The very first Olympics began about 776 B.C. These Olympics were held every 4 years and they were a celebration of Greek culture, religion, and athleticism. Held in the valley of Olympia, the games started with the lighting of a flame from the altar of Zeus. It was extinguished at the close of the activities. In the beginning, about 40,000 people would come together for the religious ceremonies and one contest. This was a sprint of about 200 meters (210 yards). As time went on other events like boxing, wrestling, a four horse chariot race, long jump, discus throw, and javelin throw were added. The winners would be awarded a wild olive wreath that had been cut with a golden knife by a child. Contestants no longer just came from Greece, but also from the Macedonian and Roman empires. All athletes, free man or slave, could enter the races. Some of the most famous competitors were Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great. After existing for more than 1100 years, the ancient games were finally abolished by Emperor Theodosius of Rome, who felt the games were too pagan. A more thorough description of these games can be found in The Olympics: a history of the games by William Johnson.
It was another 1500 years before the games were revived in1896. At that time 245 male competitors from 14 nations came together to compete; women were not allowed. During the 2008 Summer Olympics in China, 204 countries came together and 10,900 people , male and female, competed. The DVD Beijing 2008 Highlights will show you the best of the best during those games. This summer, July 27th, the London 2012 Olympics will begin. In The Complete Book of the Olympics 2012 Edition you will find the rules and regulations of every event in this year’s games. It’s also a great historical source for the top finishes of every event since 1896. Further, it contains special highlights from past Olympic events.
Did you know that croquet and tug of war were once Olympic sports? It’s thrilling to see the world’s best athletes compete, but I really love the stories behind the scenes. 100 Greatest Moments in Olympic History by Bud Greenspan captures the spirit of these games. As Dan Jansen said, “No one has been able to express the spirit, the triumphs, the tragedies and the magic of the Games as Bud has.” More personal accounts are written in such books as The Happiness of Pursuit, Good as Gold, Olympic Gold: A Runner’s Life and Times, Wonder Girl, Something in the Air, Triumph: the Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler, and in the DVD Chariots of Fire.
We would like to think that the high standards of the Olympics have remained untarnished, but as man has changed, so have the games. Tarnished Rings, Nazi Games: the Olympics of 1936 and Rome 1960: the Olympics That Changed the World are three books that show how war, politics, corruption, and social issues have changed the games. If fiction is more to your liking, then Private Games, The Second Son, Running: a Novel, and Bryant and May on the Loose: A Peculiar Crimes Unit Mystery may interest you.
With all this information, you should be more than ready for the 2012 Olympics. You may be so pumped up that you even want to give this athletic thing a try. While most of us are not up to Olympic caliber, we can still become weekend warriors. In Easicat there are many great books on running, tennis, table tennis, cycling, archery, target shooting, track and field, and wrestling. For those of you who are serious about athletics, you might be interested the Badger State Summer Games. These games have been in existence since 1985 and are an annual Olympic-style competition for amateur athletes from Wisconsin. The primary weekend for these games is June 22nd thru the 24th; however, some of the events will be held on other dates. So, whether you choose to watch or compete--may the games begin.
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