December 21st is Phileas Fogg Wins a Wager Day

Anniversary, from Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days, of the winning of Phileas Fogg’s wager, on Dec 21, 1872, when Fogg walked into the saloon of the Reform Club at London, announcing, “Here I am, gentlemen!” exactly 79 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds after starting his trip “around the world in 80 days,” to win his £20,000 wager. See also: “Phileas Fogg’s Wager Day” (Oct 2).