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America's First Olympics - The St. Louis Games of 1904 (Paperback)
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America's First Olympics - The St. Louis Games of 1904 (Paperback)
Series: Sports and American Culture
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List price R616
Loot Price R465
Discovery Miles 4 650
You Save R151 (25%)
Supplier out of stock. If you add this item to your wish list we will let you know when it becomes available.
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America in 1904 was a nation bristling with energy and confidence.
Inspired by Theodore Roosevelt, the nation’s young, spirited, and
athletic president, a sports mania rampaged across the country.
Eager to celebrate its history, and to display its athletic
potential, the United States hosted the world at the 1904 Louisiana
Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. One part of the World’s Fair
was the nation’s first Olympic games. Revived in Greece in 1896,
the Olympic movement was also young and energetic. In fact, the St.
Louis Olympics were only the third in modern times. Although the
games were originally awarded to Chicago, St. Louis wrestled them
from her rival city against the wishes of International Olympic
Committee President Pierre de Coubertin. Athletes came from eleven
countries and four continents to compete in state-of-the-art
facilities, which included a ten-thousand-seat stadium with
gymnasium equipment donated by sporting goods magnate Albert
Spalding. The 1904 St. Louis Olympics garnered only praise, and all
agreed that the games were a success, improving both the profile of
the Olympic movement and the prestige of the United States. But
within a few years, the games of 1904 receded in memory. They
suffered a worse fate with the publication of Coubertin’s memoirs
in 1931. His selective recollections, exaggerated claims, and false
statements turned the forgotten Olympics into the failed Olympics.
This prejudiced account was furthered by the 1948 publication of An
Approved History of the Olympic Games by Bill Henry, which was
reviewed and endorsed by Coubertin. America’s First Olympics, by
George R. Matthews, corrects common misconceptions that began with
Coubertin’s memoirs and presents a fresh view of the 1904 games,
which featured first-time African American Olympians, an eccentric
and controversial marathon, and documentation by pioneering
photojournalist Jessie Tarbox Beals. Matthews provides an excellent
overview of the St. Louis Olympics over a six-month period,
beginning with the intrigue surrounding the transfer of the games
from Chicago. He also gives detailed descriptions of the major
players in the Olympic movement, the events that were held in 1904,
and the athletes who competed in them. This original account will
be welcomed by history and sports enthusiasts who are interested in
a new perspective on this misunderstood event.
General
Imprint: |
University of Missouri Press
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Country of origin: |
United States |
Series: |
Sports and American Culture |
Release date: |
September 2018 |
Authors: |
George R. Matthews
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Dimensions: |
229 x 152mm (L x W) |
Format: |
Paperback
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Pages: |
277 |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-8262-2181-0 |
Categories: |
Books
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LSN: |
0-8262-2181-5 |
Barcode: |
9780826221810 |
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