{"id":237,"date":"2006-06-02T11:06:35","date_gmt":"2006-06-02T16:06:35","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2015-03-27T11:48:22","modified_gmt":"2015-03-27T16:48:22","slug":"letter-to-the-editor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/article\/letter-to-the-editor\/","title":{"rendered":"Letter to the Editor"},"content":{"rendered":"
Submitted by: Don Anthony<\/div>\n

Thinking About Olympism and the USA<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note: Don Anthony, a noted Olympic historian from Great Britain and long-time friend of the United States Sports Academy, wrote this article for USSA President Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich. The Sport Journal is publishing this piece as a letter to the editor.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

25 years ago Dr. William Renato Jones died. He was a Springfield graduate. Born in Rome and speaking Italian as a first language, he had British nationality, a Swiss mother, a Scottish father, and spent much of his working life in Germany! His first job on leaving Springfield was for the YMCA in Adana, Turkey. Later, for the YMCA, he organized a global congress in Paris which brought him to the attention of Unesco. This UN body appointed him
\ndirector of the Unesco Youth Institute in Gauting, near Munich. Concurrently, as a volunteer, he founded and became general secretary, of the world body
\nfor basketball \u2013 FIBA. Furthermore, he was the obvious candidate to lead \u2013 again as general secretary – Unesco\u2019s consultative body for sport \u2013 ICSPE
\n(the International Council for Sport and Physical Education) in l960. On retirement from his basketball post, he was invited to be honorary life president.
\nHe refused!<\/p>\n

\u201cI will accept the title honorary life secretary\u201d he said \u2013 and so it was \u2013 \u201canyone in sport knows it is the secretary who is the kingpin.\u201d
\nSurrounding Jones were other formidable Springfield people such as Frank Hepp from Hungary. There was Ernst Jokl from Kentucky University; and the
\nPresident of ICSPEP, Philip Noel-Baker. Philip became unique – an Olympian \u2013 silver in the 1500 metres in l920 at Antwerp -and Nobel Peace Prize in
\nl959 for his work on disarmament. Philip too, had USA roots: he began his academic career in l907 at Haverford \u2013 then the major Quaker (Society of Friends)\u00a0academy in North America. Another polyglot with a Canadian father and a Scottish mother, he spoke well in French, German, Greek and Italian. This last\u00a0language he learned on the Serbian front in World War I when he worked as a pacifist with the Friends Ambulance Unit. The Italian government awarded him\u00a0their highest honour for \u201cbravery in battle.\u201d Despite this, no matter how hard I tried, the organizers of the recent Turin Winter Olympic Games ignored\u00a0my pleas that they should honor his unique qualifications for mention and commemoration! I had the wonderful pleasure of working closely with Jones and\u00a0Philip for some 20 years from l960 onwards. Every moment with them was \u201can education and a joy\u201d I once explained to my wife \u2013 to excuse my constant absences\u00a0on duty for global physical education and sport. Strangely enough, the educational energies of the IOC were rather dormant between and 1960.and l980.\u00a0In this time, Unesco began to lead matters and eventually the World Conference of Ministers of Sport came into being.<\/p>\n

I look again at my profession of \u201cphysical education\u201d \u2013 with its modern roots in the USA. These were summed-up marvellously by John Lucas in his article
\nin November 2004, for the Journal of the International Society of Olympic Historians (ISOH): \u201cThe Great Gathering of Sport Scientists; the l904 St. Louis
\nOlympic Games Exposition Fair Physical Education Lectures.\u201d I think of that other significant Springfield man Harold Friermood who was \u201calways there\u201d as\u00a0world P.E. blossomed. Harold even attended the first meeting of the Amateur Volleyball Association of Great Britain, founded in London at the YMCA
\nheadquarters in l955.<\/p>\n

As my researches grew in Olympic matters, I discovered Charles Waldstein (Columbia, I think) and then Heidelberg and Cambridge (England) ending up as Slade Professor of Art at Cambridge and concurrently Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum in that city, and Director of the American School of Classical Studies in Athens. A confidant of Coubertin, he arranged meetings with the Royal Princes in Athens in l896. He first met Coubertin during the young Frenchman\u2019s studies of English schools and universities in l886. They met again in l896 when Waldstein pistol-shot for the USA in the Games. Charles (then Walston and a British national) was chairing the Arts Commission of the l924 Paris Olympic Games near the end of his life. His grandson, Oliver, still farming near Cambridge, was persuaded (by me) to donate his grandfather\u2019s archives to the IOC Museum in Lausanne where they still lie. Again I was startled by the Athens American School of Classical Studies attitude in 2004 \u2013 when they showed no interest in honouring their previous Director!<\/p>\n

In l889, at the famous Boston Conference on Physical Training, Coubertin delivered a paper. On the same platform was the Earl of Meath from England, the man who got PE on to the British education statute books in Parliament. In l89l both were elected members of the Wenlock Olympian Society (WOS) \u2013 in Shropshire, England. Brookes, the founder of the WOS was keenly aware of new developments in the USA, and also in Russia, France, Germany and elsewhere. David Young of Florida wrote a major book on this Olympian root in his distinctive l996 book \u201cThe modern Olympics \u2013 a struggle for survival\u201d.<\/p>\n

Coubertin\u2019s major USA friend and colleague was of course William Sloane (Columbia and Princeton). Charles Battle tells me that Atlanta created a sculpting of Sloane for presentation to the IOC. Its whereabouts need research in Lausanne? It was the same with a sculpting of Philip Noel-Baker \u201cMan of Sport- Man of Peace\u201d given in l986 to the IOC as part of the Birmingham (England) bid. This lurked in the cellars at Lausanne until recent years when it was fished out and now graces the entrance of the Sports Court of Arbitration in Lausanne \u2013 a fitting place for one who was a master in international law! In the intervening years a copy of the sculpting was purchased by the University of Hiroshima in Japan. Philip attended the atom-bomb memorial meeting in August at Hiroshima whenever he could. At his last attendance, he was given only one minute to speak before the sounding of the peace gong in a square packed with 200,000 people. Pushing away his prepared speech Philip said \u201cSay after me \u2013 no more war \u2013 no more Hiroshima!\u201d Boom!!! What a man \u2013 what a brain \u2013 at nearly 90 years of age. At his last major speech, at the IOC Congress in Baden-Baden (l981), he was granted only 3 minutes under any other business. Taking 11 minutes, much to the consternation of the organizers, he got a three minute mass standing ovation for his last words -\u201cIf the IOC\u2026can bring sport for all to the whole world \u2013 especially the developing world \u2013 I will nominate them for the Nobel Peace Prize!\u201d Indeed I have a letter from the Nobel Committee, saying that such a nomination was made prior to his death in l982. I was left his two ice-axes (he was a keen mountaineer). I gave one to the Winter Sports Museum of Sarajevo and the second to the Winter Sports Museum of Pyongchaeng in Korea. I hope the latter might one day help to rebuild the former. Indeed plans are afoot to try to restore the energy of the Inter-University Centre in Dubrovnik which, organized seminars in the l980\u2019s to celebrate Philip\u2019s work for sport, peace, and development \u2013 and to look again at the feasibility of the Noel Baker Medals for outstanding examples of sport and international understanding. The first medals were awarded in l984 to the Sarajevo Winter Olympic Games Organizing Committee \u2013 and to President of the IOC at that time, Juan Antonio Samaranch.<\/p>\n

For a moment, back to Atlanta: Local man George Hirthler, working with the Pierre de Coubertin International Committee (CIPC), managed to fund the erection of a delightful monument to Coubertin in a main square in his city. I wonder if it is still there and whether its purpose is still recognised and celebrated.<\/p>\n

Further thoughts about the USA-Olympic links begin to flood back: John Lucas one asked me to investigate the sermon given in St. Paul\u2019s cathedral by the \u201cBishop of Pennsylvania\u201d (in Coubertin\u2019s memoirs). It turned out that it was indeed a Bishop \u2013 but of Central Pennsylvania \u2013 one Ethelbert Talbot. It was this sermon which inspired Coubertin\u2019s own description of the true Olympic ethos \u201cThe honor is less in winning than in taking part.\u201d How we need to restate, and restate, and restate, this message \u2013 in today\u2019s Olympic world consumed as it is by medal mania. The name John Lucas appears everywhere \u2013 even as Honorary Consul for Albania! What a wonderful testament for Olympism in the USA, and the world, his life has been \u2013 and still is. I thank him for much inspiration and education. It was much to him that the USOC National Olympic Academy flourished. Indeed in the early l980\u2019s we were so taken with this model that we started the British National Olympic Academy (l982 \u2013 a one day affair). This is now institutionalised and we regularly have the problem of over-subscription – a long weekend \u2013 120 people maximum. Two regular USA friends have been, and are, Elizabeth Hanley of Penn State and Robert Merchikoff of Seattle.<\/p>\n

My own studies in physical education were nourished by USA texts starting in 1946. I remember Thomas Cureton visiting us at Loughborough in the tests \u2013 and- measurement days. When we started the British volleyball association we lacked knowledge of the high-level game. Fortuitously, one Victor Tseirov of the USSR Embassy rang me one day to say that \u201cI am scientific attach\u00e9 at the Embassy \u2013 but mainly because my father pushed me; in my heart I am one percent scientific attach\u00e9 and 99 percent volleyball enthusiast.\u201d At roughly the same time one John Gay (USA national team player) contacted us from the London Ruislip USAF base to offer us his expertise \u2013 and facilities! We now look forward to preparing British volleyball teams for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Such are the fortuitous chances of life \u2013 serendipity. Let us glory in it and use it more. In my own field, I have long thought that \u2013 with USA leadership \u2013 we could enrich the recently restored Great Library of Alexandria. The ancient library linked Pergamon with Alexandria. The revived library could be aided to establish a sports section to record the whole area of African sport \u2013 and its possible contribution to health and development in that continent \u2013 the one of greatest need. I write this thinking of my ancient namesake giving the Pergamon library to Cleopatra (as a love token!).<\/p>\n

Out of all this nostalgia springs a thought. That 2007 will be the centenary of Philip Noel-Baker\u2019s entry into academic life at Haverford \u2013 USA. Can we not celebrate this in different ways \u2013 e.g. a U.S. seminar to record and examine the USA\u2019s past role in Olympic matters \u2013 its current status \u2013 and its future potential at one of the USOC\u2019s centers?<\/p>\n

On the global level to assist Dubrovnik in its recovery \u2013 a session at the IUC could be held. An initial 2006 step could be a small planning meeting at the IUC to also embrace the life and work of William Jones \u2013 who\u2019s chosen Crown Prince in FIBA. Boris Stankovic \u2013 now of Olympic rank \u2013 could play an appropriate role.<\/p>\n

I often remind audiences that the Olympic idea came out of moves to strengthen physical education; of the first 12 members of the IOC, six were educationists; Coubertin was the foremost comparative physical educationist of his time. Today in the fight against the dumbing-down of sport these values need urgently to be restored and the major world-power, the USA, has a special responsibility to us all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Submitted by: Don Anthony<\/div>\n

Thinking About Olympism and the USA<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note: Don Anthony, a noted Olympic historian from Great Britain and long-time friend of the United States Sports Academy, wrote this article for USSA President Dr. Thomas P. Rosandich. The Sport Journal is publishing this piece as a letter to the editor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_options":[]},"categories":[290,291],"tags":[8,70,73,23],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4btio-3P","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":38,"url":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/article\/changing-adult-activity-patterns\/","url_meta":{"origin":237,"position":0},"title":"Changing Adult Activity Patterns","date":"February 11, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Submitted by: Wayne L. Westcott, Ph.D. With all the research data on the health and fitness benefits of regular physical activity, why do most American adults remain sedentary? Primarily because it is difficult to change adult lifestyle patterns. If this were not the case, the recent Surgeon General's Report on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Contemporary Sports Issues"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":71,"url":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/article\/ioc-culture-and-olympic-education-forum-thesis-on-culture\/","url_meta":{"origin":237,"position":1},"title":"IOC Culture and Olympic Education Forum : Thesis on Culture and Olympism","date":"February 13, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Submitted by: Dr. Ren Hai In the human species individuals are born cultureless. Ancient Greeks successfully used sport in building up their brilliant civilizations. Impacts of culture and education on sport are undeniable. Sport is not only the exalting of physical activities. \"To place everywhere sport at the service of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports History"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":312,"url":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/article\/factors-affecting-attendance-at-bowl-games-during-the-bcs-era\/","url_meta":{"origin":237,"position":2},"title":"Factors Affecting Attendance at Bowl Games During the BCS Era","date":"July 7, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Submitted by: Kelly E. Flanagan, M.S.S., D.S.M. - United States Sports Academy Abstract","rel":"","context":"In "Sports Management"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":62,"url":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/article\/centennial-anniversary-of-the-international-olympic-movement-and-modern-olympic-games\/","url_meta":{"origin":237,"position":3},"title":"Centennial Anniversary of the International Olympic Movement and Modern Olympic Games","date":"February 12, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Submitted by: Oleg A. Milshteyn, Ph.D. This scholarly history of the International Olympics and modern Olympic games will be an outstanding source for scholars interested in the Olympics and all its glory. Oleg A. Milshteyn is particularly qualified as a researcher through his former affiliation in the Moscow Institute of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Contemporary Sports Issues"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":40,"url":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/article\/international-physical-fitness-test-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":237,"position":4},"title":"International Physical Fitness Test","date":"February 11, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Submitted by: United States Sports Academy in cooperation with the General Organization of Youth and Sport (State of Bahrain) FOREWARD The United States Sports Academy, in cooperation with the Supreme Council for Youth and Sport, presents the Arab world with its own International Physical Fitness Test Manual based on norms\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Sports Exercise Science"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":63,"url":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/article\/centennial-anniversary-of-the-international-olympic-movement-and-modern-olympic-games-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":237,"position":5},"title":"Centennial Anniversary of the International Olympic Movement and Modern Olympic Games","date":"February 12, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"Submitted by: Oleg A. Milshteyn, Ph.D. This scholarly history of the International Olympics and modern Olympic games will be an outstanding source for scholars interested in the Olympics and all its glory. Oleg A. Milshteyn is particularly qualified as a researcher through his former affiliation in the Moscow Institute of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Contemporary Sports Issues"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/237"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=237"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/237\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2635,"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/237\/revisions\/2635"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=237"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=237"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=237"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}