"Flagpole sitter" redirects here. For the Harvey Danger song, see Flagpole Sitta. For the starter in a race, see pole position.
Pole sitting is the practice of sitting on top of a pole (such as a flagpole) for extended lengths of time, generally used as a test of endurance. A small platform is typically placed at the top of the pole for the sitter. Led by the stunt actor and former sailor Alvin "Shipwreck" Kelly, flagpole sitting was a fad in the mid-to-late 1920s, but mostly died out after the start of the Great Depression.
14-year-old William Ruppert breaking the pole sitting record of 23 days, in 1929
Flagpole sitting was a fad in the mid-to-late 1920s. The fad was begun by stunt actor and former sailor[2] Alvin "Shipwreck" Kelly, who sat on a flagpole, either on a dare by a friend[3] or as a publicity stunt.[2] Shipwreck's initial 1924 sit lasted 13 hours and 13 minutes. It soon became a fad with other contestants setting records of 12, 17 and 21 days. In 1929, Shipwreck decided to reclaim the title. He sat on a flagpole for 49 days in Atlantic City, New Jersey, setting a new record.[4] The following year, 1930, his record was broken by Bill Penfield in Strawberry Point, Iowa who sat on a flagpole for 51 days and 20 hours, until a thunderstorm forced him down.
For the most part, pole sitting was confined to the 1920s, ending with the onset of the Depression.[5]
Post-1930 incidents and recordsEdit
In 1946, Marshall Jacobs, a 37-year-old Ohio resident who was trying to revive the fad, married his fiancée Yolanda Cosmar atop a flagpole with a roost, and a photograph of them kissing gained wide attention.[6]
Cleveland resident Charley Lupica sat atop a flagpole platform for 117 days in 1949 to support the Cleveland Indians in their pennant race against the New York Yankees. After an argument with Yankees fans, he began sitting on a flagpole above his grocery store on May 31, claiming he would stay on the pole until the Indians either claimed first place in the standings or were eliminated from contention. The Indians never passed the Yankees, and Lupica came down during the team's final home game on September 25; owner Bill Veeck had moved Lupica and the flagpole to Cleveland Municipal Stadium the night before as a promotional stunt.[7]
From 1933 to 1963, Richard "Dixie" Blandy claimed various records as champion at 77, 78 and 125 days until he died in 1974 when the pole on which he was sitting collapsed.[8]
In 1964 a record of 217 days was set in Gadsden, Alabama by Peggy (Townsend) Clark.[9]
From November 1982 to 21 January 1984 (439 days, 11 hours, and 6 minutes), H. David Werder sat on a pole to protest against the price of gasoline.[10][11]
Pole sitting is worked into the plot of the season 5 episode of M*A*S*H entitled "Souvenirs." For his latest scheme to get a section 8 discharge, Corporal Klinger climbs a pole in the middle of camp and refuses to come down until he is granted his discharge. When Colonel Potter learns that the Army record for pole sitting is 96 hours, he turns the tables by convincing Klinger to stay up there to break the record.[13]
FilmEdit
In a dialog sequence early in the 1932 movie The Most Dangerous Game, the character Zaroff introduces the protagonist Bob to his guests as a celebrity, upon which Martin guesses (incorrectly) that Bob might be a flagpole sitter.
^"Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Simeon Stylites the Elder". Newadvent.org. 1912-02-01. Retrieved 2009-10-17.
^ abBaker, Danny. "Shipwreck for ever in pole position." The Times (United Kingdom) 21 Aug. 2002: Newspaper Source Plus. Web. 22 Dec. 2011.
^Long, Mark A., and Jim Fee. Bad Fads. Toronto: ECW, 2002. p. 17 Ebrary. Web. 22 Dec. 2011.
^"Atlantic City's Historic Steel Pier at Trump Taj Mahal Hits the Auction Block on August 25th." PR Newswire US. 29 June 2011: Regional Business News. Web. 22 Dec. 2011.
^. Archived from the original on October 4, 2007. Retrieved 2012-02-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
^. Time Magazine. 1946. Archived from the original on August 21, 2015.
^Goldstein, Richard (December 29, 2002). "Charley Lupica, 90, Dies; Fan Who Sat on Flagpole". New York Times. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
^"Dixie Blandy Papers, Special Collections and Archives" (PDF). Wright State University.
^Goodson, Mike. "Pole-sittin' Peggy". The Gadsden Times. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
^. Mgwashington.com. 2008-05-02. Archived from the original on July 14, 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-20.
^. Bay Buzz. 2008-06-26. Archived from the original on January 16, 2010. Retrieved 2011-05-20.
^"What's My Line? - Audie Murphy (Jul 3, 1955)" – via www.youtube.com.
^"M*A*S*H: Season 5, Episode 22 script | Subs like Script". subslikescript.com.
August 25, 2023
pole, sitting, flagpole, sitter, redirects, here, harvey, danger, song, flagpole, sitta, starter, race, pole, position, practice, sitting, pole, such, flagpole, extended, lengths, time, generally, used, test, endurance, small, platform, typically, placed, pole. Flagpole sitter redirects here For the Harvey Danger song see Flagpole Sitta For the starter in a race see pole position Pole sitting is the practice of sitting on top of a pole such as a flagpole for extended lengths of time generally used as a test of endurance A small platform is typically placed at the top of the pole for the sitter Led by the stunt actor and former sailor Alvin Shipwreck Kelly flagpole sitting was a fad in the mid to late 1920s but mostly died out after the start of the Great Depression A pole sitter in Amsterdam in 1979 Contents 1 History and 1920s fad 2 Post 1930 incidents and records 3 Television 4 Film 5 See also 6 ReferencesHistory and 1920s fad EditPole sitting is predated by the ancient ascetic discipline of stylitism or column sitting St Simeon Stylites the Elder c 388 459 of Antioch now Turkey was a column sitter who sat on a small platform on a column for 36 years 1 14 year old William Ruppert breaking the pole sitting record of 23 days in 1929Flagpole sitting was a fad in the mid to late 1920s The fad was begun by stunt actor and former sailor 2 Alvin Shipwreck Kelly who sat on a flagpole either on a dare by a friend 3 or as a publicity stunt 2 Shipwreck s initial 1924 sit lasted 13 hours and 13 minutes It soon became a fad with other contestants setting records of 12 17 and 21 days In 1929 Shipwreck decided to reclaim the title He sat on a flagpole for 49 days in Atlantic City New Jersey setting a new record 4 The following year 1930 his record was broken by Bill Penfield in Strawberry Point Iowa who sat on a flagpole for 51 days and 20 hours until a thunderstorm forced him down For the most part pole sitting was confined to the 1920s ending with the onset of the Depression 5 Post 1930 incidents and records EditIn 1946 Marshall Jacobs a 37 year old Ohio resident who was trying to revive the fad married his fiancee Yolanda Cosmar atop a flagpole with a roost and a photograph of them kissing gained wide attention 6 Cleveland resident Charley Lupica sat atop a flagpole platform for 117 days in 1949 to support the Cleveland Indians in their pennant race against the New York Yankees After an argument with Yankees fans he began sitting on a flagpole above his grocery store on May 31 claiming he would stay on the pole until the Indians either claimed first place in the standings or were eliminated from contention The Indians never passed the Yankees and Lupica came down during the team s final home game on September 25 owner Bill Veeck had moved Lupica and the flagpole to Cleveland Municipal Stadium the night before as a promotional stunt 7 From 1933 to 1963 Richard Dixie Blandy claimed various records as champion at 77 78 and 125 days until he died in 1974 when the pole on which he was sitting collapsed 8 In 1964 a record of 217 days was set in Gadsden Alabama by Peggy Townsend Clark 9 From November 1982 to 21 January 1984 439 days 11 hours and 6 minutes H David Werder sat on a pole to protest against the price of gasoline 10 11 Television EditOn the game show What s My Line hosted by John Charles Daly a flagpole sitter is the first guest on the July 3 1955 episode 12 Pole sitting is worked into the plot of the season 5 episode of M A S H entitled Souvenirs For his latest scheme to get a section 8 discharge Corporal Klinger climbs a pole in the middle of camp and refuses to come down until he is granted his discharge When Colonel Potter learns that the Army record for pole sitting is 96 hours he turns the tables by convincing Klinger to stay up there to break the record 13 Film EditIn a dialog sequence early in the 1932 movie The Most Dangerous Game the character Zaroff introduces the protagonist Bob to his guests as a celebrity upon which Martin guesses incorrectly that Bob might be a flagpole sitter See also EditTree sitting Stylites Planking fad Panty raid Goldfish swallowing Phonebooth stuffingReferences Edit Catholic Encyclopedia St Simeon Stylites the Elder Newadvent org 1912 02 01 Retrieved 2009 10 17 a b Baker Danny Shipwreck for ever in pole position The Times United Kingdom 21 Aug 2002 Newspaper Source Plus Web 22 Dec 2011 Long Mark A and Jim Fee Bad Fads Toronto ECW 2002 p 17 Ebrary Web 22 Dec 2011 Atlantic City s Historic Steel Pier at Trump Taj Mahal Hits the Auction Block on August 25th PR Newswire US 29 June 2011 Regional Business News Web 22 Dec 2011 Flagpole Sitting The Bad Fads Museum Archived from the original on October 4 2007 Retrieved 2012 02 05 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint bot original URL status unknown link Behind the Picture Love Atop a Flagpole Time Magazine 1946 Archived from the original on August 21 2015 Goldstein Richard December 29 2002 Charley Lupica 90 Dies Fan Who Sat on Flagpole New York Times Retrieved May 11 2023 Dixie Blandy Papers Special Collections and Archives PDF Wright State University Goodson Mike Pole sittin Peggy The Gadsden Times Retrieved 12 April 2012 They Run For Office And Lose Again And Again Washington Bureau Mgwashington com 2008 05 02 Archived from the original on July 14 2011 Retrieved 2011 05 20 The most unusual name on the 2008 ballot Bay Buzz 2008 06 26 Archived from the original on January 16 2010 Retrieved 2011 05 20 What s My Line Audie Murphy Jul 3 1955 via www youtube com M A S H Season 5 Episode 22 script Subs like Script subslikescript com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pole sitting amp oldid 1154373821, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
