ATLANTA — In the 125 years the Olympics have been around, many sports have come and gone. Sports like baseball and softball are commonly known sports that were reintroduced this year at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. But, there are some sports that are doubtful to ever make a reappearance.
Dueling Pistols
According to Mental Floss, dueling pistols became an Olympic event during the unofficial games in 1906. Athletes would shoot a pistol with wax bullets at dummies made of plaster that were dressed as real people.
In the London 1908 Olympic Games, they decided to increase the danger by getting rid of the dummies and having athletes shoot the wax bullets at each other. The athletes wore protective coverings, but injuries were not unavoidable as an athlete lost the skin between his thumb and pointer finger during a duel.
After 1908, dueling pistols was retired from the Olympics.
Distance Plunging
Distance plunging took place during the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis.
11Alive's sister station in Missouri, KSDK, reported that the event involved athletes diving into the pool and trying to go the farthest distance before either 60 seconds is up or the divers head went above water.
The event was only played during the 1904 Olympics with only American athletes competing.
Solo Synchronized Swimming
In 1984 before the current version of artistic swimming or synchronized swimming, there was solo synchronized swimming.
According to Time Magazine, solo synchronized swimming involved the swimmers doing their routine in sync with the music.
This event continued, despite confusion from viewers, at the Seoul Olympics in 1988 and the Barcelona Games in 1992 before transforming into the synchronized team sport that is performed today.