The World's Hockey Champions 1936

By Olympic Gold Medallist M. N. Masood

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Baron Pierre de Coubertin

The tradition of the Olympic Games was revived in the year 1894 by Baron Pierre de Coubertin. A special Congress met for this purpose at the Sorbonne in Paris.

It was decided that in accordance with classic tradition, the Games should be held every four years, though not always at the same place, since it was considered advisable to give every country in the world the opportunity of organising an Olympic Festival.
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ccording to legend, Hercules was the founder of the Olympic Games, the year 776 BC being generally accepted as the date or their origin. From this time on, they were held regularly every four years, and the ancient Greeks reckoned time according to "Olympiads", that is, the period of four years between each festival.

At the time of the Games, a period of divine peace was declared throughout the land so that all might travel unmolested to Olympia. Every conflict ceased, and weapons of all kinds were forbidden within the sacred precincts. Developed under these venerable customs, the fame of the Olympic Games continued long after the decline of the Greek civilization.

The Olympic Festivals consisted of ceremonies of worship at the Temple of Hera, the sacrificial altar of Zeus and other temples erected to the various divinities, in addition to competitions in running, throwing, jumping, wrestling, boxing, riding and chariot driving.

The intellectual and political leaders of all the Greek tribes assembled here at the time of the Festival. The artists exhibited their creations, the orators demonstrated the brilliance of their wit, and alliances were formed and announced, all in honour of Zeus, the Father of the Gods, to whom the Games were dedicated.

An Olympic victory represented the greatest honour obtainable by man, since it signified the triumph of piety, chivalry and idealism. The emblem of victory was the olive branch, the symbol of youthful strength.

The ancient Games were finally forbidden through a decree of Emperor Theodosius I, in the year 393 AD.

The tradition of the Olympic Games was revived in the year 1894 by Baron Pierre de Coubertin. A special Congress met for this purpose at the Sorbonne in Paris, and many nations sent their representatives.

It was decided that in accordance with classic tradition, the Games should be held every four years, though not always at the same place, since it was considered advisable to give every country in the world the opportunity of organising an Olympic Festival.

The programme was extended to include the majority of modern sports, and it was ruled that only amateurs could participate. The Congress established the International Olympic Committee and elected Baron Pierre de Coubertin as President.

Baron de Coubertin presided over the International Olympic Committee until 1925, when he was appointed life-long Honorary President of the Olympic Games at the Congress held in Prague. He was succeeded as the active President by Count Baillet-Latour.

The first Olympic Games took place in 1896, and in order to establish a connection between them and the Games of ancient Greece, they were held in Athens.

The Festival of the IInd Olympiad of 1900 was celebrated in Paris. Then followed the IIIrd Olympiad of 1904 in St. Louis, the IVth Olympiad of 1908 in London and the Vth Olympiad of 1912 in Stockholm.

The Games of the VIth Olympiad, which were to have been held at Berlin in 1916, had to be omitted due to the war. The chain was resumed with the Festival of the VIIth Olympiad of 1920 in Antwerp, after which came the VIIIth Olympiad of 1924 in Paris, the IXth Olympiad of 1928 in Amsterdam and the Xth Olympiad of 1932 in Los Angeles.

The Olympic Rings

Till the Olympic Games in Stockholm in 1912, there was no special Olympic flag. Two years later, Baron de Coubertin designed the well known symbol of five interlaced rings: blue, black, yellow, green and red on a white background.

At his own expense, Baron de Coubertin placed an order with the ‘Bon Marche’ in 1914 for 500 of these flags. On June 14th, 1914, on the eve of the Olympic Congress in Paris, they were publicly displayed for the first time at a reception given by the Count and Countess de Bertier. They were flown at all the ceremonies and festivities and immediately won popularity, with many of the Congress members carrying them home from Paris.

The Olympic colours waved for the first time over Olympic competitions at the Antwerp Olympiad in 1920. The continuing popularity of the Olympic Flag could be judged by the sale of thousands of miniature flags at Berlin shops during the Olympic Games.

Baron de Coubertin's Message

This was the text of Baron de Coubertin's message to the Berlin Olympic Games:

"It will be a great date not only in the history of the Games, but in the history of the present age, when young men from all nations enter the Berlin Stadium, following their national flags, and join in taking the Sacred Oath."

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Our flag is being hoisted and the National Anthem being played before we entered the Village

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