Bizarre Historical Events That Sound So Absurd, It’s Hard to Believe They Actually Happened

The 1904 Olympic Marathon in St. Louis remains one of the most peculiar and infamous events in Olympic history. With a grueling 26-mile course, the race proved to be a brutal test of endurance. Shockingly, only 14 out of the 32 athletes who initially started the race managed to finish it. The extreme conditions were exacerbated by the fact that there was only one water station along the entire course.

The initial “winner,” Frederick Lorz, was later disqualified when it was revealed that he had cheated by driving nearly half the race in his car. Thomas Hicks, who had come in second, was declared the new champion. However, his victory came at a high cost, as he had to be carried over the finish line by his trainers.