New Britain herald., 1920-08-14
Athletes March in New Stadium
 Before Large Crowd
CONTESTS START TOMORROW
Delegation from the United States Numbers About 300 Athletes and They Arc Checred by Spectators, Who Expect, Us to Win.

Antwerp, Aug 14.-The Olympic Stadium was opened today. The thousands of spectators packed about the huge oval centered their interest in the actual contestants-athletes from 30 nations-who paraded the arena and tomorrow will begin their tests of strength and skill.
 King Addresses Audience.
 The formal cerem onies of opening the stadium included addresses by the King of the Belgians, who off, ctally presented the stadium to Baron Pierre de ,Coubertin. president of the International Olympic committee and by number of other officials of the Belgian or Antwerp city government and Belgian Olympic committees.
 The athletes marched in alphabeti- cal order, though the Belgians, al- alphabetically first in the list took last place, courtcousy as hosts. The athletes of the Various British domin- ions yielded theIr alpha betical prece- dence to march just behind the par ticipants from the mother country, Great Britain. This brought Brazil first in line behind the official com mittee.
 Each group was preceded by its hags, and generally speaking, each oL was uniformly dressed-not in athletic togs, but in suits of uniform cut and color. Some, however, were m army or navy uni- forms. As they swung by the royal box, where King Albert. Prince Leo bold and a group O. government off, cials were standing. they saluted the king. Some of tGe athletes paid sim liar courtesy to the ambassadors or ministers of their rations. who had boxes all around the arena.
 Three Hundred American Athletes.
 The American athletes, about 800 strong, were cheered frequently, not only by their compatriots in the stands, but by the thronys who recog- nized that the group ma arching behind the Stars and Stripes were among the strong contenders for victory in the Seventh Olympiad. .s.
 All Nations Represented.
 A glance at the list of nations par ticipating in this Olympiad gives an idea of the cosmopolitan character of the athletes and crowd: Austra lia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Chili, Denmark, Egypt. Spain, United States, Finland, France. Great Britain, Greece, Holland. British India, Italy, Japan. Luxembourg, Mexico. Norway, New Zealand. Portugal, Poland. South Africa. Rumania, Sweden, Switzerland, Czecho-Slovakia and Jugo-SlaHia.
 Ot these, Brazil. China, Egypt Spain, British India Mexico and Pol and did not participate at Stockholm in 1912.
 Today's ceremony from the inter- national viewpoint, signified not only tho formal opening of tho Olympic games but the completion of a task by Belgium, which, undertaken at diff ficult time in her history, seemed almost impossible Of consummating BeIgians Have Large Delegation. With the exception of the Belgians, the Americans had the largest dele gauon marching in today's parade, the exact number being 299. Many Belgian officials joined the marchers of their country, bringing the total representation to slightly more than 300. Only so French entrants ap- peared in the column, although Franco has tho largest number of entrants at the games. The actual number of nations participating in the parade was 27. The crowd of spec tators was smaller than had been an- ticipated