International Talk Like a Pirate Day's 10th Anniversary Celebrated

Design Pics/Thinkstock(NEW YORK) -- Across the world Tuesday, millions of people are celebrating what has quickly become a beloved tradition -- International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

As legend has it, the annual tradition that takes place on September 19 was launched by friends "Ol' Chumbucket" John Baur and "Cap'n Slappy" Mark Summers in Albany, Ore., in 1995 as a means to glamorize the golden age of piracy in maritime history. Though it began as a gag between the two men, the concept quickly caught fire when they contacted Dave Barry, the humor columnist for the Miami Herald.

In a 2002 column, Barry, known for poking fun at life's little foibles, told readers about International Talk Like a Pirate Day (ITLAP), and quickly, the idea hatched by the two Oregonians became a worldwide phenomenon.

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