New-York tribune., 1906-04-22
OLYMPIC GAMES TO-DAY.
Fourth Rene1cal of Classic Greek
Sports to Begin at athens.

Inc fourth renewal of the historic Olympic games
Oh greece viii begin to-day in Athens, with famous
atIIetes rom many prominent countries In COM
petition The team from America is g strong one
ana is expected TO give good account OF itself
Ine games will continue until May .
The Olympic games, the most important of the
great public games of classical antiquity
DRAFTED at intervals of four years in honor of Zeus
In sacred inclosure called the Altis, in the plain
of Olympia
The festival began with sacrifices followed by
contests racing wrestling, etc. and closed on the
nftn day with professions sacrifices and banquets
10 the victors. who were crowned with garlands of
Wild olive. The period OF four years intervening
between one celebration and the next called an
oiynpiad. was the measure by which the Greeks
computed time
Inc actual founding of the games is anterior to
history. but Iphitus. King OF Ellis, with Lycurgus,
the great Legislator of Sparta reorganized the
games at the bidding of the Oracle of Delphi in the
ninth century B. C. The regular chronicle OF
Olympan victors begins in 77s B c.
Inc original and most important event in the
games was the foot race in the Stadium At first
the runners went only once around the course but
later they made two and even three circuits. The
daulos. more complicated foot race, was added In
the fourteenth olympiad; wrestling and the pen
tathlon. game Of five exercises at the eighteenth
and boxing at the twenty-third The chariot race
was restored at the twenty-hfth olympiad or a
hundred after the institution Of the festival
ana the horse race was added at the thirty-third.
games attained ther zenith. In the Roman period
Olympia to take part in the games and the pro
Crssslonal element made its appearance. The
Greeks themselves took less interest and the games
slowly deteriorated
The Olympic games were abolished by the Roman
Emperor Theodosus the Great in 3sl A. D. and
were renewed IN Athens in 1895. after interval
held in the PanatHenian stadum the old
Of Herodus Atticus. which was reconstroe.~l in
the late george AVero TSe g Stadium is enrey Of
he
dan festva will be held in the ports Of the Preus
The games of 1896, the success Of which was
IIargeIy que TO the interest taken in them by the
so largely attended as was expected, many of the
sfon a'6tes % not oeing eng attracted on the 6rst occa
uonal fete day-and the five consecutive days.
greater part won by American competitors. The
Germans won the gymnastics and the Greeks the
Great interest was taken In the Marathon race.
from Marathon to Athens. a distance of about
twenty four miles 4 Greek peasant by the name
8 seconds AfteP the games an ng George Tow aed
the vctors with olive branches.
The American athletes who will compete Ath-
ems ems are Charles J; Bacon. George V Bonhag. Har-
= Sullivan. Irish American Athletic Club; Rob-
James S. Mitchell, W. A. schick Howard V Val
Parsons New Yor ATHLETIC Snb sfGceV " a1S b m
and j. j. Fowler, Gambridgeport Gymnasium Ath-
F. A Bornaran, Chicago Athletic Association
Archie Hahn. Wisconsin,: II. w. Kerrigan Multi
nomah Amateur Athletic Club, Oregon; r. G.
Chicago University: Fay T. Mouton. Kansas City
Athletic Association; G. A. Queyvontze. New Or
leans Young Mems Christian Association; Michael
Spring, Pastime Athletic Club. New York; D. a.
Sullivan Montana: j. B. Connolly Boston Athletic
Association: MarQuand Schwartz Missouri Athletic
Club, and r. Nif1Ot. St. George Athletic Club New
York.
THE PROGRAMME
Sunday April 22-Ofoial opening of the games in the
Stadium when there will also be gyn1nastc competitions
by teams. demonstration the Swedish ana the
illumination OF the Acrcpols in the evening.
Monday April % (morninsl-Openng of the shooting
lawn tennis Afternoon cycling competitions followed
by reception of the athletes by the com
rlittee Of games in the evening
Tuesday. April 24 (mOrnng)-Rowing and swimming
competitions. 100 COO Afternoon: CoutnUa
tion fencing and swimming competitions and other
games; excursion to SalaInis.
Wednesday. April % morning)-Co1tinuatlon OF fenc
ing shooting and athletic games Afternoon: Close OF
the athletic Evening: Gala performance at the
Opera
Thursday, April 26 Cnornfng)-swimnng competitions
400 metres during continuation of fencing and other
petitions Afternoon: Finish OF fencing competitions.
Evening: Reception Of the Parnassus Club
Friday. April 81 tnornng)-Nis!t 70 the Acropolis.
Afternoon Foot racing. field events and gymnastics in
the Stadium Evening: Venetian fate
Saturday, April (afternoon)-Foot racing and other
sports and gymnastics. Evening: Illumination of the
Acropolis and surrounding fields.
Sunday. April D tafernOOn)-NautCal games by Swe1-
teams performance plays the company
from the Royal Theatre. at the Stadium Evening" Mill
tary tattoo
Monday. April 80 tafternoon)-Foot racing and gym
nastics. Evening: Conference by Colonel Balek on
tuesday May Cnorning)-ArcheoIogicaI visits After
Stadium; Marathon (probably)-
Wednesday. May lafternoon)-Procla laHation OF win
gymnastc demonstration by boys of Greek public
schools; farewell celebrations
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