Follies of the Madmen #445

Yes, it's perfectly safe to drive your one-ton car on the same surface as the 150-lb iceboat.

Source.

Posted By: Paul - Sun Sep 22, 2019 - Comments (6)
Category: Business, Advertising, Daredevils, Stuntpeople and Thrillseekers, Death, Sports, 1960s, Cars

Isostatic Rebound Golf Course

The Valley of the Eagles golf course in the small town of Haines, Alaska boasts an unusual feature. It’s currently a nine-hole course, but due to the geological phenomenon of isostatic (or post-glacial) rebound, in a few decades it may be an 18-hole course.

Post-glacial rebound is the phenomenon of a land mass rising after the weight of a glacier has been removed from it. This is occurring in Haines, at a rate of about 0.9 inches per year, and because the golf course borders the water, it's steadily growing in size as it rises above sea level, exposing more land. The course has already doubled in size since the 1960s.

More info: pasturegolf.com

Posted By: Alex - Fri Aug 02, 2019 - Comments (2)
Category: Science, Sports, Natural Wonders

Phyl and Mikhy

Background info here.

Posted By: Paul - Thu Jul 25, 2019 - Comments (2)
Category: Games, Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Sports, Television, Foreign Customs, 1980s, Russia

The Atomic Golf Ball

A demonstration that what is possible may not be what is practical.

Developed by nuclear physicist William Davidson in 1950, a small amount of radioactive material at the core of the atomic golf ball allowed it to be found using a Geiger counter, should it be hit into the rough. But there were a few problems with the concept:

1: The Geiger counter needed to be pretty close to the ball (within 5 feet) to actually detect it.
2: Not many people own Geiger counters.
3: Even though a single ball didn't pose much of a radiation risk, a bunch of the balls stored together would be a problem. So, it wasn't possible for stores to stock and sell these.

Mechanix Illustrated - Mar 1951

Akron Beacon Journal - Aug 20, 2000
click to enlarge

Posted By: Alex - Wed Jul 24, 2019 - Comments (4)
Category: Sports, Atomic Power and Other Nuclear Matters, 1950s

Follies of the Madmen #435

Is it just me, or is the notion of an army of clones on the make for a lone gal a creepy thing?







Source.

Posted By: Paul - Tue Jul 16, 2019 - Comments (0)
Category: Ambiguity, Uncertainty and Deliberate Obscurity, Business, Advertising, Crowds, Groups, Mobs and Other Mass Movements, Dreams and Nightmares, Fashion, Sports, 1970s

Wrong-Way Race

The runners must have been thinking that it seemed like the longest seven miles ever.

Sheboygan Press - Mar 23, 1970

Posted By: Alex - Tue Jul 09, 2019 - Comments (1)
Category: Sports, 1970s

The Yips Phenomenon in Golf

The Yips are defined as "a disorder in which golfers complain of an involuntary movement — a twitch, a jerk, a flinch — at the time they putt or even when they chip. This interferes with their ability to perform that activity.” It was the subject of a multidisciplinary study by researchers at the Mayo Clinic, who concluded:




The Yips should not be confused with the Yip Yips, which are something completely different:

Posted By: Alex - Wed May 15, 2019 - Comments (0)
Category: Medicine, Sports

Granny Hulk

At the age of 69, Sharie Mobley recently broke the all-time world record in the deadlift for her class/division by lifting 305 pounds. This has earned her the nickname Granny Hulk.

She only started weight training when she was 60, saying that she “couldn’t sit around and do normal granny things.”

She reminds me of Betty Goedhart, the 86-year-old trapeze artist.

More details: kark.com

Posted By: Alex - Sat Apr 27, 2019 - Comments (3)
Category: Human Marvels, Sports

Ultimate Tazer Ball

Another sport that, like mobile phone throwing, arose in the 21st century, flourished briefly, involved new technology, but then fizzled and disappeared.

How the game was played, according to wikipedia:


The UTB website is now defunct, but can still be partially viewed via the Wayback Machine.

Posted By: Alex - Sun Apr 21, 2019 - Comments (3)
Category: Sports

Bear vs Man

New York, 1937.

Posted By: Alex - Fri Apr 19, 2019 - Comments (3)
Category: Sports, 1930s