The Olympic Games and the Duke of Westminster's Appeal

THE OLYMPIC GAMES. 3 BRITAIN'S RECORD. What concerns us most here is the st1·ik.ing descent of the United Kingdom from first to third place; from a score of 446 to one of Ill. As was said in a recent article in TheT imes :-" Having won over 50 per cent. of the total points in 1908 we could get but little more than 12 per cent. in 1912. We had three times as many points as the United States in 1908 and the United States had 75 per cent. more than we in 1912." On the face of the figures the Uuited Kingdom was better than all the rest of the world put together in London, and four years later could only win third place among individual nations. The figures are worth repeating :- The United Kingdom United States Sweden . . 1908. 446 153 67 1912. Ill 195 207 These figures, however, need soine explanation. Tlie programme of the Games has not heretofore been the same from one Olympiad to another. In 1908 there were competitions in Archery, Boxing, Hockey, Polo, Rackets, Skating, Tennis, Catch-as-Catch-Can Wrestling, and for Motor· boats, none of which'. figured in the programme at Sto'ckhoim. In these events the United Kingdom the Home Country-the country, that is, in which the Games take place-should not derive con– siderable benefit from framing its own programme. The divergences in programmes have arisen not from any purpose on the part of the llo'me Country to get an advantage, but from the obvious fact that every country necessarily and honestly believes those events best worth competition which in its opinion rank highest as sports-that is to say, those which it most affects and practises. - · . Without an exact analysis of every event at the two sets of Games, then, it is evident that much of our inferior showing in 1912 was owing to the difference in progmmme. In London we included all the sports which we hold in high estimation, and at which we are therefore specially proficient. The Home Country has a further large advantage in being able to bring approximately ·its whole strength into the field and in being thoroughly n,ccustomed to all the conditions. None the Jess it has to be noticed that the United States was not the Home Country in either 1908 or 1912. It scored its points without entering for a great number of the competitions in London, or for the Football, Lawn Tennis (except one competitor who did not score), Rowing, Wrestling, and Yachting, n,t Stockholm. When the Games were held at St. Louis, in 1904, the United States had things all its own way. , " What has been said above, indeed, in no way excuses the British performance at Stockholm. · What it does suggest is that the advantage of being Point.~. the Home Country concealed our weakness in scored:- Archery I Boxing Hockey Polo Rackets Skating Tellllis Catch-as-Catch-Can Motor-boats .. Total 18 many sports in 1908. In an all-round programme 4~ containing all the competitions which have any 5 standing in Great Britain we can still hold our own, but we are never likely to get all these competi- ~; tions included in the future, or not till very far 5 in the future. A meeting of the International 35 Olympic Council will be held in rni4 to draw up a " type " programme to govern future Games. 10 This will doubtless reduce the advantage hereto fore .accruing to the Home Country. . Whether -~-· ·~ i_5~8--:-_..,,it_will, on__the_w:hole,- be-muoh- to- our-advantage In addition Great Britain did o compete at remains to be seen. Many games and exercises St.ookholm in open-air Lawn Tennis or "Y'.achtiiig; to which we in Great Britain attach importance in which in 1908 we scored 24 and 23 points are little practised in other countries and not res~vely, or a total of 47. Further, in: Cycling, likely .to be as yet included in a permanent Shooting, an~ Rowing there were extra events Olympic programme. Other tliings -which we in: the London programme by. which we further hardly practise at all are thought highly of else- profi_ted to the extent of an additional 56 points. where, and have an immovab1e position in the AdtliD;g these totals together, we arrive ai the fact list of Olympic events. But apart from the that at the London Games the United Kingdom extremes eitper way (omitting llo~ those games 1M:Ored 261 points in competitioils which either which are a)rilost peculiarly British and those of di~ .not take place at Stockholm or fot which which we know nothing) it is also evident that ~n~ competitors did not enter. This goes a both in 1908 and 1912 we did relatively much <:<>~~~l?l~ way towards accounting fdr our worse than our reputation iil the pasti entitles us couapee of~ points from 446 t.o in. to expect in .that large groµp of sports which are Dun:murCJE IN Pitod:e.utims. common to all countries. These must always form ' · the nucleus of an Olympic programm.~. In these Tliere were, of COUl'lle, off-sets to this beoause 1 are included the majority of standard track and as has been Ba.id, the Stockholm programme wlla field events. The~ table OD. the hext page, ,e lo~ bf the two. But, with the greaie!it giving iii~ ~Its of these event.ii at the iasi five desWe m the world to be fair, it is impossible that Games, will be instructive :- 1-2