Hello one and all!
You may look at some Olympic sports now and wonder how it was accepted, but in the past there were events that were quite out there. I've dug up some of them and I'll share them with you here.
Pistol Duelling
In one version duelists shot a dummy dressed in clothes. The creepy event began in 1906 but was discontinued after 1912. At the 1908 Olympics it was a demonstration sport, where competitors wore protective clothing and shot each other with wax bullets. Maybe people thought the event wasn't in keeping with the Olympic spirit?
Tug of War
Tug of war was actually an event at five Olympic games - 1900, 1904, 1908, 1912 and 1920. Yes, that thing you do at family gathering when everyone is thoroughly sloshed. People were very serious about it though, unlike at picnics, and in 1908 the British team won despite protests that they wore illegal footwear.
Art
Artistic events were part of the Olympics from 1912 to 1954. There were categories for sculpture, literature, music, painting and architecture. As long as it was inspired by sport then you could be in the running for a medal. Judging art is subjective, and someone finally realized that it was way different from other events.
Rope Climb
It seems like rope climbing has really fallen far from its former Olympic glory. Now its just a hated physical education exercise for school children around the globe. It had been at the very first modern Olympics, in 1896 in Athens, and athletes were judged according to style and speed. In 1904 an American athlete, George Eyser, won gold in the event even though he had a wooden leg. Rope climbing was dropped after the 1932 Olympics.
Bicycle Polo
This event had only been included in the 1908 London Olympics as a demonstration sport. Pity, we could have had more scintillating bicycle and polo stick action if it had taken off. The Irish team won the gold for this, for anyone that is interested.
Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it and feel free to comment.
You may look at some Olympic sports now and wonder how it was accepted, but in the past there were events that were quite out there. I've dug up some of them and I'll share them with you here.
Pistol Duelling
In one version duelists shot a dummy dressed in clothes. The creepy event began in 1906 but was discontinued after 1912. At the 1908 Olympics it was a demonstration sport, where competitors wore protective clothing and shot each other with wax bullets. Maybe people thought the event wasn't in keeping with the Olympic spirit?
Tug of War
Tug of war was actually an event at five Olympic games - 1900, 1904, 1908, 1912 and 1920. Yes, that thing you do at family gathering when everyone is thoroughly sloshed. People were very serious about it though, unlike at picnics, and in 1908 the British team won despite protests that they wore illegal footwear.
Art
Artistic events were part of the Olympics from 1912 to 1954. There were categories for sculpture, literature, music, painting and architecture. As long as it was inspired by sport then you could be in the running for a medal. Judging art is subjective, and someone finally realized that it was way different from other events.
Rope Climb
It seems like rope climbing has really fallen far from its former Olympic glory. Now its just a hated physical education exercise for school children around the globe. It had been at the very first modern Olympics, in 1896 in Athens, and athletes were judged according to style and speed. In 1904 an American athlete, George Eyser, won gold in the event even though he had a wooden leg. Rope climbing was dropped after the 1932 Olympics.
Bicycle Polo
This event had only been included in the 1908 London Olympics as a demonstration sport. Pity, we could have had more scintillating bicycle and polo stick action if it had taken off. The Irish team won the gold for this, for anyone that is interested.
Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed it and feel free to comment.
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