10 Real-Life Events Which Need To Become TV Shows
3. The 1904 Olympics - Marathon Event
The 1904 Summer Olympics, which were hosted in Missouri at the height of the Russo-Japanese War, has retained a place in history as one of the greatest sporting mishaps of recent times. Due to the ongoing conflict, few non-US elite athletes competed at the games - but this lopsided 'global' representation is not what makes the 1904 Olympics so notorious.
The Marathon Event remains infamous for its dangerous conditions and bizarre results. While thirty-two men entered the race, fewer than half of the contestants managed to cross the finish line. The original winner, Fred Lorz, had his medal revoked after organizers discovered that he had actually completed most of the race in a car.
The eventual victor, Thomas Hicks, was helped along the way by multiple measures of alcohol mixed with rat poison (strychnine, to be exact), a practice which would now be considered as illegal as it was dangerous. One contestant, William Garcia, nearly died due to the harsh conditions of the race, and he was found by the roadside coughing up blood.
A limited mini-series with a stellar cast would work best in bringing this sporting disaster to life.