Strange Olympics Sports No Longer Played
When it comes to the Olympics, there are categories in the 2024 games, and it is hard to keep track of all of them.
The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, will feature 329 events across 32 sports, many of which you recognize from over the years.
The sports include archery, artistic gymnastics, athletics, badminton, basketball, boxing, breaking, canoeing, cycling, diving, equestrian, fencing, football, golf, gymnastics, handball, hockey, judo, modern pentathlon, rowing, rugby, sailing, shooting, skateboarding, sport climbing, surfing, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, triathlon, volleyball, weightlifting, and wrestling.
History Changes As Here Are Some Olympic Games Not Played Anymore
Since the first modern Games in 1896, sports have disappeared completely from the Olympic schedule.
Olympic Tug-Of-War
This favorite childhood pastime and field-day activity was an Olympic event from 1900 to 1920. Part of the track-and-field program, tug-of-war consisted of five-person teams vying for a victory of strength.
Olympic Chariot Racing from 684 B.C. to A.D. 393
Drivers raced each other in horse-drawn chariots at the Olympics, sometimes violently crashing into one another.
Hot Air Balloon Racing
Speaking of the PARIS Olympics, the 1900 Olympics featured many more athletes and events than the 1896 games, including multiple types of hot air balloon contests.
Hot air balloon drivers competed for distance traveled, altitude reached, and best photograph taken from a balloon.
LIVE Pigeon Shooting
In the 1900 Games, another event that debuted at the 1900 Olympics was live pigeon shooting. In this contest, organizers released pigeons into the air in front of a competitor, who then shot as many as possible. The winner was a Belgian man named Leon de Lun, who shot 21 pigeons.
PETA was not around till 1980.
Pistol Dueling (Not to the Death)
Believe it or not, they used wax bullets. The 1906 Games introduced pistol dueling. Instead of shooting at real people, competitors shot at dummies until the 1908 London Olympics, only this time, competitors did shoot at each other—with wax bullets.
25 Vintage Photos of the First Winter Olympic Games
Delegates gather for the opening ceremony
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In this photo, delegates from competing nations gather on Jan. 25, 1924, in front of the Saint-Michel Church and Hotel de Ville for the opening ceremony of the 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France. The first-ever games, aptly held in the French Alps, were originally pegged as “International Winter Sports Week.”
Italian athletes at the inaugural parade
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Italian athletes stand proudly while attending the inaugural parade on Feb. 10, 1924. Italy sent 23 men to compete in four sports; the athletes didn’t win any medals. Italy has hosted two Winter Olympics: the 1956 Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo and the 2006 Winter Games in Turin. The country is slated to host again for the 2026 Winter Olympics.
A pledge to sportsmanship
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French athletes are seen taking the pledge to participate in the games with integrity during the 1924 Winter Olympics opening.
American skaters practice
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A group of American speed skaters preparing for competition at the 1924 Winter Games. Five all-male speed skating events were held.
10,000-meter speed skate commences
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Spectators gather in anticipation at the beginning of the 10,000-meter speed skating competition at the Winter Games.
500-meter speed skate
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Speed skater Charles Jewtraw represented the United States in the men’s 500-meter speed skating competition.
First American winter Olympian
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Charles Jewtraw became the first American speed skater to score a gold medal, winning the 500-meter speed skating competition at the Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, in 1924. Jewtraw’s historic win set the American record and in 1963 the Olympian was inducted into the National Speedskating Hall of Fame in Chicago.
Ladies’ singles figure skating
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Eleven-year-old Norwegian actress and figure skater Sonja Henie competes in the ladies singles figure skating competition at the Stade Olympique. Henie previously won the senior Norwegian championships at the age of 10.
Women’s figure skating
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Austrian figure skater Herma Planck-Szabo glides to victory, winning the gold medal in ladies’ singles. Planck-Szabo was a powerhouse in the figure skating scene during the 1920s, having won five world titles.
Doubles figure skating
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Belgian figure skaters Georgette Herbos and Georges Wagemans glide in the rink together.
Skaters pose for a group photo
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Figure skaters Herma Planck-Szabo of Austria (winning gold), Beatrix Loughran of the United States (winning silver), and Ethel Muckelt of Britain (winning bronze) pose for a photo together on Jan. 30, 1924.
Ready for play
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Members of the U.S. Olympic hockey team take a moment to take photos before training. The American team was triumphant in their first match against France.
American hockey practice
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In this photo, Alphonse Albert Lacroix, the goalkeeper for the American hockey team, is seen training for the 1924 Winter Games.
Final Winter Olympics hockey match
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In this photo, the Canadian team lands a victorious win over the American team in the final Olympic hockey match.
Canadian team scores
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Canada’s Toronto Granites ice hockey team makes their final score, securing a victory over the United States in the final 6-1 to take home the gold medal.
A winning team
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Canada’s men’s ice hockey team stands tall and proud after winning gold.
Getting into position
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In this shot, the Olympians take to the bobsled track, Piste de Bobsleigh des Pellerins, the starting post specifically constructed for the 1924 Winter Games.
Swiss bobsled team
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The Swiss bobsled team makes their way to winning the first-ever gold medal for the four-man event.
British team takes a turn
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The four-man British bobsled team—comprised of Alexander Richardson, Ralph Broome, Thomas Arnold, and Rodney Soher—sleigh on to winning the silver medal at the Olympic Games.
British curlers
Agence Roi // Wikimedia Commons
The British curling team won gold at the first curling event; Sweden took silver and France took the bronze medal.
Readying for the 18-kilometer cross-country
Agence Roi // Wikimedia Commons
Czech cross-country skier Štěpán Hevák prepares to compete in the men’s 18-kilometer event.
Chamonix’s ski jump
Agence Roi // Wikimedia Commons
Attendees take in the mountain view during the 1924 Winter Olympics.
Nordic combined takeoff
Agence Roi // Wikimedia Commons
Czechoslovak skier Josef Bím came in 13th place in the Nordic combined event and 26th in the ski jumping competition.
Norwegian ski jumpers
Agence Roi // Wikimedia Commons
Seen in this photo are Norwegian Olympians Jacob Tullin Thams, who won the first gold in ski jumping; Narve Bonna, who won the first silver medal in ski jumping; and Einar Lanvik, who placed fifth.
First ski jumping gold medalist in action
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Jacob Tullin Thams soars through the air, attracting dozens of onlookers as he competes on Feb. 4, 1924. The Norwegian athlete, who won the first Olympic gold medal in ski jumping, is captured here using a technique he created called the Kongsberger, which is still widely used in the sport today.
