Easter Monday, April 6, 1896. At the Panathinaiko Stadio in Athens, the delighted crowd witnessed an epochal event. Here is the Greek King George I, to the accompaniment of an orchestra and a choir, opened the Games of the First Olympiad. The first in modern history.
His name was Pierre de Coubertin. He was born on January 1, 1863. He came from an aristocratic and well-to-do family, where great importance was attached to education. When he was eleven, his parents Charles and Marie Marcelle enrolled him at St. Ignatius, a school run by the Jesuits.
It was the activities conducted by the monks that were one of the foundations of Pierre's later Olympic fascination. The college was famous for its high level of teaching classical languages - Latin and Greek. Thanks to his knowledge of the latter, the teenage de Coubertin was able to read the works of ancient writers. He is particularly fond of the topics related to Olympia.
The Jesuits left another mark on the young man. At Pierre's school, competition between students was cultivated. The youth fought for better grades in gymnastics, for the opportunity to serve the Holy Mass, and even for a good place in the canteen. This form of education shaped the characters. The French visionary saw very quickly that through sport you can also educate.
Travel and revolutionary thought
In the years 1883–1889, de Coubertin visited England three times. During one of these journeys, he met William Penny Brookes, who had proposed to organize the local Olympic Games several years earlier. Both gentlemen were inspired by the ancient sports rivalry abolished by Emperor Theosius the Great in AD 393.
They both heard about the excavations of the German archaeologist Ernst Curtius, who discovered a lot of the demolished buildings of Olympia, which made him quite famous. Pierre de Coubertin, , although he was not the first to revive the idea of the Games, came up with an idea how to combine ancient thought with modern sport. And, by the way, give people a spectacle.
Members of the organizing committee of the first modern games
In 1892, during the jubilee of the Union of French Athletic Societies, he presented his vision. Later, he admitted that it was received warmly, but also ... incomprehension. De Coubertin therefore had to go on and focus on the specifics.
In 1894, at the Sorbonne in Paris, he convened the International Congress, at which he presented his plan in detail. The participants were impressed and together with the initiator they agreed that the event will be organized every four years, each time by a different city. Only amateur men could participate in the sports competition (until 1928 women were consistently refused). In Paris, Pierre de Coubertin was also persuaded to entrust the premiere edition planned for 1900 to Athens. It was supposed to be a tribute to the ancient Greeks.
From organization to opening
How did it happen that the Games were played in 1896? The usual "spychology". The Greek government did not accept the IOC's first proposal. The poor condition of the local economy prevented him from acting. So the Games "went" to Rome, but the Italians - after getting acquainted with their program and requirements - gave up.
Then it was Budapest's turn. The Hungarians indicated that - yes - they would prepare an unforgettable event for the world, but in return they asked to postpone it to 1896 - the millennium jubilee of the Hungarian state. They received permission and went to work. Just as everything seemed to be settled, the Greeks entered the game again. They stated that they thought the matter over, found the money and that they could organize these games. And this is keeping the Hungarian term. The IOC, blinded by the splendor of ancient Olympus, was of course persuaded.
Construction of the Olympic stadium in Athens
Where did the Greeks suddenly get the necessary funds? First of all:from the state budget, from which 400,000 drachmas were donated to the Games. Further funds came from the sale of tickets (around 200,000 drachmas) and from private individuals (332,000 drachmas). The Olympic stadium was reconstructed thanks to the generosity of the merchant Giorgios Averoff, who donated as many as one million drachmas for this purpose! In this way, a facility that could accommodate approximately 75,000 spectators was created. Unfortunately, it had some disadvantages, such as a 333-meter tread, which had extremely sharp turns.
On April 6, 1896, at 3:00 p.m., the holiday began.
Start athletes!
245 players from 14 countries and nations came to Athens. There could have been more participants, but the obstacle was - of course - money. Or rather the lack of them. Take, for example, the Russians who trained well, but did not manage to raise enough funds for the journey.
There is also a known case of the organizers' refusal to participate. It happened to an Italian walker who came to Athens on foot. On February 28, 1896, Carlo Airoldini (because that was his name) set off from Milan for the Olympics. In 28 days he walked over 1,300 kilometers and when he got there, he decided to sign up for the marathon. The son of King George I, and at the same time one of the judges - Prince Constantine - decided that the Italian, supported by the publisher of the newspaper, was a professional and did not accept his request. The nervous Airoldini turned on his heel and ... returned home.
Until 1928, only men were allowed to participate in the Olympics
The athletes competed in nine disciplines (athletics, gymnastics, cycling, weightlifting, swimming, shooting, tennis, fencing, wrestling) divided into 43 events. The first ever Olympic champion was James B. Connolly, an American three-jumper.
This boy from a poor family, jumping in the Irish style, defeated the second in the classification Ruffere from France by as much as 101 centimeters! After the Olympics, however, he was in trouble. Harvard authorities have removed him from the student list because he left for Athens without permission. After many years, 81-year-old James was awarded the title of honoris causa at the same university .
There was also an unpleasant surprise for the swimmers. The competitions in the discipline he trained took place in the Gulf of Zea. The athletes fought not only with each other, but also with the water temperature, which, according to various sources, ranged from 12 to 14 degrees Celsius. In these difficult conditions, Alfréd Hajós from Hungary, who won two championship titles, showed the best skills.
Madziar was also remembered for another reason. King George I was supposed to ask him where he learned to swim so well, to which he replied sardonically:- In the water, Your Majesty! In the water!
Wine for heroes
The first games had a few more heroes. In cycling, the Greek Aristidis Konstandinidis showed unprecedented ambition, covering the Athens-Marathon route and back as quickly as possible - despite the bike's failure. Seeing that the repair would be time consuming, he walked over to the fan and borrowed his vehicle. He had a few more falls after that, but he still won.
Spiros Louis triumphed in the competition of marathon runners. This village postman was the most sensible man to use his forces, and while his successive rivals fell on the route, he ran at a steady pace. He also enjoyed the hospitality of the passing taverns. For example the one in Pikermi, where he quenched his thirst with a solid portion of wine.
When he appeared at the stadium and the audience realized that he - the Greek - would win, the crazy celebration began. The king's sons were to accompany the protagonist at the last meters. Apparently, after this triumph, the ruler declared that he would fulfill Spiros's every wish. He was supposed to ask for a donkey cart and a piece of land.
The Games of the First Olympiad were closed on April 15. King George I - to the great joy of Pierre de Coubertin - announced that Athens could organize the Games on a regular basis. The French visionary thanked him politely. After all, he had a different concept:he wanted to spread the Olympic idea all over the world, and Athens in 1896 was only the first, but very important, stop to this goal.