The Olympic Runner Who Took a Car to Win

At the 1904 St. Louis Olympics, marathon runner Fred Lorz crossed the finish line first after riding part of the course in a car. He was disqualified, and Thomas Hicks was recognized as the winner. But that is only one unusual story from early Olympic history. At the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, event winners received silver medals rather than today's familiar gold medals. Runners-up were awarded copper or bronze medals, while third-place finishers generally received no medal. The modern gold, silver, and bronze medal system became established later. Olympic gold medals today are also largely made of silver, with a required gold coating rather than being solid gold. Even the prizes and traditions that seem permanent today developed over time, making early Olympic competitions surprisingly different from modern events. Should a marathon runner who rides in a car ever receive a medal? DISCLAIMER: Historical Olympic awards differed from modern medal conventions. Some early results and medal rankings were standardized retrospectively. #olympichistory #olympics #marathon #sportsfacts #gamesandsports