NY Times: Longing for the Return of Dueling Pistol

NY Times: Longing for the Return of Dueling Pistol

The New York Times picks out 10 past Olympic events that should be brought back. The title focuses on Dueling Pistol. Although they have that as #4 on the list, not sure if it was supposed to be a ranking. Dueling Pistol was in the 1906 Olympics but did not involve shooting people, just a dummy.

The sports range from the crazy long (12 hour bike race, cross-country run) to legitimate (softball, cricket). Maybe then I’d finally understand cricket. I’m still at the point where I was on board with Family Guy making fun of it in their season finale. It’s not on Hulu yet but it pointed out that it made no sense who was wearing helmets and someone hit the ball out of the park but they had no idea if that was good or not. Finally, there are some odd ones (tug of war) and odd looking ones (2-handed javelin).

Of the 10 on the list, one stands far above all the rest: 200 Meter Swimming Obstacle Course.

6. 200-meter swimming obstacle race, 1900

How to make the 200-meter freestyle more exciting? Make the competitors climb a pole, swim under a row of boats and clamber over another row of boats.

Now, that’s in 1900. The possibilities are endless with underwater cameras. When imagining it, I just have trouble resisting turning the event into Wipeout, The Challenge, or Ninja Warrior.

Found on Uni Watch.