Today’s Bonus: Knowledge Gets Weird!

For over 75 years, Louisiana’s “bear wrestling” was a legitimate (though completely insane) entertainment sport where humans would actually grapple with live black bears in makeshift rings at county fairs and roadside attractions. The bears had their claws removed and were muzzled, but they still weighed 300-500 pounds and could easily crush a human. “Wrestlers” would pay $50 to enter the ring and try to pin the bear for 60 seconds to win $100. Most matches lasted about 10 seconds before the human was thrown across the ring. The most bizarre part? It was completely legal until 1996! The sport only ended when animal rights activists proved the bears were suffering from stress-induced psychosis. The last professional bear wrestler, “Terrible Ted,” retired to a sanctuary where he reportedly still shadowboxes with his caretakers!