7. Fred Lorz Hops A Ride To The Finish Line
Born in New York City, Frederick Lorz was an American long distance runner, world famous for the wrong reasons. Bricklayer by day and runner by night, Lorz was known to run through the night, preferring the quiet nights and peaceful tracks. As an amateur runner, Lorz had no previous marathon running experience, competing in much shorter distances. Nevertheless, Lorz saw an opportunity, and managed to earn a spot in the 1904 Olympics in St.Louis by placing in a special five mile race organised by the New York Times. With the marathon made up of Boston Marathon runners, middle distance runners and Lorz type runners, the race was a far cry from the athletes we see today. As the marathon began, Lorz started well, however after nine miles he began to feel the strain. Stopping due to exhaustion, Lorz was determined to finish, so much so he arranged for his manager to pick him up and drive him for the next eleven miles. The car broke down, forcing Lorz to continue on foot, in which he managed to find his way back to the Olympic stadium and be declared the winner. Stunned at what had just happened, Lorz initially went along with the farce, greeting fans and accepting congratulations. However, after admitting the truth through speculation, Lorz was banned for life only to be reinstated then banned for a second time years later.
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