The first controversy of these games was a geographical one, Mexico City is 2640 metres above sea level, that is almost 11/2 miles. This meant there would be around 30% less oxygen making endurance events more difficult for most athletes, except those who lived at similar altitudes, such as some of the Africans.
Most people who […]
Archive for the '1960s' Category
My first and lasting memory of Tokyo was the BBC theme tune which I can hum to this day, how sad is that. These games were very eventful for British athletes and the story of Ann Packer is first in my mind. After losing out in the 400 meters to the Australian Betty Cuthbert (Packer […]
I remember being woken up by my Dad one night in 1968. He shook me awake and said, “I just thought you would like to know that Bob Beaman has leapt over the sandpit”. It was amazing - the world record has since stood for twenty three years. It was such a long jump that […]
The sound quality isn’t the best on this video, but I chose it because it showcases the best of sixties and seventies style. How did she get her hair so big? And check out the guy twisting around in the stripy tank top. Are those chops I spot? The flares and the silly dancing are […]
A Big Long History of the Summer Olympics 1896 - 2008
Posted in 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, Art & Design, Australia & New Zealand, Before my time, Rest of World, Sport, UK & Ireland, US & Canada on Jul 23rd, 2008
1896 ATHENS, Greece
Dates: from 6 to 15 April 1896.
Participants: 14 National Olympic Committees (NOCs), 43 events, 241 athletes (men only).
Officially opened by: King George I.
The Games of the Olympiad in Athens were financed by a donation of approximately one million drachmas from a rich businessman, Georges Averof, and by the sale of souvenir stamps and […]
Cassius Clay - Bygone Olympics
Posted in 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, Sport, Sports Personalities on Jul 22nd, 2008
The only other outstanding memory outside of the Olympic athletics was in the boxing stadium with the victory of a young heavyweight - a boxer from the United States called Cassius Clay. We all later knew him as Mohammed Ali. He later lobbed this gold medal into a river in protest against the treatment of […]
Abebe Bikila - Bygone Olmpics
Posted in 1960s, Sport, Sports Personalities on Jul 21st, 2008
I remember Abebe Bikila winning the 1960 Rome Olympics men’s marathon - barefoot! My image of him is just how slight he was and wondered where the energy came from to do what he was doing. He was the first person to win two Olympic marathons, winning the Tokyo in 1964. In between these two […]
Al Oerter - Bygone Olympics
Posted in 1950s, 1960s, Sport, Sports Personalities on Jul 19th, 2008
Al Oerter was an gold medal winning discus thrower from 1956 to 1968. He was among a group of gigantic shot put throwers and discus throwers who were nearly seven feet tall and very impressive to a young boy of seven! Al sadly passed away in 2007.
Steve Haywood is a personal trainer in West and […]
Herb Elliot - Bygone Olympics
Posted in 1960s, Sport, Sports Personalities on Jul 19th, 2008
Herb Elliot never lost a race over 1500m or a mile. He broke the four minute mile on 17 occasions. He took middle distance running to a whole new level. As a young boy watching him compete, I’m sure he fired me up for my future spent running. It wasn’t just his physicality, it was […]
Dorothy Hyman - Bygone Olympics
Posted in 1960s, Sport, Sports Personalities on Jul 18th, 2008
Came second in the 100m dash (as it was called then!) at the 1960 Rome Olympics. She was a Barnsley lass, which generated a lot of local interest. She became something of a heroine and still has the track and stadium named after her at Cudsworth near Barnsley.
Steve Haywood is a personal trainer in West […]
The Press Sisters - Bygone Olympics
Posted in 1960s, Sport, Sports Personalities on Jul 17th, 2008
On a 14″ black and white screen, the Press sisters’ performance in the 1960 Rome Olympics is my first recollection of the games. I remember being a bit baffled because I couldn’t tell the difference between the Press sisters and the men. It later became obvious that they had disappeared about the same time as […]
Snuff - Have a Bit Up!
Posted in 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, Before my time, Food & Drink, Products, UK & Ireland on Jul 3rd, 2008
Some people chew it, some people smoke it, but no-one seems to sniff tobacco anymore.
In our local pub (very oldy worldy CAMRA type), there’s a rack by the door filled with little metal pots. They have funny flavours written in old school lettering on the lids. This is snuff and you won’t find many pubs […]
Ascot History
Posted in 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1990s, 2000s, Before my time, Sport on Jun 16th, 2008
It was Queen Anne who first saw the potential for a racecourse at Ascot, which in those days was called East Cote. Whilst out riding in 1711, she came upon an area of open heath, not far from Windsor Castle, that looked an ideal place for “horses to gallop at full stretch.”
The first race meeting […]
The Queen and Racing at Ascot
Posted in 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, Personalities, Sport on Jun 16th, 2008
The Queen’s involvement with racing stretches back to before she came to the throne in 1952, with her first winner, owned jointly with her mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, being Monaveen in a National Hunt race at Fontwell.
On the death of her father, King George VI, the Queen inherited the Royal string […]
A Big Long History of The Epsom Derby
Posted in 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, Before my time, Sport, UK & Ireland on Jun 6th, 2008
1780
Diomed, owned by Sir Charles Bunbury, wins the inaugural running of the Derby
on Thursday, May 4.
1784
The distance increases from a mile to a mile and a half which still prevails today,
though from 1991 the offi cial distance has been one mile, four furlongs and 10
yards.
1794 The smallest fi eld of four goes to post and […]




