Leonhard Seppala, one of the sled-drivers,
and some of his dogs
February 2, 1925: The Nome Serum Run is completed, saving that city from disease. It was a much-hyped news story, one of the first to have details broadcast nationwide on radio.
In January 1925, an outbreak of diphtheria threatened to wipe out the town of Nome, Alaska, sparking fears that an epidemic would spread and kill thousands if antitoxin medicine was not supplied.
The antitoxin could only be delivered by dogsled across a portion of the Iditarod Trail, the only route accessible for transporting goods during the harsh winters. A heroic relay of dog teams transported the antitoxin across the 674-mile trail from Nenana to Nome, braving gale force winds, -85 degree temperatures, and whiteout conditions across the remote Alaskan Interior.
The life-saving serum was delivered to Nome in a record-breaking 127.5 hours, without a single broken vial. This came to be known as the 1925 Serum Run. Many aspects of this journey are commemorated annually in the Iditarod dog sled race, which began in 1973.
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February 2, 1925 was a Monday. Actress Elaine Stritch was born. Baseball and football were out of season. Professional basketball was still minor-league at this point. And no NHL games were played that day. So there were no scores on this historic day.
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