Fifty Years of Progress 1880-1930

THE OLYMPIC GAMES The Olympic Oath was taken by a Dutch athlete, a fanfare of trumpets was sounded from the Marathon tower, and a salvo of artillery fired. The bands played the " Marche de Triomphe," ~nd the teams left the Stadium. The racing started on the following day. It is almost impossible to describe in mere words the start, progress, and finish of each of those epic struggles. It would need an Edgar Allan Poe to do justice to a description of the mental and physical torture that an athlete passes through prepara– tory to and during an Olympic final. In the changing room before the start of a race there is an atmosphere of tension, which is broken only by the sound of the " warning bell." A subterranean passage leads from the dressing-rooms into the centre of the arena. The coolness and tranquillity of this passage is a contrast to the blazing sunlight and the sound of an uproarious crowd that awaits one on ascending the steps into the arena. At the" mark" places are drawn for, the men dig their starting holes, and then silence reigns over all as they go down to the start. The voice of the German starter rings out-" Auf die Platze "– " Fertig "-a pistol shot, and with straining muscles, they are off. In the midst of many fine performances the running of Lord Burghley, Douglas Lowe, London, Rangeley, Rinkel, Livingstone-Learmouth and Gaby will live long in the memory of every Englishman who saw their achievements. The 400 Metres Hurdles was a titanic struggle from the sound of the gun until the tape was broken. At the last hurdle Lord Burghley, the two Americans, and a Swede were almost level. All four of them looked terribly exhausted, and they lifted their legs as if made of lead. Lord Burghley's grit and fighting spirit carried him through a desperate finish to win by 2 ft. from Cuhel and Taylor of the U.S.A. The 800 Metres race was yet another classic event. It was the work of a craftsman, if such a term can be applied to athletics. Lowe's track tactics, strategy, beauty of running, and above all his indomitable courage, gave him victory, the thrills of which mere words could never describe adequately. Of the remainder of the Empire, pride of place must be given to Canada and South Africa. Williams (Canada) won the 100 and 200 Metres, with all the dash a youth of nineteen possesses. Ball (Canada) almost won the 400 Metres race, and was only beaten by inches on the post. Atkinson (South Africa) won the r ro Metres Hurdles, his great limbs sweeping over the hurdles in a beautiful style. Weightman-Smith was fourth in this race, and was unlucky not to be better placed, when one considers that he won the semi-final easily, and broke the world's record. A testimony to the doggedness and courage of our nation was the Marathon race, the last of the athletic events in the Games. The whole British team of six men fought on to the finish over 26 miles of cobbled roads, and all of them were within the first twenty. I believe that Great 103 ...