Sitting on the Pole - Pole-sitting is the practice of sitting on a pole for extended lengths of time, generally used as a test of endurance. A small platform is often placed at the top of the pole.
Pole-sitting is related to 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 column for 37 years.
Flagpole-sitting was a fad in the early 20th century. The fad was begun by stunt actor and former sailor Alvin "Shipwreck" Kelly, who sat on a flagpole, either on a dare by a friend, or as a publicity stunt. 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. The following year, 1930, his record was broken by Bill Penfield in Strawberry Point, Iowa who sat on a flag pole for 51 days and 20 hours, until a thunderstorm forced him down. From 1933 to 1963 Richard "Dixie" Blandy claimed various records as champion at 77, 78 and 125 days until he died in 1974 when his pole was snapped in half at the Dixie Square Mall. For the most part, pole sitting died out after 1929, with the onset of the Depression.
Pole Sitting
Sitting on the Pole - The term "pole position", as used in motorsports is the position of the motor vehicle and its driver at the front of the grid in the starting lineup. This driver is referred to as the polesitter. Grid position is usually either determined by a separate qualifying session where drivers try to set the fastest lap, or based on their position in the previous race(s). Different motorsports series use different formats for determining which driver has the opportunity to start from pole position.
Racing Line-up
Check out Danica Patrick qualifies in pole position for the 2013 Daytona 500.
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