1 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:06,680 Speaker 1: You're listening to part Time Genius, the production of Kaleidoscope 2 00:00:06,720 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: and iHeartRadio. Guess what Will? 3 00:00:13,080 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 2: What's that Mango? 4 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: So you know how I love all those obscure Olympic 5 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:19,439 Speaker 1: sports that are kind of on the bubble right. 6 00:00:19,960 --> 00:00:21,840 Speaker 2: This is something you and I have talked about for 7 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 2: a long time. We both love learning about all the 8 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:28,320 Speaker 2: weird sports, the strange sports like chest boxing, extreme ironing, 9 00:00:28,360 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 2: all the good stuff like that. 10 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 1: Dream ironing is like my favorite easily. I was reading 11 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 1: an article on GQ about historic Olympic sports, and the 12 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:41,879 Speaker 1: number one straightest Olympic sport on their list is poodle clipping. 13 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:43,320 Speaker 1: Can you believe that? 14 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 2: Actually, no, I don't think that. 15 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:47,400 Speaker 1: I did. Wait, was poodle clipping actually a sport? According 16 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: to the article, it was just a test event. But 17 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:52,720 Speaker 1: in the Paris nineteen hundred Games, one hundred and twenty 18 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: eight poodle groomers supposedly competed in front of a lively 19 00:00:56,240 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: crowd of six thousand cheering fans where they had to 20 00:00:59,520 --> 00:01:02,279 Speaker 1: trim as much for off as many poodles as they 21 00:01:02,280 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 1: could in two hours, which sounds utterly ridiculous. 22 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:08,040 Speaker 2: That is incredible, and I do have to say I 23 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:09,400 Speaker 2: don't want to brag, but I feel like I could 24 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:12,160 Speaker 2: have gold zoned the heck out of that event. But 25 00:01:12,560 --> 00:01:14,680 Speaker 2: I am curious, like, how many poodles do you have 26 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 2: to shave to win an event like that? 27 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,160 Speaker 1: Well, I am certain that poodle clipping training and technology 28 00:01:20,200 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 1: has only advanced since nineteen hundred, but at the time, 29 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:26,679 Speaker 1: the gold medal was supposedly won by a farmer's wife 30 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 1: named a real lafoul who gave fancy haircuts to seventeen poodles. 31 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:33,920 Speaker 1: And this is the fact. You can find all over 32 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:37,400 Speaker 1: the web, from the Sunday Times to the BBC's Olympics 33 00:01:37,480 --> 00:01:40,360 Speaker 1: live blog from Beijing and of course GQ where I 34 00:01:40,400 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 1: found it. So of course I was super excited to 35 00:01:43,240 --> 00:01:46,200 Speaker 1: talk about it. But it turns out, and this totally 36 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:49,200 Speaker 1: broke my heart. Poodle clipping is a hoax. 37 00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 2: No, oh man, this is heartbreaking because I was actually 38 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:55,200 Speaker 2: really going to get into it, Like, once a poodle 39 00:01:55,880 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 2: is shaved, do they go back to that same poodle 40 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:00,560 Speaker 2: or do they just have this long line of poodles, 41 00:02:00,560 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 2: Like once you shaved, you're done. 42 00:02:02,200 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: But you have to toss the poodle to move on. 43 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 2: I think I guess so. But anyway, if it's a hoax, 44 00:02:07,200 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 2: so there's there's no poodle clipping in the Olympics. 45 00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:13,239 Speaker 1: Yeah, and so this comes from the Museum of Hoaxes. 46 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 1: But in two thousand and eight, a writer named Christopher 47 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: Lyles was writing a daily countdown column for the Daily Telegraph, 48 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: and every day he wrote some sort of story or 49 00:02:21,960 --> 00:02:25,440 Speaker 1: fact about Olympic history. But on April first, he decided 50 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: to have some fun with his column and he made 51 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,680 Speaker 1: up this bit about poodle clipping. Now, the Olympics obviously 52 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:32,799 Speaker 1: has tested a whole bunch of unusual games over the years, 53 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:36,120 Speaker 1: from pigeon shooting to tandem cycling, and when he published 54 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:38,400 Speaker 1: that poodle clipping was a test event in the nineteen 55 00:02:38,480 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 1: hundred France Olympics, it kind of felt too good to 56 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: be true, right, Like it's French, it's historic, it involves poodles. 57 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:47,920 Speaker 1: But of course one of the clearest tells was the 58 00:02:48,000 --> 00:02:51,440 Speaker 1: name of the winner of real lafool aka the French 59 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:56,000 Speaker 1: word for April and lafool. Anyway, as the Museum of 60 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,080 Speaker 1: Hoaxes put it, the April Fools joke has a slow 61 00:02:59,120 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 1: burn because people forget about it, and then every four 62 00:03:02,240 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 1: years of resurfaces, making anyone in the nose smile again, 63 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: which is a pretty wonderful legacy. 64 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:08,399 Speaker 2: That's pretty great. 65 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:11,960 Speaker 1: Anyway, Now that the Paris Games are over, and you know, 66 00:03:12,040 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 1: we're setting our sites on the La Olympics, I thought 67 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:17,520 Speaker 1: it would actually be fun to revisit some ridiculous sports 68 00:03:17,520 --> 00:03:20,960 Speaker 1: and competitions. Not poodle clipping, but you know, games that 69 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:23,720 Speaker 1: were actually a part of the Olympics, and I thought 70 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:24,440 Speaker 1: you might be up for that. 71 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 2: I love this because I'm having that withdrawal. You know, 72 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:30,360 Speaker 2: it's been so much fun. I'm not getting to watch 73 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 2: anybody win medals for trampolining and all that good stuff. 74 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:57,440 Speaker 2: So let's do what I'm in. Hey, their podcast listeners, 75 00:03:57,440 --> 00:04:00,000 Speaker 2: welcome to Part Time Genius. I'm Will Pearson and is all. 76 00:04:00,440 --> 00:04:03,000 Speaker 2: I'm joined by my good friend menges Sha Ticketer and 77 00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:06,560 Speaker 2: sitting behind that big booth practicing twirling in his office 78 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 2: chair like it's an Olympic sport. I mean, he actually, 79 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 2: I would say, looks like an Olympic gymnast as qualified 80 00:04:12,840 --> 00:04:14,720 Speaker 2: as he is with this. It's just amazing. Look at 81 00:04:14,760 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 2: him go a mango. 82 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:18,200 Speaker 1: I mean it's impressive. He was doing handstands earlier. But 83 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 1: Dylan does know that desk twirling isn't an Olympic sport, right. 84 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 2: No, No, he knows this. He's been hard at work 85 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 2: petitioning in the IOC, and he'll be ready when they 86 00:04:27,279 --> 00:04:29,760 Speaker 2: admit it to the twenty twenty eight Games. He's optimistic. 87 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:30,839 Speaker 2: I'm optimistic. 88 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: I cannot wait to cheer him on. Well. 89 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 2: I don't know about you, Mango, but I'm still coming 90 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 2: down from all the excitement of the Olympic Games. And 91 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:41,760 Speaker 2: it's fun to look back at some of the unusual 92 00:04:41,800 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 2: events that used to be included. Like this comes for 93 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:48,119 Speaker 2: the International Society of Olympic Historians, and it talks about 94 00:04:48,120 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 2: some of the contests that took place in the nineteen 95 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 2: hundred Paris Olympics. They included cannon firing, pigeon racing, firefighting, 96 00:04:56,600 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 2: and kite flying. Some of this just seems so fun. 97 00:04:59,440 --> 00:05:01,920 Speaker 1: I mean, they all sound crazy, I but firefighting is 98 00:05:01,960 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: a sport is kind of amazing. 99 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean this comes from a time when the 100 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:08,839 Speaker 2: World's Fair used to run in tandem with the Olympic Games, 101 00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:11,279 Speaker 2: and there was actually a lot of crossover between the 102 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:14,320 Speaker 2: two events. And there's some disagreement from the IOC about 103 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 2: which ones were fully part of the Olympics, but there 104 00:05:17,520 --> 00:05:21,040 Speaker 2: were definitely a lot of experimental and exhibition games taking 105 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:23,000 Speaker 2: place really sort of all over Paris. 106 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 1: So of course, part of the reason we're doing this 107 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 1: episode is because we love stories about things on the bubble, 108 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:30,039 Speaker 1: like we love tales about pedigree dogs that are on 109 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 1: the cusp of being allowed to compete in the Westminster 110 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:36,200 Speaker 1: Dog Show, or words that got cut from the dictionary. 111 00:05:36,240 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 1: And of course there are a lot of Olympic sports 112 00:05:37,920 --> 00:05:41,840 Speaker 1: that fall into this category as well, including breakdancing or breaking, 113 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 1: which was just add to the Olympic Games this year, 114 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:48,440 Speaker 1: and I was curious, did you enjoy watching breakdancing the Olympics. 115 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:52,120 Speaker 2: I have to say people sometimes question why it's in 116 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:54,840 Speaker 2: the Olympics, but if you think about it, if you're 117 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:57,800 Speaker 2: out in public and breakdancing is on TV. This actually 118 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 2: happened to me just a couple of weeks ago during 119 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:04,000 Speaker 2: the Olympics, and you see it on TV, and the 120 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 2: response from everybody this was in a restaurant, is they 121 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 2: all start acting like their break dancing, Like there's something 122 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 2: so fun and almost contagious about it, Like everybody starts 123 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:16,719 Speaker 2: doing their same awful moves. It it's it's just a 124 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:17,280 Speaker 2: lot of fun. 125 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:21,240 Speaker 1: Honestly, yeah, I agree, But what fact are you going 126 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:21,839 Speaker 1: to lead off with? 127 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 2: All right, Well, you know, I'm a fan of American 128 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:27,839 Speaker 2: Ninja Warrior. Like from wayback in the earliest days, Big 129 00:06:27,880 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 2: Time used to set up courses for my kids all 130 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 2: through our den and everywhere, and it was just so 131 00:06:33,600 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 2: much fun to turn our house into the ultimate obstacle course. Now, look, 132 00:06:36,720 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 2: I wasn't fooling myself. I didn't think my kids would ever, 133 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,479 Speaker 2: you know, end up in American Ninja Warrior, because I 134 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:44,400 Speaker 2: certainly didn't have the coordination to do it. But it 135 00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:46,719 Speaker 2: was fun to be able to pretend at home. And 136 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,600 Speaker 2: so I was delighted when I found out that swimming 137 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:52,839 Speaker 2: obstacle race used to be an event in the Olympics. 138 00:06:52,839 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 2: I love obstacle races, just like cannon shooting and kite flying. 139 00:06:56,640 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 2: This comes from the nineteen hundred Olympic Games in Paris, 140 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 2: but the event almost sounds like it was just made 141 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:05,359 Speaker 2: up on the spot. So swimmers had to get across 142 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,040 Speaker 2: this two hundred meter course on the River sind which 143 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 2: included quote, climbing over a pole, scrambling over a row 144 00:07:12,320 --> 00:07:15,280 Speaker 2: of boats, swimming under another row, of boats. I mean, 145 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:17,200 Speaker 2: it's just again, it's like they're making it up along 146 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:19,800 Speaker 2: the way. And the event was supposed to show strength, 147 00:07:19,920 --> 00:07:22,800 Speaker 2: agility and swimming prowess, which I guess it did. 148 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:28,280 Speaker 1: It almost sounds like a doubledare course right in the slime. Yeah. 149 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:30,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, there's no like flag you pull out of a 150 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 2: nose or anything like that. But you know, of course 151 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:36,119 Speaker 2: that the river was apparently really muddy during the event, 152 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:38,080 Speaker 2: so it might have been a thicker swim than you'd 153 00:07:38,120 --> 00:07:40,400 Speaker 2: expect for an Olympic game. So even back then they 154 00:07:40,400 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 2: were having some trouble with what they needed out of 155 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 2: the water. But what's also interesting is that an Australian 156 00:07:46,280 --> 00:07:49,840 Speaker 2: athlete named Fred Lane won the obstacle course race and 157 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 2: he also won the two hundred meter freestyle, so this 158 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:55,480 Speaker 2: was a very good athlete. But according to the Olympic 159 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:57,800 Speaker 2: dot COM's profile of him, it was at a time 160 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:00,560 Speaker 2: when people were still trying to figure out what the 161 00:08:00,600 --> 00:08:05,040 Speaker 2: fastest stroke was. So people competing in swim competitions with breastroke, 162 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 2: doggy style, something called the trudgeon, which later morphed into 163 00:08:09,280 --> 00:08:12,080 Speaker 2: the crawl. But you know, people were trying all these 164 00:08:12,120 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 2: different strokes out, but Fred's stroke of choice and the 165 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:17,640 Speaker 2: two hundred meter was a trudgeen where he swam on 166 00:08:17,720 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 2: his left side but used a scissor kick to cut 167 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 2: through the water. I actually, I don't know why I'm 168 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 2: acting it out right now, but listeners can't see that. 169 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:28,280 Speaker 2: But you know, you can see how fast it would be. 170 00:08:29,120 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 1: I can't see you because I'm just paying attention to 171 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 1: Dylan still spinning. 172 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:33,400 Speaker 2: Back, guys still going. 173 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,920 Speaker 1: It is funny to think, though that, you know, everything 174 00:08:38,040 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: from the way we start sprints off blocks to the 175 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 1: way we swim has changed so much over the years. 176 00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:46,319 Speaker 1: I kind of wish they'd bring that event back though. 177 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:49,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, But you know, weirdly, despite the popularity of it 178 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:52,280 Speaker 2: with spectators, they only held the swimming obstacle race at 179 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:54,600 Speaker 2: that one Olympics. I agree, though, I don't see why 180 00:08:54,600 --> 00:08:55,440 Speaker 2: they don't bring it back. 181 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:58,520 Speaker 1: Well, here's another event you might be surprised was once 182 00:08:58,559 --> 00:09:01,400 Speaker 1: an Olympic sport, and that's pistol dueling. 183 00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:02,560 Speaker 2: Did you say dueling? 184 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I guess when you think about it, 185 00:09:05,880 --> 00:09:08,520 Speaker 1: it's not that different from like fencing or boxing, like 186 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,320 Speaker 1: two people facing off trying to kill each other. 187 00:09:11,760 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, except for the guns. Part of it, manga. That 188 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:14,960 Speaker 2: part's a little weird. 189 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:18,040 Speaker 1: That's right, except for the guns. So if there's any 190 00:09:18,040 --> 00:09:20,120 Speaker 1: sport that's truly been on the cost of the Games, 191 00:09:20,160 --> 00:09:22,720 Speaker 1: it's dueling. So dueling was part of the nineteen oh 192 00:09:22,760 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 1: six Summer Olympics, or the nineteen oh six Intercalated Games 193 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: as they're called. But the dueling there was more like 194 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 1: a target practice. There was a dummy who wore a 195 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:34,440 Speaker 1: fancy coat, I guess to make it seem more human, 196 00:09:34,559 --> 00:09:36,400 Speaker 1: but it had a bull's eye on the chest and 197 00:09:36,440 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: competitor shot at it. So it wasn't really that much 198 00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:42,520 Speaker 1: more exciting than archery. But then the nineteen oh eight 199 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:46,640 Speaker 1: Olympics were slated and a doctor and dueling enthusiast named 200 00:09:46,960 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: Paul Devilers really saw this as his chance. And this 201 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:53,640 Speaker 1: comes from our old friend Jake Rossen at Mental Floss. 202 00:09:53,640 --> 00:09:56,679 Speaker 1: But basically dueling didn't lead to that many deaths when 203 00:09:56,679 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 1: it was popular. Often the guns misfired or people missed 204 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: and the duel was called off because of the strict rules. 205 00:10:02,679 --> 00:10:05,640 Speaker 1: So aside from the poor case of Alexander Hamilton, which 206 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:07,880 Speaker 1: we all now know about, it didn't lead to that 207 00:10:07,960 --> 00:10:10,959 Speaker 1: many debts. And then during the Civil War, when there 208 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:13,680 Speaker 1: was an enormous amount of death and people aimed guns 209 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 1: at one another, dueling really lost its charm. But Devilar 210 00:10:18,120 --> 00:10:21,160 Speaker 1: saw it as this gentleman's sport and he wanted to 211 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 1: bring it back in a safe way, so he came 212 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:25,680 Speaker 1: up with all these rules to make it safer. He 213 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 1: devised a way for the guns to shoot wax bullets 214 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 1: without melting them. He made people wear protective gear kind 215 00:10:31,440 --> 00:10:33,960 Speaker 1: of like the chain mail you'd wear for fencing, and 216 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:37,720 Speaker 1: metal helmets as well with goggles. There was a shield 217 00:10:37,760 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 1: on the gun to protect your hands, so your hand 218 00:10:39,520 --> 00:10:42,080 Speaker 1: wouldn't get hit by the bullet. And as Jake points 219 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:44,679 Speaker 1: out in his article, one reporter described the effects this 220 00:10:44,760 --> 00:10:48,319 Speaker 1: way quote, instead of the soft wax bullets shrieking through 221 00:10:48,360 --> 00:10:50,720 Speaker 1: the bodies of the duel lists, they will yield up 222 00:10:50,760 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 1: their fair young lives like tomatoes hurled against a barn door. 223 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:57,960 Speaker 1: So the whole point was that the wax bullet would splatter, 224 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:01,520 Speaker 1: and an arbiter could declare someone dead without really declaring 225 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:02,120 Speaker 1: someone dead. 226 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:05,840 Speaker 2: That is wild, and so dueling gets incorporated in the games. 227 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 1: Not exactly, so the sport gets some momentum. In France, 228 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:12,240 Speaker 1: and England, and it has these really big supporters, including 229 00:11:12,320 --> 00:11:15,400 Speaker 1: the former French president, but instead of being a real event, 230 00:11:15,480 --> 00:11:19,760 Speaker 1: it gets sort of an exhibition status. Eleven duelers from 231 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: all over the world, including Russia, France, America and Sweden 232 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:26,200 Speaker 1: all competed, partially because many of them were Fencers and 233 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 1: they would have come for the Olympic competition anyway. But 234 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:30,760 Speaker 1: while the sport is allowed to take place on the 235 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:33,760 Speaker 1: Olympic rounds, it's kind of shoved into a corner before 236 00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 1: the real games begin. And while there was some excitement 237 00:11:37,040 --> 00:11:39,199 Speaker 1: around dueling, it really didn't last. 238 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:41,320 Speaker 2: And why do you think it gets cast aside as 239 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:43,079 Speaker 2: a sport or an Olympic event. 240 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 1: Part of it is that World War One starts not 241 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:48,840 Speaker 1: too long after, and that kind of dulls people's enthusiasm 242 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:52,000 Speaker 1: for seeing people shoot guns at other humans, much like 243 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,600 Speaker 1: the Civil War before it. But the other is that 244 00:11:54,760 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 1: devilers and others couldn't really make a strong case for it. 245 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:01,679 Speaker 1: This one sharpshooter named Walter wins He tried to claim 246 00:12:01,720 --> 00:12:04,680 Speaker 1: that dueling is actually a net benefit and as he 247 00:12:04,760 --> 00:12:08,120 Speaker 1: put it, quote, a man thinks twice before being rude. 248 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:09,840 Speaker 1: If he thinks he will have to face a pistol 249 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 1: in consequence. But I guess that wasn't enough of an 250 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 1: argument for the Olympic committees. 251 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, I guess not. 252 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:18,560 Speaker 1: So what's next on your list? 253 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:21,080 Speaker 2: Why don't we talk a little bit about ski ballet, 254 00:12:21,120 --> 00:12:24,120 Speaker 2: which is sort of like figure skating on skis. Obviously, 255 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 2: I have. 256 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 1: Never heard of this, and it sounds incredible to me. 257 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:28,960 Speaker 2: It is incredible. Yeah, I'm going to send you some 258 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:31,760 Speaker 2: videos because it is really fun to watch. Actually, I'm 259 00:12:31,760 --> 00:12:34,959 Speaker 2: sending this link to your phone right now. You should 260 00:12:35,040 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 2: check this out. Watch it. I mean, don't you feel 261 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:39,160 Speaker 2: like this is something that you'd be pretty good at. 262 00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: I'm watching now. It is. It is beautiful. 263 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:48,840 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah. Anyway, there's a grant Land story on the 264 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 2: history of the sport, and what's interesting is that the 265 00:12:51,559 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 2: sport really emerges in the nineteen seventies, and according to 266 00:12:55,000 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 2: the article, apparently youth were just rebelling against any sort 267 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 2: of rules or restrictions. This was in the era of 268 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:03,920 Speaker 2: the Vietnam War, of course, and indulging in this sort 269 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 2: of beautiful, artsy rule free dance skiing became part of 270 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:11,040 Speaker 2: that revolt, not a type of revolt I can imagine 271 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 2: but it was still pretty funny to see. 272 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: That sounds fake, but I like it. 273 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:18,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's true. I mean, that's actually what sport organizers 274 00:13:18,760 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 2: attribute it to. And you know, because we really haven't 275 00:13:21,559 --> 00:13:24,319 Speaker 2: seen much ski ballet in our lifetime. In the Olympics, 276 00:13:24,679 --> 00:13:27,280 Speaker 2: it was a demonstration sport in the nineteen eighty eight, 277 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:30,200 Speaker 2: nineteen ninety two Olympics. And I do not remember this 278 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 2: from when we were younger, and those would have been 279 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:35,319 Speaker 2: Olympics we were paying attention to. But I never realized 280 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:38,600 Speaker 2: how popular it was. It was both an individual event 281 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 2: a team event. There were these synchronized routines and lifts. 282 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:44,520 Speaker 2: It's a lot like figure skating as you see it 283 00:13:44,520 --> 00:13:47,079 Speaker 2: now or ice dancing, I guess. But according to the 284 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 2: Grantland piece, ski ballet also featured in chapstick commercials, Bond movies. 285 00:13:52,200 --> 00:13:54,280 Speaker 2: There was even a nineteen eighty four movie set in 286 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:57,319 Speaker 2: the world of ski ballet, and it was called Hot Dog, 287 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 2: which the New York Times praised as quote less moronic 288 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 2: than it might have been, which is just a you know, 289 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:04,160 Speaker 2: fantastic review. 290 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:08,199 Speaker 1: That is an amazing compliment. So, while you were talking 291 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:10,599 Speaker 1: about watching this video and it's really kind of spectacular, 292 00:14:10,679 --> 00:14:13,480 Speaker 1: It's like a guy doing flips and skating around on 293 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:16,360 Speaker 1: skis and using his polls to lift himself and do 294 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: all these crazy spins, all to John Williams music. It 295 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:23,360 Speaker 1: is great. So what happened to Skibala? Like, how come 296 00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:24,800 Speaker 1: this didn't last? 297 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 2: You know, believe it or not, It somehow didn't attract 298 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 2: enough young people to the sport. I mean it's one 299 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 2: of those that I guess people were amused by it, 300 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 2: but not a lot of people being like I'm going 301 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:36,680 Speaker 2: to go train for this. And unlike snowboarding, where you 302 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:38,480 Speaker 2: put it on in the Olympics and the numbers of 303 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:43,240 Speaker 2: young snowboarders really dramatically increases, ski Bala just didn't have 304 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:44,200 Speaker 2: that kind of pull. 305 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 3: You know. 306 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 2: The TV numbers weren't that great either, so they decided 307 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:49,880 Speaker 2: to ax it, which I think is tragic. 308 00:14:50,640 --> 00:14:53,880 Speaker 1: Yeah, it feels like the world of ski La is 309 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:57,880 Speaker 1: perfect for a Will Ferrell movie. But right it like 310 00:14:58,160 --> 00:15:00,560 Speaker 1: it was in the wrong era, Like you could see 311 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:02,600 Speaker 1: it being a hot trend on Instagram or TikTok. 312 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 2: Now, Oh that's a good point. Yeah, I'm curious whether 313 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:07,040 Speaker 2: it would have taken off if it was more in 314 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:09,520 Speaker 2: the social era. But you're right. I think it was 315 00:15:09,560 --> 00:15:12,280 Speaker 2: just ahead of its time. So what's next on your list? 316 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:15,880 Speaker 1: Well, since we're talking about winter sports, one I think 317 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 1: is really fun is a type of ice getting called 318 00:15:18,360 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: special figures. So this event reminded me of my friend Howard, 319 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 1: who I'm sure I've told you about. But Howard, it 320 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:28,240 Speaker 1: was this super funny, mischievous and really artsy friend of 321 00:15:28,240 --> 00:15:30,120 Speaker 1: mine that I grew up with since we were in 322 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:33,520 Speaker 1: elementary school. And when he was in a frat in college, 323 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:37,000 Speaker 1: they had this parade of floats or some competition like that, 324 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:41,120 Speaker 1: and Howard volunteered to participate. So he decides to do 325 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:44,920 Speaker 1: something really funny. He decides to mock WWE style of 326 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 1: wrestling with this doll as his submission, and he has 327 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 1: these canisters of paint in the corners of this wrestling 328 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:53,760 Speaker 1: ring that he's built on the flow, and along the 329 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:55,840 Speaker 1: way he keeps dipping the doll in pain and then 330 00:15:55,840 --> 00:15:58,440 Speaker 1: wrestling it like he drops an elbow on it. He 331 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:00,960 Speaker 1: dips in pain and throws it to a souplex or 332 00:16:01,240 --> 00:16:04,200 Speaker 1: spins it around on the canvas and keeps dropping down 333 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 1: on it. And after he's thrown the doll around for 334 00:16:06,800 --> 00:16:10,440 Speaker 1: like twenty minutes, he tilts up the wrestling mat, which 335 00:16:10,480 --> 00:16:13,120 Speaker 1: is actually a canvas, and he's painted Van Goo's Starry 336 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:19,440 Speaker 1: Night on it. It is so stupid and clever and 337 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: like perfect Howard. But anyway, Special Figures remind me of that, 338 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: because Special Figures is an ice dance in competition where 339 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 1: you do a whole routine, but actually you're drawing a 340 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:33,680 Speaker 1: pattern on the ice. So apparently the early schools of 341 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:36,640 Speaker 1: American and British ice skating actually incorporated a lot of 342 00:16:36,640 --> 00:16:40,360 Speaker 1: this ice drawing, because it's very hard to precisely trace 343 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:43,040 Speaker 1: patterns with an ice skate, and the patterns could be 344 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 1: pretty elaborate, like these gorgeous filigreed stars and intricate flowers 345 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:51,480 Speaker 1: and such. And it takes place in precisely won Olympics, 346 00:16:51,520 --> 00:16:54,120 Speaker 1: the nineteen oh eight Games in London. There is a 347 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:57,120 Speaker 1: Russian who competes, who is apparently so good that after 348 00:16:57,160 --> 00:16:59,920 Speaker 1: people see the pattern he's made on the ice, they quit, 349 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:03,160 Speaker 1: so they don't even try to compete because it's such 350 00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:07,359 Speaker 1: good artwork. But if you're wondering why Special Figures didn't 351 00:17:07,400 --> 00:17:10,520 Speaker 1: last in his Olympic sport, this quote from Wikipedia might 352 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 1: give you a clue quote. According to figure skating historian 353 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:18,120 Speaker 1: and writer Ellen Kestenbaum, the body movements required to execute 354 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:21,679 Speaker 1: the design were unpleasant to watch, jerky, and did not 355 00:17:21,880 --> 00:17:23,959 Speaker 1: use the flow of the blade across the ice. So 356 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:27,600 Speaker 1: even though the patterns were beautiful and needed obvious skill 357 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:31,200 Speaker 1: and control, it was like this hrky, jerky thing to watch. 358 00:17:32,640 --> 00:17:34,840 Speaker 1: That said, it sounds like Special Figures might actually be 359 00:17:34,840 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: making a comeback today, non the Olympics, but in competitions 360 00:17:38,640 --> 00:17:41,360 Speaker 1: on black ice where you see the patterns better from 361 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:43,800 Speaker 1: the stands. These have actually started taking place and the 362 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 1: event is slowly regaining popularity. 363 00:17:46,760 --> 00:17:49,760 Speaker 2: That actually is really cool. I will have to check 364 00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:52,199 Speaker 2: that out more. All right, Well, here's another one that 365 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:54,760 Speaker 2: I almost feel like our audience has to see because 366 00:17:54,800 --> 00:17:58,960 Speaker 2: it's incredible, and it's called horse vaulting, which when you 367 00:17:59,000 --> 00:18:01,600 Speaker 2: hear the words horse vaulting, you can just picture so 368 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:03,119 Speaker 2: many different things. 369 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:07,399 Speaker 1: I know, like it seems like horses jumping, but what 370 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:08,200 Speaker 1: is it exactly. 371 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:10,879 Speaker 2: I mean, the horse high jump and the long jump 372 00:18:10,920 --> 00:18:13,719 Speaker 2: were actually competitions in the Olympics before, but this is 373 00:18:13,760 --> 00:18:16,800 Speaker 2: more like if you took the pommel horse but did 374 00:18:16,800 --> 00:18:19,800 Speaker 2: it on a horse, as the horse was trotting along. 375 00:18:19,840 --> 00:18:21,320 Speaker 2: There's a lot involved in this court. 376 00:18:22,160 --> 00:18:26,119 Speaker 1: So people are actually doing gymnastics on a real live horse. 377 00:18:26,359 --> 00:18:29,159 Speaker 2: I'm telling you is it is truly remarkable. Like they 378 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:32,359 Speaker 2: don't wear helmets. The horses on a high leash type 379 00:18:32,359 --> 00:18:34,360 Speaker 2: of thing where it's kind of running in a circle. 380 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 2: And while it's trotting, there's music playing and a rider 381 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:40,600 Speaker 2: or an athlete or gymnast, whatever you want to call them, 382 00:18:40,600 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 2: and they're doing flips and balancing on top and spinning 383 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 2: around on the horse like it's actually really beautiful. This 384 00:18:47,640 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 2: is how Time magazine describes it. Quote. Horse vaulters do pirouettes, 385 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:56,679 Speaker 2: split leaps, handstands, and arabesque while on top of a 386 00:18:56,760 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 2: moving steed. Riders perform their jaw dropping routine means to music, 387 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:04,280 Speaker 2: and compete as individuals or as a pair. In the 388 00:19:04,359 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 2: latter instance, partners lift and toss one another in the 389 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:11,000 Speaker 2: air and perform handstands on top of each other's shoulders. 390 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:13,720 Speaker 2: The sport, which can be traced back at least two 391 00:19:13,760 --> 00:19:17,480 Speaker 2: thousand years to the Roman Games, includes the musicality of 392 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:22,120 Speaker 2: synchronized swimming, the daredevil quality of gymnastics, and the beauty 393 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:25,400 Speaker 2: of equestrian events. Like it really is just so fantastic. 394 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:28,480 Speaker 1: So, first of all, I one hundred percent agree this 395 00:19:28,640 --> 00:19:30,600 Speaker 1: video of the German team that you sent me at 396 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:35,360 Speaker 1: the twenty eighteen Equestrian Games is incredible. They're like jumping 397 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,320 Speaker 1: on and off the horse to showpin. But how come 398 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:40,400 Speaker 1: it isn't an Olympic sport? 399 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:43,520 Speaker 2: You know, it's It's not entirely clear, and I do 400 00:19:43,560 --> 00:19:45,760 Speaker 2: wonder if it's because it was a very German sport 401 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,440 Speaker 2: when it came to the Antwerp Olympics in nineteen twenty. 402 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:51,199 Speaker 2: It might have lost favor during the World Wars. But 403 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:53,760 Speaker 2: in that same article you know that I was looking 404 00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:56,320 Speaker 2: at in time, and this is back in twenty twelve, 405 00:19:56,760 --> 00:19:59,119 Speaker 2: they made the case to drop race walking for the 406 00:19:59,119 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 2: Olympics and gested bringing in horse vaulting because hundreds of 407 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:06,520 Speaker 2: people actually still compete in the international competitions. 408 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 1: So it doesn't have the same issues as skip la. 409 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:12,240 Speaker 2: I guess apparently not. Apparently people rushed out to start 410 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:14,000 Speaker 2: doing this and a lot of folks are hoping it'll 411 00:20:14,040 --> 00:20:16,640 Speaker 2: get pulled into future games. I for one am part 412 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:17,160 Speaker 2: of that crew. 413 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 1: Well, I know we've got a few more sports to 414 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:22,120 Speaker 1: talk about, but before you do that. 415 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 3: Let's take a quick break. 416 00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:41,880 Speaker 2: Welcome back to Part Time Genius, where we're talking strange 417 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:44,920 Speaker 2: Olympic sports semengo, what do you have horse next? 418 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 1: So this isn't exactly a feel good one, but it 419 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:52,760 Speaker 1: is definitely strange. Have you ever heard about Anthropology Days 420 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:53,560 Speaker 1: at the Olympics. 421 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:56,240 Speaker 2: I have not, but I'm definitely intrigued. 422 00:20:57,119 --> 00:20:59,280 Speaker 1: So I first read about this as a footnote in 423 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:01,240 Speaker 1: a book on the lip, and then I found more 424 00:21:01,280 --> 00:21:04,399 Speaker 1: on slate. But it is pretty wild. So, as we 425 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:07,520 Speaker 1: mentioned above, the World's Fair and the Olympics often coincided 426 00:21:07,560 --> 00:21:11,200 Speaker 1: in the earliest days, and during the nineteen oh four games, 427 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:14,960 Speaker 1: the Olympics slash World's Fair had a pre Olympic event 428 00:21:15,119 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 1: called Anthropology Days. This comes from History News Now, but 429 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:21,440 Speaker 1: the site states that on August twelfth and thirteenth of 430 00:21:21,560 --> 00:21:26,399 Speaker 1: nineteen oh four, quote savages in native costume from Congolese 431 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:30,959 Speaker 1: Pygmy tribes, the Philippines, Patagonia and various Native American tribes 432 00:21:30,960 --> 00:21:34,440 Speaker 1: who were barred from regular Olympic games competed against each 433 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:39,520 Speaker 1: other in such nonstandard events as mud fighting, rock throwing, 434 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:45,000 Speaker 1: greased pole climbing, and spear throwing. It is horrible. 435 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:47,200 Speaker 2: I mean, that is ridiculous. So how did this event 436 00:21:47,240 --> 00:21:47,879 Speaker 2: even come to be? 437 00:21:48,600 --> 00:21:50,159 Speaker 1: I mean, I think it was part of the World's 438 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 1: Fair crossover, where there were definitely displays of people like 439 00:21:53,119 --> 00:21:56,720 Speaker 1: Ota Benga, the pigmy who ended up in the Bronxio 440 00:21:56,840 --> 00:22:00,359 Speaker 1: and the Anthropology Days games, which I can you not 441 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:04,199 Speaker 1: were called the Special Olympics were partially a way to 442 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 1: show the superiority of progress and really of white Anglo Americans. 443 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 1: So the whole thing was utterly disastrous. On the first day, 444 00:22:11,880 --> 00:22:14,359 Speaker 1: they tried to take all these native peoples who didn't 445 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:17,479 Speaker 1: speak the language and just set them on a course 446 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 1: like they didn't take time to teach anyone how to 447 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:22,640 Speaker 1: play the games. They tried to get them the high 448 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:25,679 Speaker 1: jump or shot put, and the people were very confused. 449 00:22:26,119 --> 00:22:28,560 Speaker 1: As Slate points out, even the one hundred yard dash 450 00:22:28,680 --> 00:22:32,159 Speaker 1: was problematic. The starting gun concept was understandably lost on 451 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:34,560 Speaker 1: many of the participants, so too was the idea of 452 00:22:34,560 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 1: breaking through the finish line. Many would stop short or 453 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:40,639 Speaker 1: run below the tape. So you know, they're putting them 454 00:22:40,640 --> 00:22:43,600 Speaker 1: in these events that they didn't explain and made no sense. 455 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:46,040 Speaker 1: And the second day was even worse. This is where 456 00:22:46,080 --> 00:22:49,080 Speaker 1: they did the so called savage games like mud fighting, 457 00:22:49,280 --> 00:22:52,520 Speaker 1: tree climbing, and spear throwing. But again, none of this 458 00:22:52,680 --> 00:22:55,119 Speaker 1: was comprehensible to any of these people, like they'd never 459 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:57,639 Speaker 1: seen a javelin before, so they were just baffled and 460 00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:02,199 Speaker 1: also uninterested. The games were a disaster, except for in 461 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 1: the organizer James E. Sullivan's mind, who claimed the whole 462 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 1: thing had scientific purpose. As he put it, quote, the 463 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:11,800 Speaker 1: meeting proves conclusively that the savage has been a very 464 00:23:11,840 --> 00:23:15,000 Speaker 1: much overrated man from an athletic point of view, which 465 00:23:15,040 --> 00:23:19,480 Speaker 1: is so racist and so dumb. Anyway, what's interesting is 466 00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:23,800 Speaker 1: that the modern Olympics founder Pierre Kobuta wholly disagreed with 467 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:28,520 Speaker 1: these savage games, calling it appalling, a charade and an embarrassment, 468 00:23:28,680 --> 00:23:31,600 Speaker 1: and he concluded that the whole thing will quote lose 469 00:23:31,640 --> 00:23:34,840 Speaker 1: its appeal when essentially all these men on display learned 470 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:37,959 Speaker 1: to run, jump, and throw and leave the white men behind. 471 00:23:38,440 --> 00:23:40,920 Speaker 1: He couldn't have distanced himself more from the event, and 472 00:23:40,960 --> 00:23:43,879 Speaker 1: he ensured that it wasn't a part of any future Olympics. 473 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:48,119 Speaker 2: Wow, it's just so disturbing, and it makes sense that 474 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:50,399 Speaker 2: he wanted to distance the event from the Olympics. It 475 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:53,320 Speaker 2: just feels against the you know, the spirit of the Games. 476 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:55,240 Speaker 2: But I feel like we need to take this in 477 00:23:55,280 --> 00:23:58,040 Speaker 2: a different direction. Mango, that was a weird story. I'm 478 00:23:58,040 --> 00:23:59,640 Speaker 2: glad you shared it, but I feel like we need 479 00:23:59,640 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 2: to go as spitting history though it really is. It 480 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 2: is definitely fascinating history. One of the things I love 481 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 2: is when you see an Olympic sport and you're like, 482 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:09,880 Speaker 2: I could totally do that. 483 00:24:10,600 --> 00:24:12,760 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh. I feel like that's half of the 484 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 1: Olympics is just like feeling like you could do these 485 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:18,200 Speaker 1: things that are so beyond you. I read this piece 486 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:21,200 Speaker 1: about Olympic ping pong players being challenged all the time 487 00:24:21,400 --> 00:24:26,560 Speaker 1: and just how ridiculous it is that that anyone thinks 488 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 1: that they can even get a point off these people. 489 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:31,080 Speaker 1: But I feel like curling is also an example of this. 490 00:24:31,280 --> 00:24:33,399 Speaker 1: Like I always think that if I spent half a 491 00:24:33,480 --> 00:24:35,440 Speaker 1: year training, I'd be an amazing curler. 492 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:38,639 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, curling is actually a great example of this. 493 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:41,160 Speaker 2: And obviously there was a period when you had things 494 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 2: that we all did in school, like tug of war, 495 00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:46,280 Speaker 2: rope climbing, and these things were part of the Olympics 496 00:24:46,320 --> 00:24:47,119 Speaker 2: at some point. 497 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:49,600 Speaker 1: Which also makes me wonder where they draw the line 498 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:52,720 Speaker 1: on sports, like why isn't dodgeball an Olympic game or 499 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:55,880 Speaker 1: capture the Flag or kickball like all things that could 500 00:24:55,960 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 1: legitimately be competitions. 501 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:00,439 Speaker 2: No, it's true, and one of the games it doesn't 502 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:02,679 Speaker 2: really feel like it should be an Olympic sport in 503 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:04,320 Speaker 2: my opinion is croque. 504 00:25:05,080 --> 00:25:07,200 Speaker 1: Huh, I didn't realize croque was part of the games. 505 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:09,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, this is another sport that was included in the 506 00:25:09,800 --> 00:25:12,959 Speaker 2: nineteen hundred Games in Paris, and they were still figuring 507 00:25:12,960 --> 00:25:15,439 Speaker 2: out a lot about how to run the Olympics. And 508 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:18,719 Speaker 2: so according to croque World online, there were four croque 509 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:22,200 Speaker 2: events in the nineteen hundred Olympics. There was one ball singles, 510 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:26,720 Speaker 2: two ball singles doubles, and something called singles handicap. But 511 00:25:27,280 --> 00:25:31,199 Speaker 2: apparently this is from the official report from the second Olympics. 512 00:25:31,560 --> 00:25:34,480 Speaker 2: The reason the game was included is quote due to 513 00:25:34,520 --> 00:25:37,520 Speaker 2: the fact that its governing body wish to elevate this 514 00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:41,680 Speaker 2: gently pastime to the rank of sport by holding annual 515 00:25:41,840 --> 00:25:45,199 Speaker 2: championships end quote. So that was their thinking there, And 516 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:47,919 Speaker 2: it goes on to say one would be wrong, however, 517 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:52,080 Speaker 2: to disdain crok It develops a combative mind. One has 518 00:25:52,080 --> 00:25:55,399 Speaker 2: only to see it transform young girls into reasoners, and 519 00:25:55,440 --> 00:25:58,919 Speaker 2: from reasoners into reasonable people. I don't even really know 520 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:00,800 Speaker 2: what that means the quote. 521 00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:03,600 Speaker 1: I mean croquet has always done that for people, right. 522 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:06,120 Speaker 1: It sounds pretty sexist. 523 00:26:06,080 --> 00:26:09,360 Speaker 2: Yes, I would agree, But oddly enough, the Olympics allowed 524 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:12,440 Speaker 2: women to compete with men in croquet and these games, 525 00:26:12,560 --> 00:26:16,000 Speaker 2: so the first female Olympians they were actually croquet players. 526 00:26:16,359 --> 00:26:18,720 Speaker 1: Oh that's actually pretty cool. Yeah. 527 00:26:18,800 --> 00:26:21,520 Speaker 2: And the game was not popular, so that was the 528 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:25,120 Speaker 2: downside here, where there was only one spectator who traveled 529 00:26:25,119 --> 00:26:28,439 Speaker 2: from England to watch, and because the French insisted that 530 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:31,679 Speaker 2: the croque tournament be spread out over something like eight weeks, 531 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:35,200 Speaker 2: no other countries participated eight weeks. I don't know what 532 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:38,120 Speaker 2: they were thinking here. So France ended up winning all 533 00:26:38,160 --> 00:26:41,400 Speaker 2: the medals, of course, which did not help the game's popularity, 534 00:26:41,840 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 2: and according to Croque World, the games were eliminated from 535 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:48,520 Speaker 2: the Olympics due to a lack of spectatorship and because 536 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:53,000 Speaker 2: the sport had quote hardly any pretensions to athleticism. So 537 00:26:53,240 --> 00:26:54,440 Speaker 2: not a great ending there. 538 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:59,840 Speaker 1: I love that quote. So for my final sport, I 539 00:26:59,880 --> 00:27:02,440 Speaker 1: was going to go with solo synchronized swimming, which has 540 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:04,960 Speaker 1: a bit of controversy because the name is kind of laughable. 541 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:08,640 Speaker 1: It's water dancing, which is obviously much more impressive when 542 00:27:08,680 --> 00:27:11,040 Speaker 1: you're doing it in sync with a full team of dancers. 543 00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:13,240 Speaker 1: By the way, did you see the team doing the 544 00:27:13,240 --> 00:27:14,160 Speaker 1: moonwalk underwater? 545 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:17,919 Speaker 2: It was just incredible. Like I know, synchronized swimming is 546 00:27:17,960 --> 00:27:20,600 Speaker 2: one of those sports that over the years has kind 547 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:22,719 Speaker 2: of been made fun of. It was of course involved 548 00:27:22,720 --> 00:27:25,520 Speaker 2: in one of the greatest SNL sketches of all time 549 00:27:25,640 --> 00:27:28,879 Speaker 2: thanks to Martin Short's involvement in that one. But it 550 00:27:28,960 --> 00:27:31,679 Speaker 2: really is just amazing to watch these dancers, Like the 551 00:27:31,680 --> 00:27:34,680 Speaker 2: way they control their bodies and sync is just insane 552 00:27:34,680 --> 00:27:34,919 Speaker 2: to me. 553 00:27:35,440 --> 00:27:38,040 Speaker 1: I really do not understand it, and I feel like 554 00:27:38,160 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 1: anyone who thinks it isn't a sport is out of 555 00:27:40,640 --> 00:27:43,440 Speaker 1: their mind. But I actually want to talk about something 556 00:27:43,480 --> 00:27:45,760 Speaker 1: that doesn't feel like as much of a sport. It's 557 00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:47,399 Speaker 1: called distance plunging. 558 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:50,000 Speaker 2: And what is distance plunging. 559 00:27:50,600 --> 00:27:52,760 Speaker 1: It's basically like a kid's game where you jump in 560 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:55,159 Speaker 1: the water and see how far you can dive without 561 00:27:55,200 --> 00:27:59,320 Speaker 1: moving your limbs underwater, and the rules were it was 562 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:02,120 Speaker 1: as far as you went in sixty seconds or when 563 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:05,119 Speaker 1: your body floated to the top, whatever came first. But 564 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:08,920 Speaker 1: much like croquet, this was a sport that only Americans 565 00:28:08,960 --> 00:28:11,879 Speaker 1: participated in at the nineteen oh four Olympics in Saint Louis. 566 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:14,640 Speaker 1: And I actually heard a funny story about this. Apparently 567 00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:17,040 Speaker 1: the nineteen oh four Games weren't supposed to go to 568 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 1: Saint Louis. They were actually awarded to Chicago, but because 569 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:23,160 Speaker 1: the World's Fair was happening there that summer, the city 570 00:28:23,200 --> 00:28:25,800 Speaker 1: made this huge fuss to make sure that the Olympics 571 00:28:25,800 --> 00:28:29,119 Speaker 1: didn't outshine their event, and both events could take place 572 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:32,920 Speaker 1: at the same city. So Pierre de Coberta gave Saint 573 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:36,600 Speaker 1: Louis the Olympics, but, as Slate writes, quote, the prospect 574 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:38,960 Speaker 1: of an arduous trip to a second tier city in 575 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:42,360 Speaker 1: the American Midwest kept almost all of the top European 576 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:45,880 Speaker 1: athletes away. Ultimately fewer than half the events had even 577 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:49,720 Speaker 1: one non American entrant. The Baron himself steered clear of 578 00:28:49,760 --> 00:28:53,040 Speaker 1: the Games, later recalling that he believed quote the Olympia 579 00:28:53,200 --> 00:28:57,720 Speaker 1: would match the mediocrity of the town, which is, you know, unfortunate. 580 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:00,160 Speaker 1: I do love Saint Louis. I think we should a 581 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 1: field trip to the city museum. But it's funny that 582 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:05,200 Speaker 1: because the city wasn't perceived as a big enough sell 583 00:29:05,320 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 1: to competitors, Americans ended up dominating the events and the 584 00:29:08,280 --> 00:29:10,920 Speaker 1: medal count in things like Olympic plunging. 585 00:29:11,840 --> 00:29:15,000 Speaker 2: I did not know that that's that's awesome and it's 586 00:29:15,000 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 2: a great fact. I know that people might think that 587 00:29:18,000 --> 00:29:21,320 Speaker 2: you should win the trophy this week, But I have 588 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:24,320 Speaker 2: to say, I'm still seeing Dylan over there spinning. I 589 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 2: have no idea whether he's actually recorded this episode because 590 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:29,320 Speaker 2: he has not sent focus on anything other than spinning. 591 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:31,959 Speaker 2: Because he's still going. I think we got to give 592 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:33,320 Speaker 2: him the medal this week. What do you think? 593 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:37,320 Speaker 1: I think? So he's got two trophies this year, and 594 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:40,960 Speaker 1: I think he just wants to collect more and more. Well, 595 00:29:41,200 --> 00:29:43,560 Speaker 1: that is it for this week's episode. If you have 596 00:29:43,600 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 1: any great Olympic stories you want to share, or sports 597 00:29:46,800 --> 00:29:48,720 Speaker 1: you think we should lobby to be in the Olympics, 598 00:29:48,840 --> 00:29:52,520 Speaker 1: or you just want to send Dylan some congratulations, feel 599 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 1: free to send those to our email address at Petgenius 600 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:58,040 Speaker 1: Moms at gmail dot com. You know, our moms are 601 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:00,640 Speaker 1: sitting around waiting for you to write us and if 602 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:02,960 Speaker 1: you happen to be in the Apple iTunes store looking 603 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:06,040 Speaker 1: at podcasts, don't forget to rate and review this show. 604 00:30:06,360 --> 00:30:08,640 Speaker 1: One of the many ways we procrastinates by reading the 605 00:30:08,680 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 1: comments from Will, Dylan, Mary, and me. That's it for 606 00:30:12,520 --> 00:30:27,520 Speaker 1: this week's episode. Thank you so much for listening. Part 607 00:30:27,520 --> 00:30:31,200 Speaker 1: Time Genius is a production of Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio. This 608 00:30:31,280 --> 00:30:35,600 Speaker 1: show is hosted by Will Pearson and Me Mongashtikler, and 609 00:30:35,720 --> 00:30:39,960 Speaker 1: research by our good pal Mary Philip Sandy. Today's episode 610 00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:42,960 Speaker 1: was engineered and produced by the wonderful Dylan Fagan with 611 00:30:43,040 --> 00:30:46,560 Speaker 1: support from Tyler Klang. The show is executive produced for 612 00:30:46,680 --> 00:30:50,360 Speaker 1: iHeart by Katrina Norbel and Ali Perry, with social media 613 00:30:50,360 --> 00:30:54,479 Speaker 1: support from Sasha Gay, trustee Dara Potts and Viney Shorey. 614 00:30:55,160 --> 00:30:59,280 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from Kaleidoscope and iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio 615 00:30:59,320 --> 00:31:03,160 Speaker 1: app full podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.