What you didn’t know about the number 13: A Celebration of Nexus Direct

This July, Nexus Direct celebrates its 13th birthday. While many people believe that the number 13 is unlucky (perhaps even suffering from triskaidekaphobia — the fear of the number 13), we have had yet another phenomenal year here at Nexus. In honor of this birthday, here are 13 facts about the number 13:

1. The number 13 tends to be a popular number in athletics. For instance, Wilt Chamberlain, Alex Rodriguez, and Pavel Datsyuk all wore the number on their respective teams.
2. The planet Neptune has 13 known moons, the most famous of which is Triton, the only large moon to orbit in the opposite direction of its planet’s rotation.
3. In the U.S., our first flag was comprised of 13 stars and 13 stripes to represent the original 13 colonies. Even to this day, the flag still incorporates the 13 stripes. The US Great Seal even contains the 13 stars and stripes, as well as 13 olive leaves, 13 olives, 13 arrows, 13 levels of bricks in the pyramid, and 13 sides showing on the ribbon. We still use 13 guns in a salute to any of our armed services.
4. Auguste Comte devised the 13-month calendar in 1849. Based on a 364-day year, each month was made up of 28 days (exactly four weeks a month). The 13th month was called “Sol” and placed mid-year between June and July. Once a year, at the end of December (on what would be the 29th) there would be a day with no weekday name, called only “year day.” There were many reasons this plan was not easily devisable, the main reason pertaining to business quarters. In 1937, George Eastman of the U.S. and Moses B. Cotsworth of England closed the doors to the International Fixed Calendar League (which had a surprising number of offices worldwide), after which efforts to instate the calendar ceased.
5. Apollo 13 was the 13th mission of the Apollo space program. It was launched at 13:13 on April 10, 1970.
6. Colgate University considers 13 a lucky number. They were founded in 1819 by 13 men with 13 dollars, 13 prayers, and 13 articles. The campus is located at 13 Oak Drive. Even their male a cappella group is called the “Colgate 13.”
7. In Germany, 13 (dreizhen) was the first compound number to be written in digits; the numbers 0–12 were spelled out. This has since become an outdated system, but nonetheless interesting. In Germanic languages, 13 is the first compound number, as the numbers 11 and 12 have their own names (elf and zwölf).
8. The Mayan Tzolk’in Calendar marked cycles in 13-day periods.
9. A baker’s dozen is 13, one for the baker to test!
10. On January 1, 49 BC, Julius Caesar led one single legion, called the Thirteenth Legion, over the Rubicon River, thus starting Caesar’s civil war, as well as leading to the eventual creation of the Roman Empire.
11. In rugby, each side has 13 players on the field at any given time. The jersey number 13 is typically worn by the starting loose forward or lock forward in a rugby league, or the outside center in rugby union.
12. The U.S. Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery when it was passed by the House of Representatives in 1865.
13. In Italy, the number 13 is considered a VERY lucky number. In fact, the expression “fare tredici!” (“to do thirteen”) essentially means to hit the jackpot.

“Fare tredici” by hiring Nexus Direct to redirect your marketing program!