Forgotten Events Of Decades Past

For 20 years, from 1900 to 1920, tug of war wasn't just a kid's game — it was an Olympic sport.

Stockholm, Sweden. 1912.

One of the many unofficial events at the 1900 Olympics in Paris, hot air balloon racing, had several different events. Pilots competed for distance, elevation, and duration over 18 separate events.

During the 1900 Olympics in Paris, professional firefighters competed in tests of endurance. This was unofficial event and was rarely reported upon — except in the United States, the nation of the gold medal winners, where it was treated like a major event.

The 1904 Olympics in St. Louis held "Anthropology Days," in which people from non-European cultures were dressed up in outsized versions of their traditional clothes and made to compete for the audience's amusement.

During the 1908 Olympics in London, competitors could duel with pistols loaded with wax bullets.

During the 1932 Winter Olympics in New York, teams on sled dogs competed for the gold.

During the 1900 Olympics in Paris, horse racing wasn't just for jockeys — carriage riders could also race on mail coaches.

Korfball, a mixed-gender ball game that requires four men and four women on each team, has been in the Olympics twice: 1920 and 1928.

Amsterdam, Netherlands. 1928.

Basque Pelota — a racket game related to tennis — might not be the most well-known sport, but it's been in four different Olympics.

Paris, France. 1900.

During the 1928 Winter Olympics, one of the events was skijoring: skiing behind a riderless horse. Switzerland won every medal.

Skijoring, though, isn't limited to horses. Pictured are skijorers skiing behind a speeding motorcycle.

Germany. 1963.

Up until 1972, riding a bicycle made for two was an Olympic sport.

Munich, Germany. 1972.

Even jumping through barrels has been an Olympic sport.

St. Louis. 1904.

During the 1924, 1928, 1936, and 1948 Olympics, soldiers competed in military patrols, sliding on skis and firing rifles at their targets.

Amsterdam, Netherlands. 1928.

From 1912 to 1932, the Olympics held literature competitions. The first was won by Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the International Olympic Committee.

Believe it or not, sculpting was once an Olympic event.

This piece is by Walter W. Winans - one of only two people to medal in both Olympic arts and sports, winning the gold for shooting.

Artists could medal in painting, drawing, watercolors, engravings, and graphic works at various Olympics.

This drawing, "Rugby" by Jean Jacoby, won the gold medal at the Amsterdam Olympics in 1928.

For years, climbing up a rope as fast you could was an Olympic event. The most amazing win came in 1904, when George Eyser won gold with a wooden leg.

Amsterdam, Netherlands. 1928.

For those who thought running before jumping is for wimps, there was standing high jump — a sport that, even for the Olympics, just kind of seems like showing off.

London, England. 1908.

In 1904, Olympians competed in a plunge for distance: diving in the water and seeing how far they could float without actually swimming.

St. Louis. 1904.

During the early Olympics, weightlifting had a one-handed lift event — for those who could pump iron with one hand tied behind their backs.

St. Louis. 1904.

In 1900, the Olympic Committee let loose a flock of pigeons and gave a gold medal to whoever could gun down the most birds. Animal rights advocates, as one might expect, were not thrilled.

Paris, France. 1900

In the 1900 Olympics, horses didn't just race, they competed in high jump and long jump, too.

Paris, France. 1900.

In 1900, they had racing events for every kind of car, with separate events for cars, trucks, taxis, and even fire trucks.

Paris, France. 1900.