Today in 1911, a very strange thing happened in a baseball game: a guy on second base ran backwards and stole first base, the base he'd just been on. Here's his very unusual story. Plus: today in 1901 music legend Louis Armstrong was born in New Orleans, but if you want to take part in events to commemorate his birthday, you’re a month late.

Germany Schaefer (Society for American Baseball Research)

FAQ (Louis Armstrong House via Archive.org)

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Sometimes the Olympic athletes who don’t win are the ones who make big impressions. That includes swimmer Eric Moussambani of Equatorial Guinea, who was a hit at the 2000 Summer Games despite finishing well behind the rest of the competitors in his event. Plus: Canadian high jumper Derek Drouin won a gold medal in 2016 when his doctors might have preferred that he rest at home! 

African novice makes big splash (BBC)

Olympic high jump champion Derek Drouin competed in Rio with a double stress fracture in his back (National Post)

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Competitive juggling is a sport that requires skill, concentration, technical mastery and creativity. And there's a push to bring it to the Summer Games someday. Plus: the Sun and Earth are now in an alignment with Saturn, which means our most famous ringed planet is at its brightest in the night sky. 

A circus act turned extraordinary sport is making its case for the Olympics (Inverse)

You need to see the solar system's most dazzling planet shine its brightest (Inverse)

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The Summer and Winter Games are typically held once every four years, but for decades the rest of us have been getting into the Olympic spirit through video games. Here are a few of the most unusual ones. Plus: the story of a fencing match that definitely could've only happened in the real world. 

15 of the most notable Olympic video games ever made (Yardbarker)

France win fencing gold (BBC)

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In ancient Greece, the Olympics were for men only. But from what we can tell, women representing 16 city-states would come together every four years to weave a robe for Hera, the queen of the gods, and hold a footrace for single women. Plus: the 1960 Summer Games were the first to be telecast in the US. In the days before satellites, it took a lot of work to get tapes from the Rome Games to the US broadcast networks. 

The Women: Were The Ancient Olympics Just For Men? (Penn Museum)

Rome, Italy, 1960 (Britannica)

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The original Olympic flag flew over the Games for the first time in 1920, in Antwerp, Belgium, but before it could be passed to the next host city, the “Antwerp flag” disappeared - for over seven decades. Plus: scientists have taught a robotic hand to play Super Mario Bros., because why wouldn't you? 

OLYMPICS: NOTEBOOK; Missing Flag Returns to Glory, Courtesy of a Prankster (New York Times)

Scientists 3D Print Robotic Hand That Can Play Nintendo (Interesting Engineering)

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Whenever the Olympic Games take place we see athletes giving their all to win gold and glory - but we also see great examples of competitors who show character and kindness toward each other. Here’s the story of two of those athletes, who ended up winning the only half-silver, half-bronze medals in Olympic history. Plus, a musical group finds out that the International Olympic Committee does enforce its trademark rights. 

The Silvonze Medalists (Now I Know)

International Olympic Committee threaten to sue Brit folk legends for ‘Beer Olympics’ song (The Sun)

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The men's marathon at the 1904 Olympics could have won a gold medal for biggest trainwreck in Summer Games history. Here's how dirt, dehydration, dogs and more helped make this as bizarre a run as they get. But then the 1904 Games were strange for several other reasons as well. We'll explain why. 

Running a marathon was never crazier or harder than during the 1904 St Louis Olympics (ABC Australia)

8 Unusual Facts About the 1904 St. Louis Olympics (History.com)

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For better or for worse, the Summer Olympics are finally here. We thought it would be a good time to look back at some of the lesser-known events in the history of the Games, like painting and cannon shooting. Plus: Tomas Gomez headed to the driving range just ahead of a storm, and his ball ended up getting hit by lightning. 

Painting for Gold Medals: When Art Was an Olympic Discipline (Artnet)

Switzerland land military patrol gold (Olympics.com)

Olympic Games Medallists - Other Sports (GBRAthletics.com)

When the Olympics Gave Out Medals for Making Medals (Mental Floss)

One in a million? Teen's golf ball struck by lightning at Topgolf venue in Texas (Golf Week)

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We've had stoplights to direct us and our vehicles through intersections for around a century now. A design studio in Moscow has a concept for a high-tech refresh of stoplight technology. Plus: LEGO builder Douglas Hughes pays tribute to the late, legendary game show host Alex Trebek with a LEGO kinetic sculpture of Jeopardy!

The traffic light gets a dazzling, 21st century makeover (Fast Company)

A Tribute To Trebek (BrickNerd)

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