The Pennsylvania Game
Johnny Appleseed, strange enlistment & a notable rock
Season 10 Episode 3 | 28m 14sVideo has Closed Captions
Do you know this story about Johnny Appleseed? Play the PA Game.
Do you know this story about Johnny Appleseed? Play the PA Game. This program is from WPSU’s archives: Information impacting answers may have changed since its original airing. Promotional offers are no longer valid.
The Pennsylvania Game
Johnny Appleseed, strange enlistment & a notable rock
Season 10 Episode 3 | 28m 14sVideo has Closed Captions
Do you know this story about Johnny Appleseed? Play the PA Game. This program is from WPSU’s archives: Information impacting answers may have changed since its original airing. Promotional offers are no longer valid.
How to Watch The Pennsylvania Game
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship[audio logo] ANNOUNCER: The Pennsylvania Game is made possible in part by-- [music playing] ANNOUNCER: Uni-Mart Convenience Stores, making your life easier every day of the year.
ANNOUNCER: This program was made possible by a grant from the Pennsylvania Public Television Network.
The network receives funding from the Commonwealth to provide public television for all Pennsylvanians.
ANNOUNCER: Let's get the game started.
Here's the host of The Pennsylvania Game, a man whose house pets actually feed him, Scott Bruce.
[applause] My people.
I love these folks.
Thank you, Wendy.
Thank you, studio audience, especially thank you folks at home for tuning in.
We've got a fabulous panel.
We've got a great show.
Let's not waste time.
Let's meet our panelists today.
First of all, our first panelist is an expert senior forecaster for Accuweather headquartered in State College.
He's also a regular meteorologist on Weather World produced by WPSX-TV.
Please give a warm welcome to Joe Sobel.
[applause] She is sports information coordinator and admissions counselor for Penn State Altoona and a native of Central Pennsylvania.
How about a nice round of applause for Anne Lewis Johnson.
[applause] And finally, and I'm very pleased about this.
John Hatton is a fourth grade teacher at Red Mill Elementary School in Etters, Pennsylvania.
A former student of his nominated him for our panel.
Nice to have you with us, John Hatton.
[applause] With all of that done, let's jump right into the game with our first question.
ANNOUNCER: After seeing a Time Magazine photo of people lined up to buy the last silver coins made by the US mint, Joseph Siegel was inspired to start the highly successful Franklin Mint in 1964.
In 1973, Siegel retired from the Franklin Mint to pursue other ventures.
Which of the following Pennsylvania companies did Siegel also form?
A, Archway Cookies.
B, Merry Maids.
C, Mail Boxes, et cetera.
Or D, QVC Home Shopping Channel.
SCOTT BRUCE: OK, what company was also started by Joseph Siegel?
Could it have been Archway Cookies, Merry Maids, which I like the sound of just by itself, Mail boxes et cetera, or QVC home shopping channel.
Joe, we're going to first on this.
Well, I think, probably after being in charge of the mint, this answer will make no sense whatsoever.
But I'll go with A. Archway Cookies.
See, Joe, you got to remember, this is The Pennsylvania Game.
Sense is not a priority here.
JOE SOBEL: I see, OK. We don't care about sense, not necessary.
OK, let's go to you, Anne.
Well, I think, I was along your lines in terms of what sounded good.
And with Franklin Mint, I went with Merry Maids.
SCOTT BRUCE: Getting that M thing going there.
That's right.
And there isn't an M choice, so you went with B. I like that.
That's good thinking.
OK, how about you, John?
I picked A because I was hungry.
[laughter] SCOTT BRUCE: That's right.
We don't feed our panelists here at The Pennsylvania Game.
We're so sorry about that.
OK, they've got their answers in.
Let's see if any of them got it correctly.
ANNOUNCER: The answer is D, the QVC Home Shopping Channel.
Joseph Segel has been referred to as the king of the startups.
The entrepreneur has started at least eight companies, including a charter airline and a software testing company.
In 1986, he founded QVC which stands for Quality, Value, and Convenience.
It's headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
A leader in electronic retailing, QVC reaches more than 62 million US households.
Segel hopes he can resist starting any new companies.
He says he'd like to pursue other interests such as working for the UN, learning French, or writing.
Well, I'm very pleased to see that he is now planning on starting up another one of these Psychic Friends Networks.
That I'm glad to hear.
Because I've always figured, if you call the Psychic Friends Network, your first question should be, who am I, and why am I calling?
[laughter] If they don't know the answer, I'm out of there.
All right, how about Wendy, how about if you give me a new question.
ANNOUNCER: A curious rock formation in Sullivan County near Eagles Mere has been attracting visitors to the area for years.
Because of its unusual characteristics, the sandstone rock has become known as what?
A, ticklish rock.
B, hammer rock.
C, whispering sea breeze.
Or D, ringing rock.
SCOTT BRUCE: Hammer rock, get busy.
[laughter] Could it be ticklish rock, hammer rock, whispering sea breeze, or ringing rock?
We're going to go to you first, Anne.
Well, I thought possibly ringing rock, D, because of a sound that might be made when climbing the rock.
Like a ringing.
Or a ringing around the rock and clock.
[snapping fingers] No, that was Brenda Lee, wasn't it?
I don't know.
OK, John, what do you think?
I picked C. I thought maybe to whisper secrets around the rocks, I don't know.
So we're all going with sounds associated with possible rock noises.
OK, how about you?
Well, I was actually looking for rolling rock.
[laughter] Since that wasn't there, I went with B. SCOTT BRUCE: I'm almost certain that's in a Park in Latrobe.
[laughter] I'm almost certain.
We knew that answer.
SCOTT BRUCE: They all knew the rolling rock answer.
All right, let's, find out if any of them got the right answer.
ANNOUNCER: The answer is A, ticklish rock.
Ticklish rock is a 50 to 60-ton sandstone rock.
It's located on the edge of a cliff and is supported by a natural column or pedestal that stands about 10 feet high.
The massive rock is so top heavy that it looks as though a slight push would cause it to totter and fall to the ground.
Instead, as many curious visitors have discovered, even strenuous efforts simply caused the rock to tremble as if ticklish, which is how the rock got its name.
Ticklish rock is evidence of nature's strange handiwork and still stands near the endless mountain trails in Sullivan County.
Can you imagine if during our taping that it actually started to fall over?
[laughter] I found out something interesting I talked to the people that went out to film that.
And right up underneath the rock's armpits, it's not ticklish at all.
[laughter] Don't turn on me now.
By the way, that question was submitted by Joseph Smith of Williamsport.
He will receive a year's free subscription to Pennsylvania Magazine published in Camp Hill.
You can do the same thing.
Send in your questions.
We'd love to have them.
But now it's time to meet our panel just a little bit closer.
Let's start out with Joe.
You're actually-- I read in my notes-- a forensic meteorologist.
And I read something very interesting.
You actually were involved in both the cases of Gloria Estefan and Jessica Savitch Right.
SCOTT BRUCE: I'd love to hear more about that.
Well, maybe we'll do lunch, but we can talk.
[laughter] Oh, you're so showbiz now.
Well, a forensic meteorologist is just-- I mean, these days everybody is a forensic something or another-- but a forensic meteorologist gets involved in a case of law or whatever when there's a disagreement over what the weather was.
And, for instance, in both of those cases, it was visibility that was the issue.
In the Gloria Estefan case, her bus had pulled over to the side of the road.
The issue was how far down the road should have the car that hit the bus have seen the bus?
How interesting that in both cases a highly visible person had a visibility problem.
JOE SOBEL: Good point.
Not funny.
I didn't say it was funny.
You'll note I didn't say it was funny.
And Louis Johnson-- get me out of this-- and Louis Johnson, it says here you've been watching The Pennsylvania Game for years and that you have vivid memories of watching the show with your father.
Have we been on that long?
Heavens to Betsy.
Not that-- I mean, you look very young.
I'm getting trouble here.
But you're also a competitive distance runner for marathons.
Yes.
Actually.
One of my goals is to be running a marathon within the next year.
I just completed my first half marathon two weeks ago, and I was very pleased with my performance.
So we'll see how it goes.
Well, the best of luck to you.
Good luck running.
Those are hard.
I know.
I've tried.
And John, down to you.
When you're not teaching, you're working on your doctorate or directing your church choir.
That's very interesting.
You're also currently training to become a battlefield guide at Gettysburg.
That has got to be fascinating.
Yeah.
The more I go down and look around, the more I realize how much I don't know about the battlefield.
There's more there than meets the eye, huh?
JOHN HATTON: Sure is.
Well I've been down and done the tour of the battlefield, and I think it's fascinating.
I think everybody should down to it.
So I look forward to seeing you down there.
Hope so.
OK.
Enough of that.
Let's move along with a question from Wendy Williams.
ANNOUNCER: On 1st, 1864, John Summerfield staples of Stroudsburg, Monroe County enlisted as a private in the second regiment district of Columbia volunteers to serve in the Civil War.
What was so unusual about his enlistment?
A, he wore size 17 shoes, much larger than any government issue.
B, he was blind but had amazingly acute hearing.
C, he was a substitute for President Lincoln.
Or D, he was a former brigadier general in the British Army.
SCOTT BRUCE: OK, what was unusual about John Summerfield?
Did he wear those really big size 17 shoes?
Was he blind but with great hearing?
Was he a substitute for President Lincoln, or he was a former brigadier general in the British Army?
John, we're going to you first.
Pure guess for letter D. SCOTT BRUCE: Letter D, the former brigadier general.
Good guess.
OK, well, and guesses are welcome here on The Pennsylvania Game.
In fact, almost all of us are doing the same thing.
Joe, what do you think?
When I'm at home playing this game, I get everyone right.
[laughter] SCOTT BRUCE: A little tougher in the hot seat, isn't it, Joe?
I don't understand this.
SCOTT BRUCE: Well, actually, we put an extra special hard questions just for you.
Appreciate it.
Went for D. No reason.
SCOTT BRUCE: Brigadier general.
So we have two brigadier generals.
OK, Anne?
I actually because I think it would be quite admirable, I'm going with B because I hope that's the answer.
Yes.
SCOTT BRUCE: Because he was blind and yet had good hearing.
That would be incredible.
SCOTT BRUCE: And makes for interesting, let's give him a gun, OK. [laughter] ANNE LEWIS JOHNSON: OK. Whatever works for you, I think, will be a good idea.
Wendy, why don't you tell us if that's the case?
ANNOUNCER: The answer is C. When the Civil War broke out in April, 1861, young men enlisted in droves.
But by 1864 as the War dragged on, enthusiasm dropped dramatically.
Congress responded by instituting a draft.
Men whose names were drawn could hire substitutes to serve for them.
Even though President Lincoln was technically ineligible for the draft, he wanted to set an example and decided to hire a substitute for himself.
The head of the draft club in Lincoln's ward approached John Summerfield Staples and asked him to serve in the president's place.
Staples accepted the offer and the bonus that went with it.
But soon after enlisting, the frail, young soldier became ill and was hospitalized.
Just one year later he was medically discharged.
He was reportedly so weak that his father had him transported home from Philadelphia by carriage.
In her autobiography, Mary Todd Lincoln did make reference to the fact that she could have used a substitute around the White House a few times too.
[laughter] I'm making this up.
Time to check our scores.
Let's take a look.
I see on the scoreboard Joe has 0, Anne has 0, John has 0.
[applause] That's right.
A three-way tie at nothing.
That means it's time for our first clue of the Mystery Pennsylvanian.
Get your pens ready.
Here we go.
Born in Philadelphia this early 20th century author known to suffer periodically from nervous exhaustion.
The chapters of her book about Rebecca were written from a sanitarium.
The opening chapters of her book about Rebecca were written from a sanitarium.
Did you get the hint?
I think you did.
You can write that down on first line.
If you get it correct, all three lines, you will be three points richer, which would be very helpful since you all have no points whatsoever.
And now Wendy will give us a new question.
ANNOUNCER: Johnny Appleseed's real name was John Chapman.
A native of Massachusetts, he set out for Pittsburgh in 1788, and then up the Allegheny River to visit an uncle near Olean, New York.
There he created the first apple tree nursery west of the Allegheny Mountains.
Chapman might have been content to sow his seeds around Olean had what not happened?
A, he discovered his life's work after being kicked in the head by a horse.
B, his mother became Gravely ill and he went home to Massachusetts.
C, he fell in love with a traveling circus performer and acquired a wanderlust.
Or D, he went to the Ohio territory to combat a blight that threatened the native apple trees.
SCOTT BRUCE: You want to tell me we don't have great writers on our show?
[laughter] OK, kids.
Did he get kicked in the head by a horse?
Was his mother gravely ill?
Did he fall in love with a traveling circus performer?
Or did he go to Ohio to combat a blight of threatened apple trees?
We are going to Joe first on this.
What do you think?
Have you ever had a show where nobody's gotten any answer correct, period, total?
As it turns out, yes, we have.
ANNE LEWIS JOHNSON: OK. We're all right, guys.
OK. You're doing fine.
I forget what I put down.
SCOTT BRUCE: OK, well, you picked B.
That was a B, yeah.
SCOTT BRUCE: His mother was gravely ill.
Taking the serious route.
OK, Anne, how about you?
Well, this is a study in contrast in terms of these choices, but I'm a hopeless romantic, so I chose C. SCOTT BRUCE: C for the traveling circus.
Yes.
And don't even make fun of my choice.
I'm not saying a word.
I'll pull out a gun and shoot you blindfolded.
I think it's a lovely choice.
John, what do you think?
I went with D. SCOTT BRUCE: D?
Hopefully, the answer makes sense this time.
SCOTT BRUCE: The blight about apples.
Logical.
OK, Wendy, tell me the right answer.
ANNOUNCER: The answer is A.
While living in Oleon, Chapman was kicked by a horse and knocked unconscious.
When he awoke several days later, he reported having a beautiful dream.
He told his brother that he now knew what his life's work should be.
I'm going to sow the west with apple seeds, he said, making the wilderness to blossom with their beauty and the people happy with their fruit.
Today, an historical marker honors Johnny Appleseed who lived along French Creek outside Franklin from 1797 to 1804.
He established a nursery along the Creek and another near Warren before heading to the Ohio River Valley, stopping whenever he saw a likely place to plant seeds and establish a tree nursery.
And, interestingly enough, he also coined the phrase, "ain't that a kick in the head."
Time to move on.
Wendy, give me a new question.
ANNOUNCER: Each year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation identifies America's 11 most endangered places.
Which Pennsylvania site made the 1996 list?
Was it A, the Gettysburg Battlefield, B, the Erie Canal, C, the East Broad Top Railroad, or D, the James Buchanan Homestead?
OK, was it the Gettysburg Battlefield, the Erie Canal the East broad top railroad the James Buchanan Homestead.
Anne, we go to you first.
Well, I was thinking about famous Pennsylvanians on the drive, and I was thinking about James Buchanan, so I went with D. SCOTT BRUCE: There you go.
Good thinking.
I like that.
John?
I went with A. Gettysburg Battlefield because you're studying it.
That's right.
Had a good reason.
Joe?
Well, I hope the Gettysburg Battlefield is not endangered that would be terrible.
I went with D. SCOTT BRUCE: D for the James Buchanan house.
OK, we have an A and two D's, which adds up to all the wrong answers.
ANNOUNCER: The answer is C, the East Broad Top Railroad.
Located in Huntington County, the railway's tourist income is no longer sufficient to meet the operating costs of the rare, intact 19th century rail system.
East Broad Top Railroad is made up of 31 miles of railway through Pennsylvania's western mountains.
It includes locomotives and cars, narrow gauge rail lines, bridges and tunnels, a repair shop, depots, and a company town.
All are in danger of being sold off and dispersed because the owners cannot meet the high operating costs.
While replacement on the most endangered list does not ensure funding, in the past, it has been a powerful tool for raising awareness and resources.
OK, After some wild and fast shuffling at the last minute, the scores currently are 0 to 0 to 0.
[applause] We're going to pass out lottery tickets soon.
Time for your second clue in the Mystery Pennsylvanian.
Here we go.
One of her earliest stories was published in multiple editions and in various languages.
It indicated that Christmas was for the birds.
One of her earliest stories was published in multiple editions and in various languages.
It indicated that Christmas was for the birds.
Born in Philadelphia, this early 20th century author was known to suffer periodically from nervous exhaustion.
The opening chapters of her book about Rebecca were written from a sanitarium.
OK, everybody's writing and time to continue on.
Wendy, a new question please?
ANNOUNCER: Cleve Jones grew up in Mt.
Lebanon just outside of Pittsburgh but later moved to San Francisco.
Why did ABC News name him person of the week in 1987.
Did he A, discover a potentially deadly stress fracture in the Golden Gate Bridge.
B, develop an instrument that allows for earlier detection of earthquakes.
C, create the Aids Memorial Quilt.
Or D, set a new sailing record for a solo nonstop trip around the globe.
SCOTT BRUCE: All right, what made him person of the week?
Did he discover the potentially deadly stress fracture in the Golden Gate Bridge, develop an instrument that allows for earlier detection of earthquakes, create the Aids Memorial Quilt, or set a new sailing record for a solo nonstop trip around the globe?
John, down to you first.
Well, we'll try for a win this time.
SCOTT BRUCE: OK, we'd like that.
I hope so.
Let's try for D. D, Setting the sailing record.
I'm adventurous.
Joe?
We may not be very good.
We are competitive.
SCOTT BRUCE: Yes, you are.
I seem to remember last year somebody going around the globe in a balloon or something, so I went with D also.
SCOTT BRUCE: D also.
OK, we have two D's.
I went with A. SCOTT BRUCE: A.
Once again, we have A, D, D, which once again will add up to 0.
[laughter] ANNOUNCER: The answer is C. Cleve Jones was named person of the week by ABC news following the inaugural display of the Aids Memorial Quilt on the Capitol Mall in Washington DC.
Jones conceived the idea for the NAMES Project Aids Memorial Quilt in 1985 after asking gay marchers to write on placards the names of friends and loved ones who had died of Aids.
The cards which were then taped to the walls of the San Francisco Federal Building resembled a patchwork quilt.
The quilt which was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 is a powerful visual reminder of the Aids pandemic.
Made up of more than 50,000 panels and still growing, it is the largest example of a community art project in the world.
Jones was a longtime survivor of the HIV disease.
I have to tell you the truth.
There are many times when I'm very proud to be a Pennsylvanian, and this is one of them.
I'm very pleased to see that Pennsylvanian was responsible for the start of that quilt.
It makes me feel good.
Go Pennsylvania.
That's it.
We all agree.
How about another question, Wendy?
ANNOUNCER: The geographic center of the 50 United States is in Butte County, South Dakota, west of the town of Castle Rock.
The center of the 48 contiguous states is in Smith County, Kansas near the town of Lebanon.
Which town is closest to the geographic center of Pennsylvania?
Is it A, Middletown, B, Bellefonte, C, Centerville, or D, Midway.
OK, as you're choosing here, I do want to point out that there is some controversy.
Some people feel that Aaronsburg is the center of the State.
But this is based on people who have done a lot of surveys, The Atlas of Pennsylvania, a couple of college professors.
So your choices are, Middletown, Bellefonte, Centerville, or Midway.
Joe, we go to you first.
Well, it's, probably Centerville because that's too obvious, but I didn't go with that.
I picked Bellefonte because it's at least in Center County.
SCOTT BRUCE: There you go.
That's good thinking.
How about you, Anne?
Similar to my reasoning being aficionado of State College, I thought Bellefonte being the next closest thing in terms of town over, I chose B also.
B also.
We have to bellefontes.
And John?
Well, we'll all be right or all be wrong.
[laughter] That means lottery tickets.
Pass them down.
Everybody gets a lottery ticket.
They've all chosen B, and ladies and gentlemen the score is about to change.
The answer is B, Bellefonte.
Although it sounds like a logical choice, Centerville is not located in the geographic center of the state no matter which of the three you're referring to, the one in Bedford, Crawford, or Washington counties.
According to The Atlas of Pennsylvania, the geographic center of Pennsylvania is 2.5 miles southwest of Bellefonte in Center County.
Because of its central geographic location, Bellefonte, which is often remembered because it was the home to many of Pennsylvania's governors, was once considered as the possible site for our state capital.
Directly to Mystery Pennsylvanian, clue number three.
Many of her best works were set in Maine.
However, the setting of her most popular novel was a sunny farm, a sunny farm.
That would be a farm that was not under clouds but rather sunny.
One of her earliest stories was published in multiple editions and in various languages.
It indicated that Christmas was for the birds.
Born in Philadelphia, this early 20th century author was known to suffer periodically from nervous exhaustion.
The opening chapters of her book about Rebecca were written from a sanitarium about a sunny farm possibly.
[vocalizing] And, by the way, if this does end up in a tie, we all get to share prizes.
There's going to be prizes for everyone.
So let's go ahead and find out what everybody had down.
We will start with Anne.
Anne, hold your plate up please and show us what you have.
The pressure is on.
Yes, it is.
Let's see, we have Toni Morrison.
So I'm waiting to exhale on this next one.
Rebecca-- I can't read it from here.
Audubon.
SCOTT BRUCE: Audubon.
You mentioned birds.
I was staying-- SCOTT BRUCE: There you go.
And finally, Rebecca of Sunnybrook farm.
OK. Let's go to Joe.
What do you have?
Well-- SCOTT BRUCE: I'm sorry.
Well, John first if we could, please.
I read wrong.
We have Rebecca Jones, Rebecca Health, Rebecca Sunny.
I have no idea.
Key word here being Rebecca.
OK. Joe, and how about you?
Well, we have Minnie Mouse.
We have Donald Duck, and we have Rebecca Robin.
I went with the Rebecca theme finally.
SCOTT BRUCE: Also, the Rebecca theme.
Well, we've all found a Rebecca theme.
Wendy, could Rebecca be the right answer?
Don't think so.
ANNOUNCER: Kate Douglas Wiggin was a native of Philadelphia and early on a national leader in the Kindergarten Movement.
She took up writing as a means of funding the cause.
Little did she know that the story of Patsy and the seasonal classic, "The Birds Christmas Carol" would be so successful.
By 1884, she was an established author devoted to writing full time.
Her best selling book Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm was originally an adult novel but was later regarded as a children's book.
Rebecca, the heroine of the story, was described as intelligent and strong in the face of adversity, which was typical of the way Wiggins portrayed women in her books.
Kate Douglas Wiggin, a famous Pennsylvanian.
Yes.
And as we look at the scoreboard, we have 1 to 1 to 1, a three-way tie.
They're all champions.
[applause] Wendy, tell them what they've won.
ANNOUNCER: Well, Scott, it's his and hers soft woolen blankets from Woolrich of Woolrich and 50 chances to win $1,000 a week for life from the Pennsylvania Lottery.
That's right.
What fabulous prizes we've all won.
We couldn't be happier.
What a great set of panelists.
Give them a round of applause.
This studio is great.
Thanks for you folks at home.
We appreciate your being here.
Remember, if you have a question for The Pennsylvania Game, send it to 214 Wagner Building University Park PA 16802.
If we use your question, you'll win a year's free subscription to Pennsylvania Magazine.
Thanks a lot.
Bye now.
[applause] SCOTT BRUCE: The Pennsylvania Game is made possible in part by-- [music playing] ANNOUNCER: Uni-Mart Convenience Stores, making your life easier every day of the year.
ANNOUNCER: This program was made possible by a grant from the Pennsylvania Public Television Network.
The network receives funding from the Commonwealth to provide public television for all Pennsylvanians.
SCOTT BRUCE: Meals and lodging for contestants of The Pennsylvania Game were provided by The Nittany Lion Inn, located on the University Park campus of Penn State.
[applause]