Steel Ball Run (race)

"Listen closely! True failure is forgetting the pioneer spirit! And staying away from challenging hardships! There is no such thing as failure in this race! There are only adventurers! This Steel Ball Run race will be an event the likes of which the world has never experienced before!"

- Steven Steel,

The Steel Ball Run (スティールボールラン) is the race that drives the plot of Steel Ball Run. It consists of a series of checkpoints and routes on a rough course between and, USA.

Summary
Steel Ball Run is named after this event, hosted by Steven Steel and the President of the United States, Funny Valentine.

The concept of the Steel Ball Run was conceived by Steven Steel and a young Lucy Pendleton at some point between 1884 and 1888. Listening to Steven's ramblings about organizing a long distance horse-ride, Lucy proposed that Steven made it a race across America instead with an enormous prize. Steven first found the idea ridiculous, but talked about it anyway, which caught the attention of numerous sponsors ready to gamble on such huge event. At one point, Funny Valentine involved himself in the organization of the race, determining the journey with Joseph of Arimathea's map and secretly taking command over the whole event. It would then serve as a front for the search for the Saint Corpse Parts, with Valentine and a number of competitors participating to gather the relics.

The race took place in the USA, starting September 25, 1890 at 10 a.m. on San Diego Beach, with the final finish line located in New York City. The total distance is estimated at around 6,000 km, made up by nine routes (called "Stages") separated by known landmarks.

For each stage, points are awarded and the one who completed the race with the most points becomes champion. The champion is to receive 50 million dollars, eventually changed to 60 million. Other prizes include 1 million USD, 500,000 USD, 250,000 USD, and 120,000 USD for the second, third, fourth, and fifth ranking finalists respectively. Special prizes up to tenth place such as the checkpoint award are also available. In the case the order in which the racers have reached the finish line is not clear, five judges are able to use a photography of the racers as they finish the race to determine the rankings of the racers.

Points are awarded following this table:

A cash prize is awarded for the winner of each Stage and a one cumulative hour bonus is awarded for the first eight ones to be used at the end of the 8th Stage and adjust their arrival time accordingly.

The original competitors used horses, camels, the new or even their own legs in this mad-dash across the country. Different kinds of hazards and climates awaited, between the dryness of the Arizona desert or the challenge of crossing a frozen lake.

The race ended January 19, 1891. It was heavily criticized for numerous deaths among the competitors, and raised seventy trillion dollars in revenue, which Steven Steel donated to various causes.

1st Stage - 15,000 Meters

 * "San Diego Beach",, CA
 * TO
 * " Novella Church"
 * The first stage is the second shortest stage of the Steel Ball Run, at a length of 15 km only. However, it is a high intensity stage with a good variety of terrain over a short distance to make for an exciting introduction to the race. The stage begins on San Diego Beach, the open and flat ground being ideal to accommodate the thousands of racers that have subscribed to the race. The first kilometers of the stage consists in a relatively forgiving terrain, being relatively open and flat bar a few cacti, trees, crevices, and a chokepoint in a bridge over a dried river. The default path then goes around a rock formation, although at the tip of said formation, riders can choose to try and cross a forest at the risk of bumping against trees. Following this is a downhill slope where riders are expected to actually reduce and control the pace of their horses to not trip. The riders will then have to bypass an abandoned ranch before sprinting to the finish line over 2,000 meters of flat terrain.
 * The stage is also set parallel to train tracks so that journalists and VIPs can follow the first stage in the comfort of a train and report on it.

Results
Note: Information deduced by cross referencing with other score tables are in italics.

Drop out

 * Urmd Avdul (0 points)
 * Baron Roocatugo (0 points)
 * Mark Becker (Dead; 0 points))
 * David Hagen (Dead, 0 points))
 * Paul Lukather (Dead; 0 points)

2nd Stage - Across the Arizona Desert

 * "" /, AZ/UT
 * At 1,200 km, the second stage is one of the longest and one of the harshest. The riders will have to cross about 1,200 km of desert in a hot and dry climate, which puts the riders and their horse at risk of dying from thirst, the heat, or the hostile fauna of the desert. The risk is compounded by the fact that riders can get lost in the desert (due to a Devil's Palm). To guarantee the safety of the racers, there is actually a caravan whose chariots are filled with supplies as well as physicians who will assist any racer who asks for their help, although it would count as dropping out of the . There is a control point halfway through the stage before the riders can reach Monument Valley.


 * The terrain is relatively rough as the desert is strewn with mountainous areas and rocky formations. However, the last part of the stage is set in Monument Valley and thus relatively open.


 * In fact, 1301 participants dropped from the race at this stage. 523 of those drop-outs happened because of a Devil's Palm.

Results
Note: Information deduced by cross referencing with other score tables are in italics.

Drop out

 * Mountain Tim (35 points)
 * Fritz von Stroheim (20 points)
 * Benjamin Boomboom (13 points)
 * Andre Boomboom (12 points)
 * L.A. Boomboom (11 points)
 * Mrs. Robinson (4 points)
 * Oyecomova (0 points)

3rd Stage - Rocky Mountain Breakdown

 * The third stage consists in 510 km of race through the Rocky Mountains. The riders must thus pass through rough mountainous paths and avoid the hostile fauna, for instance cougars or dinosaurs.
 * The third stage consists in 510 km of race through the Rocky Mountains. The riders must thus pass through rough mountainous paths and avoid the hostile fauna, for instance cougars or dinosaurs.

Results
Note: Information deduced by cross referencing with other score tables are in italics.

4th Stage - Little Tomb on the Wide, Wide Prairie

 * At 1,250 km in length, the fourth stage is one of the longest stages. As it passes through the Great Plains, the terrain is very open, with the occasional forest, and is quite smooth. Ultimately the stage is more about endurance than skill. This stage had the highest number of drop-outs, at 1477 people leaving the race.
 * At 1,250 km in length, the fourth stage is one of the longest stages. As it passes through the Great Plains, the terrain is very open, with the occasional forest, and is quite smooth. Ultimately the stage is more about endurance than skill. This stage had the highest number of drop-outs, at 1477 people leaving the race.

Results
Note: Information deduced by cross referencing with other score tables are in italics.

Drop outs

 * Gaucho (dead; 17 points)

5th Stage - Illinois Skyline

 * , IL;
 * "Michigan lakeline"
 * This stage is at a length of 780 km and marks the transition from the Great Plains to the northern areas of the United States. Its most difficult stage would be how to cross the Mississipi river.

Results
Note: Information deduced by cross referencing with other score tables are in italics.

Drop outs

 * Dot Han (dead; 71 points)
 * Sandman (dead; 190 points')

Unknown

 * Rotters Club (13~22 points)

6th Stage - Michigan Lakeline

 * "Michigan lakeline";
 * , MI;
 * , MI
 * The stage crosses 680 km of cold, snowy areas, although the place is also more civilized. The main problem for racers at this stage is the cold climate and the hostile fauna, for instance wolves. The snow is also suscpetible to concealing crevices, which may endanger racers; The stage follows Lake Michigan's coast and the racers must cross the strait between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, on uncertain ice.

Results
Note: Information deduced by cross referencing with other score tables are in italics.

Drop outs

 * Hot Pants (215 points)

Unknown

 * Caravan Serai (52~64 points)
 * Dixie Chicken (31~43 points)
 * Nightfly (25~37 points)
 * Iglesias (21~37 points)
 * Kanye (18~37 points)
 * Mack the Knife (17~37 points)
 * Shigechi (15~37 points)
 * Billy White (14~37 points)
 * Rotters Club (13~34 points)
 * Tarkus (11~37 points)
 * Mister (4~31 points)

7th Stage - Philadelphia Triangle

 * "Benjamin Franklin Parkway", "", Pennsylvania
 * The stage is the longest stage of the race, at 1,300 km heading southeast towards Philadelphia.

Results
Note: Information deduced by cross referencing with other score tables are in italics.

Unknown

 * Zenyatta Mondatta (57~77 points)
 * Caravan Serai (52~76 points)
 * Dixie Chicken (31~43 points)
 * Nightfly (25~49 points)
 * Iglesias (21~49 points)
 * Kanye (18~49 points)
 * Mack the Knife (17~49 points)
 * Shigechi (15~49 points)
 * Billy White (14~49 points)
 * Rotters Club (13~45 points)
 * Tarkus (11~49 points)
 * Mister (4~43 points)

8th Stage - Both Sides Now

 * "Union Beach" ""
 * The eighth stage is one of the simplest stages, consisting of a mere 140 km beeline from Philadelphia to New Jersey, making the racers reach the East Coast. As soon as they reach Union Beach, the racers are transported across the bay to New York.

Results
Note: Information deduced by cross referencing with other score tables are in italics.

From this point on, Diego Brando is dead and secretly replaced by the Diego Brando (Parallel World).

All hour bonuses aquired are used at the end of the race to adjust th arrival time and the rank that would be associated.

Drop outs

 * Gyro Zeppeli (Dead; 271 points)
 * Baba Yaga (102 points)

Unknown

 * Zenyatta Mondatta (57~92 points)
 * Caravan Serai (52~91 points)
 * Dixie Chicken (31~70 points)
 * Nightfly (25~64 points)
 * Iglesias (21~64 points)
 * Kanye (18~64 points)
 * Mack the Knife (17~64 points)
 * Shigechi (15~64 points)
 * Billy White (14~64 points)
 * Rotters Club (13~60 points)
 * Tarkus (11~64 points)
 * Mister (4~58 points)

Final Stage - Manhattan Rhapsody

 * ,, , NY
 * The final stage is a 13 km kilometers long sprint in a fully urban terrain, making it easy for riders to navigate through. The stage crosses New York, passing through Brooklyn Bridge before the racers must head left towards Manhattan and finish at the Trinity Church.

Results
Note: Information deduced by cross referencing with other score tables are in italics.

Drop outs

 * Diego Brando (442 points including the 100 points from the final stage, had he not disppeared afterwards)
 * Johnny Joestar (295 points)

Unknown

 * Zenyatta Mondatta (57~117 points)
 * Caravan Serai (52~116 points)
 * Dixie Chicken (31~95 points)
 * Nightfly (25~89 points)
 * Iglesias (21~89 points)
 * Kanye (18~89 points)
 * Mack the Knife (17~89 points)
 * Shigechi (15~89 points)
 * Billy White (14~89 points)
 * Rotters Club (13~85 points)
 * Tarkus (11~89 points)
 * Mister (4~83 points)

Trivia

 * The grand cash prize of $50 million is given in modern values, and is not to be confused with what $50 million would be worth in 1890 (which would approximately equal to 1.5 billion USD as of 2021). It has been written as such to convey its value to the standard reader, and is said to be closer to 6 billion yen.
 * The list of the first stages reveals a lot more than just the results. Several important characters are named there, as well the next minor villains Gyro and Johnny will face.
 * For example some riders (never seen in the manga) whose names are music references are; Billy White (American composer Barry White) and his horse Love Unlimited (Orchestra featuring Barry White), Sloop John B (Beach Boys song) and his horse Catch a Wave (another Beach Boys song) and Iglesias (Spanish singer Julio Iglesias) and his horse Natalie.
 * Another example are riders named after albums like Dixie Chicken (album by the American rock band Little Feat) and his horse Ramblin' Man (song by The Allman Brothers Band), Nellyville (The second album by American rapper, Nelly) and his horse Country Grammar (the first Nelly album released) and Zenyatta Mondatta (from the album by The Police) and his horse Roxanne (a song by The Police).
 * According to the overall results of the Steel Ball Run, 3,652 competed in the race and 88 died.