U.S.WEIRD NEWS

Drama at the 65th Valley City, Ohio Frog Jump

CBS News correspondent Luke Burbank attended the sixty-fifth contest, which began in nineteen sixty-two when a few men in a bar wanted a town event; the frogs were unavailable for comment.

On air: Hank Ledger on Meet the Pressure
Published 10:07 AM ET, Sunday, October 18, 2026

At a glance

First reported by CBS News: “Hop to it! Drama at the Valley City, Ohio Frog Jump”.
Covered on BBN on Sunday, October 18, 2026, at 10:07 AM ET on Meet the Pressure, by Hank Ledger.
Topics: Ohio.
BBN covered this story before: Dodgers swept by Brewers; NCAA sues Ohio governor (October 16).

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

CBS NewsHop to it! Drama at the Valley City, Ohio Frog Jump

What BBN said about it

Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorValley City, Ohio, held its sixty-fifth annual frog jump this year, a contest that began in nineteen sixty-two, inspired by a Mark Twain story.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorWith us from FCI Danbury is Cornelius Rudd, inmate forty thousand seven hundred eighteen and a self-described amphibian consultant. Mr. Rudd, is a frog jump a real sport?
Cornelius Abernathy RuddYes. It's the oldest sport there is, if you count the frogs.
Cornelius Abernathy RuddI run a clean contest, hypothetically, with a measuring tape and a very honest man named Lyle, who has never once been asked to measure anything.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThe town says some guys at a bar wanted something to put them on the map, so they borrowed a Twain story. Is that allowed?
Cornelius Abernathy RuddAllowed, yes. Twain wrote it, they jumped it.
Cornelius Abernathy RuddThat's how my business started too, hypothetically, with a fair in a county I won't name and a lot of frogs that looked heavier than they were.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorHeavier how?
Cornelius Abernathy RuddHypothetically, a person could feed a frog four ounces of quail shot. Nobody checks a frog's stomach. Nobody. Lyle certainly doesn't.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorBut those frogs wouldn't jump, would they? Let me ask you that again. Would they jump?
Cornelius Abernathy RuddNo. That was the problem. Hypothetically, I'd have bet on the other frog, and I'd have told the other frog's owner I'd bet on his.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorSo is that a yes, that you were in the frog business and the gambling business at the same time?
Cornelius Abernathy RuddI'd call it diversified. The coffee can here is empty, by the way. I haven't mentioned the coffee can. Ignore the noise in it.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorThere's a noise.
Cornelius Abernathy RuddHypothetically, it's Gerald, and he's the best jumper I've ever coached. Please don't tell the warden.
Hank Ledger · Lead AnchorMr. Rudd, thank you. Rex, there are no frogs at your stadium, only a kicker, and nobody has checked his stomach either.