Yes, almightyruler, anything could have happened. And Satoshi knew that all. He tested all the blockchain with many computers before releasing the applications. He knew what can happen.

Gavin Andresen started a project to give away free Bitcoins https://freebitcoins.appspot.com/ (no more working) and Satoshi wrote June 2010:
Excellent choice of a first project, nice work. I had planned to do this exact thing if someone else didn't do it https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=183.msg1620#msg1620

He waited but thought that someone else will do it. We think that he is waiting that someone moves the early mined coins to show to the Bitcoin community that it's a prize competition and that the private keys are somehow on the blockchain.