Siklódi Csilla szerk.: Sport Anno (A Sportmúzeum Kincsei 1. Budapest, 1993)

Az első olimpiák (Siklódi Csilla)

The First Olympic Games In this chapter, we don't want to give an essay on the history of the Olympic Games, but to recite some points of interest in connection with the pictures. In Hungary, the beginnings of the Olympic movement date from the time before the first modern Olympic Games of Athens. To mention just one name, the modern school teacher Ferenc Kemény was from 1894 one of the co-workers of baron Coubertin as he was member of the Olympic organisation committee. In 1895, even Budapest had big chance to get the right of organisation instead of Athens, since the matter of the Olympic Games was going to miscarry because of the opposition of the Greek government and the financial problems. 1896 was the year of the millenary of the Hungarian Conquest in the Carpathian Basin, celebrated with a whole series of sumptuous ceremonies. The Olympic Games would have been a splendid event of the celebrations. But the change of the Greek government and the openhanded support of a banker made it possible to realise the first modern Olympiad — according to the original conception — in the homeland of the Olympic idea. The entry of the little Hungarian delegation surpassed all expectations. Finally they achieved two first, two second and one third places. Especially outstanding was the performance of Alfréd Hajós who came in first as well in 100 m as in 1200 m free-style swimming. And that under such circumstances that in the Zea Bay where the water was only 10 to 12 degrees „warm" he had — by his own account — to vanquist first his fear of death on the longer course to be able to swim till the end the whole distance, since the start was on the hard rolling open sea. In 1904 the lllrd Olympiad was organized in St. Louis. Similarly to the previous Paris Games, the sport events were totally subordinated to the interests of the World Exposition as they were one of its ancillary undertakings. Nearly 400 competitions were organized in three months, but not all of them belonged to the official Games. This was e. g. the only occasion when such sports as the long-header and the stick fencing figured in the program. Because of the long distance, Hungary was represented only by four sportsmen, nevertheless, Zoltán Halmay could repeat the stunt of Alfréd Hajós and he came in first even in two kinds of swimming. He worn the 100 yards crowling with a great advantage (picture 59), but in the 50 yards he had to re-swim the course because of the hesitation of the umpires to decide the first and the second place. Encouraged by the successes of the Olympic movement, the Greek organized in 1906, on the 10. anniversary of the first Games an extraordinary Olympiad in Athens. Similarly to the first Games, the competitions took place in a real Olympic mentality and good atmosphere. However, the IOC scratched it off from the list of the official Olympiads later, after the competitions, due to the fear that the Greek would achiev a to important role. Nevertheless, we record our champions of 1906 — the walker György Stantich and the 4 X 100 m swimming relay — in the list of the Olympic champions. In 1908, the London Games was similarly to present ones an important social event. There was a splendid opening and closing ceremony, the teams appeared in uniforms. The Hungarian delegation, supported by the Ministry of Culture, included 63 sportsmen. The series of successes of our fencers began here. Although the ministry didn't allow the participation of the officers, the team of swordsmen prevailed with a great preponderance. In individual Jenő Fuchs won in refecing against Béle Zulovszky. In heavy-weight Graeco-Roman wrestling prevailed Richárd Weisz in a hard contest of 70 minutes. In 1912 in Stockholm, the Hungarian team consis-