Daily Dirt: Only 12 percent of the world is left-handed, but there have been some famous southpaws

Daily Dirt for Saturday, Aug. 6, 2022

Until today, I never knew Chewbacca was a left-handed Wookie … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 361 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Most people are right-handed. That’s a given. So does being a lefty make you special? Before you answer, consider the following items:

• Back in the mid-1800s, when as few as 2 percent of the population was left-handed, southpaws were felt to “be in league with the devil.” Yikes.
• Today, roughly 12 percent of the population is left-handed.
• Left-handed guitarists are an even rarer breed. Only 0.5 percent of those who play the guitar are lefties. 
• A recent study found that lefties were 11 times more likely to suffer from allergies than their right-handed brethren.
• That same study showed left-handed people were twice as likely to suffer from migraines.
• Right-handed people live an average of 9 years longer.
• But left-handers are generally more intelligent, better looking, imaginative and multi-talented than right handers, based on discussions among members of the worldwide Left-Handers Club.

2.  For those lefties who are unaware, International Left-Handed Day is Aug. 13. The day is designed to promote awareness of the problems lefties have in what is predominantly a right-handed world, plus recognizing famous southpaws.

Here are some well-known lefties:

• Eight U.S. presidents have been left-handed, including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush.
• Famous entertainers who are left-handed include Jim Carrey, Tom Cruise, Robert DeNiro, Whoopi Goldberg, Brad Pitt, Keanu Reeves, Julia Roberts, Sylvester Stallone and Chewbacca the Wookie.
• Famous left-handed musicians include Paul McCartney, Sting, Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie.
• Famous people in history who were lefties included Napoleon, Albert Einstein, Henry Ford, Joan of Arc, Julius Caesar and Helen Keller.
• Well-known left-handed athletes include Babe Ruth, Pele, Maradona and John McEnroe.

3. Willie Mays is the oldest living member of the MLB Hall of Fame at age 91. I can still remember when I got my first Willie Mays baseball card when I was a wee lad. It was a 1965 Topps. If I had still had that card, it would be worth $4,300.

For the record, here are the five oldest living Hall of Famers:

• 1. Willie Mays, 91.
• 2. Whitey Herzog, 90.
• 3. Luis Aparicio, 88.
• 4. Sandy Koufax, 86.
• 5. Bill Mazeroski, 85.

Steve Thought O’ The Day
For the record, Steve is right-handed.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. Left-handed guitarists are a rare breed, but thank goodness there’s only one Steve.