The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-04-21
READY FOR OLYMPIC GAMES
Thousands Of Visitors Are Gather
ing in City Of Athens.
TO WITNESS THE GREAT CONTESTS
EVERYTHING is IN READINESS
FOR ATHLETIC CONTEST OF
ALL NATIONS.
TO WITNESS THE GREAT CONTESTS

seat of Hellenic culture and prowess,
and all of them are looking forward
with eagerness to the opening of the
great OLYMPIC games, which will take
place tomorrow at the Panathenian
stadium. reconstructed in white pan
delic marble and with strict adherence
to the classic style, on the site of the
stadium of Herodus Atticus.
Everything is in readiness for the
great athletic contest, which will be-
gin tomorrow and will extend over a
period of eleven days, ending on May
2. The magnificent stadium, which
has a seating capacity of more than
sixty thousand, is completed and
awaiting the enormous crowds of spec
tators which will be present at the
opening ceremonies, to be presided over
by the king of Greece in person.
Probably never in the history of the
world has there been an athletic tour
nament of similar magnitude, at least
not since the days of Attica's gran
deur Every civilized country has
sent its best athletes to this gigantic
tournament, carefully trained for this
supreme test of their strength, skill
and endurance.
The city, beautifully situated upon
the historic ground rising from the
Piraeus to the crest of the rock strewn
hills, encircling the magnificent har-
Dor, presents a scene of indescribable
beauty. Nature has done a great deal
for Athens, and human hands have
added to the natural beauty by taste
fully introducing touches Of color by
means of flags and bunting, which have
been lavishly displayed on public and
private buildings. All the ships in the
Piraeus are displaying their flags, and
tomorrow, on the opening day of the
Olympic games, they will break out
in full dress, with lines of flags ex-
tending from bow to stern.
The quarters of the athletes, which
are near the stadium, not far from the
harbor have been for some days the
center of general interest. Thousands
of visitors who had come early to make
sure of accommodations, watched the
preliminary trials and exercises of the
athletes from day to day, following
their performances with the keenest in
terest.
government to revive the Olympic
games after a lapse of nineteen CEN
turtles During the period Of Hellenic
greatness the Olympic games were held
once every four years for nearly twen-
ty centuries. In the fourth century
after Christ they were discontinued.
Greece had fallen a prey to internal
dissension and barbaric invasion and
was disorganized and weak. During
the classical period, the golden age of
Hellas, every Greek was an athlete,
and the Olympic games were the great
national event which assembled thou
sands of the most famous Greek ath-
letes to Athens, to measure their
and nimbleness against thou
sands of other athletes from all parts
of Greece. Great was the fame of
the victors in the Olympic games in
those days, and some of the names of
the most famous and victorious ath-
letes have been immortalized by the
records of Greek history.
About ten years ago the plan was
suggested to revive the Olympic
games on the same site where two
thousand years ago the great athletic
contests were held. The idea met with
general reclamation and the first meet,
which was held in Athens in 1896, was
a tremendous success. There were
more than four hundred thousand
spectators present on that occasion.
The American team carried off the
greatest number of points. Since that
ime the interest in the Olympic games
has wonderfully increased throughout
he world. The completion of the mag
lifcent stadium. which was made pos
sible through the munifcence of the
late George Averoff. wealthy Epirote,
cost fully three million francs. and fur
lishes an appropriate setting for this
greatest of all athletic tournaments.
Every European nation is represent
ed at this years games. The United
States has sent thirty-two of its best
athletes, prize winners in many nation
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