The Modern Olympic Games

by Susie Redbottom (13)

The first of the modern Olympic Games was held in Athens in 1896. The games were the brainchild of Baron Pierre de Coubertin, but he did not get credit it for them until much later. He felt that it was only fitting to have the first modern games in Greece, as this is where the first games were held. One of the differences being that the athletic events were conducted clothed. The first modern games had 13 countries participating and 311 men.

The second games were held in Paris four years later at the turn of the century 1900. Many of the competitors did not even realize that they had participated in the Olympics, until it was all over as the ruling organization the IOC did not decide until after the games as to which event would be recognized. Some of the events included croquet, cricket, golf, and tug of war. Some event held but not recognized where still fishing, pigeon flying, fire-extinguishing and cutlery. This was the first Olympics where women were allowed to compete. Britain's Charlotte Cooper was the first winner. She won it in table tennis. These games had competitors from 22 countries, 1319 men and 11 women.

The third games were held in 1904 in St. Louis. It was at these games where the gold medals were introduced. Many Europeans stayed away because of the sea voyage and the idea of the untamed wilderness. There were only 11 nations, 681 men and 6 women. Mr. George Poage as brilliant scholar and orator won bronzes medals in both the 200 and 400 hurdles, becoming the first black man to win any medal in the modern Olympics.

The fourth games were held in London, these games had competitors from 23 countries, 1,999 men and 36 women. There were bad feelings between the host country Britain and the U.S. these surfaced early with the lack of Old Glory flying over Bush Stadium with the flags of the other 22 countries and the fact that the athlete carrying the flag in the opening ceremonies ignored protocol and refused to dip the flag to the King of England.

The 1912 Stockholm games had athletes from 28 countries, 2,490 men and 57 women. Jim Thorpe won the decathlon and the pentathlon. He was stripped of his medals in 1913 because he was paid $2 a game so playing semi-pro baseball.

Due to the War the 1916 were not held.

The 1920 games were held at Antwerp. These games did not invite the defeated nations Germany, Austria, Hungary and Bulgaria. It was a very quiet Olympics due to the fact that the armistice had been signed only 20 month before.

The modern Olympics are well on there way and will be around for our lifetime.

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