Olympic Cavalcade

THE ATHENIAN CELEBRATION, 1906 4) dash instead of the three that had been decided at the two previous Celebra– tions, and only one Hurdle race in place of three. But what was economized in one direction was added in another. There were to be a Pentathlon and a Javelin Throw. The latter was an absolute mystery to the Americans, and was so to remain for many Olympiads. The same might have been said about the Discus at the first Modern Celebration, but Bob Garrett of America had overcome that handicap, although the Greeks had been certain that their hereditary and long-practised champion, Paraskevopoulos, could not be beaten. The Northern Games are probably older even than the original Olympic Games of the Greeks. Now the Scandinavians were to find a descendant of the Vikings to hoist the Greeks with their own petard, just as Garrett had done in 1896. The man who had the habit and the physique of the old-time Vikings was a Stockholm policeman. Born in r88o at Gothenburg, Sweden, Eric Lemming had commenced throwing at the early age of 16. He had, for some time; been the best javelin thrower on the Continent and had firmly estab– lished-or should one say revived-the sport of the spear in Scandinavia in general, and in Sweden in particular. He was a handsome and beautifully built man. He stood 6 ft. 3 in. and weighed 14 stone. Like the heroes of the Greek Age of Strength, he was, however, to remain in the picture for many more Olympiads and would have his Scandina':ian prototypes to carry on his tradition. The Athenian Celebration, as it came afterwards to be called, opened on 22 April, 1906. It must have been a great surprise, and perhaps something of a shock, to those who knew not Greece, and who had grown accustomed, in Paris and at St. Louis in the States, to the paucity of spectators. Since daybreak all the roads leadiQ.g to Athens had been thronged with bullock carts and other vehicles bringing to the city the people of the countryside, who had for weeks eagerly awaited the great Festival, which promised to again revive for them their ancient glory. · Short of the Bridge of Illisos, which might be crossed only by the Royal carriages, the other conveyances set down their passengers to walk the remaining roo yards to the Stadium. From the gates of the Stadium right up to the Royal Box, and drawn up in two lines facing one another at a distance of ten paces, were the eur.oni, Greek soldiers in wide abbreviated skirts which stuck out stiffiy from their thighs, peculiar uniforms and little round skull-caps. These formed a sturdy avenue through which the Royal party would pass to their .seats. Meanwhile, thousands of troops were being m~rched in. They were not needed to keep order. Their job was to form a fneze to the top ring of marble seats. In the rear rose three high hills, on the s!opes of which waited those people who could not find the price of admis– Sl?n, but still were determined to see something of the Games. That upper frmge of the eur.oni provided a striking picture which will not be soon forgotten.