Olympic Games Cancellations – History By Zim USS Mason at the Boston Naval Yard, 1944 — Two African American sailors standing in front of the USS Mason at the Boston Navy Yard in 1944. The USS Mason (DE-529) was commissioned on March 20, 1944, with a crew of 150 African-American enlisted men and six officers. The vessel was part of the Evarts-class destroyer escort, with the responsibility of providing protection for other naval vessels [...] Transporting wounded with Weasels, 1945 — M29 Weasels, with their wide tracks, made it easier for medics transporting wounded men back from front lines over snow-covered and rough terrain. Here medical personnel of the 307th Airborne Medical Company use a M29 Weasel to evacuate wounded comrades from the Bulge as Airborne troops moved to take Herresbach, Belgium on January 29, 1945.

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Olympic Games Summer and Winter Locations and History of the Games Olympic games summer and winter locations and history of the games Olympic games summer and winter locations and history of the games Olympic History The Olympic Games took their name from the Greek city of Olympia and though there were important athletic competitions held in other Greek cities in ancient times, the Olympic Games were regarded as the most prestigious. The games were held every four years during August and September and the word "Olympiad", which referred to the four year intervals between competitions, was commonly used to measure time. The first documented Olympic champion was a man named Coroebus, a cook from Elis who won the sprint race in 776 BC. Historians believe that the games had already existed for at least 500 years prior to that date. The Olympic Games originally featured only one event: a race called the "stade", equal to a distance of about 210 yards. By 728 BC two additional races had been added, comparable to the 400 meter and 1,500 meter races of the modern games. The Olympics came to include wrestling, boxing and the pentathlon, as well as specialized events for soldiers and heralds.

It was only in 472 BC that the events were spread out over a period of four to five days, previously they had all taken place on a single day. Participation in the Olympic Games was originally limited to free born Greeks, but as Greek civilization was spread by the conquests of Alexander the Great, the Games drew entrants from as far away as Antioch, Sidon and Alexandria. While the only official prize was a wreath or garland, successful athletes were supported by the governments of their cities and devoted much time to training. Most of the competitors were, in fact, professionals. After the Roman conquest of Greece in the second century BC, the Olympic Games suffered a decline in popularity and importance, but the Games persisted until AD 393, when the Roman emperor Theodosius I ordered their abolition. The idea of reviving the Olympic Games originated with Baron Pierre de Coubertin, a 29 year old French aristocrat who first publicly raised the issue in 1892. At a conference on international sport held in Paris in 1894, Coubertin managed to convince delegates from 49 organizations representing nine countries to vote in favor of an Olympic revival.

His chief allies in this effort were Dimitrios Vikelas of Greece and Professor William M. Sloane of the United States. The organizers had planned the first modern Olympics for 1900 in Paris, but later decided to move the date forward to 1896 and to change the venue to Athens, though the local government of the Greek capital was initially hostile to the idea. Coubertin and his colleagues of the newly formed International Olympic Committee eventually prevailed, and the first Olympic Games of the modern era were inaugurated by the King of Greece in the first week of April 1896. The Games of 1896, 1900 and 1904 were loosely organized and did not feature national teams produced by rigorous selection. The 1908 Games, held in London in a newly built 66,000 seat stadium, were the first where the events were organized by the relevant authorities in each athletic discipline. More than 2,000 athletes from 22 nations competed in 100 events.

The 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm drew more then 2,500 competitors from 28countries and featured the first women's swimming events. No Games were held in 1916 due to World War I, but the Games enjoyed strong growth after the war, with 44 nations participating in the 1924 Olympics in Paris. At the1928 Games in Amsterdam there were more than 290 women among the 3,000athletes, more than double the number that took part in 1924. The Olympic Games were suspended again for 12 years because of World War II, resuming in 1948 in London. The post-war era saw steady growth in the number of countries and athletes competing and a dramatic increase in women's events. Politics began to intrude on the Games in a serious way at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, where Palestinian terrorists attacked Israeli athletes in the Olympic Village. Sixty nations boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics to protest the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, while the Soviets and some of their allies retaliated by declining to take part in the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

The end of the Cold War has eliminated the largest source of political conflict, and most Olympic controversies in recent years have centered on accusations. Olympic Games Location (modern day) The IOC, headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, sets and enforces Olympic policy. The site of the games is chosen, usually at least six years in advance. The Olympic Flag Putting five colored interlocking rings on a white background was conceived by Pierre de Coubertin. Almost a century after the flag's creation, the six colors, those of the rings (blue, yellow, black, green, red) and that of the background (white), still maintain their symbolism today. The Olympic symbol, the five interlocking rings, represents the union of the five continents and the meeting of the athletes of the world at the Olympic Games. Sites of the Summer Olympic Games 1896 - Athens, Greece 1904 - St.

Louis, Missouri USA 1906 - Athens, Greece* 1932 - Los Angeles, California USA 1936 - Berlin, Germany 1984 - Los Angeles, California USA 1988 - Seoul, South Korea 2016 - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2020 - Tokyo, Japan Olympic Games Timeline | HistoryOnTheNet Olympic Games Timeline Last Updated: 01/17/2017 - 11:35 For more information on counter-intuitive facts of ancient and medieval history, see Anthony Esolen's The Politically Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization . Athens, Greece First Olympics First recorded evidence of the ancient Olympic games. The games were held at Olympia. There was only one event - the men's 200m sprint. 490BCE Greece First Marathon The messenger Pheidippedes ran 42km from Sparta to Athens to bring the news of the Greek victory at the battle of Marathon. 424BCE Greece Decline With large numbers of young men having to go to fight against the Spartans there were fewer athletes able to train and compete in the games and so they began to fall into decline.

394CE The Roman Emperor, Theodosius I, abolished the games claiming they were a pagan event. 1612 Cotswolds, UK Cotswold Olympick Games Robert Dover, a barrister, founded the Cotswold Olympick Games. The games featured horse racing, fencing, shin-kicking and throwing the hammer. 1766 Englishman Richard Chandler discovered the site of ancient Olympia. 1796 France French Olympic Revival L'Olympiade de la République was an olympic-style yearly competition held between 1796 and 1798 in France. 1850 Shropshire, UK Wenlock Olympian Games An Olympic-style yearly sports festival was established in Much Wenlock, Shropshire, UK by Dr William Penny Brookes. It continues to this day. 1859 Greece Zappian Games Dr William Penny Brookes persuaded Greek Evangelis Zappas to stage a revival of the ancient Olympic games. Brookes sent 10 pounds to be used as prize money. 1875 A German-funded team of archeologists excavated the site of ancient Olympia.

1890 Shropshire, UK Pierre de Coubertin visited Much Wenlock Pierre de Coubertin was invited to attend the Much Wenlock games by Dr William Penny Brookes. 1894 France IOC founded The International Olympic Committee was founded by Baron Pierre de Coubertin who took the title of President of the committee. Coubertin suggested that the Olympics be re-established as an international four-yearly event to be hosted by different countries each time. 1896 Athens Greece First Modern Olympic Games The first modern Olympic games was held in Athens, Greece. All winners were presented with an olive branch and a silver medal. 1900 Paris, France Women competed for the first time Paris hosted these games without a stadium. Most events were held in the Bois de Boulogne and swimming events were held in the river Seine. Women competed for the first time. 1904 St Louis, USA Gold, silver and bronze medals were introduced Gold, silver and bronze medals were introduced. Winners of events were given a gold medal, second place a silver medal and third place a bronze medal. 1908 London, UK Olympic Stadium For the first time the Olympics take place in a purpose built stadium.

Figure skating was introduced as an Olympic sport. Australia and New Zealand competed together as Australasia. 1912 Stockholm, Sweden Competitors from all 5 continents Athletes from all 5 continents take part. A public address system and electric timing devices were used for the first time. The Decathlon and Pentathlon were introduced for the first time. 1914 Pierre de Coubertin designed the Olympic symbol of 5 interlocking rings. 1916 Due to be held in Berlin this games was cancelled due to World War One 1920 Antwerp, Belgium Doves first released The Olympic rings symbol was used for the first time. It was depicted on a flag with a white background which has been used ever since and is known as the Olympic flag. The opening ceremony saw doves, which symbolise peace, released for the first time.

Austria, Bulgaria, Germany, Hungary and Turkey were not allowed to take part because they were defeated in World War One 1924 The first Winter Olympics were held in Chamonix France 1924 The games returned to Paris France 1928 The second Winter Olympics held in St Moritz, Switzerland 1928 Summer Olympics Olympic Flame first lit Amsterdam had previously bid for the 1920 and 1924 games. The Olympic flame was lit for the first time and burned throughout the entire competition. At the opening ceremony Greece led the athletes procession with the host nation at the end for the first time. 1930 Uruguay First FIFA World Cup Jules Rimet abandoned all hope of incorporating football into the Olympic games and established a separate competition - the FIFA World Cup. 1932 First Winter Olympics in America 1932 Los Angeles, USA Summer Olympics First use of a photo finish camera. First time winners stood on a tiered stand with national flags raised above them 1936 Alpine skiing was introduced for the first time. 1936 First televised Olympics Summer Olympics First Olympics to be televised, however the footage could only be watched on local television.

Basketball became an Olympic sport for the first time and was won by the USA. 1940 Cancelled due to World War Two 1944 Cancelled due to World War Two 1948 Germany and Japan were not invited to take part 1948 Dubbed the 'Austerity Games' as there was no money to fund a lavish spectacle. 1948 Stoke Mandeville Games Forerunner to Paralympics Sir Ludwig Guttmann organised a sports event for recuperating British veterans of World War Two to coincide with the London Games. It was called the Stoke Mandeville Games after the leading rehabilitation hospital at Stoke Mandeville and became an annual event. 1952 After much discussion Germany and Japan were allowed to compete 1952 Snow had to be imported into the country before the games could even begin.

1956 Boycotts Summer Olympics Iraq, Lebanon and Egypt boycotted the games in protest at the British, French and Israeli invasion of Egypt (Suez Crisis) Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland boycotted the games in protest at the Soviet invasion of Hungary The People's Republic of China boycotted the games in protest at the games' recognition of Formosa (now Taiwan) 1960 Squaw Valley, USA Winter Olympics The games were awarded to Squaw Valley despite its not being a city but a winter sports resort 1960 Many events took place in the ancient ruins around the city. 1960 Paralympics Sir Ludwig Guttmann brought a team of disabled athletes to compete in a games parallel to the Olympics. The name was shortened to Paralympics.

1964 Innsbruck, Austria Winter Olympics Warm weather meant that the Austrian army had to bring lorry loads of snow from alpine regions before the games could begin 1964 First Olympics held in Asia 1968 Grenoble, France Winter Olympics An Olympic ban on branded equipment was revoked after many competitors protested that without donated equipment from sponsors they would not be able to compete at all 1968 Summer Olympics First Olympics held in Central America. Tommie Smith and John Carlos both give the 'black power' salute as the US national anthem is played in protest against racial prejudice in America. 1972 First Winter Olympics to be held in Asia.

1972 Black September terrorists killed 11 members of the Israeli Olympic team 1976 Innsbruck, Austria Winter Olympics Originally awarded to Denver, USA but transferred to Innsbruck when Denver rejected the offer due to costs 1976 Montreal, Canada Summer Olympics 31 nations boycotted the games as a protest against the New Zealand rugby team's recent game with South Africa Increased costs together with a reduced number of visitors nearly bankrupted Montreal 1980 The Winter games were held at Lake Placid for a second time 1980 Western boycott, Summer Olympics 61 Nations refused to compete in these games as a protest against Russia's invasion of Afghanistan. 1984 Torvill and Dean, GB skaters scored perfect 6's for their Bolero routine 1984 Eastern boycott Summer Olympics 15 communist block countries refused to compete in these games in retaliation for the boycott of the Moscow Olympics 4 years earlier. Romania was the only communist block country to take part and came 2nd in the medals table. 1986 Amateur status requirement dropped The IOC agreed to drop the requirement that competitors taking part in the Olympics had to have amateur status.

The official Olympic Charter was amended accordingly. 1988 The Winter games were extended to 16 days 1988 Seoul, South Korea Summer Olympics 11 medalists disqualified for using banned substances. The cost of the games was met by the sale of TV broadcasting rights. 1992 Albertville is the smallest place to host an Olympics 1992 Barcelona, Spain Summer Olympics Former Soviet Union members competed as a Unified Team and Germany competed as one nation following the collapse of the Soviet Union. 1994 winter Norway's only Olympics to date 1996 Atlanta, USA Summer Olympics Television rights were sold for a record sum and Coca-Cola was a major sponsor of these games. 1998 Women's ice hockey débuted at this Olympics 2000 Steve Redgrave won a fifth consecutive gold medal in rowing. 2002 Salt Lake City, USA Winter Olympics Despite members of the IOC accepting sweetners from the NOC Salt Lake City did not lose the right to stage these games. 2004 Athens, Greece Summer Olympics The games returned to Athens.

The cost involved in staging the Olympics, especially with regard to increased security provision following the 9/11 terror attacks led to delays and venues were completed only just in time. 2006 The second Winter Olympics held in Italy 2008 Beijing, China Summer Olympics 43 world records and 132 Olympic records were broken during the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. Michael Phelps won 8 gold medals in swimming the most ever at a single Olympics 2010 The first games to hold its opening ceremony indoors 2012 The games return to London for the third time 2014 For more information on counter-intuitive facts of ancient and medieval history, see Anthony Esolen's The Politically Incorrect Guide to Western Civilization © 2008. You can find it at Amazon or Barnes & Noble. You can also check it out by clicking on the buttons to the left. Quiz: 6 Important Islamic Advances in Medieval Medicine While medieval European medicine was still mired in superstitions and the rigid Catholic teachings of the Church, the advent of Islam in the 7th century A.D. gave rise to impressive growth and discoveries in many scientific fields, especially medicine.

Islamic scholars and doctors translated medical texts from all over the known world, including the Greeks and Romans, Persians and Indians. They not only gathered... Read More Theriac: History's Amazing Wonder Drug From the 1st century A.D. to the late 19th century, one medical compound reigned supreme over all other remedies: theriac. First concocted by a Greek king worried about poisons, theriac went from being a general antidote to snake bites to an all around panacea, used to treat everything from asthma to warts, including the Black Plague. Famous doctors throughout this long history experimented with the drug and... Read More Crazy Potions and Nasty Nostrums: Six Bizarre Medieval Medicines If you think, as some do today, that many drugs used as medicines are potentially deadly, consider what people living in medieval times were prescribed as curative agents—from ground up corpses to toxic mercury to crocodile dung. The annals of medieval medical history are full of substances that make us cringe. Yet people believed in these cure-alls and willingly took them when prescribed by a doctor of the...

Read More Engines of Destruction: Roman Advancement of Siege Warfare The Neo-Assyrian Empire used earthen ramps, siege towers and battering rams in sieges; the Greeks and Alexander the Great created destructive new engines known as artillery to further their sieges, and the Romans used every technique to perfection. That is to say, the Romans were not inventors, but they were superb engineers and disciplined, tough soldiers who fought against great odds and won, repeatedly. Engines of Destruction: Helepolis, the Massive Siege Engine that Failed Demetrius I, King of Macedon, invented many siege engines including battering rams and siege towers. For the Siege of Rhodes, he created the Helepolis, the Taker of Cities, a huge armored siege tower containing many heavy catapults. The island city of Rhodes maintained its neutrality among the warring nations of the time, although it remained friendly to Ptolemy I of Egypt, the enemy of Demetrius of...

Read More The Olympics and International Public Relations Ronn Torossian: The Olympics and International Public Relations By Ronn Torossian On September 3, 2013 Every two years, the world gathers for the Olympic Games, meant to unite all races, religions, creeds, colors, nations, and people. Starting in 776 BC, the Olympics, which occurred every four years, brought together competitors from every Greek city-state, in competition with each other, for grand supremacy in sport. But while today the focus tends to fall on the sports and athletes, the ideals of the Olympiad, both in ancient times and today, ring throughout time. Wars were put on hold, armies marched home, and then those same warring nations came together to compete in track, field, wrestling, and other competitions. In the modern Olympics, which began in 1896 under the purview of the International Olympic Committee, who still runs the games to this day, athletes representing every corner of the globe still gather to challenge one another, and stand for their respective nations, before all the world. This creates a fantastic international public relations opportunity for the competing nations and for the concept of peace in our time.

However, the modern Olympics also have been pulled into modern politics, with PR being as big of a part of the games as the events themselves. Though most Olympiads still speak to the game’s original higher purpose, there have been many times in the last 117 years that a political or social statement has been made, using the Olympics as a staging ground. The first major boycott was Ireland at the 1936 Berlin games, because the IOC required them to limit their entrants only to the “Irish Free State.” The 1956 games saw three separate boycotts, due to the suppression of the Hungarian uprising, the Suez Crisis, and China’s refusal to participate because of the committee allowing Taiwan to participate under the banner of “Republic of China.” The largest boycotts came in 1980 and 1984. The 1980 games, held in Moscow, were boycotted by 65 nations, due to the Soviets invading Afghanistan. Four years later, 15 nations held a counter-boycott of the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. The games have also known violence and war’s impact on the Olympiad.

Though in ancient times, societies put aside their fighting to compete, the modern Olympics have often been postponed or cancelled due to war. The 1916, 1940, and 1944 games were all cancelled due to the World Wars. The 1972 Munich Olympics were marred by terrorists who abducted and killed 11 Israeli athletes and coaches. The 1996 Atlanta games saw a bombing by a domestic terrorist that killed 2, and injured 111. The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, offers another PR opportunity for the world, but there is already negative spin associated with the games. Russia’s recent anti-gay propaganda law, which threatens fines and jail time for anyone “promoting a gay lifestyle” in front of children, which has simply meant “in public” since it went into effect, has caused many to call for boycotts of the games. The IOC and the Russian government have said the law will be in effect for athletes and spectators at the games, which could mean a major international incident. Though only time will tell, it is clear that PR for the games is already turning sour, and making international public relations that much more difficult.

The Olympics Games Greece - History of the Olympics The History of the Olympic Games The Birth of the Olympic Games The first recorded Olympic Games took place in Olympia, in the beautiful region of Elias, in 776 BC. There is evidence however, to support the claim that the games had been taking place a lot earlier than 776 BC, but these were not as organised or held every four years, as the 776 BC games had been. The name of each Olympiad was named after the competitor of the stadium race, which was the favourite of all the events. The first Olympiad was named Koroibos of Elias, as he was the winner of the stadium race in 776 BC. Olympia was, and still is, a beautiful place, and many temples and statues were built. These were all built in dedication to Zeus, the Father of all Gods. Olympia also became a centre for religion in the Mycenaean period. The temples that were built in Olympia were all for a reason, and were of importance. The temple of Zeus, had as its centrepiece, a gold and ivory statue of Zeus. Standing at about 12 meters in height, the statue was very impressive.

The statue, sculptured by Phidias, was seen as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Also near to the temple of Zeus, was the wild olive tree from which the wreath crowns were made and presented to the winners of the events. Legend has it, this tree was planted by Herakles (Hercules). In the beginning, the games consisted of only one event, the running of the stadium, and lasted for just one day. However, towards the 5th century, the games were extended to five days, and more events were also added. From 729 BC the participants of the games had to compete in the nude in order to prevent any cheating, and also in the interest of safety. Originally, only Greeks born males, who had not committed murder or heresy, where allowed to take part in the games. However, later on, Romans were also permitted to take part. Women were forbidden to compete, and were even banned from entering the stadium to watch the games. The Importance of the Olympic Games The Olympic Games were especially important to the Greeks, and it was the games that unified national, spiritual and racial beliefs.

The ancient Greeks were also very competitive people, and all strived to be the best. Winning an Olympic event was the highest honour people could achieve. The fact that the winners were presented with a simple olive wreath crown also illustrates the fact that the participants taking part were competing for themselves, and not any material rewards. The ancient games were also held in high regard for social reasons, as well as the athletic side. Poets and writers were given the chance to present their works to a large audience, members of different city-states would have the chance to meet and talk with members of other city-states. Leaders of the city-states would also come to discuss any personal differences that they were having with each other. The games were seen as a festival, and it was not acceptable for any negative issues or situations to occur during this time. Even during times of war and battle, and differences were put aside, so that the Olympics would be conducted in a peaceful manner. Even the games of 480 BC took place in the middle of the Persian War. It is from this ideal that the Olympic Truce was formed.

During the times of the Olympic games, messengers were sent all over the Greek world with details of the dates of the games, and called for a truce between any parties conducting in any hostile activities. There was also a ban in any death penalties being carried out during this time. The Demise of the Olympic Games In 146 AD when most of Greece fell under Roman rule, the value of the Olympic games started to diminish. The games though still continued, and were enjoyed by those who attended. However, in 394 AD the last games were held. Under the orders of Emperor Theodosius I, the games were abolished. This was because the taking part in any worshipping of idols was forbidden. The Olympic games would have to wait at least 1500 years before they were revived again. The Modern Olympic Games It wasn't until after efforts by French Baron Pierre De Coubertin and the Greek Dimitrios Vikelas that the games were brought back to life after nearly 1500 years in the wilderness. De Doubertin believed that sport was a very strong power that could inspire a feeling of unity and peace among the many nations of the world.

He believed that this desire could be brought about with the revival of the Olympic Games. After an unsuccessful attempt at reviving the games, he finally achieved his ambition. In 1894 at an international congress, that was actually devised for the study of amateur sports, he voiced his view on the revival of the Olympic Games, and was delighted when the other countries participating in the congress agreed with him. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded that year. Held in Athens in 1896 at the Panatheniac Stadium, the games heralded a welcomed return to the original beliefs and virtues of the ancient games. With competitors from 14 nations, the games commenced on April 6th and came to a climax on 15th April. There were 43 events, which were competed in by 245 athletes, all of whom were male. Probably the biggest cheer of the 1896 Olympics was when a Greek Shepard, Spiridon Louis, was victorious in the most popular of all events, the marathon. The athletes from the United States were also big winners in these games, winning 9 events.

What is even more remarkable regarding this is that their Olympic squad barely made it to Athens in time to compete. The Olympics have taken place every four years, since the first games in 1896. However, even the ideals of the Olympic Truce could not prevent the games being cancelled during the first and second world wars. The games cancelled were the 1916 Olympics, due to be held in Berlin, the 1940 games to be held in Tokyo and the 1944 games to be held in Helsinki. The Winter Olympic Games were introduced in 1924, and also took place every four years. However, it wasn't until 1992 that it was decided that the Olympic and Winter Olympic games would not take place in the same calendar year. The Winter Games were moved forward two years to 1994, and would continue to take place at four-year intervals. Since the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, the games have continued to grow throughout the years and more and more nations have been taking part, as well as more events being included. During the 1896 games, 14 nations took part.

At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, 199 nations took part. In 1896 there were 245 athletes (all male), in 2000 there were 10,651 (4069 women and 6582 men). And in 1896 there were 43 events, compared to the 300 events at the 2000 Olympics. The 2004 Athens Olympics The Athens 2004 Olympic Games took place amongst much scepticism and criticism whereby many believed that the Games would not be a success, that Athens was far too behind in it's schedule, and that the whole thing would be a shambles. The Olympic Games of Athens were a huge success, and showed to the world, that the Greeks, CAN achieve what they set out to do. The Athens Games showed that, though the world we live in today is much different from how it was over 100 years ago when the first Modern Olympic Games were held here in Athens, people from all corners of the globe, can come together as one, and unite under the flag of sport and peace.

The Athens 2004 Games were a showpiece to the world, of the modern city of Athens, and the continuous growth of Greece as a whole. Greece can no longer be seen as country living in it's past, when it's present and future holds so much. With some of the most modern sporting facilities and stadiums in the world, Athens delivered on it's promise to host one of the most exciting, memorable and safe Games in recent years. The Greeks have shown that their hospitality and warmth still burns strong, and that everybody is treated as equal. During the Athens Games, areas such as Plaka and Monastiraki have been filled with people from all nationalities and all walks of life. The world came to Greece, and Greece welcomed the world to it's doorstep. The Olympic Games came home, and did so in style.

Around Greece Travel and Hotel Guide to Greece Popular Destinations in Greece 1940, 1944 winter games were canceled because of World War II | Steamboat Pilot & Today Steamboat Pilot & Today 1940, 1944 winter games were canceled because of World War II Lauren Moran 1 comment Advertisement Steamboat Springs  Editor’s note: In the buildup to the Winter Olympic Games beginning Feb. 12 in Vancouver, British Columbia, the Steamboat Today has partnered with the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Museum on a series of articles that reflect on past Winter Olympic Games, beginning with the first Winter Olympics in 1924. This is the second installment in that series. The fourth Winter Olympics Games — then referred to as IV Winter Olympics — were held from Feb. 6 to 16, 1936, in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. It also marked the final year during which the summer and winter games were held in the same country, as well as the first time a symbolic torch was lit. A record 668 athletes arrived from 28 nations to compete in 17 events in eight sports.

Australia, Bulgaria, Greece, Liechtenstein, Spain, and Turkey made their debut. Although Alpine skiing made its first appearance as a combined event (downhill and slalom), the International Olympic Committee ruled that ski instructors could not compete in the games because they were professionals. Austrian and Swiss skiers boycotted the 1936 Winter Olympics, but some Austrians decided to compete for Germany. The U.S. finished eighth in the medal tally with four medals (one gold and three bronze). The U.S. two-man bobsled teams were awarded gold and bronze medals. The men’s ice hockey team won bronze, as did Leo Freisinger in the men’s 500-meter speed skating competition. Competing in the new Alpine skiing combined event was Richard (Dick) Durrance, who finished 10th. He was a 17-time national championship skier and one of the first American skiers to compete successfully with the Europeans. Although born in Florida, Durrance moved to Garmisch, Germany, where he learned to ski, and then returned to the U.S. during Hitler’s rise.

Subsequent to competing in the 1936 Winter Olympics, he bought and operated the fledgling Alta resort in Utah, and then moved to Denver to design and test Groswold skis. After contracting with Denver’s Ernest Constam, inventor of the J-bar and T-bar ski lifts, Durrance sold his first T-bar to Aspen. In 1947, he began managing Aspen Skiing Co., helping to bring the 1950 World Championships there. He spent the rest of his life in Colorado. An Olympic hiatus The 1940 Winter Olympics were to be held in Sapporo, Japan, but were canceled in 1938 after Japan invaded China in the Sino-Japanese War. The 1940 games were then awarded to St. Moritz, Switzerland, withdrawn because of controversies, and finally given again to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. However, just three months later, Germany invaded Poland, and the 1940 winter games were canceled altogether. Similarly, the 1944 Winter Olympics were given to Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, in 1939 but subsequently canceled because of World War II.

‘Games of renewal’ After a 12-year hiatus, the 1948 games were held in St. Moritz, chosen for its neutrality. Overcoming a lack of financial and human resources, the winter games were held from Jan. 30 to Feb. 8 and attracted 28 nations and 670 athletes for 22 events in four sports. Chile, Denmark, Iceland, Korea, and Lebanon debuted at these Winter Olympics; Germany and Japan were not invited to compete. Although these winter games were some of the most competitive in history, they also were steeped in controversy: Norwegian skiers had to borrow skis from the American team to compete, the 1920 Antwerp Olympic flag was stolen, two rival U.S. ice hockey teams arrived to compete, and a truck driver accidentally backed into a shed housing the U.S. bobsleds, which had to be repaired. The downhill and slalom events were added to Alpine skiing, while the Nordic skiing events were the 18-, 50- and 4-by-10-kilometer cross-country, ski jumping and Nordic combined.

France, Austria and Switzerland triumphed in the men’s Alpine skiing results, while in the women’s Alpine skiing events, Switzerland, Austria and the U.S. dominated. Norway, Sweden and Finland swept all Nordic skiing events. The U.S. placed fourth in the medal tally, with nine medals (three gold, four silver and two bronze). Gretchen Fraser, the daughter of German and Norwegian immigrants and from Washington, won a gold medal in the slalom and silver in the Alpine combined events for the U.S., making her the first American skier to win a gold medal for skiing. The four-man bobsled team won gold, as did Dick Button, who competed in men’s singles figure skating and became the first American to win a gold in figure skating by completing the first double axel during a competition. The silver medals were awarded to John Heaton in men’s skeleton, as well as Ken Bartholomew and Robert Fitzgerald in men’s 500-meter speed skating, who tied. The two-man and four-man bobsled teams won bronze medals. Steamboat Springs’ Gordy Wren finished fifth in ski jumping. He was a member of the 10th Mountain Division during World War II.

As the first American to qualify in all Olympic skiing events, Wren is a member of the National Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame, as well as the Colorado Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame. 1952 Winter Olympics For the first time, the International Olympic Committee had to vote on a location, and Oslo, Norway, was given the 1952 Winter Olympics, beating out Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, and Lake Placid, N.Y. Thirty nations arrived, with a debut from New Zealand and Portugal and the return of Australia, Germany and Japan. Almost seven hundred athletes competed in 22 events. Although the combined Alpine event was dropped, a 10-kilometer cross-country skiing event was opened to women. The U.S. went home with 11 medals (four gold, six silver and one bronze), placing second in the tally. In the Alpine skiing events, which included downhill, giant slalom and slalom, Austria, Norway and Italy swept the men’s results while Germany, Austria, Italy and the U.S. dominated the women’s results.

In the Nordic skiing events (men’s 18-, 50-, 4-by-10-kilometer relay cross-country, women’s 10-kilometer cross-country, ski jumping and Nordic combined), Finland, Norway and Sweden won all the medals. In the giant slalom and slalom, Andrea Mead Lawrence emerged victorious for the U.S., becoming the first woman to win two gold medals in these events. Dick Button and Ken Henry also were awarded gold medals for their performances in the men’s singles figure skating and the 500-meter men’s speed skating events, respectively. Silver medals were given to the two-man bobsled, the four-man bobsled, Tenley Albright in the ladies singles figure skating, and Karol and Peter Kennedy in the pair’s figure skating. The U.S. hockey team also won a silver medal, as did Don McDermott in the men’s 500-meter speed skating. James Grogan, who was coached at Broadmoor Arena in Colorado Springs, took home a bronze medal for the men’s singles figure skating.

Andrea Mead Lawrence, the first American to win double gold medals in a single Olympics, was born in Vermont to an Alpine skiing family. She made the national team at age 14 and became captain of the U.S. Women’s Ski Team for the 1952 Winter Olympics at age 19. Lawrence moved to Aspen in the 1960s where she became a member of the town’s planning board. She is the founder of the Andrea Lawrence Institute for Mountains and Rivers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to environmental conservation and also a member of the National Ski Hall of Fame.

Question: How many Olympic Games have been cancelled due to World Wars?
Answer: 3