1 00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:04,280 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff you missed in History Class, A production 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:15,200 Speaker 1: of iHeartRadio. Hello, I'm Holly Frye. Welcome to the podcast. Man, 3 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: I'm Tracy V. 4 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:16,400 Speaker 2: Wilson. 5 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:18,480 Speaker 1: I said that different, just to mess with everybody a 6 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:22,120 Speaker 1: little bit. You mess with me a little bit. Yeah, 7 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:29,120 Speaker 1: I was like, what is my name? Is my name podcast? Listen? 8 00:00:29,600 --> 00:00:32,400 Speaker 2: It's Olympic season. It is, so it makes sense we 9 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 2: would talk about the Olympics. One of the things I 10 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:37,840 Speaker 2: have been kind of eyeing for a minute is things 11 00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:40,479 Speaker 2: that are no longer in the Olympics because over the 12 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:43,080 Speaker 2: course of the modern Olympics, and we should specify we 13 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:46,000 Speaker 2: are talking about the modern Olympics from eighteen ninety six forward, 14 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:48,559 Speaker 2: there have been a number of sports that have been 15 00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:51,640 Speaker 2: added and struck from the roster, and some come and 16 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:54,880 Speaker 2: go and then come back. The sledding sport of skeleton, 17 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 2: which involves racers whipping headfirst down a track and to 18 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 2: me is terrifying, was first introduced into the Games in 19 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 2: nineteen twenty eight, and then it went away until another 20 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 2: appearance in nineteen forty eight, and then in two thousand 21 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:11,720 Speaker 2: and two it came back in the Salt Lake City Games, 22 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:15,400 Speaker 2: and at that point. It involved both men's and women's 23 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 2: events for the first time. Skateboarding was added in twenty 24 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 2: twenty that is returning for twenty twenty four. We'll talk 25 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:26,679 Speaker 2: about a couple more at the very end that are 26 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 2: start going to be in the twenty twenty four Games. 27 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 2: And there are a lot of stories like that, particularly 28 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:35,360 Speaker 2: in the very early years of the Olympics, of the 29 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 2: modern Olympics. So today we're going to talk about a 30 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 2: few of those. One was involved for several Olympic cycles 31 00:01:41,280 --> 00:01:44,280 Speaker 2: before it was taken off the program, and several are 32 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:47,720 Speaker 2: one timers. But before we get into any of the sports, 33 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 2: we're going to talk about how sports are chosen for 34 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 2: the Olympics Today. We have talked about the first Modern 35 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 2: Olympics on the show before that was a Saturday Classic 36 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 2: not too terribly long go, and that eighteen ninety six 37 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 2: games had two hundred and forty one athletes competing across 38 00:02:06,440 --> 00:02:11,799 Speaker 2: forty three events. Only twelve countries were represented. For comparison, 39 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 2: the twenty twenty four Paris Olympics has a roster of 40 00:02:14,840 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 2: three hundred and twenty nine events, so that's a lot 41 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 2: more events. As of this recording, we don't know the 42 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:25,600 Speaker 2: precise number of athletes competing. The teams are still being finalized. 43 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:29,040 Speaker 1: For a sport to be added to the Olympic Games program, 44 00:02:29,160 --> 00:02:31,799 Speaker 1: there are quite a few steps. So first, it has 45 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:35,400 Speaker 1: to be recognized as a sport by the International Olympic 46 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,200 Speaker 1: Committee that's the IOC, which is how we'll refer to 47 00:02:38,240 --> 00:02:41,399 Speaker 1: it going forward. To be recognized by the IOC, there 48 00:02:41,440 --> 00:02:45,280 Speaker 1: has to be an international organization that oversees the sport, 49 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 1: and that organization cannot be tied to any government. If 50 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 1: a sport receives IOC recognition, it is then classified as 51 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 1: a member of the International Sport Federation. One of the 52 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:57,960 Speaker 1: requirements of. 53 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,400 Speaker 2: Sports that make it to the IO list is they 54 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:05,880 Speaker 2: enforce a code established by the World Anti Doping Agency 55 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:09,559 Speaker 2: that was established in nineteen ninety nine as a cooperative, 56 00:03:09,639 --> 00:03:15,960 Speaker 2: independent international agency to oversee and facilitate consistent anti doping 57 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:20,560 Speaker 2: practices and policies. It develops these policies by working with 58 00:03:20,639 --> 00:03:24,240 Speaker 2: sports organizations and world governments. The result is the World 59 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 2: Anti Doping Code. Sports on the IF list are required 60 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:30,919 Speaker 2: to enforce this code if they want to move on 61 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:34,280 Speaker 2: to selection for inclusion in the Olympic. 62 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:38,280 Speaker 1: Games, then the sport that has made it to the 63 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 1: if list has to submit a petition to the IOC 64 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 1: to show that it meets certain criteria. For a men's sport, 65 00:03:46,400 --> 00:03:48,920 Speaker 1: it has to be represented by athletes on at least 66 00:03:48,960 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: four continents and in at least seventy five countries. The 67 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:55,800 Speaker 1: numbers for women's sports are a little bit different. They 68 00:03:55,840 --> 00:03:58,960 Speaker 1: have to show participation across at least three continents and 69 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 1: forty countries. But those numbers are not the only criteria. 70 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:06,760 Speaker 1: They're sort of the starting point because the petition also 71 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: has to show the value of the game on the 72 00:04:09,040 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 1: international platform that the Olympics offers. Sports that require mechanical 73 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: propulsion like racing motorized vehicles, or that are considered mind 74 00:04:17,920 --> 00:04:22,240 Speaker 1: sports like chess, cannot be included in the Olympics. There 75 00:04:22,279 --> 00:04:24,480 Speaker 1: have been times when sports that would run a foul 76 00:04:24,520 --> 00:04:27,680 Speaker 1: of those rules have been included, like powerboating, but such 77 00:04:27,760 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 1: events are now gone. That brings us to how a 78 00:04:30,920 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 1: sports or event might be dropped by the IOC. There's 79 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 1: ongoing review of any of the events that are part 80 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:40,880 Speaker 1: of the Olympic roster, and some of them in that 81 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: process are eliminated. There's not one single reason why that 82 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:49,360 Speaker 1: might happen. Some are logistics aspects, like whether there's enough 83 00:04:49,440 --> 00:04:52,839 Speaker 1: physical space for an event and how expensive it would 84 00:04:52,880 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: be to include it. If an event requires a purpose 85 00:04:56,760 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 1: built venue, that would also be factored in, For examp, 86 00:05:00,800 --> 00:05:03,600 Speaker 1: how popular a sport is, how likely it is to 87 00:05:03,600 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 1: gain media attention. Those are also considerations, but it's not 88 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:11,599 Speaker 1: even as simple as just that. Baseball, as an example, 89 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:14,839 Speaker 1: has had an on again, off again relationship with the 90 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:18,360 Speaker 1: Olympics for decades. In some years, it was included as 91 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:22,200 Speaker 1: a demonstration event but not an official competition. From nineteen 92 00:05:22,279 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 1: ninety nine to twenty twelve, it was an official Olympics sport, 93 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:29,719 Speaker 1: but because the summer Olympics overlapped with the season of 94 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 1: Major League Baseball in the US. 95 00:05:32,240 --> 00:05:34,840 Speaker 2: A lot of the best players opted out of the Olympics. 96 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 2: Even though professional players were allowed to compete. The IOC 97 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:43,040 Speaker 2: wanted the MLB to alter this season during Olympic years, 98 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:46,400 Speaker 2: but the pro sports organization didn't want to do that. 99 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 2: That's driven by its own fiscal determiners, So the Olympics 100 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:53,520 Speaker 2: cut the sport, but then it was back eight years 101 00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 2: later in the twenty twenty Games, which didn't happen until 102 00:05:56,839 --> 00:06:00,600 Speaker 2: twenty twenty one. Because COVID, you won't see baseball in 103 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 2: Paris this year, and that's because baseball just doesn't get 104 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 2: a lot of interest in Europe. A whole stadium would 105 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:08,920 Speaker 2: have been needed, and it likely would not have been 106 00:06:08,960 --> 00:06:13,200 Speaker 2: easy to repurpose after the Olympic Games were over. So 107 00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:16,159 Speaker 2: no baseball in Paris, but it will be back for 108 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:20,040 Speaker 2: the twenty twenty eight games in Los Angeles, where obviously 109 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:24,240 Speaker 2: baseball already has a home. Now, though, we're going to 110 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 2: look at some of the events that have not made 111 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 2: it back into the program. Tug of war is, of 112 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 2: course an ancient athletic competition. We don't know exactly when 113 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 2: it started or who invented it, and because of its 114 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:40,200 Speaker 2: simplicity and its minimal equipment, it's completely likely and believed 115 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 2: that it developed in multiple places independently, without a whole 116 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:48,119 Speaker 2: lot of variation. Cultures that would have been in modern 117 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:51,880 Speaker 2: day Egypt, India, Korea, Pacific Islands, South America, et cetera, 118 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:55,679 Speaker 2: all have some sort of tug of war in their history, 119 00:06:56,160 --> 00:06:58,920 Speaker 2: and the specifics really very only in how a win 120 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 2: might be decided. In some cases, specific points along the 121 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 2: line of a rope might be marked with the center 122 00:07:05,680 --> 00:07:08,520 Speaker 2: of the rope also marked, and the assembled people on 123 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 2: either side have to pull that center mark past a 124 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 2: designated point to be declared the winners. In other competitions, 125 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 2: the distance of a pull back and forth might be 126 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:21,880 Speaker 2: measured to determine which team pulled their opponent farther, even 127 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 2: if they were later pulled in the other direction. It's 128 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:28,040 Speaker 2: maintained its popularity over the centuries as a way for 129 00:07:28,120 --> 00:07:30,680 Speaker 2: people to train and play at the same time, and 130 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 2: it's included in events like Scottish Highland Games, Picnics and 131 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:38,760 Speaker 2: other large gatherings. In nineteen hundred, Tug of War made 132 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:42,080 Speaker 2: its Olympic debut in Paris. That year, the games were 133 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:45,200 Speaker 2: already much bigger than they had been in eighteen ninety six. 134 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:48,680 Speaker 2: There were ninety five events and nine hundred ninety seven athletes, 135 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 2: this time, including twenty two women. In nineteen hundred and 136 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:55,280 Speaker 2: nineteen oh four, the tug of war teams consisted of 137 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 2: five or six members. In nineteen oh eight, the number 138 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 2: of men per team was expanded to eight. To win, 139 00:08:02,800 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 2: the team had to pull their opposing team six feet. 140 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 2: If neither of them managed to do that, then an 141 00:08:07,840 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 2: additional five minutes of play was started. If neither team 142 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:14,680 Speaker 2: had succeeded in achieving this goal by that point, then 143 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 2: the judges stepped in and they measured the progress that 144 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,960 Speaker 2: each team had made. Whoever had pulled their opponent farther 145 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 2: in the course of the match was declared to be 146 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,400 Speaker 2: the winner. This was never a huge sport at the 147 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:30,240 Speaker 2: Olympics because only a few countries ever entered. Even so, 148 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:33,920 Speaker 2: tug of war had a lot of arguments and controversy 149 00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 2: in its early years as an Olympic event. Just determining 150 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 2: the winner sounds like it could have been complicated. 151 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:44,079 Speaker 1: Uh, yeah, there were lots. There's bickering about tug of war. 152 00:08:44,240 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 1: There were initially three teams scheduled to compete in tug 153 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 1: of war in its first appearance in the Olympics in 154 00:08:51,320 --> 00:08:54,840 Speaker 1: nineteen hundred, a French team, the Racing Club de France, 155 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: the US team, and a mixed team made up of 156 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:02,120 Speaker 1: competitors from both Denmark and Sweden. The reason we named 157 00:09:02,200 --> 00:09:06,199 Speaker 1: the French team the Racing Club is because countries could 158 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: enter multiple teams, and often those teams were sent from 159 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: local or special interest athletic clubs, which was the case 160 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: with the Racing Club. 161 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 2: But a scheduling conflict led the US to drop out. 162 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 2: As with many events, the players that made up the 163 00:09:21,080 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 2: teams were participating in multiple contests, and three of the 164 00:09:24,679 --> 00:09:28,600 Speaker 2: members on the US team were also doing the hammer throw, 165 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:31,199 Speaker 2: which was scheduled at the same time that day on 166 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:35,559 Speaker 2: July sixteenth, So the US withdrew, leaving the mixed team 167 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 2: and the French team to battle for gold and silver. 168 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 2: The mixed Scandinavian team took gold and France got the silver. 169 00:09:43,160 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 2: There has been a lot of conflicting reporting on things 170 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:51,079 Speaker 2: at the nineteen hundred Games, including who won. This may 171 00:09:51,120 --> 00:09:53,520 Speaker 2: be in part because it seems like the US team 172 00:09:53,760 --> 00:09:55,719 Speaker 2: had a tug of war match with the Swedish and 173 00:09:55,800 --> 00:10:00,040 Speaker 2: Danish athletes after the official match was done, presumably just 174 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:03,520 Speaker 2: for fun, and that sometimes gets reported in US papers 175 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 2: so the. 176 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 1: Best of them. It seems that because this was outside 177 00:10:08,440 --> 00:10:11,560 Speaker 1: the scope of the official games, things got a little 178 00:10:11,600 --> 00:10:14,920 Speaker 1: loosey goosey, and at one point additional athletes from the 179 00:10:15,040 --> 00:10:18,360 Speaker 1: US jumped on the rope mid match and started adding 180 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:22,840 Speaker 1: additional pulling power. This was reported in the French press 181 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:27,040 Speaker 1: as causing quite a fight. It's one of those things 182 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:30,720 Speaker 1: that is stepped around very carefully. No one really comes 183 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:35,520 Speaker 1: out and says hands were thrown, but officials had to 184 00:10:35,559 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 1: get involved to break things up. 185 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:40,640 Speaker 2: On a more positive note, though, one of the French 186 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:43,719 Speaker 2: silver medalists from the nineteen hundred Games was a man 187 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:47,559 Speaker 2: named Constantine Enriquez de Zubiira. This was the first black 188 00:10:47,640 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 2: athlete to medal at the Olympic Games. Additionally, one of 189 00:10:51,320 --> 00:10:54,120 Speaker 2: the athletes on the mixed team wasn't even at the 190 00:10:54,160 --> 00:10:58,200 Speaker 2: Olympics as a competitor. Edgar Abia was a journalist working 191 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 2: for the newspaper Politiquan and was in Paris to cover 192 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:04,040 Speaker 2: the games, but when the Danish and Swedish team realized 193 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 2: they were down a man, they asked him to join 194 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:08,560 Speaker 2: at the last minute. So he went from just there 195 00:11:08,600 --> 00:11:11,680 Speaker 2: as a spectator and journalist to being a gold medalist. 196 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:17,920 Speaker 2: Can you imagine if anything like that happened today. In 197 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:20,040 Speaker 2: a moment, we're going to talk about tug of war 198 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 2: at the nineteen oh four Olympics. Slight spoiler, there was conflict, 199 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:27,840 Speaker 2: but first we're going to pause for a sponsor break. 200 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,560 Speaker 1: In nineteen oh four, the Olympics were held in Saint Louis, Missouri, 201 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:44,719 Speaker 1: and the US had four teams. One team was made 202 00:11:44,760 --> 00:11:47,840 Speaker 1: up of representatives from the Milwaukee Athletic Club, or at 203 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 1: least that was the claim. He'll get into that in 204 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:53,600 Speaker 1: a minute. This Olympics is one we've talked about before 205 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,040 Speaker 1: because it's a real challenge to untangle, and that is 206 00:11:57,120 --> 00:11:59,440 Speaker 1: due to the fact that it was held in conjunction 207 00:11:59,520 --> 00:12:02,520 Speaker 1: with the Saint Lewis Exposition, which had its own athletic 208 00:12:02,559 --> 00:12:05,439 Speaker 1: events scheduled, and some athletes didn't even know they were 209 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:09,920 Speaker 1: competing in the Olympics. In some cases, reporting also got 210 00:12:09,960 --> 00:12:14,120 Speaker 1: real fuzzy regarding which events were Expo events versus Olympic events, 211 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:18,600 Speaker 1: making this whole thing sort of an ongoing conundrum. If 212 00:12:18,640 --> 00:12:22,720 Speaker 1: you visit the official Olympic sites, it says there were 213 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 1: no medals in the Tug of War category, and that's 214 00:12:25,400 --> 00:12:29,280 Speaker 1: because the outcomes were protested and the final presentation ceremonies 215 00:12:29,280 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 1: were called off. But we do know the results of 216 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:32,960 Speaker 1: the actual competition. 217 00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:36,560 Speaker 2: The four US teams were the New York Athletic Club, 218 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:40,760 Speaker 2: the Milwaukee Athletic Club, the Southwest turn Rain of Saint 219 00:12:40,800 --> 00:12:44,640 Speaker 2: Louis number one, and the Southwest turn Brain of Saint 220 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 2: Louis number two. Two other nations were represented. This was 221 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:52,960 Speaker 2: the Pan Hellenic Athletic Club who competed on behalf of Greece, 222 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:57,320 Speaker 2: and the Boer team as a South African delegation. The 223 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:00,199 Speaker 2: Boers lost to the Milwaukee Athletic Club and the Pan 224 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,280 Speaker 2: Hellenic Athletic Club lost to Saint Louis number one in 225 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:06,960 Speaker 2: the first round, and that left only US teams in contention, 226 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,600 Speaker 2: because the points awarded for each win were also hotly 227 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:14,880 Speaker 2: contested for teams within any given country. When it was 228 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:18,560 Speaker 2: discovered that the Milwaukee Athletic Club team was using members 229 00:13:18,600 --> 00:13:22,719 Speaker 2: who were actually from the Columbian Knights Athletic Association in Chicago, 230 00:13:23,960 --> 00:13:26,520 Speaker 2: it caused a protest from the New York Athletic Club. 231 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:29,080 Speaker 2: The New York team didn't even show up for their 232 00:13:29,120 --> 00:13:32,200 Speaker 2: final two matches and they ended in a scratch. The 233 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:36,280 Speaker 2: standings ultimately ended at the Milwaukee Athletic Club in the 234 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:40,560 Speaker 2: gold medal position, Saint Louis Southwest Turnvreine number one in silver, 235 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:44,319 Speaker 2: and Saint Louis Southwest term Brine number two at bronze. 236 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:46,920 Speaker 2: There is a funny part of this where the New 237 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:50,280 Speaker 2: York Athletic Club already had way more points than anybody 238 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:51,200 Speaker 2: else on the board. 239 00:13:51,559 --> 00:13:53,000 Speaker 1: I think all of this was funny. 240 00:13:53,280 --> 00:13:56,360 Speaker 2: It's really like they were fighting over one point that 241 00:13:56,520 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 2: was not going to change anything. 242 00:13:58,640 --> 00:13:59,200 Speaker 1: So wild. 243 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 2: I imagine a lot of people stamping their feet and 244 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:05,600 Speaker 2: yeelling it's the principle of the thing. And then in 245 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:08,520 Speaker 2: nineteen oh eight the Games were held in London, and 246 00:14:08,760 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 2: early in the tug of War competition there was a 247 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:17,319 Speaker 2: cheating accusation involving footwear in the quarterfinal, which was the 248 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,240 Speaker 2: only one because only the US, Sweden, and Great Britain 249 00:14:20,360 --> 00:14:23,920 Speaker 2: entered Tug of War teams. The team from Liverpool quickly 250 00:14:24,000 --> 00:14:28,120 Speaker 2: overtook the US team, so quickly that the athletes from 251 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 2: the USA thought there must have been some unfair advantage. 252 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:34,920 Speaker 2: Great Britain had three teams, which was allowed again for 253 00:14:34,960 --> 00:14:37,640 Speaker 2: the event at the time, one from Liverpool, one from London, 254 00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 2: and a Metropolitan team that was made up from multiple cities. 255 00:14:41,960 --> 00:14:44,240 Speaker 2: Just about all of these athletes were policemen and they 256 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:48,520 Speaker 2: all wore their police boots to compete. To the US team, 257 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:52,040 Speaker 2: this seemed like cheating and the rule about allowed footwear 258 00:14:52,080 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 2: for the Games was invoked, which stated that quote no 259 00:14:54,800 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 2: competitor shall wear prepared boots or shoes with any kind 260 00:14:58,240 --> 00:15:03,800 Speaker 2: of projecting nails, tip springs, points, hollows, or projections of 261 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:04,400 Speaker 2: any kind. 262 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 1: Okay, so here's what happened. There were accusations that there 263 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 1: were perhaps points or some sort of protrusion that would 264 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:20,120 Speaker 1: allow them to dig in from their boots, but the 265 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:23,480 Speaker 1: Courier Journal of Louisville, Kentucky, several months later, after the 266 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:28,480 Speaker 1: whole thing had played out, shared a very detailed description 267 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:31,920 Speaker 1: of what happened. Quote. Then came the fiasco of the 268 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 1: tug of war contest. The police of London, Liverpool, and 269 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:38,840 Speaker 1: other large English cities do not wear as gentle looking 270 00:15:38,880 --> 00:15:42,240 Speaker 1: shoes as do their brethren in this country. The shoe 271 00:15:42,320 --> 00:15:44,960 Speaker 1: is very heavy and has a heel plate to protect 272 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:47,880 Speaker 1: the wearer from wearing over on the heels. So when 273 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 1: the tug of war contest was called, the American boys, 274 00:15:51,800 --> 00:15:53,800 Speaker 1: who knew as much about the science of pulling a 275 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:56,320 Speaker 1: rope in a tug of war contest as a rat 276 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:59,000 Speaker 1: does in trapping a cat, came out for the event 277 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:01,600 Speaker 1: wearing patent leather sh shoes, and the ground was simply 278 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:05,760 Speaker 1: turf fed. The rules permit the use of common shoes. 279 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 1: The shoes the Englishmen wore are common street shoes to them, 280 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:13,160 Speaker 1: and their teams knew something about the science of tug 281 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:15,560 Speaker 1: of war. And if the reader believes there is no 282 00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 1: science in tug of war, his athletic education is woefully neglected, 283 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 1: as was that of Ralph Rose, John Flanagan, Talbot and 284 00:16:23,160 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: the other Americans who just pulled on that rope, pulled 285 00:16:27,120 --> 00:16:30,400 Speaker 1: and nothing more. By the way those Englishmen shifted that 286 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:32,920 Speaker 1: rope over their heads and yanked two hundred and sixty 287 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:36,840 Speaker 1: five pound Ralph Rose around was a shame. Then came 288 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:40,680 Speaker 1: the American protest, the most ridiculous act of the whole Olympiad. 289 00:16:41,200 --> 00:16:43,520 Speaker 1: To show what the Englishmen thought of the protest, they 290 00:16:43,600 --> 00:16:46,720 Speaker 1: offered the next day to let the Americans wear their shoes, 291 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:50,120 Speaker 1: and they the Englishmen in their bared or stocking feet, 292 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 1: guaranteed to pull the American team all over the stadium. 293 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 2: Once the Liverpool team offered a rematch wearing no shoes, 294 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 2: the US team kind of backed off of their accusation 295 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:05,000 Speaker 2: and the games proceeded and the end the three teams 296 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:08,720 Speaker 2: from Britain swept the medals of not too surprising since 297 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:12,680 Speaker 2: they had three out of the five teams participating. Sweden 298 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:15,920 Speaker 2: had been the other, and they were also eliminated by 299 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:18,240 Speaker 2: the British team. 300 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:22,879 Speaker 1: I love the shoe argument so much. In nineteen twelve, 301 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:25,359 Speaker 1: the Olympics were held in Stockholm, Sweden, but it was 302 00:17:25,400 --> 00:17:29,560 Speaker 1: once again a very tiny field of competitors. Initially there 303 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:34,879 Speaker 1: had been five teams entered Sweden, Great Britain, Austria, Bohemia 304 00:17:35,000 --> 00:17:39,160 Speaker 1: and Luxembourg, but the teams from those last three countries withdrew. 305 00:17:39,680 --> 00:17:42,840 Speaker 1: There is not any clear documentation that explains the change, 306 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:46,160 Speaker 1: but it's entirely likely that, as in previous years, there 307 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:49,159 Speaker 1: was a scheduling conflict where athletes wanted to focus on 308 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:51,720 Speaker 1: other sports. But in any case, it came down to 309 00:17:52,000 --> 00:17:54,879 Speaker 1: just Sweden and Great Britain, and Sweden took the gold 310 00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:57,600 Speaker 1: in a two out of three. The second pull of 311 00:17:57,640 --> 00:18:00,879 Speaker 1: the set was won by Forfeit because the team sat 312 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:03,399 Speaker 1: down as they were trying to gain more pull. And 313 00:18:03,480 --> 00:18:05,840 Speaker 1: if your badonk touches the ground, it's over. 314 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:09,840 Speaker 2: After the nineteen sixteen Olympics were skipped because of World 315 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:12,960 Speaker 2: War One, in nineteen twenty, Tug of War made its 316 00:18:13,080 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 2: last appearance at the Games in Antwerp, Belgium. That year, 317 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:21,439 Speaker 2: there were five teams, one each from Great Britain, Belgium, Italy, 318 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:25,479 Speaker 2: the Netherlands and the US. The matches were staged August 319 00:18:25,480 --> 00:18:28,159 Speaker 2: seventeenth and eighteenth. Then they seem to have been pretty 320 00:18:28,359 --> 00:18:32,920 Speaker 2: uneventful in terms of scandal and conflict. In the end, Britain, 321 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:36,199 Speaker 2: with a team consisting mostly of London policemen, took the 322 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:40,320 Speaker 2: gold and the Netherlands won silver. Belgium was the bronze 323 00:18:40,359 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 2: medal winner. I read in a few different places at 324 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 2: the reason it tended to be policemen on tug of 325 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:48,920 Speaker 2: war is that that was a sport that they played 326 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 2: as part of their training, and they were all very 327 00:18:50,800 --> 00:18:56,679 Speaker 2: good at it. If anyone wants to corroborate or shoot 328 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:58,560 Speaker 2: down that information, because it did come up in a 329 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 2: couple of places, love to hear it. But even though 330 00:19:01,640 --> 00:19:04,600 Speaker 2: the nineteen twenty Games went fine, tug of war was 331 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:07,560 Speaker 2: not brought back for the nineteen twenty four Games. But 332 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,720 Speaker 2: this is one of those cases where enthusiasm for tug 333 00:19:10,760 --> 00:19:14,080 Speaker 2: of war has continued. In nineteen sixty the Tug of 334 00:19:14,080 --> 00:19:19,160 Speaker 2: War International Federation was formed and many clubs became members. Today, 335 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 2: more than fifty countries are included in the organization and 336 00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:25,359 Speaker 2: there are ongoing efforts to have Tug of War once 337 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:29,200 Speaker 2: again added to the Olympic program. Some events were included 338 00:19:29,240 --> 00:19:32,919 Speaker 2: in the Olympics only once ever. One of these was 339 00:19:32,960 --> 00:19:37,119 Speaker 2: the two hundred meter Obstacle Course swim, which sounds like 340 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:40,199 Speaker 2: something you might see on Ninja Warrior today because it 341 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:44,639 Speaker 2: combines obviously swimming and obstacles. This one was part of 342 00:19:44,640 --> 00:19:48,360 Speaker 2: the nineteen hundred Paris Olympics and athletes had to compete in. 343 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:51,800 Speaker 1: The River Sin. Two hundred meters which is six hundred 344 00:19:51,800 --> 00:19:54,680 Speaker 1: and fifty six feet is not a super long swim, 345 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:57,359 Speaker 1: not that I could do it, but once you had 346 00:19:57,440 --> 00:20:01,040 Speaker 1: in the obstacles, it does become quite a challenge. There 347 00:20:01,040 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: were three obstacles on the course. The first was a 348 00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:06,399 Speaker 1: pole that sat just above the water and swimmers had 349 00:20:06,400 --> 00:20:08,960 Speaker 1: to climb over it. The second was a row of 350 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:11,439 Speaker 1: small boats and the swimmer had to climb over that, 351 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:14,119 Speaker 1: and then the last obstacle was another row of boats, 352 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:17,639 Speaker 1: this time competitors had to swim under them before continuing 353 00:20:17,640 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 1: on to the finish line. This was a freestyle event, 354 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:24,200 Speaker 1: so the swimmers could use whatever stroke they were strongest with, 355 00:20:24,280 --> 00:20:27,520 Speaker 1: and this would have been especially important in the current 356 00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:29,360 Speaker 1: of the Sin, which can be brutal. 357 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:32,760 Speaker 2: Although twenty eight swimmers signed up for this race, only 358 00:20:32,840 --> 00:20:36,639 Speaker 2: twelve actually competed. The rest are listed as did not 359 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:41,120 Speaker 2: start in the official reporting. After three heats, Frederick Lane 360 00:20:41,200 --> 00:20:45,520 Speaker 2: of Australia took the gold, Auto Valla of Austria the silver, 361 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:48,960 Speaker 2: and Peter Camp of Great Britain finished the third for 362 00:20:49,119 --> 00:20:52,240 Speaker 2: the bronze. Frederick Lane also won a gold in the 363 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:57,000 Speaker 2: two hundred meter without obstacles. We have some more one 364 00:20:57,080 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 2: timers to go, but for tent a year from the 365 00:20:59,119 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 2: sponsors ep stuff you missed in history class going. Another 366 00:21:11,920 --> 00:21:14,919 Speaker 2: event that only appeared in nineteen hundred as an Olympic 367 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:18,000 Speaker 2: sport was croquet. This one comes with a little bit 368 00:21:18,000 --> 00:21:21,320 Speaker 2: of a caveat, just as we mentioned in the discussion 369 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:23,680 Speaker 2: of Tug of War that the nineteen oh four Olympics 370 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:26,240 Speaker 2: had been held at the same time as an exposition, 371 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:29,400 Speaker 2: and there was confusion even among athletes about what exactly 372 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:32,840 Speaker 2: they had participated in. Paris had a similar setup and 373 00:21:32,960 --> 00:21:36,280 Speaker 2: it had similar problems. And in the case of croquete, 374 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:38,840 Speaker 2: there have been sources that say it was not an 375 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:41,880 Speaker 2: Olympic event, although it did appear in the event guide 376 00:21:42,160 --> 00:21:44,920 Speaker 2: and it is listed as an event on the official record. 377 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:49,200 Speaker 2: Beyond that, there are still a lot of questions about it. 378 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:52,639 Speaker 2: There appeared to be very as ale interrist in Olympic croquet. 379 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:56,320 Speaker 2: According to a Time magazine article from twenty twelve, only 380 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 2: one spectator bought a ticket to watch. It is not 381 00:22:00,280 --> 00:22:05,040 Speaker 2: which of the several days matches that person might have seen. Additionally, 382 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:09,120 Speaker 2: only one country was represented, which was France. In addition 383 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:13,679 Speaker 2: to low spectator interest, the press wasn't really excited about 384 00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 2: publishing the latest updates on croquet. There just was not 385 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:19,520 Speaker 2: a lot of written information about it. 386 00:22:20,320 --> 00:22:23,880 Speaker 1: There's not h There were four events, three that were 387 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:26,320 Speaker 1: medled and one that was not. So those events were 388 00:22:26,680 --> 00:22:30,000 Speaker 1: singles for one ball, singles for two balls, and doubles. 389 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:32,320 Speaker 1: Those all got medals, And then there was what's called 390 00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 1: a handicap event, by which we mean the practice of 391 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:38,399 Speaker 1: weighted scoring or other means to make it competitive no 392 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:40,919 Speaker 1: matter the different skill levels of the players. It's like 393 00:22:40,920 --> 00:22:45,359 Speaker 1: an open invitational. A look at the medalist list shows 394 00:22:45,359 --> 00:22:47,800 Speaker 1: that most of the time the same people were playing 395 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:51,160 Speaker 1: in every single event. In singles one ball gold went 396 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:56,639 Speaker 1: to Gaston and what silver and bronze to Cretien Wadelik. 397 00:22:57,160 --> 00:23:00,240 Speaker 1: In singles two balls, gold, silver and bronze went to 398 00:23:00,600 --> 00:23:05,800 Speaker 1: Cretien way Leick, Maurice Vignau and Jacques Sotroux. The doubles 399 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:08,280 Speaker 1: open shows only one winner, a team made up of 400 00:23:08,359 --> 00:23:13,199 Speaker 1: George and Gaston A. Watt. Maurice Vigneau also won the 401 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:16,200 Speaker 1: singles two ball handicap event. We don't know the names 402 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:18,679 Speaker 1: of any of the other competitors in that event. That 403 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:23,480 Speaker 1: is how undercovered it was. More interesting than the. 404 00:23:23,359 --> 00:23:26,320 Speaker 2: Medals list is the fact that the nineteen hundred croquet 405 00:23:26,480 --> 00:23:31,360 Speaker 2: events featured some of the first women Olympians, Jean fill Brohi, 406 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:36,720 Speaker 2: Marie Ojier and louise A Marie des Prez. All three 407 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:39,840 Speaker 2: of these women played against the men in both singles events, 408 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:43,200 Speaker 2: although it appears they didn't all finish the game. It's 409 00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:45,880 Speaker 2: not really known if there was a doubles team composed 410 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:50,639 Speaker 2: of women. They joined Helene de Portal as the women 411 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:54,119 Speaker 2: trailblazers in the Olympics that year. Portal had won a 412 00:23:54,200 --> 00:23:58,879 Speaker 2: gold medal in yachting. Given the exclusively French field of 413 00:23:58,920 --> 00:24:03,720 Speaker 2: competitors the low interest of spectators, it's not really surprising 414 00:24:03,760 --> 00:24:06,359 Speaker 2: that croquet did not make another appearance at the nineteen 415 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:09,800 Speaker 2: oh four Games or any game since. The nineteen oh 416 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:12,960 Speaker 2: four Olympics did feature the game of roche, which is 417 00:24:13,000 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 2: similar to croquet, but that is played on a hard 418 00:24:15,600 --> 00:24:20,199 Speaker 2: court instead of a lawn. The plunge for distance was 419 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:23,800 Speaker 2: included in only one Olympic Games, that was in nineteen 420 00:24:23,800 --> 00:24:27,560 Speaker 2: oh four. This is a fascinating challenge for an athlete. 421 00:24:27,680 --> 00:24:30,639 Speaker 2: The competitors had to dive into a lake from a 422 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:34,000 Speaker 2: starting position standing at the edge of a platform, and 423 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:36,639 Speaker 2: then the distance they traveled in the lake without moving 424 00:24:36,640 --> 00:24:40,119 Speaker 2: their body was measured to determine the winner. Once the 425 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:43,600 Speaker 2: diver's natural buoyancy or their need to breathe brought their 426 00:24:43,600 --> 00:24:46,600 Speaker 2: head out of the water, that run was over. It 427 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:50,679 Speaker 2: could also end at sixty seconds if the diver hadn't surfaced, 428 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:53,680 Speaker 2: so this is basically a contest to see who was 429 00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 2: best at making themselves a water projectile. This was a 430 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:00,760 Speaker 2: sport that had been invented sometime in the eighteen hundreds. 431 00:25:00,880 --> 00:25:04,200 Speaker 2: The first written records of it are from eighteen sixty five. 432 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,959 Speaker 2: I feel like jumping off of high places into bodies 433 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:10,800 Speaker 2: of water, not as an official sport, probably going back 434 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 2: way before that, but like this is that actual. 435 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:15,200 Speaker 1: We're gonna make rules of measures. 436 00:25:17,160 --> 00:25:19,400 Speaker 2: So this hadn't been around for all that long when 437 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:21,919 Speaker 2: it became an Olympic event, but it had already been 438 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:25,080 Speaker 2: part of swim meets in the US and abroad. 439 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:29,240 Speaker 1: The nineteen oh four Plunge for Distance competition was held 440 00:25:29,280 --> 00:25:31,840 Speaker 1: on September fifth, nineteen oh four, at a body of 441 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:34,720 Speaker 1: water that was called Life Saving Lake. That was a 442 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:36,960 Speaker 1: man made body of water that had been used, as 443 00:25:37,000 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 1: the name suggests, to train first responders in life saving 444 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:43,600 Speaker 1: protocols in the water. The event did not have a 445 00:25:43,640 --> 00:25:46,720 Speaker 1: lot of competitors, just five. All of them were from 446 00:25:46,760 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 1: the US and specifically from the New York Athletic Club. 447 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:53,520 Speaker 1: The gold medal went to William Dickey, who traveled sixty 448 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 1: two feet six inches about nineteen meters, Silver went to 449 00:25:57,800 --> 00:26:01,159 Speaker 1: eh Adams, who traveled fifty seven feet six inches or 450 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:04,680 Speaker 1: seventeen and a half meters, and bronze went to Leo Goodwin, 451 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:08,600 Speaker 1: who managed fifty seven feet or seventeen point three meters. 452 00:26:09,200 --> 00:26:13,560 Speaker 1: The two non placing competitors were Newman Samuels and Charles Pira, 453 00:26:13,680 --> 00:26:17,200 Speaker 1: who made it fifty five feet and forty six feet respectively. 454 00:26:17,840 --> 00:26:20,639 Speaker 1: Prior to the Olympics, Priya had held a record for 455 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:25,480 Speaker 1: the longest plunging distance in the United States. When the 456 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:28,359 Speaker 1: nineteen oh eight Olympics were held in London, plunging for 457 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:31,640 Speaker 1: distance was not on the program, nor did it ever return. 458 00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 1: It was simply not considered athletic enough, and press coverage 459 00:26:35,520 --> 00:26:41,639 Speaker 1: of the nineteen four event had not been particularly flattering. Lastly, 460 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:44,119 Speaker 1: we'll have a brief mention of one other thing that 461 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:47,520 Speaker 1: was also a one timer, also from the nineteen hundred Olympics, 462 00:26:47,640 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 1: and including it basically because we know there will be 463 00:26:51,320 --> 00:26:53,440 Speaker 1: some people who will ask about it if we don't. 464 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:56,920 Speaker 1: Also though, to show how very different the games are today, 465 00:26:56,960 --> 00:26:58,919 Speaker 1: because there's no way this event would be happening in 466 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:01,399 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four. Uh, this is going to be very 467 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:04,760 Speaker 1: brief and a high level mention. But it's also gruesome 468 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:08,479 Speaker 1: and involves animal cruelty. So if that is not something 469 00:27:08,560 --> 00:27:10,840 Speaker 1: you want to hear about, just jump ahead to the 470 00:27:10,880 --> 00:27:14,359 Speaker 1: listener mail, which will happen in about two minutes. So 471 00:27:14,600 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 1: instead of shooting clay pigeons in nineteen hundred, there was 472 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:21,639 Speaker 1: an Olympic event that involved shooting live pigeons, and the 473 00:27:21,720 --> 00:27:24,680 Speaker 1: goal was to shoot as many birds as possible. Each 474 00:27:24,720 --> 00:27:28,199 Speaker 1: shooter shot once per round, and if a shooter missed twice, 475 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:31,560 Speaker 1: that was the end of their competition. Leon de Lunden 476 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:35,240 Speaker 1: of Belgium shot twenty one pigeons and one gold. Maurice 477 00:27:35,280 --> 00:27:38,119 Speaker 1: Farre of France shot twenty birds to take the silver, 478 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:41,520 Speaker 1: and the bronze was a tie between two US competitors, 479 00:27:41,800 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 1: Donald McIntosh and Crittenden Robinson. Each of them shot eighteen pigeons. 480 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:50,120 Speaker 1: This is the only time in Olympics history when animals 481 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:53,000 Speaker 1: were killed as part of a contest, but it also 482 00:27:53,040 --> 00:27:56,840 Speaker 1: included cash prizes, which is not part of the Olympics normally. 483 00:27:57,440 --> 00:28:00,320 Speaker 1: Nearly three hundred birds were sadly killed in this event, 484 00:28:00,359 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 1: which led to vocal criticism from animal welfare groups, of course, 485 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:07,239 Speaker 1: but also from the general public, which just found this 486 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:10,400 Speaker 1: whole thing kind of grizzly and ghastly as dead birds 487 00:28:10,480 --> 00:28:13,920 Speaker 1: littered the ground over the course of the competition. Both 488 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:16,480 Speaker 1: the awkwardness of the situation with the prize money and 489 00:28:16,520 --> 00:28:19,480 Speaker 1: the general distaste for the whole thing led to live 490 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:23,400 Speaker 1: birds thankfully never being used again, and according to some accounts, 491 00:28:23,480 --> 00:28:27,879 Speaker 1: the IOC retroactively relabeled this as a non Olympic event. 492 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:31,640 Speaker 1: As we mentioned at the top of the show, there 493 00:28:31,680 --> 00:28:34,399 Speaker 1: are new events added to the Olympic roster all the time. 494 00:28:34,640 --> 00:28:37,840 Speaker 1: For twenty twenty four, spectators can look forward to breaking 495 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:41,960 Speaker 1: also called break dancing, although it is already not being 496 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:46,280 Speaker 1: planned for the twenty twenty eight Games. Additionally, skateboarding will 497 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:49,480 Speaker 1: have a second showing as an Olympic sport. We mentioned 498 00:28:49,560 --> 00:28:51,360 Speaker 1: up at the top of the show that one debuted 499 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:54,840 Speaker 1: in Tokyo. Whether we'll continue to see these events and 500 00:28:54,880 --> 00:28:57,959 Speaker 1: other newcomers, or if they will be relegated to history, 501 00:28:58,080 --> 00:29:02,560 Speaker 1: that remains to be seen. I'm honestly very excited about 502 00:29:02,560 --> 00:29:10,480 Speaker 1: the break dancing and I kind of have thematic listener mail. 503 00:29:10,520 --> 00:29:13,600 Speaker 1: I have two listener mails. They're both pretty brief, but 504 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:16,280 Speaker 1: if you are an Olympics watcher and you need a snack, 505 00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:19,360 Speaker 1: here we go. The first is spicy popcorn. This is 506 00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:22,240 Speaker 1: from our listener Robin, who writes, Holly and Tracy, thank you, 507 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:24,560 Speaker 1: as ever for your excellent work on the podcast. A 508 00:29:24,560 --> 00:29:26,760 Speaker 1: bit delayed, so I'm not sure if anyone else wrote 509 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:29,080 Speaker 1: in with this suggestion, but I had something I wanted 510 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:32,360 Speaker 1: to share about popcorn. Have you ever done spicy popcorn. 511 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:34,600 Speaker 1: Pop your corn and put it in a big bowl. 512 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:37,600 Speaker 1: Shoot over a few shakes of tabasco or your other 513 00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:41,120 Speaker 1: favorite hot sauce, Toss and repeat until your popcorn is 514 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:43,680 Speaker 1: as seasoned as you like. I typically shoot and toss 515 00:29:43,720 --> 00:29:48,520 Speaker 1: three times make some tasty, spicy, vinegary deliciousness. I too 516 00:29:48,760 --> 00:29:50,920 Speaker 1: like popcorn on the edge of burn and am in 517 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:54,040 Speaker 1: a constant friendly battle with my partner who laments over 518 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:56,760 Speaker 1: any burn bits whatsoever. I don't know that sounds sort 519 00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:59,959 Speaker 1: of perfect because you know you're not competing over this 520 00:30:00,040 --> 00:30:03,280 Speaker 1: same pieces. I am a woos and I don't do 521 00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:05,040 Speaker 1: a whole lot of spicy stuff, but I bet this 522 00:30:05,080 --> 00:30:07,959 Speaker 1: would be interesting, and I bet if you use shriracha 523 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:11,200 Speaker 1: you'd get a really yummy popcorn. I have definitely put 524 00:30:11,240 --> 00:30:16,120 Speaker 1: it on popcorn before nice and we had a powdered 525 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:19,400 Speaker 1: like a powdered version, not exactly the same thing, but 526 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:21,880 Speaker 1: like it was a powdered spice that was meant to 527 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:26,800 Speaker 1: replicate the note, and that was really good on popcorn Yumo. 528 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:31,880 Speaker 1: Our other popcorn email is from our listener Paul, who 529 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:36,680 Speaker 1: writes about popcorn perfection and I felt a kinchip. Paul writes, 530 00:30:36,760 --> 00:30:39,480 Speaker 1: I Holly and Tracy loved listening to your popcorn techniques 531 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:42,120 Speaker 1: and wanted to offer my own eighth inch of oil 532 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:44,840 Speaker 1: in a heavy bottom stockpot along with the tablespoon or 533 00:30:44,880 --> 00:30:47,600 Speaker 1: two of butter. Butter alone will burn, so the oil 534 00:30:47,680 --> 00:30:50,240 Speaker 1: keeps that from happening, and half a cup of kernels. 535 00:30:50,280 --> 00:30:52,880 Speaker 1: Turn the heat to medium, and cover with a clear lid. 536 00:30:53,040 --> 00:30:55,880 Speaker 1: Clear because it's fun to watch. With this method, I 537 00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:59,000 Speaker 1: managed once to achieve the legendary and much sought after 538 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:01,720 Speaker 1: perfect pop As I reached the bottom of the bowl 539 00:31:01,720 --> 00:31:05,560 Speaker 1: without yet encountering an unpopped kernel, my heart began to race. 540 00:31:05,960 --> 00:31:09,960 Speaker 1: Further inspection revealed no unpopped kernels whatsoever. My joy and 541 00:31:10,040 --> 00:31:13,000 Speaker 1: celebration were not shared by my family members, but I 542 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:15,960 Speaker 1: went to sleep smiling that night. Regarding the pet tas, 543 00:31:15,960 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 1: please enjoy a picture of our pit bullboxer wy Marene 544 00:31:18,600 --> 00:31:21,480 Speaker 1: or mix Gunny, trying to steal my wife. The smug 545 00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:23,720 Speaker 1: look on his face says it all. Thanks for everything, 546 00:31:23,720 --> 00:31:26,640 Speaker 1: best regards, Paul. This dog is so cute. The reason 547 00:31:26,840 --> 00:31:29,120 Speaker 1: he says he's trying to steal his wife is he 548 00:31:29,160 --> 00:31:33,360 Speaker 1: has his arm around his wife's shoulder and it's looking 549 00:31:33,400 --> 00:31:36,840 Speaker 1: back over his own shoulder, like, hey, it's very very cute. 550 00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:39,640 Speaker 1: That is a very pretty dog. I hope he is 551 00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:44,240 Speaker 1: as delightful as he is beautiful. I understand the perfect 552 00:31:44,240 --> 00:31:48,800 Speaker 1: pop thing because I too, am always hoping that this 553 00:31:48,880 --> 00:31:53,160 Speaker 1: will be the tie that's unpop kernels and I have 554 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:55,560 Speaker 1: a clear glass lid that I use as well because 555 00:31:55,600 --> 00:32:01,520 Speaker 1: I do love to watch it both. I think that's great, fabulous. 556 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:05,760 Speaker 2: I love that people all love popcorn as much as 557 00:32:05,880 --> 00:32:07,920 Speaker 2: or not all, but many people seem to love popcorn 558 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:09,640 Speaker 2: as much as me. Yeah, we've gotten a lot of 559 00:32:09,640 --> 00:32:12,360 Speaker 2: popcorn email from us, very enthusiastic folks. 560 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:16,320 Speaker 1: Popcorn is delicious. Lately, I have been on a weird 561 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:19,320 Speaker 1: kick for me because I always say that I am 562 00:32:19,360 --> 00:32:21,400 Speaker 1: more of a butter tooth than a sweet tooth, Like 563 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:24,200 Speaker 1: I want savory stuff all the time, but lately I 564 00:32:24,240 --> 00:32:27,040 Speaker 1: have been wanting candy popcorn constantly. I don't know what's 565 00:32:27,080 --> 00:32:30,480 Speaker 1: going on there. I should go back to savory. It's 566 00:32:30,520 --> 00:32:34,160 Speaker 1: probably better for me, just because I have blood sugar 567 00:32:34,200 --> 00:32:38,200 Speaker 1: spikes sometimes. But anyway, popcorn popcorn all the time. Dinner 568 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:41,240 Speaker 1: popcorn here we come. Thank you for sharing all your 569 00:32:41,240 --> 00:32:44,000 Speaker 1: popcorn recipes. You could still keep sending them because I'm 570 00:32:44,040 --> 00:32:47,200 Speaker 1: still reading them. If you would like to do that, 571 00:32:47,280 --> 00:32:50,800 Speaker 1: you can do that at History podcast at iHeartRadio dot com. 572 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:54,080 Speaker 1: You can also subscribe on the iHeartRadio app or wherever 573 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:55,040 Speaker 1: you like to listen. 574 00:33:00,280 --> 00:33:03,400 Speaker 2: Stuff you missed in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. 575 00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:08,320 Speaker 2: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 576 00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:12,760 Speaker 2: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.