whall15
Coach
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I was looking at some of the old Olympic sports and I think some of them should make a return.
Tug of War
Tug of war was contested as a team event in the Summer Olympics at every Olympiad from 1900 to 1920. Originally the competition was entered by clubs, which meant that one country could win several medals. This happened in 1904, when the United States won all three medals, and in 1908 when the podium was occupied by three British teams.[1] Sweden was also among the top countries with two medals, one as a member of the mixed team.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tug_of_war_at_the_Summer_Olympics
Obstacle Swimming
The obstacle race required both swimming underneath and climbing over rows of boats
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swimming_at_the_1900_Summer_Olympics
Holding Breath under Water
Yes I'm serious, this was an event at the 1900 Olympics.
Charles de Venville stayed submerged for over a minute to win the underwater swimming event.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1900_Summer_Olympics#Swimming
Town Planning
Yes, again serious. Town Planning was an Olympic event.
The 1928 games introduced a town planning category.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_competitions_at_the_Olympic_Games#Architecture
Club Swinging
Apparently involves swinging a club.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnastics_at_the_1904_Summer_Olympics_–_Men's_club_swinging
Pistol Duelling
Before Olympic anoraks start writing letters, we know the 1906 Intercalated games don't count as an official Olympiad (see Rationale). But this one entry is too good to leave out. Instead of shooting at each other, participants shot at dummies in fancy frock coats with a bullseye embroidered on the chest. The event never appeared on the Olympic list again, but qualifies here for its exhilarating oddity.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,1270844,00.html
Delivery Van Driving
Yes, this was an event at the 1900 Olympics.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_racing_at_the_1900_Summer_Olympics
Jeu de paume
Jeu de paume is believe-it-or-not indoor tennis where you hit the ball with your hands.
Jeu de paume was an event contested at the 1908 Summer Olympics. This was the only Summer Olympic Games to contain this sport as a medal event. An outdoor version called longue paume was a demonstration sport at the 1900 Summer Olympics. Real tennis, as jeu de paume is called in the UK, was an exhibition event at the 1924 Summer Olympics. In the Official Report of the 1908 Olympic Games, the sport is referred to as "Tennis (jeu de paume)" while tennis is named "lawn tennis."
The competition venue was the Queen's Club in West Kensington, London.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeu_de_paume_at_the_1908_Summer_Olympics
Horse Long Jump
The IOC must have thought that animals were part of the Olympic spirit.
Yes, this was an event for horses, although it is not clear whether the beasts themselves ever mounted the podium to collect their own medals. From an animal as lean, powerful and disciplined as the horse, one would expect Eddie Kidd bus-jumping antics, but, in fact, these equine leaps were a tad more modest. Extra Dry won the contest at the Paris Olympics with a jump of 20 feet and a quarter of an inch. Putting it into perspective, that's 2.63 metres shy of the current world record. For humans.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,1270844,00.html
There have been some really odd Olympic sports.
Tug of War
Tug of war was contested as a team event in the Summer Olympics at every Olympiad from 1900 to 1920. Originally the competition was entered by clubs, which meant that one country could win several medals. This happened in 1904, when the United States won all three medals, and in 1908 when the podium was occupied by three British teams.[1] Sweden was also among the top countries with two medals, one as a member of the mixed team.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tug_of_war_at_the_Summer_Olympics
Obstacle Swimming
The obstacle race required both swimming underneath and climbing over rows of boats
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swimming_at_the_1900_Summer_Olympics
Holding Breath under Water
Yes I'm serious, this was an event at the 1900 Olympics.
Charles de Venville stayed submerged for over a minute to win the underwater swimming event.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1900_Summer_Olympics#Swimming
Town Planning
Yes, again serious. Town Planning was an Olympic event.
The 1928 games introduced a town planning category.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_competitions_at_the_Olympic_Games#Architecture
Club Swinging
Apparently involves swinging a club.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnastics_at_the_1904_Summer_Olympics_–_Men's_club_swinging
Pistol Duelling
Before Olympic anoraks start writing letters, we know the 1906 Intercalated games don't count as an official Olympiad (see Rationale). But this one entry is too good to leave out. Instead of shooting at each other, participants shot at dummies in fancy frock coats with a bullseye embroidered on the chest. The event never appeared on the Olympic list again, but qualifies here for its exhilarating oddity.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,1270844,00.html
Delivery Van Driving
Yes, this was an event at the 1900 Olympics.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_racing_at_the_1900_Summer_Olympics
Jeu de paume
Jeu de paume is believe-it-or-not indoor tennis where you hit the ball with your hands.
Jeu de paume was an event contested at the 1908 Summer Olympics. This was the only Summer Olympic Games to contain this sport as a medal event. An outdoor version called longue paume was a demonstration sport at the 1900 Summer Olympics. Real tennis, as jeu de paume is called in the UK, was an exhibition event at the 1924 Summer Olympics. In the Official Report of the 1908 Olympic Games, the sport is referred to as "Tennis (jeu de paume)" while tennis is named "lawn tennis."
The competition venue was the Queen's Club in West Kensington, London.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeu_de_paume_at_the_1908_Summer_Olympics
Horse Long Jump
The IOC must have thought that animals were part of the Olympic spirit.
Yes, this was an event for horses, although it is not clear whether the beasts themselves ever mounted the podium to collect their own medals. From an animal as lean, powerful and disciplined as the horse, one would expect Eddie Kidd bus-jumping antics, but, in fact, these equine leaps were a tad more modest. Extra Dry won the contest at the Paris Olympics with a jump of 20 feet and a quarter of an inch. Putting it into perspective, that's 2.63 metres shy of the current world record. For humans.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,1270844,00.html
There have been some really odd Olympic sports.