The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-03-06
Olympic Games to Be Held at the
ST. Louis Worlds Fair.
FAMOUS GAMES OF OLD GREECE
Will Be Revived, With Contests for
Men and Boys, Consisting of Leap
ing, Wrestling, Boxing, Throwing
the Spear and Disc, Chariot Racing
and Horse Racing

WOTlQ ON LnlS Sue Ol lIlS' AtlduLlC
during the present decade will be
the Olympic games at the Worlds
Fair in ST. Louis in 1904.
The holding of these games for the
first time on American soil had been
conceded to Chicago by the manage
ment, but the necessary postpone
anent of the worlds fair led to a re-
consideration of the matter. Chicago
taking the initiative and courteously
agreeing to their transfer to ST.
Louis.
These games are held once in four
years and are a revival of the famous
Olympic games of Greece. The Olym-
pic games of Grecian history were
contests for men and boys and con-
sisted of leaping, wrestling, boxing,
throwing the spear and disc, racing
in armor. chariot racing, etc. The
games were the chief feature of the
ouadrennial festival of the Olympic
Zeus, held on the plain of Olympia,
in the province of Ellis, near the coast
southwest of Athens. The festival
called the Altis, $40 by $50 feet. full
of temples and affairs; the games in
a stadium or hippodrome on the east
side of the Altis and connected with
it by numerous passages. On the
west side of the Altis was an extern
sive gymnasium for the use of ath-
letes in training.
The games were held every four
years. in midsummer, and covered a
period of four days. The exact time
of holding was regulated by the
phases of the moon The date was
announced in advance of each festi-
val by heralds sent through all the
provinces of Greece, proclaiming a
cessation of hostilities and declaring
the territory Of Ellis inviolable dur
ing the festival season. Pilgrims
with sacred offerings and great pro-
cessions of the people crowded the
Olympic plain by the time of the
opening.
An the first day. after religious
ceremony of presenting offerings, the
athletic competitors We're properly
classed and arranged by the judges
who led them in procession around
the stadium and opened the games
with elaborate ceremony. The con
test of the trumpeters was held on
the first day.
On the second day there were CON
tests of boys, foot races, wrestling
boxing, the pentathlow or five-game
contests of leaplng, running, throw
ing the spear, the discus and wrest
ling; the pankration. or combination
of boxing and wrestling; and horse
races with boy jockies.
The third day was devoted to con
tests of men. foot racing, boxing, rae
ing in heavy armor; pankration (DoX
ing and wrestlingD contests.
On the fourth day there were more
pentathlow contests, chariot races
and horse races.
On the fifth day the awards OF
olive crowns were bestowed will
professions, sacrifices and banquet!
to- the yictors. The ceremonies ended
with the victors appearing at the al
tar wearing their crowns and with
final grand banquet at the public
house reserved for the nation!
guests.
In 1896. April 6 to II. largel,
through the instrumentality of Barol
Pierre de Coubertin of Paris. and a
his suggestion, the Olympic game
great success. athletes from all tn
world participating and visitors from
all the world swelling the attend
ance. A stadium was built after tn
outlines of the ancient arena and TIL
program and proceedings of tn
games, generally, We're made to at
here as nearly as possible to wha
was interpreted to be the ancient res
ulations and customs.
At these contests, American att
.letes were phenomenally successful
Americans leading in almost all c
the events, and an American bein
the first victor of the games. TIL
Marathon race, however-croSs coul
try from Marathon to Athens-th
popular event of the series was wo
by Greek, to tie poetic satisfactio
and loud acclaim of the world.
In 1900, the games We're again he'll,
at Paris, also with great success
where they constituted one of the in
portant adjuncts of the Paris expos
ton.
The International committee (Con
lite International Olympiqe) was O
ganized in 1894, in Paris, by Baro
Pierre de Courbertin for the purpos
of "re-establishing the Olymp
games upon the basis conformable
the spirit of the present age"
membership consists of "a represen
atives of different nations and +
mains as originally selected.
The worlds fair will have an ide
place for the games. consisting of
Superb athletic field already grade