An Athletics Compendium

C International The Modern Olympic Games&World Championships • Histories 1 The Olympic Games, B.C. 776-A.D. 1896. London: Grevel, 1896. 2 vols.: 1. The Olympic Games in ancient times / Sp. P. Lambros andN. G. Polites with prologubey T. Philemon; translated from tGhereek by C.A.; 2. The Olympic Games in 189/6 P. de Coubertin, T.J. Philemon, N. G. Politis and C. Anninos; English translation byA. v. K. BL: 7905.k.20 A book of great importance sttuodents of Othlyempic Gaines. The first volumelairsgely concernedwith the ancient Games, the secownitdh the plans andideals of de Coubertin and his supporters. FrAench edition was also published. 2 The cruise of The Branwen: being a short history otfhe modern revival ofthe Olympic Games wiathn account of the Englishfencing team inAthens in MCMVI/ Sir Theodore Andrea Cook. London: Privately published, 1908. xviii, 165p; illus BL: 7917.bb.12 Published prior to the 1905 Games, the book is particularly valuable for its account of the rarely discussed intercalateOdlympics of 1906. 3 Official hand-book othfe Olympic Games / edited by Alex Devine. London: Hudson K&eams, 1908. 164p; illus Spine title:Olympic Games, London 1908 Contains articles: 'Onthrowing the discus'by G. 6. Robertson and 'The ancient Olympic Games' by P. Gardner. 4 The Olympic Games: being a short history of the Olympic movement from 1896 toupthe present day, together with an account tohfe Games of Athens in 1906, and of the organisation of the Olympic Games of London in 1908 / Sir Theodore Andrea Cook. London: Constable, 1908. xxiv, 232p; illus BL: 7907.ff.57 Produced prior to the1900 Games, wpitrhogramme, and lists of the British, South African and United States teamtos,gether with much of the material that appeared in The Cruise ofThe Branwen. 5 International sport: a short history ofOtlhyempic movement from 1896 to tphre sent day, containing the account of a visit to Athens in 1906, and of the Olympic Games of 1908 in London, together with the code of rules for twenty differenftorms of sport and numerous illustrations / Sir Theodore Andrea Cook. London: Constable, 1909. xxiv, 255p; illus BL: 07906.de.38 Cook provides a clue to the origins of the 26mile 56>5yd marathon distance (often attributed to the withdrawal ofthe start inWindsor Great Park for the benefit of theroyal children) by observing (onDorando Pietri) -'The 38>5 yards of cinder path now between him and the finisphroved harder than all the 26 miles which had preceded them.' TheISOS OlympicReport lists the distanacse exactly 26 miles, wnitoh reason given for this particular distance. The likelihood is therefore that the distance was measured from Windsor Great Park to theentry to theWhite City Stadium, rather thtaon the finish on the track. Thus was history made. A reissue of TheCruise of TheBranwen, together with an account of the 190fi» Games. There are many excellent photographs of the Games of 1906 and 1906*. There isa first-class chapotenrthe perennial 'amateur' problem. [ 69 ]