Billy Mills Pulled Off One Of The Greatest Upsets In Olympic History
Today in 1938, the birthday of Billy Mills, a Marine veteran, activist and runner who won an Olympic gold medal in what’s been called the biggest upset in the history of the Games.
Basketball Great Lisa Leslie Scored 101 Points In A High School Game
Today in 1990, a high school basketball player scored 101 points in just 16 minutes. That was Lisa Leslie, who would become one of the biggest names in the WNBA.
Bruce Kennedy Qualified For The Olympics Three Times, And Missed Out Three Times
For the next two weeks, Winter Olympians will be going for the gold. That's what javelin thrower Bruce Kennedy tried to do in 1972, 1976 and 1980, but that's not quite how things played out.
The Undertaker Who Developed Automatic Phone Dialing
Today in 1892 a phone system that made automated calls - no switchboard operator - began operating in Laporte, Indiana. The first automatic dial network happened, as the story goes, because of a business dispute between two undertakers.
High Jumper Dick Fosbury’s Biggest Win Was Also A Flop
Today in 1968, a high jumper from Oregon, Dick Fosbury, changed his sport forever by winning gold with an unusual jumping motion now known as the Fosbury Flop.
When Countries Stayed Out Of The Olympics, They Held Their Own Olympic-Style Games
Several times the Games have been canceled, and at other times, boycotts have led some countries to hold their own alternative competitions.
“Eric The Eel” Won An Olympic Heat With The Slowest Time In The Field
Sometimes the Olympic athletes who don’t win are the ones who make big impressions. Eric Moussambani was a hit at the 2000 Summer Games despite finishing well behind the rest of the competitors in his event.
Anybody Can Be An Olympic Star, At Least In A Video Game
The Summer and Winter Games are typically held once every four years, but for decades the rest of us have been getting into the Olympic spirit through video games. Here are a few of the most unusual ones.
Women Couldn’t Compete In The Ancient Olympics, So They Held The Heraean Games Instead
In ancient Greece, the Olympics were for men only. But from what we can tell, women representing 16 city-states would come together every four years to weave a robe for Hera, the queen of the gods, and hold a footrace for single women.
The Original Olympic Flag Went Missing For Over 70 Years
The original Olympic flag flew over the Games for the first time in 1920, in Antwerp, Belgium, but before it could be passed to the next host city, the “Antwerp flag” disappeared - for over seven decades.