Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Strange Entertainment For Tuesday...!

Sometimes I do believe that we go way too far in the search for some entertainment. This was particularly true during the Victorian era.

In the days before television, going to a sporting event meant attending one in person. Amazingly some of these events became very popular and had some super stars (their version, anyway ).

Pedestrianism



Photo credit: Joseph Becker.

In the 19th century, competitive walking was the most popular spectator sport in America. The sport, known as pedestrianism, was born out boredom by the people who migrated to the cities after the Civil War and needed a new form of entertainment. In filled arenas, competitors walked around tracks almost nonstop from Mondays to Saturdays in front of spectators. (Sundays were excluded because public amusement was not allowed on that day.) The competitors walked to see who could cover the most distance during the race’s duration. Some of these competitors would reportedly walk up to 160 kilometers (100 mi) in 24 hours.

The sport was so popular that celebrities were known to visit arenas during the event. Future president Chester Arthur was a regular spectator at the arena. As in modern sports, there were rivalries among the stars, who earned a fortune from the prize money and sponsorship deals. There were scandals over fixing games and over drugs.

Pedestrianism was eventually replaced by competitive cycling after the invention of the safety bicycle by John Starley in 1885.

Somehow I have a hard time finding any excitement in watching someone walking around a race track. Doesn't really get my juices flowing, ya know?

Coffee out on the patio this morning. We can watch the grass grow for excitement!

8 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

Any sport where most folks sit on their butts and watch others is pretty stupid in my book.

Momlady said...

Some people are entertained by the strangest things.

linda m said...

That is a really strange sport. I can't imagine watching people just walk around a "track". So do they shove one another or cut each other off to get to the front of the "pack"? Think I would rather sit on your patio and watch the grass grow.

Hermit's Baby Sis said...

Bubba -
Even with the title, I totally missed the "pedestrian" on the track in the photo until I had read the article. Yawn...I'll take football, or even golf, as a spectator sport, thank you. But no basketball - that one will put me to sleep!
Big hugs ~

HermitJim said...

Hey Gorges...
I have to agree with ya on that!
Thanks for stopping by today!


Hey Momlady...
Ain't that the truth! You just never know!
Thanks for coming by today!


Hey Linda...
Sounds kinda dull to me as well. Sure seems as though they could have found something a bit more exciting to watch.
Thanks for the visit this morning!


Hey Sis...
As you know, I'm not much of a sports fan, but this "sport" has no appeal to me what-so-ever!
Thanks for coming by this morning!

JO said...

Well I am so excited to read this I can hardly contain myself. Not really. I guess when there really isn't anything else to do. Yes watching the grass grow would be more interesting.

Dizzy-Dick said...

My favorite spectator sport is a lot faster than the one in your post. The one I watch is over is three or so seconds. Yep, I am talking about top fuel drag racing. They go from zero to 330 mph in about three seconds. Fantastic!!!

HermitJim said...

Hey Jo...
Seems like it would be more fun, doesn't it?
Thanks for dropping in today, sweetie!


Hey Dizzy...
Doesn't take them long, does it? Man, those things are fast! Noisy, too!
Thanks for coming by today!