Come Join The Pole
By Clay Pender and Terrell Wall
What is Pole Sitting?
Pole sitting is exactly what it sounds like. All you do is sit on a platform on top of a flagpole for as long as you can last. Some people lasted weeks by getting food and drink from a pulley system. They would go all day by just taking a five minute nap every hour.
History of Pole Sitting
At the beginning of the 1920's, this was unheard of for any human being to do anything like this. In 1924, actor Alvin "Shipwreck" Kelly was dared by one of his Hollywood friends to sit on a pole for as long as he could. Kelly took the dare and sat on the flagpole for 13 hours and 13 minutes. This automatically caught on as a fad in the 20's. Avon Foreman was the youngest boy to attempt pole sitting, and did it in tremendous fashion. The 15 year old sat on the pole for 10 days, and was applauded by thousands on the way down.
Pole Sitting in Action
Alvin "Shipwreck" Kelly
Man Reading on the Pole
Avon Foreman in the Newspaper
Pole Sitting Records in the 1920's
- Longest Time: 21 days
- First Ever: Alvin Kelly
- Longest Time for Minor (Under 18): Avon Foreman
Live ESPN Clip
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Funny and Weird Pole Sitting Competition (History's Playlist)