Tag Archives: sports

Oct25

pedestrianism.

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Walking was a competitive sport in the 19th Century

On March 10, 1879, the arena at Gilmore’s Garden in New York City (later, Madison Square Garden) was absolutely packed with screaming fans of America’s latest sports craze: pedestrianism. That’s right, competitive walking. At the venue, fans outside tried to shove themselves in, breaking windows and scaling the roof. It was no less chaotic inside, where ticketholders scrambled on top of tables, chairs, and each other’s shoulders to get a better view. That day marked the start of the Astley Belt, essentially the Super Bowl of walking. Contestants had to circle the 1/8-mile track for six days straight and reach a distance of at least 450 miles, and whoever traveled farthest was declared the winner. Athletes were not permitted to leave the track, and instead had tents or cottages where they were allowed to get a little rest or medical attention.

Americans’ fascination with pedestrianism can be traced back to one man, a New York Herald employee named Edward Payson Weston who had a penchant for long-distance walking. Recognizing his gift for endurance, he made a bet with a friend on the 1860 presidential race, in which the loser had to walk all the way from Boston to Washington, D.C., for the inauguration. Because Weston bet against Abraham Lincoln, he found himself on a 10-day trek through ice and snow that made him a media darling. He started organizing endurance walks against other people, which grew into pedestrianism.

The sport reached the peak of its popularity in the 1870s and 1880s, at which time it was far more than a novelty. Pedestrianism spawned America’s first celebrity athletes, complete with trading cards and brand endorsement deals. Weston was the first; he was so famous that scientists published studies on his urine. Many later superstars were immigrants and people of color: One of the last great pedestrian celebrities was Frank Hart, a Haitian immigrant with a record-breaking career that included a 565-mile, six-day walk. Plenty of women participated in the sport, too — as the March 1879 Astley Cup marched on in midtown Manhattan, five women were competing in their own six-day walk up in Harlem.

at first

I thought I might be a contender,

as an expert level pedestrian

but then I read on

 saw how far and how fast they went

 this was not to be

I will continue on my quest

to find my sport. 

(so far I’m leaning in the direction of ‘ yard sports’

in the realm of badminton and croquet, but not jarts)

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‘i’m in competition with myself and i’m losing.’

-Roger Waters, Pink Floyd, bassist and co-founder

 

 

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source credit history facts.com

Mar18

sync or swim?

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do your best even if you have no idea what you’re doing

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my post today was inspired by my blogging/podcasting friend

Wynne Leon of Surprised By Joy –

https://wynneleon.com/2025/03/17/all-you-have-to-do-is-ask/

who wrote about her daughter finally getting into a class she was interested in, (glee club), and then wasn’t sure what it actually was, reminding me of my own experience in the arena of not knowing what I was getting into:

i was in high school and my best friend told me she was going to try out for our synchronized swimming team (that I didn’t even know we had). it sounded fun, looked easy, i’d seen it on tv, so i thought why not? i’ll give it a whirl.

the afternoon of the try out arrived and we jumped in the pool with everyone else, but as they went through some different moves and swim strokes, and the music began, it suddenly struck me:

 I had neglected to figure in two important factors before jumping in:

  1. my friend was a great swimmer, strong, athletic, and had been on the swim team for many years
  2. I was a terrible swimmer, did not enjoy it at all as an activity, hated being cold, and just loved to play in the water or float around on a raft

as you might imagine, it did not go so well. it involved some water swallowing and inhaling, burning eyes, lots of thrashing and water slapping, nothing that could be construed as graceful, something really, really far from water ballet, and some spinning and jumping. there were no coordinating moves with anyone else, i was just trying to survive. needless to say, i did not become a member of the club, luckily for me, (and all). but i did learn something that day. it never hurts to try new things, but it’s usually best to have an idea what you’re about to try before going off the deep end or you’ll soon find yourself underwater.

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‘I tried synchronized swimming, but felt, over time, i was just going through the motions.’

-dana gould

Jan24

blue girls in motion.

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so great to take my daughter and granddaughter to a women’s basketball game

to see firsthand that all things are possible 

‘

‘a girl didn’t get an athletic scholarship until the fall of 1972 for the very first time.’ – billie jean king

‘courage, sacrifice, determination, commitment, toughness, heart, talent, guts.

that’s what little girls are made of; the heck with sugar and spice.’

– bethany hamilton, surfer 

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january 2025 – at the university of michigan, chrysler arena

let’s go blue!

Feb6

anything can happen.

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The marathon at the 1904 St. Louis Games is one of the most unusual events in Olympic history, in no small part because it was initially won by an athlete who rode in a car for most of the race. It was American Fred Lorz, who led the field of 32 runners right out of the gate. At the 9-mile mark, however, Lorz began suffering from terrible cramping, as the combination of sweltering heat and dirt being kicked up from the unpaved route made it difficult to breathe. It was then that Lorz opted to hitch a ride with a passing vehicle, which he rode in for 11 miles before hopping out to complete the race on foot in just under three hours

Just as President Theodore Roosevelt’s daughter Alice was set to award Lorz his medal, a spectator accused him of cheating. Lorz admitted to riding in a car, claimed it was just a joke, and stated that he didn’t actually plan to accept the trophy.

With Lorz disqualified, American Thomas Hicks emerged as the new winner, though he too ran an unconventional race. At various points throughout the marathon, Hicks was helped by his trainers, who fed the athlete a combination of poisonous strychnine, egg whites, and brandy in hopes of stimulating his body. The result was that Hicks began to hallucinate around the 20-mile mark, and he was eventually carried over the finish line by trainers with a time of 3:28:53 — still taking home the gold.

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“at every olympic games, anything can happen that nobody can predict, so i did my best to win.”

*-lin dan

*lin dan is a chinese former professional badminton player. he is a two-time olympic champion, five-time world champion, as well as a six-time all england champion, and considered to the world’s greatest badminton player.

 

where and when will the next olympics be held?

Paris, France, from 26 July to 11 August 2024.

Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, from 6 to 22 February 2026.

 Los Angeles, USA, from 14 to 30 July 2028.

 Brisbane, Australia, in 2032.

i can’t wait for all the crazy backstories, anything can happen.

 

 

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source credit: history facts, art and culture

 

Jan9

champions.

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Photo by ERIC BRONSON / University of Michigan Photography

photo by university of michigan alumni association

 

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“if you’re a champion, you have to have it in your heart.”

*-chris evert

*Christine Marie Evert known as Chris Evert Lloyd from 1979 to 1987,

is an American former world No. 1 tennis player. Widely considered among the greatest …

Oct14

game day.

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early morning ann arbor

outside of washtenaw dairy

on a home game day

calm before the storm

go blue.

 

 

 

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“you don’t show up on game day and expect to be great.

greatness happens in practice.

you have to expect things of yourself before you can do them.”

-michael jordan

 

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photo credit: washtenaw dairy

 

Sep26

Llanfair­pwllgwyngyll­gogery­chwyrn­drobwll­llan­tysilio­gogo­goch.

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La Liga, of the the Spanish soccerleague has linked up with the biggest name in the sport. Or, more accurately, the longest name: Welsh team Clwb Pêl Droed Llanfair­pwllgw”yngyll­gogery­chwyrn­drobwll­llan­tysilio­gogo­goch Football Club.

The team, based in North Wales and more commonly known as CPD Llanfairpwll FC, is set to be sponsored by LaLiga throughout the current season.

The league’s “LL” logo will appear on the front of Llanfairpwll’s jerseys, which also bear the town’s full, 58-letter name on the club crest.

“This really is an outstanding partnership for us,” Samantha Jones-Smith, the club’s chairwoman. “Not only is it the most exciting collaboration the club has ever had, but it also allows us to improve both on and off the field.”

21 February 2018, Great Britain, Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch: A shopping mall. The village attracts many tourists who come to visit the village with Europa's longest name. A smart shoemaker came up with the name some 150 years ago, so the train stops at the small village. Photo by: Silvia Kusidlo/picture-alliance/dpa/AP Images
The village shopping mall displays Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch’s
full name and meaning. Silvia Kusidlo/picture-alliance/dpa/AP

“We’ve got a great group here who are really committed to bringing success to the club,” said manager Gwydaf Hughes. “This new partnership with LaLiga brings further professionalism to our side, and I know the lads can’t wait to wear the new kit with pride from this Saturday and throughout the season.”

The coastal village, located on island of Anglesey, is said to have the longest town name in Europe. It’s not the original name, but was devised in the nineteenth century by a local cobbler as a way to attract tourists to the area.

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“i don’t care what they call me as long as they mention my name.”

-george m. cohan

 

 

 

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source credit: cnn, espn, ap

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Feb13

hunger harness.

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reynolds wrap made a food harness to keep your favorite super bowl snacks close
If you plan to watch the big game today on Super Bowl Sunday, and also anticipate eating your body weight in food while doing so, take a look back at Super Bowl 2019, when the aluminum foil aficionados at Reynolds Wrap had something they wanted to show you. Here was their unique promotional offering:

You can now satiate your appetite without moving a muscle or missing a play, thanks to the Reynolds Wrap Hunger Harness. This $5 “wearable snack pack” has plenty of pockets to hold your appetizers, main course, snacks, and beverage, all while keeping your food nice and toasty. Essentially, it’s a mini kitchen you can wear like a front-facing backpack or a baby carrier, because after all, snacks are precious cargo.

Want to nervously munch on mozzarella sticks and mini bean burritos while you yell at the referee on your TV screen? Just tuck them into the upper thermal pouch in your Hunger Harness and you’re good to go. Want to make sure you have enough tortilla chips to last through the halftime show? There’s a side pocket for that, too—plus an insulated slot for your queso or dip of choice. A built-in food tray rests on your lap and “turns you into a human table,” and there’s also a pouch for a can of your beverage of choice.

The Hunger Harness was sold in waves in limited quantities and is no longer available. Some may be found on other sites, but are now extremely rare. Just get out that old Baby Bjorn and repurpose as needed! Be creative! If you’re thinking of procuring one for yourself, please heed this advice from Reynolds: “Use caution when handling hot food and beverages.” Lovers of lava-hot pizza rolls, you’ve been warned.

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“our inventions mirror our secret wishes.”

-lawrence durrell

 

 

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credits: emily petsko, reynolds

 

Feb5

games.

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let the games begin!

 

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“a lifetime of training for just ten seconds.”

-jesse owens

 

 

 

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olympic art credit: rachel whiteread

Nov29

“nobody roots for goliath.” – wilt chamberlain

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in a snow bowl game

with rivalry roots from way back when

that hadn’t been won

by

the university of michigan over the ohio state university

in so many years

at last the wolverines bring a victory home

and with the win

michigan stadium is filled with jubilant fans

spilling out onto the field

and into the very, very happy town of ann arbor.

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“you don’t have a real rivalry unless both sides are great teams.”

-carson palmer

 

 

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photo credits: mlive