On April Fools' Day, we remember these 7 historic Colorado pranks

DENVER -- You can't believe everything you read on the internet these days, especially on a day like today. So what better way to inspire you to get creative, than by traveling down memory lane with some of the craftiest pranks Colorado has pulled off within the past 100 years. 

1. The Great Wall of China hoax – 1899

One hundred and eighteen years ago, four reporters from four different Denver newspapers allegedly met at the Cruise Room of the Oxford Hotel and made a story up out of boredom.

The story went something like this: The Chinese government was planning to tear down big portions of the Great Wall to make new roads and American companies were hoping to get a piece of the pie in the construction of said roads.

National media picked up the fake news during that summer – and outlets in Europe were even reporting about it! But it would take another 40 years for another hoax story to come out from the first one – that the actions of the American companies ignited the Boxer Rebellion of 1900.

This “metahoax” was eventually confirmed to be false by the last surviving reporter of the hoax, Hal Wilshire, when he confessed the secret ten years after the story was published, according to the Museum of Hoaxes website.

2. The “distinctive” Caribou uniforms worn by the Colorado Rapids

The Colorado Rapids may have played a cruel prank on sports fashion, but at least they won the internet that year.

The Major League Soccer Team announced on April 1 that they would do away with their burgundy and white uniforms and instead bring back the leather fringe and short-shorts design worn by the Caribou of Colorado, a soccer league team that only played for a single season in the late 70s.

"It is a true honor to emulate those pioneers of American soccer" -Brian Mullan http://t.co/z2zlTRhbQC pic.twitter.com/Q1GrIwoUXF

— Colorado Rapids (@ColoradoRapids) April 1, 2014

3. Denver Nuggets power forward pranked with popcorn

In 2010, Denver Nuggets power forward Kenyon Martin was playing against the Portland Trailblazers on April Fools’ Day when a former Nuggets ball boy somehow got his car keys and filled the white interior with buttered popcorn.

The prank was not appreciated and Martin went on a locker room tirade, throwing threats every which way – including sitting out for the playoffs. You can listen to the audio inside the locker room below:

Eventually, the prankster confessed and agreed to pay for the damages, according to ESPN.

4. The taunting ad from the DJs at KBPI

There are ways to taunt an opposing team and then there are ways to really, really make them angry. 

It was early in 1998 and the Broncos were playing the Packers in the Super Bowl when the morning show DJS from KBPI put a very aggressive ad in a Green Bay newspaper. Innocent at first glance, the paper showed two index fingers pointing upward separated by the words “GO BRONCOS.”

But, if readers were to fold the paper inward, they would have noticed that the hands turned into a single fist with the index fingers turning into the middle finger and well, you get the idea.

Westword has more on the ad, which we can’t really show you here for obvious reasons. 

5. ‘An all day celebration of Creed’ at CU Boulder

Known for supporting indie artists, CU Boulder’s Radio 1190 in 2013 posted this to their Facebook page: Listen to Radio 1190 for an all day celebration of Creed, our featured artists for today! Tune in with arms (and ears) wide open.” 

Yikes.

6. Denver International Airport

DIA never disappoints. Whether it’s Blucifer or the opening of an ice rink over the holidays, the airport has also enjoyed partaking in April Fools’ Day pranks.

In 2015, DIA ‘confirmed’ the conspiracy theories flying around the airport – that lizard people are hiding underneath to take over the world, that they’re prepared in case of a doomsday scenario and that the airport has an “underground network… a private site for our ‘elite’ New World Order travelers who value privacy and exclusivity.’
Despite it being a joke, many people out there think they’re just being brazen about the real happenings inside the airport.

RELATED: The Top 10 spooky conspiracy theories at DIA

7. The Rocky Mountain Oyster Stout

We saved the best for last.

This gag-inducing prank got real – way real – when Wynkoop Brewing Co. took the joke to another level and actually created the thing and started selling it to customers. 

Introduced in 2012, this new style of beer with a “strong regional flavor” was created using organic Colorado malts, Front Range hops, Rocky Mountain water and… bull testicles from free-range Colorado cattle.

Craft beer enthusiasts reportedly went crazy for the idea and Wynkoop had no other choice but to create it. It even entered the ale into the Great American Beer Festival.