For many individuals, the 1924 Paris Olympics will – due to the 1981 movie Chariots of Fireplace – at all times be related to slow-motion photos of British runners beating the Individuals towards the percentages, whereas Vangelis’s haunting rating performs within the background.
However an exhibition on the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, timed to coincide with the occasion’s return to the French capital, goals to point out that the Parisian video games a century in the past have been a turning level, not only for British athletics, but additionally for race, politics and the rise of movie star.
One of many most important points of interest at Paris 1924: Sport, Artwork and the Physique is a letter written by the American long-jumper William DeHart Hubbard – the primary black athlete to win a person gold medal at an Olympics – which can be coming to the UK for the primary time when the present opens on 19 July.
An actor taking part in Hubbard seems briefly in Hugh Hudson’s 1981 Oscar-winning movie, however his prophetic letter, despatched from the SS America and written simply an hour earlier than he set sail, provides to the mythos round an athlete who manifested his personal landmark victory.
“Finally I’m able to depart for Europe. It has taken years of arduous work to get this far, however I’m nearing my final objective. The boat leaves in about an hour,” he wrote.
“Inform Papa I acquired his letter, however have been busy travelling and so forth., and haven’t had the time to reply. Inform him I’m going to do my finest to be the FIRST COLORED OLYMPIC CHAMPION.”
The phrase “COLORED” was underlined twice, signifying the significance of race at an occasion the place just one black athlete had gained a medal earlier than. That got here in 1908, when John Taylor was a part of the profitable American 1,600-metre relay group.
Professor Caroline Vout from the College of Cambridge, who co-curated the exhibition, mentioned the letter gave a novel perception into the thoughts of an athlete who was venturing into the unknown. “The writing of the letter is nearly like an train of pumping himself up; it’s a spur. It’s all about exhilaration,” she mentioned.
Vout added that regardless of his achievements, Hubbard and the opposite black athletes who took half within the video games didn’t go on to stardom as some Olympians did.
American swimmer Johnny Weissmuller was a star on the video games, successful gold within the 100m freestyle, 400m freestyle and 4 x 200m freestyle relay earlier than occurring to a Hollywood profession, the place he performed the lead in six Tarzan movies.
The story of British runners Harold Abrahams and Eric Liddell was immortalised in Chariots of Fireplace, whereas Hawaiian Duke Kahanamoku – who competed within the 100m freestyle alongside Weissmuller – was finally recognised as the person who popularised browsing.
Co-curator Professor Christopher Younger mentioned that a part of the rationale Hubbard had been ignored was that when individuals speak about necessary Olympic tournaments highlighting racial points, the Berlin occasion of 1936, the place Jesse Owens dismantled Hitler’s claims of Aryan supremacy by successful 4 gold medals, and 1968, when sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos made black energy salutes, take primacy.
However, he argued, the 1924 video games have been one other key turning level. “There’s an entire trajectory right here which is overshadowed by these massive moments and reveals like this will carry individuals again into the general public eye.”
The museum has additionally managed to amass the soccer boots worn by Jose Andrade, who performed for Uruguay after they went on to win the gold medal within the soccer competitors, a feat that surprised the European nations and presaged the South Individuals successful the primary two World Cups.
