RAT POISON AND BRANDY: THE 1904 ST. LOUIS OLYMPIC MARATHON.

[@Xenotropos]

There's more to this. It gets weirder. Only 62 of the 651 athletes came from outside North America, and only 12-15 nations showed up because of the combined problems created by the Russian-Japanese war and the difficulty of getting to St. Louis once they reached the continent. The entire Olympics were overshadowed by "Anthropology Days": an event where, I quote, "Various indigenous men from around the world competed in various events for anthropologists to see how they compared to the white man." You can't make this stuff up. Those gentlemen weren't only the first black Africans to ever compete in the Olympics, they were playing the part of "savages" in weird costumes for Anthropology Days. They heard about the marathon and sort of just decided to do it for the hell of it. The amount of bravery this took, given the racism surrounding the entire event, is unbelievable. In an unrelated event, the American gymnast George Eyser, won six medals even though he had a wooden leg. Some athletes were simply classified as "American" for purposes never fully explained, if not obvious. Two Norwegians were listed as winning for the US simply because they were living in the country at the time. Neither had US citizenship, and at least one was effectively an illegal immigrant. Same thing happened for one guy from Switzerland, who's medal still counts towards the US total on the official books. One French national arrived with incorrect paperwork, was allowed to compete in a "mixed country" team, and his medal was counted as part of the US total by the powers that were for... reasons. A Russian team, attempting to compete in the marathon, set out for the US and failed to make it, because Russia still used the Gregorian calendar at the time and they got the dates wrong. This NEEDS to be made into a movie. In the right hands, it could be both an expose on how horrible it was, and comedy gold.

[@lauregami]

i'll give you a hint as to why they were classified as "american": it's because they were all white

[@Xenotropos]

You could be right, but I think it was simply to pad the number of metals the US took home. And nobody was really watching the tally that closely.

[@clovisthegreat7078]

Russia used the Julian Calendar, not the Gregorian, which the rest of the world used. Otherwise really interesting!

[@tamonicus]

I've read some about these Olympics but not your anecdotes. Thx! If that got made into a movie, I'd cast Will Ferrell as the bumbling head of the Olympic organizing committee. That is, if you want to cast that person in a well-meaning light. I'm sure there's reasons that's inaccurate.

[@eddixon2015]

This would make a fantastic film.

[@PhoenixChaser1120]

Ok, but the line "Places so ordinary that ghosts don't even live there. Streets so normal, so full of TJ Maxx's and Starbucks that they play this trick on you, like nothing of real importance could have ever happened there." Is so fuckin raw.

[@FuriosoDrummer]

"Places so ordinary that ghosts don't even live there." Damn Jon, you really know how to turn a phrase.

[@brandonbuchner1771]

I thought so too. That last bit was quite poetic.

[@hobojesus9817]

koolkitty8989 the old graveyard in Santa Cruz is extremely haunted. As are the array of gold rush era ghost towns.

[@wFb86]

Jon Bois deserves an HBO documentary series. I mean holy shit this guy is fucking incredible.

[@Ten_Thousand_Locusts]

@@hobojesus9817 no they're not

[@metalgear6531]

That whole segment hit hard. Especially the part about how it feels like nothing of real importance could have ever happened there. I grew up immersed in that total void of culture or history.

[@tz233]

Ratt, Poison and Brandy = one hell of an odd 90's reunion concert.

[@KnakuanaRka]

xD

[@joebucco3509]

I saw ratt and poison together in 06. No brandy though lol

[@adamnicotera5021]

Pretty good

[@missvida6251]

@@joebucco3509 brandy is pretty damn good. She actually can sing

[@totallyfrozen]

80’s, but anyway.

[@InternetsBeloved]

Jon continues to singlehandedly keep Google Earth in business for another month or so.

[@NinjaKurosai]

While making it look so goddamn sexy too.

[@voomroom8697]

I kinda have a phobia of satellite imagery, especially Google Earth, but Jon Bois is really helping me overcome it.

[@tanyalebean3695]

@@voomroom8697 May I ask why?

[@voomroom8697]

@@tanyalebean3695 I don't really know. The problem is only with any bodies of water. I'm fine on land. Look at any of the google image results for "thalassophobia" and thats how I feel about satellite images. It feels so isolated. Probably related, I also absolutely despise images of planes or ships rusting underwater, which is tough because I was really into the Titanic as a kid.

[@tanyalebean3695]

@@voomroom8697 oh I get that

[@Karmy.]

It's crazy that Lorz, the fake winner of this race, died at age 29 and Hicks, who nearly died in this race, lived for another 48 years, living until the age of 76

[@duggiek1352]

Truly lives up to the phrase "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger."lol

[@Zekrom569]

Well i guess they were more like temporary complications which could lead to death(like a fatal injury) but if they are treated then probably there wont be any lasting damage, or maybe Hicks had a really good GP...From official sources Lorz died from pneumonia(maybe a precursor for spanish flu?) while Hicks gone to live until his death on Canada, probably from old age

[@joeg5414]

Maybe his trainer deserves more credit

[@loganbeardall6904]

@@joeg5414 great comment. Deserves more likes.

[@ThorHC11]

to be fair, Lorz got pneumonia, which was probably a hella bad thing to come down with in the 1910s

[@agathailla3285]

The text “he would have bled to death.” in front of a Hardee’s is an accurate representation of what Jon Bois’ videos are like

[@trackrapper3604]

I wish someone walked in and just saw a piece of paper that said 1904 St. Louis and then there were pills and broken eggs and a plastic dog and sawdust and apples and Jon just playing with a plastic soldier

[@kangkim150]

And then they fall to their knees and yell "what have I done?".

[@keenanmccarty9925]

I suspect living with Jon nothing surprises you anymore.

[@ShakeItLittleTina]

I imagine that Jon’s office has become a bit of a “no go zone” for his SB Nation coworkers most of the time

[@Tinlion09]

And he's on the phone with someone, and you can't hear who he's talking to or what they're saying, and eventually he's like “Okay, cuz I was gonna take, like, _ten_ pounds of strychnine?”

[@sethorren]

The one he did where he reenacted the worst football route in NFL history using little green plastic army men was recorded in his open-office cubical. You can see his coworkers ignoring him playing with his toys at one point in the video. It somehow makes the video 10 times better for me.

[@Stemshady]

Jon your music freaks me out man, binging these at 5 am was as bad idea.

[@captainkeck4664]

chin up, bucko, it's good for you

[@bruhmomentmaker4979]

Stem it sounds like a UFO's outside

[@rockstermaniac]

and here i thought noone else could be this stupid . y do i underestimate the internet

[@zacharyyoussef5202]

Using Bing is always a bad idea

[@michaelthomas1650]

Nick Stem I know right! I get so freaked out when it does that high-pitched beeping music when that one guy thinks he’s still 22 miles out.

[@EonArashi]

tbh, the long sleeves and beret might have helped Carvajal by keeping the sun off of him. Everybody else probably got burned to hell and back, but Carvajal probably never got as badly dehydrated because he wasn't as badly sunburned. The first modern sunscreens weren't really available until the 1920's.

[@xxiacid5399]

hmm maybe

[@fighterck6241]

Plus the carbs from the peaches...

[@ThePolarBearProductions]

And the fact he was from Cuba, a typically hot humid country, the heat probably didn’t phase him as it would someone else.

[@harleypeterson2433]

FighterCK more like CARBajal am I right? No? Okay

[@jennapherhague5728]

EonArashi Yeah, all those things...oh...and the car ride...and the nap...😏

[@licensedblockhead]

seeing the picture of that guy after the race was way too creepy

[@probablyintroduction]

than you should look at vischy woods face after the "climb the ladder play"

[@maxkuchlein173]

@@probablyintroduction no

[@HeadCannon19]

He looked like he was already dead, like he was a skeleton or something

[@therealhankster1691]

Thomas got the short end of the stick that day, but he won.

[@peema2211]

@@probablyintroduction sorry I'm about a year late, but where can I find this

[@DoggMasterH]

Thomas Hicks, who won this thing, is not human. He was given two doses of strychnine 1mg each, brandy and raw eggs and he lost 8 pounds in 3.5 hours and that guy still lived 48 years after this and died at the age of 76 which probably was pretty old for someone born in 1876. All the while the guy that had to tap out because of cramping and only ran 9 miles of this marathon and got a ride for 5 more to the get to the finish line, died 10 years later and didn't even live to the age of 30, what the fuck?

[@thisishandlenumber2048]

Its because every time Death showed up Hicks outran him but Lorz got tired and gave up letting Death win.

[@matthewbeaver5026]

Must have been the rat poison....let's go get some lol

[@tomhill3248]

He tapped because his spirit was weak.

[@thrownstair]

The karmic balance of the universe punished him.

[@josephD32]

This part alone could be a movie, not to mention everything else that happened during these events.

[@tArchStantont]

James Sullivan should be absolutely removed from the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.

[@fighterck6241]

@@616degrees4 yeah, you're a fucking moron...

[@dylanf3108]

Ted Brandt He literally purposefully put the lives of 100s of people in endanger without them even realizing what he was doing.

[@DenjinZ23]

@@616degrees4 Grand achievements like purposely dehydrating people. Take your buzzwords and piss off, Ted.

[@karfsma778]

@@616degrees4 I dunno, cause he tried to murder people?

[@XaphoonUCrazy]

@@616degrees4 ugh just shut the fuck up

[@112steinway]

I think someone should organize a marathon following this exact same route in honor of this event.

[@ZanraiKid]

112steinway Under the same conditions

[@112steinway]

Hell yes.

[@davesmith4646]

112steinway at the exact same time that the marathon was ran

[@workingclassrunner]

I'd like to see Meb and Bekele survive this.

[@UnitedJupiter91]

The only problem is that no one here in St. Louis is stupid enough to go outside for 3 hours in the Summer

[@tominrochester]

I love that they were able to get a bottle of brandy from a random 'friendly bystander'... most crowds give h20 or gatorade maybe... not the '04 crowd though- alcohol and rotten apples all the way!!!

[@kevinlucas1987]

It's h2o, not h20

[@collinjohnson5500]

Try running a road race in New Orleans. Not much different.

[@dempseydoodle2010]

I've run the California International Marathon 3 times and every time around mile 16 there is a guy out there with shots of various types of alcohol that he offers to runners, actually at the race last year I finished the 26 miles having taken 2 shots of liquor and drunk 3 small glasses of beer that were offered by people on the side of the course. Needless to say I was at the back of the pack

[@mr_gerber]

@@kevinlucas1987 If anything, it's H2O

[@gonb5434]

@@kevinlucas1987 no, he means h20, they were carrying around liquid hydrogen

[@billygowhoop]

I guess that back in the day instead of everyone carrying a cell phone, people carried bottles of brandy around regularly

[@borRIING]

Ahh.. much simpler times it was. The good ol' days

[@toweypat]

You needed brandy to calm down after being chased by wild dogs.

[@southbeachtalent]

Not gonna lie, that sounds amazing!

[@sakurakhadag]

entertainment is entertainment.

[@dougerrohmer]

I think back in the day, a lot of people in important positions were totally drunk most of the time. Winston Churchill comes to mind...

[@MrRootbeerninja]

Wow! I actually live on this marathon path and had no frickin clue. Thank you Jon, probably never would've found out.

[@sakurakhadag]

Watch out for stray dogs man.

[@ireallydontknowwhattoputhe5520]

Me too

[@Karmy.]

@@sakurakhadag and rotten apples

[@ShaunChristianScott]

@@sakurakhadagmostly alley cats these days.

[@RoseGuyCrazy]

As someone who loves horror and dark topics, I sometimes need a break from that and getting in SB Nation and these videos I thought was going to be that break for the time being. This episode proved me wrong. This is an unsettling horror story

[@randomvids1231000]

Unfortunately, sometimes sports can be a horror story.

[@wearealreadydeadfam8214]

When I read the title. I assumed people were giving rat poison to opponents. Not using it as a performance enhancer. XD

[@toweypat]

We are already dead Fam yeah really!

[@taakotuesdays]

i read about the strychnine story in quackery, a book all about weird medical history (which is exactly what sawbones is about and you should listen to it), and iirc strychnine was viewed as a performance enhancer for a period of time. wild stuff

[@talosheeg]

@@taakotuesdays I love that book!!

[@Larry]

Its amazing there's never been a movie of this, sounds like some sort of comedy like "Those Magnificent Men in their flying machines"

[@EvanSchatz]

But... hello, you!

[@iron1349]

Probably have to find a currently rural area, since it's all built up nowadays. maybe use some eastern MO backroads for much of the route, and maybe like Histori St. Charles as a set as well. :shrug:

[@tcjoe7957]

Larry Bundy Jr always weird when youtubers you watch watch youtubers you watch lol

[@123mathtutorabc4]

I forgot about your channel, alright I'm going to catch up now. Cheers

[@updogsinclair5755]

It's like that HBO movie Tour de pharmacy

[@ScottFairley]

My main takeaway from this video is that my 4:04 marathon PR probably would have had me within striking distance of a podium finish at the Olympics.

[@joseph-fernando-piano]

How weird was the 1904 olympics in general? The gold medal in soccer was won by Canada...

[@JWex-jy7sk]

@Joseph Fernando Well these days US soccer isn’t that strong, so it actually doesn’t surprise me there was once a time US soccer couldn’t catch a break... Especially when they couldn’t even win gold with very little competition from the other nations.

[@CSLucasEpic]

Canada also won Gold in Lacrosse. And the Bronze was won by a team of Native Americans of the Mohawk tribe. No, seriously, their roster consisted of players named Black Hawk, Half Moon, Rain in the Face...

[@JWex-jy7sk]

@amine dz Yeah but I mean not in the U.S. Still never forget USA couldn’t even beat Trinidad...

[@basshead.]

Soccer sucks anyway.

[@kourii]

Well there were only about a dozen countries besides the US competing, and most of those only had a handful of athletes or fewer.

[@jacefairis1289]

Most riddiculous sporting event? What about the 1994 Caribbean Cup? So it's Barbados Vs. Grenada. Grenada need to win by two points to advance, and they're only 1 point up - but for really stupid reasons, if the game goes to overtime, the last point counts double. So what do they do? They own-goal, obviously. Barbados then think to themselves, 'Hang on, if we win by 1 point, we advance - but if we *lose* by one, we advance anyways!' So Barbados proceeds to spend the last 3-odd minutes of play trying to score in *either* goal - and somehow, Grenada defends both goals simultaneously. The game goes to OT, Grenada gets the 2-point last goal, and they advance. *absolutely ludicrous,* though still probs not as silly as your story.

[@riyavka]

Wrong teams. Barbados needed the two goals, and did so in said OT

[@markhamer1628]

Jace Fairis wow that’s crazy.

[@mattschumacher4581]

Jace Fairis did anyone almost die of rat poison or get chased off by dogs in this game?

[@anonymousperson3023]

The Barbados vs Grenada game was more stupid than ridiculous. Anyways, this is called finding a loophole in the rulebook

[@anonymousperson3023]

@Rich Affinito the only problem is the length of the video, there just isn't that much to talk about in the match

[@trystanolbertson7220]

A weightlifter from Kyrgyzstan just got stripped of his medal for weightlifting for using rat poison lol

[@talosheeg]

Apparently it happened to an Indian weight lifter too!

[@DumbdogsWin]

I honestly think that this is one of the funniest Olympic stories ever, despite how horrible it is

[@kvltizt]

It would make a good dark comedy film.

[@ordinaryk]

Tragedy + time = comedy. Everybody who was involved in this debacle are long gone, so we can view it with a grin.

[@chrisossu2070]

It's something that definitely could happen in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

[@richarizard526]

"It was the stupidest sporting event of all time" *1916 Cumberland-Georgia Tech football game has entered the chat*

[@tommydebo5]

Funny you should mention that game, there is a Pretty Good on it and Jon explains that that game was John Heismen exacting the most brutal revenge of all time.

[@UltraAceCombat]

I'm honestly shocked. I knew about the general events of this Olympic marathon, but I never knew how deep it went. Truly chilling, and turns what I once thought an amusing story into one of horror. Well done.

[@andeve3]

Seeing Jon Bois upload a new video feels Pretty Good.

[@Hummabubba]

Nice pfp bro

[@gloriousgamers2053]

Karim Fares bjjbbb kjbjbibijbbbbjbjbjjbbbbbbjbjbbbbbbbbibibjbbjjbbbb jbbbi job jbjbbibjjbibijbbijbbijbiibijboibijbiibijbbij. Boi b boi. Bbibibjjbi ibijboibijbjbibij. Bike. Bjbbijbbi in knbbv h h h h h h h h

[@gloriousgamers2053]

I bi bbbibb

[@maxmcquide7147]

This pun will never, ever get old

[@coolj9496]

I literally thought Felix was photoshopped into that picture of the starting line

[@frevazz3364]

He looked sooo out of place in doesn't seem real but it happened. This happened....please make a movie out of this.

[@JeevesAnthrozaurUS]

When you see your created character in a cutscene

[@GarrettJonesBroadcasting]

"as for that well, well, it was a well"

[@lilhayden9984]

Yes

[@DavidThomas-qq4hf]

I'm literally crying about Felix Carvajal's outfit. I heard boss music playing when I saw him in the lineup. 😂😂😂

[@davidsteiner9682]

As someone who was born and raised and now currently lives in St. Louis i can tell you, first this video is beautiful, second most of us hate the history behind the 1904 worlds fair. It was such blatant racism and the "Olympics" really were a shit show. I lived in alot of the areas that this video covers. And btw i know someone who used to work for that shoe company. And yes they do realize the irony.

[@CardsTricks42]

Hey. The ice cream cone is pretty cool. Mostly everything else was racist as shit though so yeah.

[@monstermikeheinrichs]

@@CardsTricks42 The ice cream cone and the hot dog on a bun. Pretty much the only good things to come out of St. Louis in 1904.

[@cybercrasherstv]

​@@CardsTricks42hey, how do you know how the ice cream cones were like? Unless...

[@CSLucasEpic]

In 1904 Olympics there was Lacrosse. Canada won gold with USA getting silver. Bronze was won by a team of Mohawk native Americans. With players like Rain in Face, Black Hawk, Half Moon, and my personal favorite Man Afraid of Soap.

[@shreknskrubgaming7248]

Bro I saw this comment and immediately assumed you were just being an asshole and making fun of Native American stereotypes. Then I looked it up. I'm speechless.

[@scribe570]

Wow, you took a swipe at the Native American "savages" there. You would have enjoyed Anthropology Days.

[@1M4C1999]

man i would never have expected to find a way to connect the McElroys to Jon Bois, and yet here we are

[@nowionlywantatriumph]

Lena MacKay SB Nation and Polygon are both Vox Media brands.

[@jonpinyan]

Yeah, rewatching this today, it's wild to think this technically might've been the first McElroy content I consumed.

[@lhaviland8602]

Something something six degrees of Paul Blart.

[@samcross9226]

I'm from St. Louis and run on these exact same streets multiple times a week, specifically Forsyth and Brentwood Blvd. In fact I literally just went to the Starbucks showed in the Google Maps segment near that running store. Had no idea of the lunacy that took place on these same streets 117 years ago

[@aegisofhonor]

there are some saying that the Cuban runner deserved 3rd place as the first place finisher was actually carried over the finish line as he was unable to continue about 500 feet from the finish.

[@cgrose21]

I've binge watched all the Pretty Good stories and have found them to be some of the best documentary material out there. From the writing, production, and delivery to your dedicated passion for storytelling, these are true gems. Thank you.

[@scatmanfan2]

loved hearing Sydnee on this! another stellar entry as always jon

[@chocoboasylum]

Imagine Walter Sobchak at this marathon. "Am I the only here one who gives a shit about the rules??" What were these people thinking?

[@chrishenderson9130]

chocoboasylum this aggression should not have stood, man...

[@nathanmcguire932]

It’s honestly kind of a miracle that Hicks finished a marathon in 3 hours and 28 minutes while on the verge of death

[@KayBbyXOXOXO]

I’ve had multiple people suggest this video over the years. Every time, I rewatch it. It’s wonderful.

[@SavageGreywolf]

I'm sorry Jon but it makes perfect sense to me that a untrained person dressed as a waiter who stopped to snack on apples and take a nap could come in 4th in a marathon where everyone was dehydrated and choking on dust and the winner was stone cold drunk, poisoned and staggering along propped up by two other people. For one thing he got some carbohydrates and water and also didn't destroy his muscles from running himself to exhaustion.

[@TheLeastExpected23]

There's actually a book on this subject for kids called "The Wildest Race Ever: The Story of the 1904 Olympic Marathon." Totally in good taste for preschoolers to know about people almost dying in this event!

[@dongding2741]

My heart dropped when you said he lost 8 pounds all in that time.

[@TaekwondoVsCokeNinjas]

Pretty Good has rapidly become one of my favorite online series; its so full of tragedy and wonder for moments in time and particular people who have been lost to the ages or forgotten by the masses. As a history buff and sports fan, I look forward to any other Pretty Good episodes you may make. Thanks Jon

[@plikityplak]

These "Pretty Good" videos are great. I discovered them on a poker subreddit that posted his last video "Why do I choose this for a living" about a month ago. I have watched every other one since and each one was really interesting. Keep em coming!

[@atypicallytypical]

I've never been interested in sports, but these videos are just amazing. Great work!

[@frankd8434]

AtypicallyTypical me too

[@MrJreed1000]

AtypicallyTypical that's what I said... it goes so beyond the scope of what he's talking about... it feels like he could be talking about avything...and he could make it super interesting

[@CoasterBrain]

They are not amazing they are pretty good

[@CoasterBrain]

All jokes aside I love pretty good and chart party

[@musicsurfer17]

video: "get ready to meet your new hero." me, already deep in my hyperfixation of this 1904 olympic marathon, who has Felix as their twitter icon: "yes he is."

[@brandonbuchner1771]

Did that into scare the shit out of anyone else?

[@TheLeastExpected23]

It legitimately sounds like an intro to a horror movie, except this one is real!

[@captainkeck4664]

I don't think people realize how easy and safe they have it. Ignorance is blissful and dangerous as fuck.

[@flyingdutchman913]

Not as much as your spelling. (intRo?) THE HORROR! kzbin.info/www/bejne/jHzGcoyDl5qooZY

[@ffriaslago]

I have discovered this today, 16th of April of 2020, in the middle of the quarantine in Spain. I had seen some videos of SB Nation from Jon before, but this is the best one. I am going to tell this history to every person I know. Just incredible.

[@djmonaco39]

the middle df?

[@churdle92]

“As for the well? Well...it was a well.” Is an underrated line in this video

[@emo6577]

The photo of Hicks post race is haunting.

[@alexteagle9782]

Your videos always have these weird moments where I feel like I’m having a bad trip

[@DavidTimmonsEsq]

I would sell the entire staff of SB Nation to purchase another Jon Bois.

[@albusvoltavern4500]

Others say the audio is in balanced, but I think it adds to the feel of the art style he uses.

[@stormcat3648]

Does anyone ever come back to this video? It’s one of my favorites!

[@rushguy1]

16:54 is pretty much the pictoral definition of "Pyrrhic victory."

[@najakwarkle]

I am a marathon running fool that lives right on this path. Well and truly, this race is a monster. When training in MO in the summer, you do your long runs before the run rises so you only have the humidity and ~80 degree lows to contend with. Running in 100 degree 70% humidity for hours may kill the healthiest hydrated human, even without brandy and strychnine. BTW: Missouri Running Company knows.

[@MKISports]

I keep on stumbling on pre-Dorktown Jon Bois content lately. And I could tell officially that he's the best sports storyteller in the 21st century.

[@jayl9110]

I keep coming back to rewatch this because honestly, the commitment and effort on display with the physical props is mind blowing.

[@ParchmentOfPower]

Another great episode, Jon. It's amazing how much research and effort you put into content that basically goes up onto the internet for free. I'm super grateful, and I always make sure to show all my friends.

[@manfromnantucket9544]

So it's basically the beer mile x 26

[@famous_anvs]

except a whole hell of a lot more racist and cruel

[@johnlapinski8261]

I come back to these pretty good videos and I just pray he makes more one day

[@paysonfox88]

16:30 -- That man is a legend. It was a miracle that he was alive at that point in the race. If you take 2 doses of rat poison and 2 bottles of brandy and actually finish a race, That's epic!!! Also, if you are not given any water and are running in 105 F temperature, That's Epic!!! This man is a LEGEND!!!! I personally dare anyone to replicate that feat of endurance and will ever again. Nobody's even going to try.

[@blakelester1776]

This is honestly probably the greatest original content I have ever seen on U-tube... Jon I know that you will probably never read this but ai tell you as a person that has dragged their eyes over thousands of historical books, and articles. History is simply the biggest part of my life. I dwell over things that happened literally more than 2,000 years ago, and in some sense it’s not a choice it’s just what I am wired for. You are truly a great historical narrator. I’m sure sports is very important to you (per your content and profession), but I greatly encourage you to attempt covering other historical moments. Thanks for all the good work to you and your colleges at SB nation. I simply chose this video to comment because it is my favorite.

[@sergimartin7180]

Just started watching, but I can tell this will be pretty good.

[@mlmo7603]

Sergi Martín -z

[@bobjohn1181]

Sergi Martín a

[@lebub1180]

Sergi Martín iiyhnj

[@jacobsili3688]

Sergi Martín e

[@biggoof9329]

B

[@freddier5376]

Thomas Hicks did 4:57/km. IN THOSE CONDITIONS. That’s just ridiculous

[@MrJreed1000]

they should run marathons like this today.. u only get 1 cup of water ... u have to drink a liter of brandy ... eat 12 boiled eggs and do just a little heroine by the time u finish running in 90 degree heat wearing old paper bags as shoes... I'd watch that

[@therealsirdj5934]

This is so legendary, there 100% SHOULD BE a real board game about this event

[@AlexReynard]

Hicks legit looks like they just rescued him from Dachau.

[@greyglue]

Been picking thru this series, & finally watched this episode after avoiding it for no good reason. Know what? It's a great episode. Really, actually, f-ing great. Thanks, Jon!

[@cinnordlaw2335]

To everyone who thinks Jon randomly put his politics into this... Google "St Louis Anthropology Days 1904." Because holy shit... the story of this race gets even creepier!

[@mandalorian_guy]

They literally had a department of exploitation to deal with "savage races". It was a fucked racist event.

[@rico9163]

Ted Brandt it’s a quotation of what they said.

[@doritos5447]

"as for that well, well, it was a well." -Jon Bois

[@vitesse_arnhem]

A few points: First of all, I had heard of these stories, but it was excellent to see them with all the anecdotes in one place - now I can show this video instead of attempting to explain the Carvajal story, etc. Secondly, I am tempted to call that running store and ask them if they know they're on an Olympic race route! Great way to learn more about the Olympic Games' past, especially during an Olympiad.

[@peterporker5865]

Actually ate at that Cheesecake Factory one time. Haha

[@TheTsorro]

ha

[@roguishpaladin]

You possibly drank more water at that one meal than the entire marathon contingent...

[@joshuapatrick682]

In 1904 the difference between being a Medical Doctor and a Giant Idiot were not distinguishable.

[@3jacov3]

I would describe this episode as more abnormally good

[@AlexReynard]

The moment Felix's photo pops up, I have the thought, "This man is absolutely radiating savior faire."

[@aine120406]

I've never seen any of your videos before but it was a great stamp of quality that the first video of yours I view has a consult from Sydnee in it.

[@WonkieNJ]

"Places so ordinary, ghosts don't even live there". What a fantastic line!

[@quisken7793]

As a St. Louis County native, seeing the Galleria mall, the nearby Cici's Pizza, the Whole Foods, all places I frequented zoomed in with music from a horror movie easily makes this one of the most scariest video essay intro that I've ever seen

[@kiaayo]

Hey! Sydnee! She's cool. You're cool, too, Jon.

[@thomas1630]

You covered this very well, thank you, however I am a runner and started running in 70s I took a long break during my work and raising kids years, and I have read horrible stories from marathon runners, who never recovered, pisssed and vomited blood for days etc. the marathon is an unnatural distance. It came to be from a sentimental fictitious story. I hope I never fall sucker to that story and run one.

[@bamaboy9846]

These are so interesting I love how mysterious and scary the music is as well

[@JuniperArcher]

I've been making my way through a lot of Jon Bois and SB Nation videos this week. I did NOT expects a McElroy to show up, but since they're all Pretty Good too, I'm ecstatic

[@priceless2353]

@00:31 what a beast ass CVS

[@AdamFerrari64]

I love these videos and stories. Takes me back to an era that no longer exists.

[@daffers2345]

The ONLY reason I can think as to why Hicks wasn't allowed to have water is because someone who drinks water during extremely strenuous exercise is liable to vomit. Why the beyond-crazy coach _didn't_ think the egg whites, brandy, strichnine, and FREAKING RAT POISON _wouldn't_ make him vomit is anyone's guess.

[@piratekingomega3292]

It’s worse. The organizer wanted to experiment on purposeful dehydration so he purposely ordered teams to avoid given them too much water. There was no reason for this and dehydration was already well known

[@patrickscholl7919]

Jon, You are the reason I now enjoy sports. I used to find them to be a trivial waste of resources and time, but the stories you bring to life more than proved the value of these ventures. Like anything, we do this for the lulz.

[@tasdrouille]

Brandy and rat poison was definitely worse than the lack of water. I frequently loose 5-6 pounds on long runs. 8 pounds is bad, but not ER bad. Humans are actually designed to handle dehydration. That's what we do, sweat and outrun anything out there over long distances in the heat.

[@marklucas855]

I ran my first marathon on my 16th birthday, 20th September 1981. I consistently lost 6 pounds on every marathon I ran until an achilles injury scuppered me at 21.

[@zhumanchuie]

i swear i come back and watch these videos and the chart parties every single day. i cant stop. entertaining, informative, and shockingly effecting. really some of the best content on youtube. hats off to you

[@onslaught1312]

This might be my favorite video on the tube. think I've watched it 17 times...lol

[@stormcat3648]

Brooooo same

[@mariesmith5670]

This is some of the funniest stuff I have ever read. I realize what happened to some of the people is sad, but it is so ludicrous and unbelievable that it’s hysterical. Thank you for this amazing story which made my day and perhaps my week.

[@kpark8k]

This would be an awesome feature in a running film festival. Great work!

[@goudacheese9405]

BRING THIS SERIES BACK!

[@BillyDrakePianoMan]

Who would win? The entire ESPN family of networks or some Pretty Good Jon Bois?

[@thomasjellis9465]

I watch this video every so often because it's such an intriguing story and Jon is an incredible story teller.

[@erinw1566]

That Five Guys he mentioned at the start closed recently. It's a cupcake shop now

[@mrdelirious8706]

I've re-watch this video annually, and each time I forget about the Sydnee McElroy cameo and get to be delighted once again.

[@rotisseriepossum]

weird that the midroll ads were like ‘whether ur running lifting, make michelob beer part of ur routine 😎’ (I assume post-workout) Like damn I can’t think of a worse video for that ad lol (I’m like, almost mad at it???)