Explore the controversial incident involving the Tug of War competition at the 1908 Olympics, where accusations of cheating due to footwear choices led to a protest and a humorous resolution. Delve into the history of Tug of War as an Olympic sport, its competitions in the 1908, 1912, and 1920 Olympics, and the eventual exclusion of the sport from the Olympic program.
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
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