The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-04-06
THE OLYMPIC GAMES.
Their Attempted Revival VIII Hardly
Rx. Gn

New Orleans Times-Democrat.
Eght American athletes-four from
Princeton University and four from the
Boston Athletic Association-have sailed for
Athens, TO participate In the Olympic games
which are to take pace at the Grecian
capital from April to April 10.
The Olympic games were In the olden
days. the great athletic meet of the
world; and although for nearly thousand
years they were confined to males of Greek
nationality alone, and although the prizes
were but crowns of simple wild olive. these
games, celebrated only every fifth year, had
wider reputation and enjoyed more en-
during fame than any contests which the
world ever witnessed. 1t was quite usual
thing for more than $1,000 people to be
five days, and so important were the cele-
brattons that the Greeks counted time by
them-an Olympiad being a period of four
years-and that all wars throughout Greece
had to cease during the celebration, as
we'll as two CT three days before and after
to give time to visitors to get to Olympia
and return home again.
An idea, moreover, OF the Importance at
tached 10 athletics in these classic days in
Greece may be gathered from the fact that
intending competitors had 10 submit 10 drill
for ten months previous to the celebration
at the public expense, and that Olympionikoi,
or victors in the various events, had odes
to them both in the cities of their residence
and at Olympia, seats Of honor were set
apart for them at public spectacles, all taxa
sion of their visits to Athens they were en-
eertained sumptuously In the town hall.
The Olympic games had history lasting
took place nc before Christs birth, and the
last in A. d. 1884, Towards the Christian era,
when Rome had conquered Greece, athletes
Of any nationality were admitted to COMPETE
ton; several of the Roman emperors them
selves became contestants. and at the final
celebration IL was an Armenian who carried
of to-day. who will probably be represented
among the competitors next month. will
learn with astonishment If not indignation
that no woman. save the priestesses of De-
present at those games. Some Of the most
curious and daring of the Greek women
inexorabIe in those days even to woman =
pleadings. and those who were discovered
breaking 1t were hurled headlong from the
The festival, as said lasted for five days.
The Greeks were an intensely religious peo-
pie and such gatherings always began with
festival was devoted to sacrificing and to
competition between trumpeters- The sec
ond day was boys day. when the Grecian
youth under certain ages struggled with
each other in running. leaping. boxing.
wrestling, horse racing, etc. The third was
the great day Of the gathering when the
ing and long-distance racing, In leaping.
jumping, vluiting, running In heavy armor,
QUOT throwing and the "pancration;' the
an athletes power combining as ii did all
feats of skill, especially boxing and wrest-
ling in which competitors struggled until
they were spent or until they were killed
which not frequently happened. On the
fourth day took place more running, spear
throwing. QUOT throwing. wrestling horse
racing. chariot racing, and contest OF
skill between heraids (criers) The fifth
day was devoted to professions. sacrifices
and the banqueting of victors.
The revival of the Olympic games, which.
as we have said. Is going TO last for ten
days. Will include a vast number more of
events than did the old Olympic games
such as rifle shooting. rowing. yachting.
canoeing swimming. water polo. cycling
football, cricket, lawn tennis, fencing, sword
exercise cross-country runs. etc.
The games will be under the presidency of
III. r. H., the Crown Prince of Greece. and
the various departments OF sport will be
under the management OF such well-known
bodies as the Cercle de la Wolfe Of Paris
the Italian Rowing Club. the Mary.ebone
Cricket Club. etc. The celebration will take
pace henceforth every four years France
being booked for the meeting In 1900 and the
United States being mentioned for that OF
1904
But it is questionable we think. whether
the revival will prove q success. Athletic
conditions have in all respects changed since
the days of Herodotus. Plato and Pindar
and whether the present age OF pot-hunting
athletes will think IL worth their while TO
compete for mere crowns OF wild olive even
with insignificant cups added, Is open 10 very
considerable doubt.