give my nod to the transatlantic fax. It amazes me that only six months after the first images were sent from Ohio to New York humans devised a method of sending images 5,500 kilometres across the ocean. I understand the principle of the technology, but to me it all seems like magic. And magic, I think, trumps my rumbling stomach.

Sean: This is a tough one as there is no doubt that the fax was a major shift in the way in which we communicate, but the Caesar salad has greater longevity. A standard Caesar is a staple on most menus when you go out to eat, whereas I recently had to confirm whether the fax machine at the office was even plugged in when there was a possibility of having to receive a document that way (fortunately, it didn’t come to that). A case can be made for the progression of technology, that there will always be steps along the way and that, perhaps, the ultimate success of a technology is that is becomes obsolete from people building on what currently exists, but given how good the salad is, there is no need to build on it, so I think I’m leaning in that direction.

Aaron: A very interesting rebuttal, Dr. Graham. I’ll admit that I hadn’t thought of the fact that fax machines have been mostly pushed to the dustbin of history. However, I still encounter requests to send faxes to this day, so although antiquated I don’t think that the technology is entirely redundant. That said, I will defer to your excellent taste in food for the sake of moving things along.

Caesar Salad Invented Wins (54-52)

(2) RCAF Founded

v.

(3) First Use of Telephone Wires to Transmit Images

Sean: On the first of April 1924, the Royal Canadian Air Force came into being with three components – full-time regular force, part-time non-permanent force, and a reserve of non-active personnel. By 1924, Canada had an established tradition of flight in the military as the Canadian Aviation Corps was established in 1914 as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, although it did not see wartime service. Additionally, 5,000 Canadian pilots serving in the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War. Given the number of Canadians who returned from the war with aviation experience, the federal government wanted to increase its responsibilities related to non-civil aviation and make use of the physical and human resources available. At its inception, the RCAF reported to the Chief of the General Staff and became fully independent of the militia in 1938. Over the course of the last 100 years, the RCAF played a vital role in the Second World War, has served in theatres around the world in combat and peacekeeping operations, and continues to be responsible for the Prime Minister’s official travel. 

In May 1924, the American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T) successfully used the telephotography to send images from political conventions in the Midwest back to New York City for publication in newspapers. This represented the culmination of years of work to make the transmission of images easier and more efficient. Using cylindrical drums synchronized between transmitter and receiver, a positive transparent print was scanned, creating a photocell that could be carried by telephone lines. The receiver used an unexposed negative that would progressively illuminated by a narrowly focused light beam. In seven minutes, the system was able to transmit a 5’x7’ photograph at a 100 line per inch resolution. In 2024 terms, both the speed and resolution leave a lot to be desired, but at the time this was a remarkable achievement that significantly improved the transmission of images. With this, it was now possible for newspapers to publish images of events from hundreds of miles of a way the next day. Even though we currently live in a second-by-second news cycle, the ability to reduce the time to publish images from days to hours was a game-changer.

Two things make this clear for me. 1 – Planes! 2 – I work for the Department of National Defence. For as much as we all love teevee, the RCAF played a significant role in the Second World War and continues to serve in operations around the world, so that’s a clear edge in the Graham Power Rankings.

Aaron: What are the Graham Power Rankings and why, after more than 10 years, are we only learning about it now? What goes into determining the Graham Power Rankings? How biased are they? The people need more information! As for the match up: I think telephone wires simply to ruin your excitement about planes – I have at least been consistent about this over the years.

Sean: The GPR are the globally recognized ranking system used to assess the historical influence of two seemingly unrelated moments/events/individuals. It’s a way to assess things in a butterfly-effect type of way. It has been behind-the-scenes influencing this process the whole time, it’s just time to bring it out of the shadows. And if you want to talk about consistency, planes are the most consistent part of this column. Besides, the RCAF has the Snowbirds, an iconic part of Canada’s military heritage and culture, so how could you not go with that?

Aaron: The first time I saw them, it was on TV. Also, I don’t recognize the GPR and I never will. 

First Use of Telephone Wires to Transmit Images Wins (71-70 OT)

Round Two

Entertainment Bracket

(1) Metro Pictures and Goldwyn Pictures Merge

v.

(3) Little Orphan Annie Debuts

Aaron: These are the kinds of matchups that I love: two very deserving events that no matter who wins it was the right choice. Here we have the merging of three film companies to become one of the biggest names in cinema, versus a character that, as Sean outlined above, remained relevant for a century. After mulling this over, and debating with myself, I think MGM’s merger is more significant simply for its massive catalogue of films produced since 1924 and thus the number of eyeballs that would have seen an MGM product. 

Sean: As much as it pains me, I must agree with my distinguished colleague. While iconic, Annie is a singular character/series, where MGM brought up hundreds of classics over the years.  

Metro Pictures and Goldwyn Pictures Merge 125-86

International Bracket

(1) Capture of Mecca

v.

(2) Trial of Adolf Hitler et al for Beer Hall Putsch

Aaron: This is a fantastic match up and whichever moves on the next round deserves to. But that also makes this so difficult. In 2024, Saudi Arabia remains an essential world player, mostly for its control over a massive reserve of oil and gas. Meanwhile, Germany has redefined itself since the end of the Third Reich but remains the economic powerhouse of Europe. For me, I think the legacy of the Nazi period and the Second World War is what makes the Trial of the Beer Hall Putsch take the edge, however slightly. I’m aware that the entire Third Reich period is not being discussed here, but the almost sham trial that enabled Hitler and his supporters to regroup after only 8 months of a five year sentence – for high treason! – enabled the horrors to come. I must recognize that as the world situation continues to evolve, Saudi Arabia will play a more important role, especially in the Middle East. But with historical hindsight, I’m picking the trial. 

Sean: I think I have to agree on this one. The capture of Mecca, which was a major milestone on the road to the establishment of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia may not reach the global significance of the trial It is an all too often overlooked moment in the rise of Hitler in Germany during the interwar years and, given what that ultimately led to, has a greater global significance.

Trial of Adolf Hitler et al for Beer Hall Putsch wins 112-90

Business Bracket

(1) Kleenex Trademark

v.

(2) First Modern Mutual Fund

Aaron: Maybe it’s because I don’t understand mutual funds, or maybe it’s because I’m grumpy with how money is being made and hoarded right now, but I think Kleenex as the name for facial tissues is more important. I don’t think about mutual funds at all, but I do think about and ask for Kleenex. When I add facial tissues to a grocery list, I write Kleenex. It is a word that is so common in English that we use it without thinking. 

Sean: Kleenex certainly holds a prominent place in the culture and has reached a point of ubiquity that all brands wish they could, but I don’t think it can match the importance of the modern mutual fund. From pension plans to TFSAs to education savings, millions of people have money in mutual funds and they have been used to fund everything from dream vacations to first-home down payments. They have opened up investments to more people than previously had access and, despite some well documented issues, have guardrails that protects investors in ways that other investment vehicles don’t. And besides, I live in a Scotties household because of curling. 

Aaron: Now I’m more grumpy because I once again have to agree with you.

First Modern Mutual Fund Wins 92-60

Potpourri Bracket

(3) First Use of Telephone Wires to Transmit Images

v.

(4) Caesar Salad Invented

Sean: As with its first matchup, the Caesar salad is going up against a technological development that has long since become obsolete. So if we use the same rationale here, then it has to be salad once again. But, if I may be so bold, I would argue in favour of the transmission of images. It is really difficult in 2024 to appreciate just how important this development was given how quickly information moves today. This ability to shrink the world by shortening the distance between an event and people’s ability to view that event represents a major shift in how news was reported and consumed.

Aaron: There you go again with your inconsistency. At least you’re consistent with that. I’ll use your argument against you: the fax was only one step toward what communication is now, while the caesar salad has remained constant for a century.

Sean: You’re right, it has remained consistent. Except for the variations of the salad that you can find all over the world.

Aaron: All you’ve done is made me hungry for Caesar salad. And since I’m too distracted, I’ll allow the telephone wires to win.

First Use of Telephone Wires to Send Images Wins 100-98

Semi-Finals

Trial of Adolf Hitler et al for Beer Hall Putsch

v.

First Modern Mutual Fund Created

Sean: This is a rather fascinating pairing here in the semi-finals, but I think the mutual fund has the edge. This is not to minimize what was happening in Germany at the time nor what it ultimately led to, but it was an early step in the process (I think we know what will be deemed the most important event of 1933 when we get there). The mutual fund, on the other hand, largely remains the same and, when employed responsibly, continues to be a primary investment vehicle for people around the world. And while the concerns over access to – and the fairness of – the stock market remain the same as when the mutual fund was introduced, it is a stark reminder of how the playing field is not exactly balanced in the financial industry.

Aaron: I disagree. The Trial of the Beer Hall Putsch and the leniency shown to Hitler and the Nazis enabled their rise to power in 1933. Had the trial been different, or if Hitler had actually served a sentence more deserving of high treason the world may have avoided the death and destruction wrought between 1934 and 1945. For that reason, I believe that the trial is the more important event, even if the Nazis have been (mostly) relegated to the dustbin of history.

Sean: It’s an interesting historical thought experiment – not so much a counterfactual, which we are all taught to avoid – but one of the great ‘what if’ questions of history. If Hitler is harshly sentenced, does he rise to power? By that same token, what if Hitler had been killed during the First World War? Or does someone else take his place in leading the party? Hitler did not have a monopoly on vile racism. In engaging in these questions, do we not risk going down a slippery slope? On its own, the trial does not fundamentally change the balance of power in Germany. After all, it did take another nine years of gaining power, demonizing, and scapegoating for the Nazis to take power.

Aaron: You raise some excellent points, Dr. Graham, and I agree that [at this point Evelyn, Aaron’s two-year old daughter, erased what was probably the most insightful and well-argued piece Aaron has ever written…] and that’s why I will concede to the mutual fund.
First Mutual Fund Created Wins 114-113 (2OT)

Metro Pictures and Goldwyn Pictures Merge

v.

First Use of Telephone Wires to Transmit Images

Aaron: The fact that MGM is still making motion pictures (albeit with a different parent company) while the fax has been pushed aside thanks to the internet, makes me think that MGM deserves a spot in the illustrious final. The roaring lion – Leo is his name! – appears at the beginning of many films still being made, which shows the importance of this vaunted Hollywood studio.

Sean: You do realize the grand irony is that you know Leo’s name because you looked it up using technology that was born out of the use of telephone wires to send images, right?

Aaron: Yes. Yes, I do.

Sean: As long as you’re aware of that.

Despite that, I think I have to agree. You can call us Freaks, but after A Night at the Opera the Wizard of Oz told me The Philadelphia Story at The Shop Around the Corner. So I travelled North by Northwest in The Time Machine to visit Doctor Zhivago or, as I called him, A Fish Called Wanda. After running into Thelma & Louise at Casino Royale, I knew I had to expand my Network beyond The Dirty Dozen all the way to Where Eagles Dare even if that meant confronting The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. 

Aaron: Well said.

Metro Pictures and Goldwyn Pictures Merge Wins (77-71)

Enrico Palazzo Pre-Memorial Championship Game

First Modern Mutual Fund Created

v.

Metro Pictures and Goldwyn Pictures Merge

Sean: An interesting matchup here in the final as, for what I believe is the first time, we have two business events in the final. This is a particularly tough one to assess as, to a certain extent, they are both consumer products, but behave very differently. A mutual fund needs your money to survive and profit from, but it promises you a monetary return. Films also need your money, but they only promise to entertain you. Do we look at this from the perspective of which has the higher success rate on its intended service? Or what about which has generated the most revenue? Perhaps we even look at which sector is viewed more favourably by the general population. We could do any or all of those things, but I think I will keep it much more straightforward than that. What we have here is a product category against an individual company and, to me, the category has to win out. From a single fund 100 years ago, the idea of the mutual fund has grown into the most common investment product available on the market and that longevity and financial power, to me, makes it the most important event of 1924.

Aaron: In 2022, Amazon purchased MGM Studios for a whopping $8.5 billion. In 2024, a quick online search reveals that there are more than 130,000 mutual funds in the world worth TRILLIONS. Therefore, as Sean outlined above, I agree that the first mutual fund is the most important event in 1924. Millions of people rely on mutual funds for their retirement, and the longevity of this idea shows how important it truly is.

Oh, and I’d like more of an explanation of how the GPR works…

Sean: That’s an issue for the 13th Annual(?) Year in Review (100 Years Later).

First Modern Mutual Fund Created Wins (150-75)

1910: Binder Clip Patented

1911: First International Women’s Day

1912: Titanic Sinks on Maidan Voyage

1913: Zipper Patent

1914: First Successful Non-Direct Blood Transfusion

1915: Women’s Suffrage Legalized in Kingdom of Denmark

1916: Margaret Sanger Opens First American Birth Control Clinic in Brooklyn

1917: Russian Revolution

1918: Spanish Flu Pandemic

1919: First Nonstop Transatlantic Flight

Winners at War: Women’s Suffrage in the Kingdom of Denmark

1920: Toaster Patent

1921: Discovery of Insulin

1922: Ottoman Empire Collapses

1923: Walt Disney Company Founded

Aaron Boyes has a PhD from the University of Ottawa

Sean Graham is host of What’s Old is News and a contributing editor with Activehistory.ca