The Pole Vaulter Who Lost His Pole
Plus a notorious bar, whoopee cushions, and more...
You can see him there in newsreel footage from more than a century ago, competing at the London Olympics in 1908: a tall, rugged Canadian with a big red maple leaf on his chest. He races forward across the field at the old White City Stadium, sprinting at full speed. In his hands, he holds a pole at the ready, and as he approaches the uprights, he plants it in the ground and begins his assent, lifting off the earth and high into the air.
Edward Archibald was attempting to do something no other Canadian would do for the next 116 years: successfully land a jump to win an Olympic medal in the pole vault. And this time, things would go much better for him than they had at his last Olympic event.
Archibald was born and raised in Toronto back in the late 1800s. He was a star athlete at the University of Toronto as a well-rounded track and field star. He set the Canadian record in the shot put and competed in gymnastics, too. But the pole vault was his greatest event. He broke the intercollegiate record at the age of 21 and according to at least some sources, he followed that up by setting the world record. His mark of 3.79 metres was more than enough to prove the young Torontonian was one of the greatest pole vaulters in the world.
Soon, he would get the chance to prove himself on the Olympic stage.
The modern Olympics had been founded in 1896 and to celebrate their tenth anniversary, a bonus edition of the games was going to be held in Athens — often called the "Intercalated Games." Archibald was one of the most promising Canadian medal hopes and even landed a sponsorship from the Eaton's department store to help fund his travel. As he set off on the long journey to Greece, he looked poised to compete for gold.
But things began to fall apart before he'd even reached Athens.
Archibald planned to sail across the Atlantic, take a train through the mountains of Italy, then catch another ship to Greece. But when he arrived in Naples to board his train, the railway officials didn't want him carrying his long pole aboard the carriage. Instead, they offered to fasten it to the outside of the train, on the side of the coal car just behind the locomotive. He agreed. But by the time he reached his destination, the pole was gone.
The Italians were terribly embarrassed. They searched high and low, but couldn't find the pole anywhere. It had vanished, presumably having fallen off somewhere in the mountains. Archibald would get an official telegram of apology from the railway company, but that would do him little good in the Games. The loss of his trusty pole would prove to be an absolute disaster.
When the Canadian arrived in Athens, Greek officials loaned him a replacement, but it was no good. As he tested it out, his new pole snapped under his weight. It almost impaled him in the process. His confidence was deeply shaken.
Archibald might have been good enough to break the world record, but at those Intercalated Games in Athens, he didn’t come close. His best vault was more than a metre short of that mark. He tied for tenth. There would be no medal for the Canadian.
Archibald returned home to Toronto, disappointed. But he knew that another Olympics would be held just two years later. And so, he redoubled his efforts in preparation for the 1908 Games. He continued training at U of T and at the West End YMCA — what's now the Great Hall on Queen Street — where the legendary Haudenosaunee runner Tom Longboat also worked out. By the time Canadian athletes began heading to London, Archibald was ready to play a leading role.
The 1908 Games would prove to be a formative moment in the development of a Canadian national identity. It had only been forty years since Confederation, but sports had already been playing an important role in that process. They were consciously used to encourage a stronger sense of what it meant to be Canadian by leaders like the old Governor-General Lord Stanley and his coveted hockey cup. Now, the London Games would give Canada a chance to put that identity on full display right in the heart of the British Empire.
While Canadians had competed in prior Olympics, this was the first time Canada was invited to send its own official national Olympic team. That fact would be highlighted during a brand new Olympic tradition: the Parade of Nations. And as the Canadian athletes marched out onto the track at White City Stadium, they were led by our country's first flag bearer: Edward Archibald.
The symbolism of that moment was a bit complicated. Canada was still very much part of the British Empire at the time. It would be decades before we got our own flag; even longer before "O Canada" became our official national anthem. So, the flag Archibald was carrying was the Red Ensign, with its prominent Union Jack. But as he led the Canadian contingent out in front of a cheering crowd of 40,000 people, the team members were also displaying a unique Canadian emblem for the first time on the international sporting stage. Right there on their white sweaters, emblazoned above their hearts, each Canadian athlete wore a bright red maple leaf. Even King Edward VII would have easily been able to spot them from his royal box.
The Canadians would acquit themselves well that year. Today, those Games are probably best remembered for the fact that Tom Longboat collapsed during the marathon; more a century later, there are still rumours he might have been poisoned. But overall, that national team was a success. They brought home sixteen medals; only four countries won more. The lacrosse team took gold. Robert Kerr won the 200-metre sprint. The men's trap shooting competition was the first time Canada had ever taken gold and silver in an event; it wouldn't happen again until 1998.
The pole vaulting competition was held eleven days after the opening ceremony. And this time, unlike the disaster in Athens, Edward Archibald would be ready for it.
You can see him soar in that old newsreel footage, as his pole launches him into the air. He's hurled high into the sky, his body twisting up over the bar, his arms wheeling as he tries to avoid contact. And then, after a brief moment suspended in the heavens, he falls back to earth. The bar is untouched. He lands in the sand pit, on his feet. He's done it.
Archibald's mark of 3.58 metres was barely half the height jumped by Armand Duplantis as he set the new world record in Paris this week, but in 1908 it was enough to earn the Torontonian a tie for third place. He would head home with a bronze medal, the first ever earned by a Canadian in the pole vault. As King Edward presided over the medal ceremony, he declared that Edward Archibald was "the best example of a true Canadian" that he had ever met.
Canada would be back four years later at the Stockholm Olympics, and we would win another pole vaulting medal at those Games — though it came in a most bizarre fashion. Charlottetown's William Halpenny had his own history of disappearing equipment. During the 1904 Olympics, his pole was loaded onto a train that didn't make it to St. Louis in time. In Stockholm, he did have his pole, but he landed off balance, crashing down onto his chest so hard he broke two ribs. He was forced to pull out of the competition, but when the organizers decided the landing pit hadn't been properly maintained, they awarded him a special bronze medal anyway.
Archibald wasn't there that year. The 1908 Olympics proved to be his last. He worked as a prospector for a while, but still remained active in athletics. When the First World War broke out, he was sent overseas to run sports and recreation programs for the troops. He would do the same things in Canada during the Second World War, and founded the Wanapitei summer camp in Temagami, which is still active today.
For more than a century, he would stand alone as the only Canadian Olympian to ever win a medal in the pole vault by successfully landing their jump.
It wasn't until yesterday that he finally got some company. Alysha Newman has faced plenty of her own adversity during her career; there have been injuries and setbacks and threats of her funding being cut. But last night in Paris, she soared like Archibald before her — even higher than he had, flying more than a metre beyond even his record jump. And as she sailed through the Parisian night to win her own bronze medal, she wore the same symbol on her chest as he did on his: a bright red maple leaf — this time, as part of our flag.
You can watch one of Edward Archibald’s pole jumps here, in that newsreel footage I mentioned. He’s the first athlete to appear:
Robert K. Barney wrote about Archibald and the London Games’ role in the evolution of our national indentity in a paper called “Edward Archibald and the Political Symbolism of the 1908 Olympic Games” here (PDF). And Bill Mallon wrote a bit more about his disastrous trip to Athens in “The 1906 Olympic Games: results for all competitors in all events, with commentary” here.
Dramatic Tales from the Banks of the Don — A New Walking Tour!
I’m planning another new walking tour! The histories of Corktown & Riverside — neighbourhoods found on either side of the Don River from each other — are filled with stories of drama, heroism and tragedy: from the Victorian gangs that once terrorized the area to heartbreaking disasters and harrowing escapes. In this walk, we'll explore those pulse-quickening tales and what they have to teach us about the evolution of our city.
When: Sunday, August 18 at 3pm.
Where: Meet in the Distillery District — at the little clock tower outside 7 Trinity Street. The tour will last about 1.5 to 2 hours and end on Queen Street east of Broadview.
Price: Pay what you like.
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QUICK LINKS
The best of everything else that’s new in Toronto’s past…
RETHINKING MONUMENTS NEWS — Jane O’Brien Davis wrote a piece for Heritage Toronto about counter-monuments, “features of public space that challenge the viewer’s assumptions of history, reminding us of the incomplete nature of ‘official’ history.” Read more.
DISINFECTANT NEWS – Matt English (@matttomic on Twitter) spotted a notorious relic on sale through Facebook Marketplace: if you’ve got $4,000 to spend, you can be the proud new owner of the old bar from the Brunswick House. Read more.
CHUG-A-CHUG-A-CHOO-CHOO NEWS — City Council has voted to preserve and revitalize the old Mimico train station in Etobicoke. Built in 1916, it currently stands in Coronation Park off Royal York Road, having been moved there nearly 20 years ago when it was threatened with demolition. Read more.
NIPPLE NEWS — Jamie Bradburn recently shared the story of Zoltan Szoboszloi, “an eccentric and litigious provocateur” and “one of the foremost nuisances of his time” who “helped win men the right to sunbathe topless.” Read more.
FART NEWS — If you joined us for the Festival of Bizarre Toronto History this year, then you already know that we’ll soon be getting a new plaque to commemorate the fact that our city is the birthplace of the whoopee cushion. Becky Robertson wrote about the plaque for blogTO and lets us know it will be unveiled as soon as some local construction is finished. Read more.
GROUP OF SEVEN CHURCH NEWS — Jack L. Rozdilsky, Associate Professor of Disaster and Emergency Management at York University, writes about the fire that gutted St. Anne’s Church in June. The church was left in ruins and the precious Group of Seven murals it contained were destroyed. He has some thoughts about the lessons to be learned, and points to a historic church in Winnipeg that incorporated the ruins left by its own fire into its rebuilding as a potential way forward. Read more.
THREATENED MODERNISM NEWS — Another one of Toronto’s modernist office towers looks like it might soon be demolished. This time it’s 2323 Yonge Street, just north of Eglinton. Jack Landau wrote about it for blogTO. Read more.
TORONTO HISTORY EVENTS
WHEELING THROUGH TORONTO: A HISTORY OF THE BICYCLE AND ITS RIDERS
August 14 — 6pm — North York Central Library
“Join us as we explore the fascinating history of bicycles and riders in Toronto with author Albert Koehl. Cities around the world, including Toronto, are embracing the bicycle as a response to the climate crisis. This is not the first time the bicycle has come to our rescue, proving itself a loyal friend during times of crisis, including the world wars and the COVID pandemic. In ‘Wheeling through Toronto, A History of the Bicycle and Its Riders’, Albert Koehl takes the audience on a 130-year ride through the rich history of the bicycle in Toronto. By understanding how we got here, we can begin mapping a way forward, one in which the potential of cycling is maximized.”
Free!
FORT YORK POP UP TALKS: EXPLORING 19th CENTURY SCHOOL DAYS
August 16, 17, 23, 24 & 30 — 12:30 & 2:30pm — Fort York
“While education is considered to be an essential part of a happy and successful life today, few people saw it that way in the 1800s. Who could get an education in Upper Canada in the early 1800s? When and how did schools become free? Find out about one-room schoolhouses and the skills that were taught at school. During this special ‘pop-up talk’, you will have a chance to feel how it was to be a student back then. Try to print your letters in a metal tray with sand, and if you are good at it, progress onto writing on slates. Suitable for kids, teens and adults and fun for the whole family.”
Free!
TORONTO’S ASTRONOMICAL HERITAGE
August 17 — 11am — Mount Pleasant Library
“Join Professor John R. Percy of the University of Toronto Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics for a lecture on Toronto's Astronomical Heritage and how Toronto became a ‘centre of the universe’ for astronomical research, education, and public outreach.”
Free!
PAINTED OUT OF THE PICTURE: WIVES OF THE GROUP OF SEVEN
August 20 — 2pm — The Heliconian Club
“While the husbands received acclaim for their contributions to Canadian art, the wives of the Group of Seven were largely overlooked. This fascinating audio-visual presentation, led by author/curator Angie Littlefield sheds light on the significant roles these women played in shaping their husbands' careers while also emphasizing their agency in carving out meaning in their own lives.”
$15
DEATH, VIOLENCE & SCANDAL IN YORK — WALKING TOUR
August 24 — 10:30am — Meet at St. James Cathedral — Town of York Historical Society
“In this walking tour, explore the scandalous side of Little Muddy York as we walk through the surviving built environment of the original 10 blocks of Toronto and learn about the intriguing stories that would have been the gossip of the day. Invasions, epidemics, and hangings, oh my!”
$17.31 for members; $22.63 for non-members.
UPRISINGS & UPSETS — WALKING TOUR
August 24 — 2pm — Meet at St. James Cathedral — Town of York Historical Society
“In this walking tour, join us as we explore some of the major riots, uprisings, and upsets that occurred in the Town of York and the early City of Toronto throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, and the outcomes that led to lasting societal and political changes.”
$17.31 for members; $22.63 for non-members.
BLACK CULINARY CULTURE IN 19th CENTURY TORONTO WALKING TOUR
August 24 & 25 — 10:30am & 12:30pm — Meet at King & Church — Mackenzie House
“‘Black Culinary Culture in 19th Century Toronto’ Walking Tour considers the influence of the Black community on food culture in Toronto from the 1830s to the 1860s. From grocers, to caterers, to purveyors of fine dining, each of the individuals included represents a different aspect of foodways. Tour begins at the Northeast corner of King & Church Streets and ends at Mackenzie House, with a food tasting of Trinidadian snacks by Pelau Catering!”
Free with registration!
YONGE STREET’S INCREDIBLE MUSIC & POP CULTURE HISTORY
September 19 — 7:30pm — Online & Montgomery’s Inn
“Did you know... That Gordon Lightfoot once sang for $25 a day at a Yonge Street dinner theatre? That a chance meeting in Toronto determined the direction of The Beatles greatest album? That the most decisive event in Rock N Roll history occurred at Yonge and Dundas? (In what is now a drugstore.) Yonge Street's connection to music, theatre and pop culture is literally second to none. Having been described as a musical/theatre mecca equal or better than Times Square or Hollywood Blvd. From Jazz and Motown to Hip Hop. Rock N Roll and Metal to Alternative. This 40 minute talk will show you a side of ‘The Strip’ you never knew existed.”
Free for members of the Etobicoke Historical Society; annual memberships are $25.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SUN… LET THERE BE LIGHT!
September 25 — 7pm — Northern District Library — North Toronto Historical Society
“Discover the history of the stained glass windows of the Church of St. Clement (50 St. Clements Ave. at Duplex). In this illustrated presentation, St. Clement's archivist, Donald E. Holmes, will describe the history and religious significance of the 27 windows made by six Canadian manufacturing companies.”
Free, I believe!
HERITAGE TORONTO WALKING TOURS
Until October
“Through our events, including tours, community discussions, the Heritage Toronto Awards, and more, Heritage Toronto engages the public to reflect on the city’s heritage.”
Usually $9.85
TORONTO GONE WILD
Until November 2 — Wednesday to Sunday from 12pm to 4pm — Museum of Toronto
“Toronto Gone Wild explores the city as a multi-layered habitat — starring the animals, plants, and insects that call Toronto home. Venture through different Torontonian terrains from city streets to burrows, hives, and nests, all seamlessly woven together in our downtown exhibition space. You’ll emerge with a renewed appreciation for the interconnectedness of life in the city.”
Free!