Frederick Lorz

Frederick Lorz (also: Fred Lorz, * 1880 in New York City; † February 4, 1914 ) was an American long-distance runner, who became known in St. Louis by a bizarre incident at the Summer Olympics in 1904.

In a marathon run these games he ran the first one to the finish and let celebrate until a spectator accused him of cheating. Then Lorz readily admitted to have traveled half the distance in a support vehicle ( in some reports it is said that he did not disclose on its own initiative the dizziness). His protestations that he had merely want to allow a joke, it did not help: He was expelled for life from the Olympics, and the runner Thomas Hicks was declared the winner.

The American Association was lenient and let the lock expire the following year. Lorz then proved by winning the Boston Marathon in 1905, with a time of 2:38:25 h, that he could win in an honest way.