The Olympics in detail

Press, 18 May 1984, Page 15

The Olympics in detail

The Complete Book of the Olympics. By David Wallechinsky. Penguin Books, Ltd, 1984. 627 pp. $16.95. The approach of another Olympic festival has prompted the usual plethora of books about the Games, and some of them are rather ordinary. However, several outstanding publications have reached the bookshelves and one which can safely be included in this category is David Wallechinsky’s “The Complete Book of the Olympics.’’ Every event held in the summer and winter Olympic Games since the first of the modern era in Athens in 1896 is listed, with results generally down to eighth place. There is nothing new about this, of course. What lifts this book above others of its type is the excellent narrative included with every event. Descriptions of how contests were won, the reaction of the contestants, and background material on prominent personalities makes entertaining reading.

The famous dispute over the rights of a 22-year-old Italian, Dorando Pietri, to the marathon gold medal in the 1908 London Olympics is laid properly to rest. Pietri collapsed for the fifth time just short of the finishing line and was carried across the finish by a British official. The Italian flag was run up the pole, but Pietri was disqualified after a protest from the United States team management. Their man, John Hayes, was awarded the gold medal. Pietri later complained that he would have finished unassisted if the British official had left him alone. However, photographs of the incident indicate that Pietro probably should have been carted off on a stretcher the first time he fell.

In spite of this, Pietri became a world-wide hero and his name remains at the head of Wallechinsky’s finishing order, credited

with a time of 2hr 54min 46.45. One of the historic photographs of Pietri being assisted by British officials is included among more than 150 pictures in the book. The majority of pictures are from track and field, and New Zealand’s part in this sport has not been forgotten. There is that classic picture of Peter Snell scoring his upset win over Roger Moens in the 1960 800 m at Rome, and another shot of Murray Halberg lying on the ground clutching the finishing tape after his win in the 5000 m in the same meeting. Norman Read, the winner of the 50,000 m road walk in 1956, has his well-worn feet feature pictorially, as well.

Along with thousands of others, New Zealand’s successes are faithfully recorded in the text. The win by the rowing eight at Munich, for example, is accompanied by the information that the New Zealand team raised $45,000 to support their training and the trip to Munich by holding bingo games and raffling a “dream kitchen.”

New Zealand’s great win in the final of the hockey tournament at Montreal receives subdued, if fair, treatment. Mr Wallechinsky observes that New Zealand “didn’t exactly overwhelm their opposition” but scored when it counted. Tony Ineson is credited with the winning penalty shot in the final against Australia. Not surprisingly, Jack Lovelock, winner of the 1500 m at the 1936 Berlin Olympics in the world record time of 3min 47.85, is dealt with at length. The narrative takes Lovelock away from the track and explains in detail the events leading up to his tragic death when he fell under a train in Brooklyn, New York, some years later. There is a brief history of the modern Olympics, which serves to underline the poli-

tical difficulties the Games have had to ensure. The Black Power protests at Mexico, the boycott of Montreal by African countries over New Zealand’s rugby tour of South Africa, and the boycott of Moscow, inspired by United States disapproval of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, make sorry reading for sportsmen. Obviously, there will be another unhappy chapter to write after the Los Angeles Games later this year.

Mr Wallechinsky observes that the Games have always reflected the politics of the world, and suggests that they always will. He blows away a few misconceptions about amateurism. Contrary to popular belief, even the Ancient Greek athletes were not amateurs. The concept of amateurism actually developed in nineteenth-century England as a means of preventing the working classes from competing against the aristocracy. The wealthy could take part in sports without having to worry about having to make

a living. Everyone else had to give up training time to earn a living. An end to the present code of amateurism is predicted by Mr Wallechinsky, who believes that if the bickering over the definition of amateurism does not bring about the change then the “absurd” advantage given to Communist countries will. Sensibly, the author has not allowed the effects of political interference to overshadow the joys and successes of the Games. He has included in-depth profiles of sports legends and related strange and humorous tales of forgotten Olympic heroes, heroines, and also-rans. The task of preparing this publication must have been enormous. Mr Wallechinsky, an American, actually worked with a staggering 2972 files. The result of his efforts is a valuable reference book which combines entertaining reading and detailed results in a way no other Olympic publication has done before. ROD DEW