On this date, in a year we do not know, the ex-wife of Mark Summers (aka, “Cap’n Slappy”, inventor of “Talk Like A Pirate Day” ) was born. So the Cap’n chose this date, back in 1995, to inaugurate this splendid festival.
Unlike many other, older holidays (the origins of which are shrouded in mystery), the beginnings of “Talk Like A Pirate Day” are relatively well-known. What wikipedia tells us is this: Summers and his friend John Baur (aka, “Ol’ Chumbucket”) were competing in a grueling racketball match. When one of the men let out a raucous “arrrggghh” during the match, they realized they were onto something and thought everyone should be encouraged to join into the fun.
Who knew pirates played racketball?
Anyway, the date of the match was actually June 6. But, that was the anniversary of the D-Day Invasion of Normany (an event which, if my history is correct, no pirates had a hand in). So, they changed it to a date which they knew that they’d remember: the birthdate of Summer’s ex-wife.
No word on whether the divorce happened before or after Summers decided to designate the woman’s birthday “Talk Like A Pirate Day”.
This year, there’s quite a complication with Talk Like A Pirate Day, actually, as it falls at the same time as the Jewish High Holy Day of Rosh Hashanah. One can only imagine the implications for services at temples and synogogues everywhere for those who observe both traditions (for example, for Jewish men, the delicate question is, which goes on top, the yamulke or the pirate hat? And what does it sound like to hear the beautiful Jewish services spoken and sung like…pirates?).
Thank goodness Talk Like A Pirate Day never falls close to Christmas. I can’t imagine the midwestern drawl of the folks at my church telling the story of the savior’s birth whilst hopping around on a fake pegleg and substituting an “Argggghh” for each “Amen”.
Fun Pirate Links To Help You Celebrate The Day
Monty Python’s Flying Circus: Football (Soccer) Match Between Gynecologists and Long John Silver Impersonators (starts at about 1:50 into the clip)
