The Weirdest Olympic Marathon Ever Run
True, odd moments from history, told short and checked against at least two sources.
The story
St. Louis, 1904. About ninety degrees, dusty roads, and one water stop, at mile twelve. Thirty-two men start. Fourteen finish. Fred Lorz cramps up, hops in a car, waves at folks, then hops out and jogs into the stadium first. Crowd goes wild. Until they find out. Fred said it was a joke. Félix Carvajal runs in street shoes, stops to eat some apples, gets a bellyache, and takes a nap. Still finishes fourth.
The winner, Thomas Hicks, is fed egg whites, brandy, and strychnine. Yes, rat poison. Folks back then used a pinch as a pick-me-up. Don't try that. His trainers practically carry him across the line. Hicks got the gold. Lorz got banned for life, but the ban was lifted, and he won the Boston Marathon the next year.