Ripley Entertainment Inc.'s Blog, page 460
August 22, 2016
Dødsing and Underwater Hockey, the Watersports the Olympics Missed
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
The Rio 2016 Olympics came to a close yesterday. It was an exciting 16 days of competition and camaraderie. Now that it’s over, those of us who love the games are stuck waiting another four years to experience this kind of excitement again. Here at Ripley’s, we’re a little disappointed that the IOC didn’t consider any of our proposed sports for the games. But those aren’t the only oversights.
The spectacular competition of Dødsing was just brought to our attention, and we can’t help but think that the Olympics would be even better if this were added to their diving competition.
Dødsing
Originating in Oslo, Norway, Dødsing roughly translates to “Death Diving.” There’s a very good and simple reason for this: it’s all about the belly flop.
Anyone who’s spent even a little time in a pool as a child has done a belly flop. Whether on purpose or accident, the particular sting of colliding with the water is well known. Now, just imagine doing it from 10 meters up.
The rules are simple. Divers start on the 10-meter high platform and are expected to keep their bodies as straight as possible until they’re close to impact and can curve their body to avoid injury.
The judges base their decision on how long the diver keeps their body straight, how unique and entertaining the dive is, and how much splash it produces.
The best part of the sport is that anyone can do it.
One does not need to be super athletic to be good. You have to have guts and perform the jump with style. -Diver Arne Veim Haugland
Underwater Hockey
If watching people plummet into the water isn’t your speed, maybe you should check out Underwater Hockey.
Underwater Hockey, sometimes called Octopush, is exactly what it sounds like. It’s played in a shallow pool with a snorkel and goggles. The puck is weighted so it remains on the bottom. Players have to push the puck along the bottom of the pool towards the opposing team’s goal by using a small stick.
There are no tanks or scuba gear. Players hold their breath while trying to score and surface when they need to. Play is only stopped for a foul, timeout, or when a goal is scored.
Since the water portion of the Olympic games lasts for so long, two new additions wouldn’t be a big deal.
Source: Dødsing and Underwater Hockey, the Watersports the Olympics Missed
August 21, 2016
August 20, 2016
August 19, 2016
A Hive of Bees Decided to Make Their Home in an Old Car
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Workers removed the quarter panel on an old Harvester Scout to find an entire hive of bees living inside it.
The car had been sitting around waiting to be rebuilt
It was transported from Houston to Jacksonville without anyone knowing about the bees
Buzzing led to the quarter panel being cut away
The bees were removed and relocated to a new hive
They had accessed the car through rust holes
MINI BION
“BIONs” – short for Believe It or Not – is the word we use at Ripley’s to refer to anything that is unbelievable and worthy to become part of Ripley’s lore and collection.
Source: A Hive of Bees Decided to Make Their Home in an Old Car
Tokyo Dog Food Truck Sells a Gourmet Hot Dog for $169
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Based in Seattle, WA, the Tokyo Dog Food Truck sells the world’s most expensive hot dog at $169.
Tokyo Dog Food Truck specializes in “Japanese style hot dogs”
The Juuni Ban hot dog costs $169 plus tax and has to be ordered two weeks in advance
The hot dog features nothing but gourmet ingredients:
12″ smoked cheese bratwurst
Butter teriyaki grilled onions
aitake mushrooms
Wagyu beef
Foie Gras
Shaved black truffles
Caviar
Japanese mayo
All of the proceeds from the hot dog go to the American Red Cross
MINI BION
“BIONs” – short for Believe It or Not – is the word we use at Ripley’s to refer to anything that is unbelievable and worthy to become part of Ripley’s lore and collection.
Source: Tokyo Dog Food Truck Sells a Gourmet Hot Dog for $169
Lighting Up Olympic Oddities
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
In This Episode
With the 2016 Summer Olympic Games coming to a close this Sunday (and before we patiently wait another four years!), we have dusted off some of our favorite memorabilia and are taking a look at some of the strangest sports stories from Olympics past!
Today: The Olympic Games
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From April 21st to August 5th, torches like this relayed through Greece, Switzerland, and Brazil. There were roughly 12,000 torch bearers in Brazil alone!
The Olympic torch was first introduced into our Modern Olympics at the 1928 Amsterdam Games, while the relay was revived from the Ancient Olympics in 1936, for the Berlin Games. Ripley’s owns torches from nearly every Olympics since—even one from Rio!
The flame is always lit in Olympia, Greece and then relayed to the site of the games where it lights to Olympic cauldron.
On Sunday, at the closing ceremonies, the flame will be extinguished, only to light back up in 2020 in Tokyo. Before that flame goes out, let’s keep in the Olympic spirit and take a look at some of the strangest sporting events the Olympics have hosted!
5 Weirdest Olympic Sports
Pigeon Shooting
Live pigeon shooting made a one time Olympic appearance at the 1900 Paris games before being replaced by clay targets. The event’s winner, Belgian Leon de Lunden, shot down 21 birds, but nearly 300 were slain (in a feathery mess) in total!
Léon de Lunden, the one and only Olympic Pigeon Shooting champion.
Tug of War
Now a family reunion staple, Tug of War was actually played at five modern Olympic Games, from Paris in 1900 to Antwerp in 1920!
Denmark/Sweden vs. France at the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris.
Horse High & Long Jump
The 1900 Paris Games also thought it would be a good idea to combine equestrian events with track and field, introducing the horse high jump and the horse long jump!
If you’re not starting to see a pattern here, the 1900 Paris Games got weird…. Believe it or not, no medals were awarded in 1900—winners were given pieces of art instead! Watch this week’s video for more 1900 Paris BIONS!
The Arts
From 1912 to 1948, the Olympics hosted competitions for artists, writers, and musicians!
Pistol Dueling
Using wax bullets, pistol duels debuted during the 1908 London Olympics. After the success of this events, America even turned pistol dueling into a sport, with the first match-up taking place at New York’s Carnegie Hall in 1909!
Athletes wore masks and hand-guards for safety.
Source: Lighting Up Olympic Oddities
Pigs Have No Real Appreciation for the Sky
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Pigs are physically incapable of looking up towards the sky from a standing position.
Most animals evolve in a way that optimizes getting food and escaping predators
A pig’s food is down low
The anatomy of a pig’s neck makes it very difficult to bend backwards
They can look up, but can’t bend their necks enough to gaze at the sky the same way humans do
They can, however, roll on their backs and look up
MINI BION
“BIONs” – short for Believe It or Not – is the word we use at Ripley’s to refer to anything that is unbelievable and worthy to become part of Ripley’s lore and collection.
Scary Lucy Statue Gets Replaced With a Kinder Version
Featured in Ripley's Believe It or Not!
A statue of Lucille Ball was erected in her home town of Celoron, New York was deemed “Scary Lucy” by residents.
Residents of the city found the statue frightening
Complaints were made that it didn’t even look like the star
The sculptor who made Scary Lucy also hated the statue and was eager for a change
After multiple complaints, a new statue was commissioned from artist Carolyn Palmer
The kinder, prettier statue was unveiled in honor of Lucy’s 105th birthday on August 6th
MINI BION
“BIONs” – short for Believe It or Not – is the word we use at Ripley’s to refer to anything that is unbelievable and worthy to become part of Ripley’s lore and collection.
Source: Scary Lucy Statue Gets Replaced With a Kinder Version
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