Cockroach Racing

Cockroach racetracks were just one of the products sold by the International Mutoscope Reel Company. But the sales just weren't enough to save the company from bankruptcy in 1949.

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Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over forty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. Contact Us

Posted By: Alex - Mon Apr 08, 2013
Category: Sports

Comments

I can think of a few places where cockroach races still take place:

Ambulance chaser attorney offices.
Used car sales offices.
Life insurance sales offices.
Advertising agencies.
Congress.

In each case, the cockroaches are not necessarily insects. 😉

Posted by KDP on 04/08/13 at 09:12 AM

Around my family the fastest thing running around a cockroach race would be the women!

BTW, KDP, I've been 2/5 of your list at one time or another.

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 04/08/13 at 09:22 AM

I recall an episode of M*A*S*H in which they had cockroach races. Dr. Pierce ("Hawkeye") poo-poohed them with the comment: "people who go to those things only want to see a cockroach crash."

Posted by tadchem on 04/08/13 at 02:31 PM

I found lots of cockroach races on youtube. Here's one:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPaJ4NopkUQ
-Cougar :{)

Posted by Cougar Allen on 04/08/13 at 05:57 PM

Where did you get this? If someone did this for a lark, it's one of the better "retro" forgeries I've ever seen.

Posted by Lileks on 04/29/13 at 12:47 AM

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