Olympic Cavalcade

CHAPTER Ill THE MODERN OLYMPIADS ARE FOUNDED AND THE FIRST OF THE MODERN FESTIVALS IS HELD IT was German archaeologists who excavated the remains of the ancient Stadium, Hippodrome and Altis at Olympia. It was that great French patriot and sportsman, the late Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who conceived the idea of reviving the ancient Games as a modern influence for world-wide peace and amity. Pierre de Coubertin, born in Paris on 1 January, 1862, was marked out by his family for a military career and so was enrolled at the famous French Military Academy at St. Cyr. He left that academy to study political science and problems of education both national and international. It was from his study of education and his personal love of sport that he developed what was to become his personal creed in life. Summed up in the words he spoke at the meeting of the Union des Sports Athletiques, held at the Sorbonne on 25 November, 1892, that creed first ran in the interests of his native land. He said: "The real free trade ofthe future will he to send our athletes ofall kinds to <;Lll countries where games are played~ in order that they may study the methods practised by the greatest exponents of the various arts. On the day that this free trade is accepted in Europe~ a great step forward will have heen made in the sacred caus_e ofpeace." Before that historic meeting took place de Coubertin had sent out a circular which contained the following important view: "Before all things it is necessary that we should preserve in sport those characteristics of nobility and chivalry which have distinguished it in the past~ so that it may continue to play the same part in the education of the peoples of today as it played so admirably in the days of ancient Greece. Imperfect humanity has ever tended :o transform the Olympic athlete into the paidgladiator. But the two 'things are zncompatih!e. We must choose between one formula and the other. • • . Reform is necessary andmust he discussed hefore we undertake it. There are compromises and there are contradictions in the amateur regulations ofthe present day which it will he the business of this Congress to consider. And the last subject on the agenda paper is that you will sanction~ if not the realization~ at any rate the preparation~ ofan international agreement that will revive the Olympic Games under modern conditions~ so that every four years the athletic representatives ofthe world may he hrought together~ and that the spirit ofinternational comity may he advanced.hy the celebration oftheir chivalrous andpeaceful contests." That was the genesis of the Moder11 OlympLc Games as we, today, know them. Prior, however, to this prophet of the new era in sport having obtained 21