Swallowing Live Goldfish Was a 1930s College Fad

You've probably heard stories about the wild things college students do, but swallowing live goldfish? Back in 1939, this bizarre trend swept across American universities, starting with a simple $10 bet at Harvard. What began as one student's dare transformed into a nationwide phenomenon that captured headlines and sparked heated debates. The story behind this peculiar fad reveals more than just youthful rebellion – it offers a fascinating glimpse into pre-war campus culture and evolving social attitudes.

How a $10 Bet Started the Goldfish-Swallowing Craze

Although many bizarre college fads have come and gone, few can match the peculiar origins of the goldfish-swallowing craze that swept across American campuses in 1939.

What started as a simple $10 bet at Harvard University quickly transformed into one of the most infamous college traditions of the 20th century.

The reckless behavior began when Harvard freshman Lothrop Withington Jr. accepted a dare to swallow a live goldfish.

After his successful gulp made headlines in The New York Times and LIFE magazine, students nationwide couldn't resist joining the trend.

The fad spread like wildfire, reaching prestigious institutions including the University of Pennsylvania and MIT.

Soon, what started as a single student's daring act evolved into competitive events, with participants trying to outdo each other by swallowing increasingly larger numbers of goldfish.

Joe Deliberto managed to devour 89 goldfish, earning him the title of the last recorded champion of the practice.

The Massachusetts state government eventually stepped in and passed protective legislation to prevent this cruel practice.

The Record-Breaking Race Across College Campuses

The goldfish-swallowing phenomenon quickly evolved from a single dare into a fierce competition among America's college students.

The trend began when Harvard freshman Lothrop Withington Jr. accepted a bet to swallow a live goldfish in 1939. As fish swallowing swept across campuses, students enthusiastically tried to outdo each other's records. It started at the University of Pennsylvania with 25 fish, but MIT students raised the stakes by downing 42. The ultimate record was set at Clark University, where Joseph Deliberato reportedly consumed a staggering 89 goldfish in one sitting.

College competitions weren't limited to male students – Marie Hensen from the University of Missouri's School of Journalism broke barriers as one of the first women to participate. The practice first emerged as a fraternity hazing ritual before spreading to the wider student population.

Even when universities began banning these events, determined students continued holding secret contests. The craze only subsided after Massachusetts Senator George Krapf proposed legislation to protect goldfish, and animal rights activists voiced their concerns.

Media Coverage and Public Reaction

When news of college students swallowing live goldfish hit the headlines in 1939, media outlets couldn't resist sensationalizing the bizarre phenomenon.

Boston newspapers led the charge, painting a picture of decadent college youth, while Time Magazine declared it one of the maddest periods in U.S. undergraduate history.

Even Ripley's Believe It or Not featured the peculiar practice.

The media portrayal sparked intense public sentiment.

You'd find the Animal Rescue League filing protective legislation for fish, while concerned citizens formed the Society for the Prevention of Goldfish Eating.

The Boston Herald went as far as publishing a satirical poem suggesting students should be put in tanks while fish earned degrees.

Despite widespread criticism and mockery in editorial pages, the fad's coverage extended internationally, with reports emerging from as far as Belgium.

After starting at Boston College, the trend spread rapidly as students competed to set new records, with Harvard's Irving Clark swallowing 24 goldfish.

It all began when Harvard freshman Lothrop Withington Jr. swallowed a goldfish for a ten dollar bet.

Key Players in the Fishy Phenomenon

Standing at the forefront of this peculiar craze, Harvard University's Lothrop Withington Jr. sparked the goldfish-swallowing phenomenon with a $10 bet on March 3, 1939. He prepared for his stunt by practicing with tadpoles beforehand.

The competition quickly escalated as other students sought to make their mark in this unusual pursuit.

You'll find these record-breaking achievements particularly fascinating:

1. Joseph Deliberato of Clark University dominated with 89 goldfish in one sitting
2. Irving M. Clark Jr. managed 23 goldfish in just 10 minutes
3. An MIT student claimed victory by downing 42 fish

Marie Hansen broke gender barriers as the first female participant from the University of Missouri School of Journalism.

The challenge became so popular that students established the Intercollegiate Goldfish Gulping Association to regulate these fishy competitions, transforming a simple bet into a nationwide collegiate sensation.

Animal Rights and Growing Opposition

As concerns over animal welfare gained momentum in the late 1930s, goldfish-swallowing contests faced mounting opposition from animal rights activists and organizations.

These events clashed with growing awareness about animal cruelty and ethical considerations in American society, which had been building since the establishment of the first SPCAs in the 1860s.

Richard Martin and his historic animal protection bills, many activists worked to combat cruel entertainment practices involving animals.

The movement's emphasis on humane education campaigns helped raise public consciousness about the ethical treatment of all animals, including goldfish.

You'll find that this opposition wasn't surprising, given the broader historical context.

Since 1866, activists had been campaigning against animal cruelty in various forms of entertainment and recreation.

While the animal protection movement was initially focused on larger issues like factory farming and scientific testing, the goldfish-swallowing trend represented exactly the kind of recreational animal abuse that welfare advocates had long fought against, reflecting the movement's growing influence on public consciousness.

Cultural Impact and Historical Significance

The goldfish-swallowing craze of 1939 represented more than just a bizarre college stunt – it marked a significant cultural moment in American campus life.

As a cultural reflection of the era, it showcased how quickly societal trends could spread across campuses nationwide, even without modern technology. Like today's collaborative information sharing on Wikipedia, these trends demonstrated how communities could rapidly build upon and spread ideas.

You can understand the phenomenon's lasting impact through three key elements:

1. The way it demonstrated the power of peer influence and media coverage to shape student behavior
2. Its role in establishing the blueprint for future viral challenges and college dares
3. The shift in public consciousness it eventually sparked regarding animal welfare

This peculiar fad continues to serve as a fascinating case study of how campus culture can both reflect and influence broader societal trends, while also highlighting the evolution of ethical standards over time.