My guess is you vaguely remember the name Drake. Sir Francis Drake, the English Explorer, is a name we all had to know at some point in History Class. You may even know what he is best known for - being the first person to circumnavigate the globe (The real Globe, not the Replogle Globe. You know, in a boat and everything. I, on the other hand, would get lost trying to circumnavigate an 18-inch globe because I am very bad at directions).
But did you know he was known as a pirate? Yep, he was a bloody, gold-driven leader. He was vicious against the Spanish. His first victory was against a mule caravan, and he took 20 tons of gold and silver. He later led the English forces against the Spanish Armada, won, and then in the cleanup process of neutralizing the remainder of their ships and trying to take over the Azores, he lost 12,000 men and 20 ships.
Now what about the other guy our Replogle Globe is named after, this Coronelli character?
Coronelli was a monk and a cartographer (mapmaker). He published the first of his 140 works at the age of 16. He founded the first geographic society, was an expert in astronomy and mathematics, and was so respected as a theologian that he became the head of the Franciscan Order.
Bet they didn't teach you about him in school.
So, out of respect for our beloved, studious, Italian monk, I think we should name the Drake-Coronelli Replogle Globe after someone other than Francis Drake. I've narrowed a list of candidates, and here are the finalists:
- Doofus Drake, Launchpad's sidekick in the Disney series 'Duck Tales'
- Marino Drake, a Cuban Olympic Gold Medalist in the High Jump
- Alfred Drake, a Broadway actor who starred opposite Katharine Hepburn in 'Much Ado about Nothing'
For a limited time, there will be a poll on the right side of this page. Invite your friends, because, hey, this is a democracy... Choose carefully.
