1. Who invented nacho cheese sauce? (The company name is fine, but extra points if you know the family’s name and mega credit if you can name the late country-music legend who married, then divorced, the sister of the inventor).
Frank Liberto, CEO of Ricos Products Company, invented the ubiquitous concession-stand nacho cheese sauce in 1976. His sister Vivian Liberto was married to Johnny Cash from 1954-1966. A sidenote: the Ricos mascot, a smiley droplet of nacho cheese licking its little cheese lips, is awesome.
2. What was the Yellow Rose of Texas’ real name, and what was her occupation (according to folk history, anyway)? Bonus points if you know how she affected the outcome of the Battle of San Jacinto.
Emily West (NOT Emily Morgan of hotel fame), was, according to legend, a gorgeous multiracial courtesan. During the Battle of San Jacinto, West was, er, distracting General Santa Anna during siesta in his tent, whereupon the Texan forces led by Sam Houston descended on the encamped Mexican Army. Thus surprised, Santa Anna and his troops were defeated. (Note: the “courtesan” aspect is disputed by modern historians, who maintain that she was likely abducted by soldiers for the General).
3. What major-league baseball team is the San Antonio Missions the double-A affiliate of? (Bonus points: name BOTH mascots, the primary and the auxiliary).
As of now, the Missions are the farm team for the San Diego Padres. However, the St. Louis Browns, the Baltimore Orioles, the Chicago Cubs, the Cleveland Indians, the Texas Rangers, the LA Dodgers, and the Seattle Mariners each laid claim to the missions before finally, in ’06, we got signed to the Padres. (…For now, anyway. We get around.)
Oh, and the primary mascot is “The Ballapeño,” and the secondary mascot is the ever-tackleable “Henry, the Puffy Taco.”
4. Name one of San Antonio’s foreign-burg “sister cities.”
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Guadalajara, Mexico
Monterrey, Mexico
Chennai, India
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Kumamoto, Japan
Kwangiu, South Korea
5. True or False: San Antonio went Obama in the ’08 presidential election.
True!
6. What the hell sport does the “San Antonio Rampage” play?
“Ice Hockey,” apparently.
7. Multiple choice: San Antonio ranks first among American cities in
a. the pecan-shelling industry
b. per-capita number of gay couples raising children
c. fan satisfaction with our major-league sports franchise (LOS ESPURS!)
d. overall crime among all major cities in Texas
e. affordable home ownership
f. all of the above
You guessed it, we bet: F
8. Fill in the blank for this vintage advertising ditty: “Give me love, give me _______, give me Texas.” (Hint: the “mascot” of this advertiser was, for a time, a giant, beverage-thieving armadillo).
Lone Star.
9. What was Crossroads Mall called before it was called Crossroads Mall?
Wonderland Mall.
10. Was Miss Nelson really missing?
Nope! She was in disguise the whole time.
