The 1904 St. Louis marathon stands out as one of the most absurd events in Olympic history, characterized by a series of bizarre occurrences that made it a spectacle like no other. This race, held in conjunction with the World’s Fair, deviated significantly from the traditional Olympic grandeur witnessed in previous editions.
The marathon featured a diverse group of participants, including runners with limited marathon experience and even some who had never attempted such a race before. Among them was Cuba’s Félix Carvajal, who ran the race in unconventional attire, wearing long trousers and a white shirt until a fellow competitor helped adapt his outfit for the marathon. Additionally, two members of the South African Tswana tribe, Len Taunyane and Jan Mashiani, made history as the first black Africans to compete in the modern Olympic Games.
The race itself took place under challenging conditions, with sweltering heat and a lack of adequate water stations along the 24.85-mile course. Only 14 out of 32 initial entrants managed to finish the grueling race, marking the lowest completion rate in Olympic history. The winner, Fred Lorz, initially crossed the finish line but was later exposed for hitching a ride in a car for a significant portion of the race before rejoining the course to claim victory as a “joke.”
Other participants faced their own absurd challenges during the race. Carvajal, after stopping to eat rotten apples and experiencing stomach cramps, still managed to finish fourth. William Garcia suffered a near-fatal stomach hemorrhage from ingesting excessive dust, while Taunyane was detoured off course by wild dogs, impacting his final placement.
The ultimate victor, Thomas Hicks, finished the race in a record slow time of 3 hours 28 minutes and 53 seconds. Hicks, assisted by his trainers throughout the race, displayed signs of extreme exhaustion and confusion, hallucinating about having additional miles to run as he was carried over the finish line.
The controversial nature of the 1904 St. Louis marathon nearly led to the event being excluded from future Olympic programs. Fred Lorz faced a lifetime ban for his deceptive victory, though this was later overturned. Carvajal’s post-race journey to Athens for another marathon was shrouded in mystery, with false reports of his death circulating in the media. Hicks continued his running career before eventually relocating to Canada with his brothers.
The 1904 St. Louis marathon remains a testament to the absurdity and unpredictability that can unfold in the world of sports, offering a unique chapter in the annals of Olympic history that is unlikely to be replicated.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.