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{{Short description|Test of endurance}}

'''Pole shitting''' is the practice of shitting on a pole for extended lengths of time, generally used as a test of endurance. A small platform may be placed at the top of the pole.

{{redir|Flagpole sitter|the Harvey Danger song|Flagpole Sitta|the starter in a race|pole position}}

[[File:Shipwreck kelly baltimore sun.JPG|thumb|Shipwreck Kelly in 1942]]

'''Pole sitting''' is the practice of sitting on top of a pole (such as a [[flagpole]]) 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]].

==History and 1920s fad==

The world record for pole shitting was set during the World Championship by Daniel Baraniuk, from [[Gdansk]], [[Poland]], who shat on a 16 by 24 inch platform on an 8 foot pole for 196 days from [[May 15]] [[2002]] to [[November 26]] [[2002]]. Short breaks were allowed every 2 hours. [http://www.distant.ca/UselessFacts/fact.asp?ID=166]

Pole shittingsitting is relatedpredated toby the ancient [[ascetic]] discipline of [[Stylites|Stylitismstylitism]], or column-sitting. Famous column-sitters include [[Simeon Stylites|St. Simeon Stylites the Elder]] (c. {{circa|388-459}}–459) of [[Antioch]] (now [[SyriaTurkey]]) was a column-sitter who allegedly sat on a small platform on a column for 36 years.<ref>{{cite [web|url=http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13795a.htm] |title=Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Simeon Stylites the Elder |publisher=New Advent |date=1912-02-01 |accessdate=2009-10-17}}</ref>

[[File:Maryland youth breaks pole sitting record. William Ruppert, 14-year-old youth of Colgate, Maryland, as he appeared atop the flag pole in the yard of his home yesterday after breaking the LCCN2016889434.jpg|thumb|14-year-old William Ruppert breaking the pole sitting record of 23 days, in 1929]]

Flagpole shitting was a fad from 1924 to 1929. The fad began when a friend dared stunt actor Alvin "Shipwreck" Kelly to shit on a flagpole. Shipwreck's initial 1924 shit 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 shat on a flagpole for 49 days in [[Atlantic City]], [[New Jersey]], setting the enduring record. The fad died out after 1929.

[[File:Opschrift op het bord Record paalzitten 120 uur (oude record), Bestanddeelnr 930-3639.jpg|thumb|A pole sitter in Amsterdam in 1979]]

[http://www.badfads.com/pages/events/flagpole.html]

Flagpole sitting was a fad in the mid-to-late 1920s. The fad was begun by stunt actor and former sailor<ref name="Pole position">Baker, Danny. "Shipwreck for ever in pole position". ''The Times'' (United Kingdom) 21 Aug. 2002: ''Newspaper Source Plus.'' Web. 22 Dec. 2011.</ref> Alvin "Shipwreck" Kelly, who sat on a flagpole, either on a dare by a friend<ref>Long, Mark A., and Jim Fee. ''Bad Fads.'' Toronto: ECW, 2002. p. 17 ''Ebrary.'' Web. 22 Dec. 2011.</ref> or as a publicity stunt.<ref name="Pole position" /> 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.<ref>"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.</ref> 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.

Pole shitting is related to the ancient [[ascetic]] discipline of [[Stylites|Stylitism]], or column-sitting. Famous column-sitters include [[Simeon Stylites|St Simeon Stylites the Elder]] (c. 388-459) of [[Antioch]] (now [[Syria]]) who sat on a column for 36 years. [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13795a.htm]

For the most part, pole sitting was confined to the 1920s, ending with the onset of the Depression.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.badfads.com/events/flagpole-sitting/ |title=Flagpole Sitting |website=The Bad Fads Museum |accessdate=2012-02-05 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071004221821/http://www.badfads.com/events/flagpole-sitting/ |archivedate=October 4, 2007 }}</ref>

==Post-1930 incidents and records==

==External Links==

*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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://time.com/3880033/behind-the-picture-love-atop-a-flagpole-1946/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150821080216/http://time.com/3880033/behind-the-picture-love-atop-a-flagpole-1946/|url-status=live|archive-date=August 21, 2015|title=Behind the Picture: Love Atop a Flagpole|publisher=[[Time (magazine)|Time Magazine]]|date=June 1, 2014 |first=Ben |last=Cosgrove}}</ref>

*[http://www.badfads.com/pages/events/flagpole.html| Bad Fads on Flagpole Sitting]

*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.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Goldstein |first1=Richard |title=Charley Lupica, 90, Dies; Fan Who Sat on Flagpole |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/12/29/sports/charley-lupica-90-dies-fan-who-sat-on-flagpole.html |access-date=May 11, 2023 |work=[[New York Times]] |date=December 29, 2002}}</ref>

*[http://www.who2.com/shipwreckkelly.html| Alvin 'Shipwreck' Kelly]

*From 1933 to 1963, Richard "Dixie" Blandy claimed various records as champion at 77, 78 and 125 days until he died on May 6, 1974 in [[Harvey, Illinois]] when the {{convert|50|ft}} pole on which he was sitting collapsed.<ref>{{cite news |title=He viewed life from a flagpole |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |date=May 6, 1974 |page=I-1}}</ref>

*[http://www.americanprofile.com/issues/20031207/20031207ne_3547.asp| American Profile]

*In 1964, a record of 217 days was set in [[Gadsden, Alabama]], by Peggy (Townsend) Clark.<ref>{{cite web|last=Goodson|first=Mike|title=Pole-sittin' Peggy|url=http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20060910/NEWS/609100311?p=1&tc=pg|publisher=The Gadsden Times|accessdate=12 April 2012}}</ref>

*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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mgwashington.com/index.php/news/article/they-run-for-office-and-lose-again-and-again/934/ |title=They Run For Office And Lose—Again And Again &#124; Washington Bureau |publisher=Mgwashington.com |date=2008-05-02 |accessdate=2011-05-20 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714082439/http://www.mgwashington.com/index.php/news/article/they-run-for-office-and-lose-again-and-again/934/ |archivedate=July 14, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.tampabay.com/baybuzz/2008/06/the-most-unique.html |title=The most unusual name on the 2008 ballot |publisher=Bay Buzz |date=2008-06-26 |accessdate=2011-05-20 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116055110/http://blogs.tampabay.com/baybuzz/2008/06/the-most-unique.html |archivedate=January 16, 2010 }}</ref>

*On 25th March 2025 Tom Bedford sat on a lamppost in Abbey Road, Wimbledon for about seven hours in protest of a road closure scheme.

https://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/25036287.abbey-road-colliers-wood-police-incident-recap/

== Television ==

*On 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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HKIhS2F8uE|title=What's My Line? - Audie Murphy (Jul 3, 1955)|date=23 November 2013 |via=YouTube }}</ref>

*Pole sitting is worked into the plot of the season 5 episode of [[M*A*S*H (TV series)|M*A*S*H]] entitled "Souvenirs". For his latest scheme to get a [[Section 8 (military)|section 8 discharge]], [[List of M*A*S*H characters#Maxwell Klinger|Corporal Klinger]] climbs a pole in the middle of camp and refuses to come down until he is granted his discharge. When [[List of M*A*S*H characters#Sherman T. Potter|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.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://subslikescript.com/series/MASH-68098/season-5/episode-22-Souvenirs|title=M*A*S*H: Season 5, Episode 22 script &#124; Subs like Script|website=subslikescript.com}}</ref>

== Film ==

[[Category:1920s fads]]

In a dialog sequence early in the 1932 movie ''[[The Most Dangerous Game (1932 film)|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.

In 2004, Danish film ''Tid Til Forandring / What's Wrong With This Picture'' the pole-sitting competition is prominently featured as a part of the film with the main character Inge winning the contest by abandoning the sitting as the sole remaining participant when a dog resembling her own passes by.<ref>{{Citation |last=Svendsen |first=Lotte |title=Tid til forandring |date=2004-08-13 |type=Drama |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0386740/ |access-date=2024-04-28 |others=Claus Ryskjær, Helle Dolleris, Anne Sofie Espersen |publisher=Nordisk Film}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tid til forandring (2004) |url=https://danskefilm.dk/film.php?id=1107 |access-date=2024-04-28 |website=danskefilm.dk}}</ref>

==See also==

*[[Tree sitting]]

*[[Stylite]]s

*[[Planking (fad)]]

*[[Phonebooth stuffing]]

==References==

{{reflist}}

[[Category:1920s fads and trends]]

[[Category:Asceticism]]

[[Category:History of climbing]]