The Pool Room with Tony Armstrong
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Join Tony Armstrong on a trip through the annals of sports history to uncover some of the most extraordinary, untold tales that will captivate, surprise, and inspire. From footy to Formula 1, this is the show that celebrates the winners, losers, and the weird stuff between.
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3 days ago
The Wildest Bike Race Around Australia
In 1896, Arthur Richardson became the first person to cross the Nullabor on a bicycle. It was his first taste of the open country and it left him wanting more. Four years later, Arthur set his sights on another record – to be the first person to circumnavigate the entire continent on a bike. But the adventure quickly turned into a race, when three other blokes just so happened to be attempting the same feat, at the exact same time.
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Nov 23, 2023
Olympic History on Ice
Curling is a sport that's usually associated with cold places, like Scotland, Canada or New Zealand. So, just how did Australia, the driest inhabited continent on Earth, manage to produce an Olympic-qualifying curling team?
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Nov 16, 2023
The Fastest Woman in the World
A 16-year-old Wilma Rudolph was the youngest athlete in the United States Olympic team at the 1956 Games in Melbourne. Representing her country on the world stage was a proud moment for the high school student. Even the bronze medal she took home was a huge achievement, considering Wilma was once told as a child that she would never walk again.
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Nov 9, 2023
Premature Celebration
The 1991 Canadian Grand Prix was a race full of surprises. Despite winning the first four races of the season, Ayrton Senna had qualified in third. That made way for Williams duo Riccardo Patrese and Nigel Mansell. By the last lap, Mansell had taken pole position...but a spur-of-the-moment decision would put his entire race in jeopardy.
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Nov 2, 2023
Des Renford's Drunken Dare
In 1967, salesman Des Renford is enjoying a few drinks with his mates down the pub, when one of them proposes a mighty dare: to swim across Port Phillip Bay...the very next morning. What happened next, unexpectedly propelled Des into a new athletic career.
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Oct 26, 2023
The Rumble Brothers
The name Michael Buffer might not mean much to you, but you definitely know his voice. He’s probably the world’s most recognisable ring announcer, in boxing and professional wrestling. But the story of how he went from fight night favourite to American cultural phenomenon, is all thanks to a family secret that remained hidden for decades.
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Oct 19, 2023
Choppy Waters, Smooth Sailing
The annual Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is one of the longest of its kind in the world. Sailors from around the globe make the trip to Sydney each year to compete in this iconic event. But when it was first established in 1945, it wasn't supposed to be a race at all.
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Oct 12, 2023
Undefeated Champion of the World
If you don’t associate squash with sporting legends, you just haven’t met Heather McKay. Heather came from a sports mad family and squash wasn't her first choice - she took up the sport to maintain her fitness while playing hockey. But Heather quickly learned that she was pretty good at squash, and after entering her first competition, she never looked back.
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Oct 5, 2023
Broken & Bruised: Bill Roycroft's Quest for Gold
Bill Roycroft might just be Australia's greatest Olympian you've never heard of. He competed in five consecutive Summer Games, winning several medals. But his debut at Rome 1960 was the scene of a remarkable feat, when not even severe injury could keep Bill down.
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Sep 28, 2023
Karl Power's Impostor Syndrome
The name Karl Power is not synonymous with great sporting heroes, and yet, it has graced Wimbledon's Centre Court, the Formula 1 podium at Silverstone, and the hallowed turf of Headingly Cricket Ground. That's because Karl Power is better known as Britain's greatest impostor.
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Sep 21, 2023
Mark Taylor: 334 Not Out
They say you should never meet your heroes, but what if you beat your heroes? That's the conundrum Mark Taylor faced in 1998, when he became just the fourth Australian to score a triple-century in Test cricket. But dare he surpass the Aussie record of 334 not out, held by Sir Donald Bradman since 1930?
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Sep 14, 2023
The Bradman of Billiards
If you’ve ever taken a stroll down the top end of Melbourne’s Flinders Street, you might have noticed the Hotel Lindrum, fire-engine red, with fancy swirls and arch windows. The hotel is closed now, but the building was named after a family who became known for their dominance of the local billiards scene. Walter Lindrum, in particular, was so good they had to change the rules to stop him.
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Sep 7, 2023
The Curious Case of Phar Lap's Heart
You've heard the stories about Phar Lap. He was Australia's greatest-ever racehorse. A national treasure. So much so, that his unusually large heart, which is thought to be the source of his incredible abilities, is famously on display in Canberra. But the thing is...that heart sitting in a museum might actually be a fake.
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Jul 3, 2023
Dock Ellis' Big Trip
It’s June 12 1970. Pittsburgh Pirates versus San Diego Padres in Major League Baseball. Pitcher, Dock Ellis, is on the mound for the Pirates, but he isn’t exactly having his best game. He’s throwing pitches in the dirt, he’s hitting batters, he’s all over the shop. Because right in the middle of a professional baseball game, Dock Ellis is high on LSD.
Know a great sports story that you want to hear on The Pool Room? Send Tony an email.
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Jun 29, 2023
Where Do Sports Teams Get Their Nicknames?
When it comes to nicknames, most Aussie sports teams typically choose from one of two options: Animals, which don’t play sport, or words to describe great warriors. Like, the Magpies or the Power. The Sea Eagles or the Force. But behind every team name is an origin story that can tell you a lot about their communities and the place they call home.
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Jun 26, 2023
The Origins of Aussie Rules
Footy comes from the country. It’s a community sport, born and bred in towns where your dad’s the coach and your best mate’s dad is the umpire. But how it came to be there is another question.
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Jun 22, 2023
Strange Sporting Superstitions
Routine is an important part of being a pro athlete. But sometimes there's a fine line between ritual and irrational. Whether it’s Rafa Nadal refusing to walk on tennis court lines or Tiger Woods always wearing a red shirt on Sundays, for some reason, athletes are a superstitious bunch.
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Jun 19, 2023
Trailblazers of Football History
On the 28th of September 1918, Ballarat played host to a historic sporting event. With the end of the First World War in sight, the construction of a commemorative Arch of Victory and Avenue of Honour were proposed to pay respects to all the lives lost. But how to fund such a significant project? That's when a group of trailblazing women came together to stage one of the earliest known women's football matches in Aussie Rules history.
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Jun 15, 2023
The Ballad of Frank Hayes
Frank Hayes had always loved horses. From a young age, he dreamed of becoming a jockey. At 20, he worked as a stable hand but always longed for the thrill of race day. Then Frank came across a horse that he immediately felt a connection with - an old mare named Sweet Kiss that had never won a race. It seemed like everyone had given up on her…but not Frank.
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Jun 12, 2023
Shriek at the Creek
Motorsport is chock full of great rivalries. In Australia, we have cherished decades of Ford vs Holden, with legendary names like Peter Brock, Dick Johnson and Bob Jane. They all had their heated moments but one duo gets pole position when it comes to argy-bargy: Mark Skaife and Russell Ingall.
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Jun 8, 2023
Gold Medals and Mischief
It's 1964 and the Tokyo Olympics are drawing to a close. The Aussie team is in party mode and the celebrations stretch into the early hours of the morning. But one Olympic champion isn’t having the best night. Instead of enjoying the party, she’s being questioned by police. It’s gold medalist, Dawn Fraser. Dawn is due to be Australia’s flag bearer in the closing ceremony the very next day. But first, she’ll have to avoid jail time.
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Jun 5, 2023
Misplaced, Lost and Looted
Athletes can spend their entire careers in pursuit of medals and trophies…only to misplace them in a moment of excitement or lose them while moving house. And other times, these shiny objects are outright stolen, right under the noses of armed guards. Today on the show, tales of missing medallions, compromised security and lost dreams.
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Jun 1, 2023
Cliff Young: From Sheep Farmer to Sports Icon
When a 61-year-old potato and sheep farmer from regional Victoria lined up for the 1983 Ultramarathon, the athletic world didn't know what to think. Wearing overalls and gumboots, Cliff Young certainly didn't look the part. But as the race got underway, Cliff's opponents realised they were up against a very serious competitor.
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May 29, 2023
The Biggest Pranksters in Formula 1
On the race track, Ayrton Senna and Gerhard Berger were fierce teammates. But off the track, their rivalry looked a little different. Ayrton was one of the most serious drivers in Formula 1, and when Gerhard joined McLaren, he made it his mission to break down this stone-cold exterior. His weapon of choice? Practical jokes.
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May 25, 2023
What Happened to Eric the Eel?
When Eric Moussambani made his Olympic debut in the 100m Freestyle at Sydney 2000, it was also his competitive debut. Eight months prior, Eric didn't know how to swim. Now, he was representing Equatorial Guinea on the world stage. Eric made history that day but the experience also changed the rest of his life.
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May 22, 2023
Unbelievable Contract Clauses
Signing a professional contract is an important moment for any athlete, no matter the stage of their sports career. But it always pays to read the fine print. Today on the show, three very real contract stories that you won't quite believe.
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May 18, 2023
Aussie All-Rounders and All-Stars
Turning professional in one sport is hard enough. But two? That sort of prowess is reserved for the best of the best. Whether it's cricket in the summer and footy in the winter, or switching from one Olympic sport to another, these all-time legends have truly mastered the art of athleticism.
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May 15, 2023
Last Resort: An Amateur's Unlikely NHL Debut
What happens when the starting goalie and backup goalie are both injured in the same game of ice hockey? It was just the 1st period of a crucial NHL matchup in February of 2020, when 42-year-old fan David Ayers was plucked from the crowd and thrown into the action. Thanks to a bizarre rule, David was about to play in his first professional hockey game.
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May 11, 2023
Fanatics, Larrikins and Loudmouths
Sports fans are a dedicated bunch. Home or away, rain, hail or shine, they'll do anything for their favourite team. But some can take their fandom too far, and others go on to become just as iconic as the players on the field.
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May 8, 2023
Bill Fong's Dangerous Pursuit of Bowling Perfection
Bill Fong loves ten-pin bowling. He's pretty good at it too. It's not uncommon for Bill to score a few 300 games here and there - 12 strikes in a row. But that's nothing compared to a perfect series, which is completing three perfect games in succession. In other words, 900 points or 36 consecutive strikes. And one night, Bill Fong is dangerously close to this incredible achievement.
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May 4, 2023
The Legend of the Socceroos Curse
It's no secret that Australian soccer has had it tough over the years. You only need to look at the 32-year World Cup drought, where Australia failed to qualify again and again…and again. But some people believe there's a simple explanation for those long and painful years. In 1969, a desperate Socceroos team came up with a devious plot to overcome their opposition. But the plan unexpectedly backfired, haunting Australian soccer for decades.
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May 1, 2023
Stark Naked: A Short History of Streaking
If there's one thing that's guaranteed to liven up any dull sporting event, it's a member of the crowd putting on their birthday suit and sprinting across the field of play, pursued by a group of security guards. Streaking, as it's affectionately known, is the art of running around a sports ground completely naked. And Australia has played a special role in its short but amusing history.
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Apr 27, 2023
The Mystery of the Missing Marathon Runner
At the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, 20-year-old marathon runner Shizo Kanakuri was one of only two athletes to represent Japan in the nation's first ever Olympic Games. It was a huge occasion for Shizo. But halfway through his marathon event, Shizo disappeared. Olympic officials were baffled. With no sign of him, Shizo was officially reported missing. So, what happened to the Japanese athlete?
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Apr 17, 2023
Welcome to The Pool Room
Welcome to The Pool Room with Tony Armstrong, a short-form narrative sports podcast that celebrates the winners, losers, and the weird stuff between.
Join Tony on a trip through history to discover the wildest, most unexpected and inspiring stories; from the Olympic marathon runner who mysteriously disappeared, to the curse that haunted Australian soccer for decades. Every episode is a bite-sized but immersive experience. You’ll come away with fun, quirky stories and trivia gems that are guaranteed to impress your friends. New episodes release Fridays.
Credits:
Produced by James Parkinson
Additional writing by Anna Spargo-Ryan
Theme Music by Nic Buchanan
Show development by James Parkinson and Annaliese Redlich.
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