Balto's True Story
Balto was born in 1923 in the small town known as Nome, Alaska. Balto was considered a slow dog and not well suited for his work. In the beginning of 1925, diphteria, a deadly illness that spreads quickly among children, attacks Nome. Serum is needed but Nome doesnt have the serum. Anchorage has some but is over 1000 miles from Nome. A violent blizzard prevents from
using a plane. It is decided that the serum will be transported to Nenana but no further as the rail line goes no further. The only
way is by sled dogs. But Nenana is 676 miles from Nome. Gunnar Kassen's sled dog team rushes out to obtain the serum
but on the way back, the man is paralysed with cold and it is under -50 degrees. While Gunnar Kassen lost any hope of
saving the children in Nome. Balto, remembering the way, starts to lead the team back to Nome.
When they arrive, the dogs are so exhausted that they can't even bark. Amazed, the press publish the story, making
Balto the new hero of the nation. The story appears on the front cover of newspapers around the globe and the end of the year,
F.G. Roth carves a statue of Balto and engraves the words: 'Endurance - Fidelity - Intelligence'
Balto ran the 676 miles in only 127 and a half hours which is considered a mushers record.
But Balto's story doesn't stop here, no. It is only the beginning of Our Hero's story.
A Hollywood producer brought Balto and his team to Los Angeles and created a 30 minute film entilted : 'Balto's Race to Nome.'
Kassen and his team toured the U.S. during the summer and fall of 1925 but the team were soon sold.
Two years later, the world seemed to of forgotten Balto and his famous team mates. But on a visit to Los Angeles, George Kimble discovered the dogs at a 'dime' museum and noticed that they were ill and mistreated. He knew the story of Balto and was outraged. A deal was made and Kimble had only a week to raise $2,000. And the race to save Balto and his team mates started.
A Balto fund was made across the nation through the radio and newspapers. School children put there pennies in buckets and carried them to school to save Balto. In March 1927 Balto and his 6 team mates were brought to Cleveland and given a Heroes welcome. The dogs were taken to Cleveland Zoo to live the rest of their lives. 15,000 people visited Balto on his first day there.
But not even heroes can live forever. Sadly, Balto passed away on March 14th, 1933, at the age of 11. The husky's body was mounted (see second picture below) at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History as a reminder of Balto's race against death.
In 1995, an animation film based on Balto was made and is still about today. In 2002 Balto 2 was made, although it wasn't true, it still captured our hearts. Balto 3 was made a few years later. Us Balto fans pray that we will see a Balto 4 soon and that Balto shan't be forgotten.
From:
http://www.freewebs.com/baltothehero/_b ... =59&prev=/
