logo
episode-header-image
Jul 2024
33m 15s

Defunct Olympic Sports

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

Over the course of the modern Olympics, there have been a number of sports that have been added and struck from the roster. Today we’ll talk about a few of them, several of which are one-timers.

Research:

  • “Antwerp 1920: tug of war and a 72-year-old medalist.” Olympics.com. https://olympics.com/en/news/antwerp-1920-tug-of-war-and-a-72-year-old-medallist
  • “Blast from the past: plunging in St Louis.” Olympics.com. https://olympics.com/en/news/blast-from-the-past-plunging-in-st-louis
  • Bosco, Nicole. “Why aren't baseball and softball in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games?” Microsoft Start. July 3, 2024. https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/why-aren-t-baseball-and-softball-in-the-2024-paris-summer-olympic-games/ar-BB1pll7T
  • Brief, Sam. “In With the New: What are the new sports and events at the 2024 Paris Olympics?” NBC. June 24, 2024. https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/new-what-are-new-sports-and-events-2024-paris-olympics
  • Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Athens 1896 Olympic Games". Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 May. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/event/Athens-1896-Olympic-Games
  • Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "tug-of-war". Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 Apr. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/sports/tug-of-war
  • Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "How Are Sports Chosen for the Olympics?". Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 Oct. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/story/how-are-sports-chosen-for-the-olympics
  • “English Sporting Spirit.” The State. Aug. 5, 1908. https://www.newspapers.com/image/746603747/?match=1&terms=tug-of-war
  • “Finnish Athlete Best With Javelin.” Paterson Morning Call. July 18, 1908. https://www.newspapers.com/image/552453684/?match=1&terms=tug-of-war
  • Gibson, Megan. “9 Really Strange Sports That Are No Longer in the Olympics.” July 6, 2012. https://olympics.time.com/2012/07/16/really-strange-sports-that-are-longer-in-the-olympics
  • Grannan, Cydney. "7 Canceled or Reintroduced Olympic Sports". Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 Oct. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/list/7-canceled-or-reintroduced-olympic-sports
  • Hernandez, Marco. “The Forgotten Events.” Reuters. June 30, 2021. https://www.reuters.com/graphics/OLYMPICS-2020/HISTORY/oakpedqbgvr/
  • “History of Skeleton.” Olympics.com. https://olympics.com/en/sports/skeleton/
  • Lucas, Charles J. “New Side to Athletic War.” Courier-Journal. Dec. 29, 1908. https://www.newspapers.com/image/119323293/?match=1&terms=tug-of-war
  • Mallon, Bill. “The 1900 Olympic Games.” McFarland. 1998. https://archive.org/details/1900olympicgames00mall/page/188/mode/2up
  • “New York Athletes’ Victory Protested.” New York Times. Sept. 4, 1904. https://www.newspapers.com/image/20465579/?match=1&terms=tug-of-war%20olympics
  • Nichols, Paula. “Olympic tug of war and its ‘controversial’ demise.”  Canadian Olympic Committee. July 22, 2014. https://olympic.ca/2014/07/22/olympic-tug-of-war-and-its-controversial-demise/
  • “Olympic Games St. Louis 1904 – Tug of War Results.” Olympics.com. https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/st-louis-1904/results/tug-of-war
  • “Olympics History.” Tug of War Association England. http://tugofwar.co.uk/olympics-history
  • Pruitt-Young, Sharon. “Here's How The Olympics Decide What Sports To Include — And Which To Leave Out.” NPR. July 28, 2021. https://www.npr.org/sections/tokyo-olympics-live-updates/2021/07/28/1021713829/how-the-olympics-decide-what-sports-to-include
  • Trex, Ethan. “Tug of War Used to be an Olympic Sport.” Mental Floss. July 22, 2021. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/55107/tug-war-used-be-olympic-sport
  • “Tug-of-War: London Police Challenge the Americans.” Evening Dispatch. July 21, 1908. https://www.newspapers.com/image/848724474/?match=1&terms=tug-of-war
  • “Tug-of-war, Men.” Olympedia. https://www.olympedia.org/results/21100
  • “Tug-Of-War at the 1912 Summer Olympics.” Olympedia. https://www.olympedia.org/editions/6/sports/TOW
  • “The World Anti-Doping Code.” WADA. https://www.wada-ama.org/en/what-we-do/world-anti-doping-code
  • Tikkanen, Amy. "6 Unusual Olympic Sports". Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2016, https://www.britannica.com/list/5-unusual-olympic-sports
  • “Unfairness Alleged.” Champagne Daily Gazette. July 18, 1908. https://www.newspapers.com/image/668284214/?match=1&terms=tug-of-war
  • “Water Sports at Paris.” Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. July 8, 1900. https://www.newspapers.com/image/29022999/?match=1&terms=swimming%20obstacle%20race%20olympics
  • Wells, Charlotte. “WHAT WAS THE 200-METER OBSTACLE EVENT AT THE OLYMPICS?” SwimSwam. July 1, 2024. https://swimswam.com/what-was-the-200-meter-obstacle-event-at-the-olympics/
  • Wheeler, Kayla. “Plunge for distance: A look back at one of the weirdest Olympic events of all time.” KSDK St. Louis. July 29, 2021. https://www.ksdk.com/article/sports/olympics/1904-olympics/olympics-plunge-distance-st-louis-swimming-event/63-e047a725-3e3e-4a7c-923e-69c86ea4ed02

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
Peter Stumpp, Werewolf of Bedburg
Peter Stubbe or Peter Stumpp, also known as the Werewolf of Bedburg, was part of a case in Germany where the concepts of witchcraft and lycanthropy were interconnected. Research: Baillie, Nathan. “Monstrous Lessons: Peter Stumpp, the Werewolf of Bedburg.” University of Saskatchew ... Show More
40m 49s
Oct 6
Loudun Possessions
In 17th century France a group of nuns described some unsettling visitations at their convent, which developed into a story of possession, political intrigue, and a moment in time that was rife with social tensions. Research: The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "Wars of Reli ... Show More
35m 6s
Oct 4
SYMHC Classics: Bell Witch
This 2016 episode covers a haunting story from the early 1800s. Many narratives have blossomed from the Bell Witch story, but when you really try to look at the facts, they're few and far between.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
29m 42s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2021
The Modern Olympic Games
Sophie (age 7) and Ellie (age 5) tell the history of the modern Olympic Games. After last weeks episode on the Ancient Olympic games the girls want to bring the story up to date.----more---- Greece was conquered and the Olympics seemed forgotten for 1,500 years. However, after Gr ... Show More
9m 2s
Jul 2024
Pushkin Goes to the Olympics
Legends are made at the Olympics and this summer shows across the Pushkin network are bringing their unique takes to Olympic stories. This special episode includes excerpts from a few: a Cautionary Tale about underestimating female marathoners, a Jesse Owens story from Revisionis ... Show More
38m 40s
Jul 2024
The 2024 Olympics Spectacular
From TV commercials and branded soda cans to Emily in Paris spon-con, the Olympics are once again everywhere. In the Olympic spirit, we’re bringing you four stories about the games in all their international, theatrical glory.In the first story, Christopher Johnson introduces the ... Show More
40m 33s
Aug 2024
The Modern Olympics
Every four years, the Modern Olympic Games is a celebration of athletic excellence. From modest roots in 19th Century Athens, to a worldwide phenomenon which will feature almost 15,000 athletes in Paris 2024, the Modern Olympics has developed into the largest sporting festival in ... Show More
1 h
Jul 2024
Smarty Pass Sneak Peek: Olympic History
This summer it’s the 2024 Olympic games! In honor of this sporty season, Forever Ago host Joy Dolo quizzes producers Rosie duPont and Anna Weggel all about Olympic games of the past. 
1m 23s
Aug 2024
Paris Paralympics 2024: Let the games begin!
With the Olympics over the eyes of the sporting world are back on Paris once again ahead of the start of the Paralympic Games. More than 4000 athletes will be competing for 549 medals over the next two weeks in sports such as Boccia, Swimming and Wheelchair Rugby. We hear from Eg ... Show More
13m 18s