Alcatraz was considered one of the worst prisons any inmate could find himself in; however, when it comes to culture, there was plenty of room for that. The inmates of Alcatraz had access to over 15,000 books and were subscribed to over 75 best-selling magazines. The prisoners could also play musical instruments, do art, and write letters.
The books the inmates had on offer were from various topics and included some of the best-selling authors of that time. Every prisoner could take up to three books at a time, not including the bible. Crime-related topics where off boundaries, as no one wanted to feed the prisoners with new escape ideas.
The Battle of Alcatraz
Marvin Hubbard, Bernard Paul Coy, and Clarence Carnes, seen here, are three of the four inmates who instigated “The Battle of Alcatraz,” a riot that started after an escape attempt and lasted for three days. This battle is known as the failed attempt, in which no one could predict the outcomes.
The reputation the prison had, of being the one place no one could ever escape from, was crumbling down. Coy was the one who planned the escape. He was sentenced at the time to 25 years in prison and, therefore, had nothing to lose by trying to gain his freedom.
Along for the Ride
These pictures of Sam Shockley (left) and Miran Thompson (right) were taken before their time in Alcatraz. Shockley and Thompson joined the riot leaders at the beginning of the “Battle of Alcatraz” and were later executed for their part in the bloodshed. Samuel Richard Shockley, Jr. came from a very complicated background, so not many were surprised when he ended up behind bars. He was just 40 years old when his life ended.
Miran Edgar Thompson was sentenced to life with an additional 99 years after being convicted of taking a police officer's life. He was also responsible for no more robberies and other serious crimes. While serving time in several prisons across the country, he had a reputation as a lucky escaper, succeeding in several escapes he was responsible for.
Ouf Guard
The riots of 1946, known as "The Battle of Alcatraz," only lasted over a few days; however, they greatly impacted the prison. From that day onwards, the prison became even harsher than it was, and its reputation of being the toughest jail an inmate could find himself in was closer to the truth than ever.
In this photograph, Alcatraz guards are seen herding prisoners who were not involved in the riots that occurred that day. "The Battle of Alcatraz" could have ended completely differently; however, the result of two killed officers and three inmates who lost their lives, too, was probably inevitable.
The Alcatraz Triathlon
So, like many things, someone thought of a way to keep Alcatraz famous, not only for its prison and its reputation. In 1981, The Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon was born. It is a modified International Distance Triathlon, and it is open to professional triathletes. The race consists of a 1.5-mile swim from Alcatraz prison to the Marina Green shoreline. And this is not all.
An annual New Year's Day Alcatraz race takes place every year, and the only thing related to the prison is the name. Here, we see George Farnsworth, who was 67 years old then. He finished last. However, he does not seem to be bothered too much about that.