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Olympic Facts
OLYMPIC MOTTOThe Olympic motto "Citius, Altius, Fortius" is Latin for "Faster, Higher, Braver," but is universally accepted to mean "Swifter, Higher, Stronger."
OLYMPIC CREED
"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not the win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well." The words of the Olympic Creed are attributed to Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games. De Coubertin adopted, and later quoted, the creed after hearing Ethelbert Talbot, the Bishop of Central Pennsylvania, speak at St. Paul's Cathedral on July 19, 1908, during the London Games. The service was given for the Olympic athletes, who were all invited. Talbot's exact words that day were: "The important thing in these Olympics is not so much winning as taking part."
OLYMPIC RINGS
The Olympic symbol - five interlocked rings - represents the union of the five original major continents (Africa, America, Asia, Australia and Europe) and the meeting of the athletes from throughout the world at the Olympic Games. The five colors of the rings from left to right are blue, black and red across the top and yellow and green along the bottom. The colors of the rings are thought to have been chosen because at least one of these colors can be found in the flag of every nation.
OLYMPIC FLAG
The Olympic Flag has a plain white background with no border. In the center are the five interlocked Olympic rings. The flag was presented by Baron Pierre de Coubertin in 1914 at the Olympic Congress, celebrating the 20th anniversary of the founding of the International Olympic Committee. It was flown that year at Alexandria, Greece, but made its Olympic debut in 1920 at Antwerp. The "primary" Olympic flag was thus known as "the Antwerp flag." In 1984, Seoul presented a new Olympic flag (as the old was getting quite worn) to the IOC, which was first flown at the 1988 Olympic Games. At the Closing Ceremonies of the Olympic Games, the mayor of the Olympic host city presents the Olympic flag to the mayor of the next Olympic host city. The flag is then kept in the town hall of the host city until the next Olympic Games.
OLYMPIC HYMN
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The Olympic Hymn is played when the Olympic Flag is raised. The music was composed by Spirou Samara. The words were added by Costis of Greece in 1896.
"Immortal spirit of antiquity
Father of the true, beautiful and good
Descend, appear, shed over us thy light
Upon this ground and under this sky
Which has fits witnessed by unperishable fame.
"Give life and animation to those noble Games
Throw wreaths of fadeless flowers to the victors
In the race and in the strife
Create in our breasts, hearts of steel.
"In thy light, plains, mountains and seas
Shine is a roseate hue and for a vast temple
To which all nations throng to adore thee
Oh immortal spirit of antiquity."
OLYMPIC OATH
The Olympic oath is a symbolic gesture of sportsmanship that began at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, Belgium. One athlete from the host country takes an oath at the Opening Ceremony on behalf of all athletes, pledging to uphold the Olympic spirit of competition and fair play. The athlete stands on the rostrum and, while holding a corner of the Olympic flag in his or her left hand, raises his or her right hand, and says: "In the name of all the competitors I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, committing ourselves to a sport without doping and without drugs, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams." In a similar manner, and immediately after the athletes' oath is delivered, a judge from the host country mounts the rostrum and takes the following oath: "In the name of all the judges and officials, I promise that we shall officiate in these Olympic Games with complete impartiality, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship." Both oath-takers are chosen by the host city's organizing committee and each is usually an athlete and judge from the host country.
1932 Facts
17 nations attended the III Olympic Winter Games. They competed in the sports of speed skating, figure skating, cross-country skiing, bobsleigh, hockey and ski jumping.
Three demonstration sports were contested at the III Olympic Winter Games. They were women's speed skating, curling and the sport of sled dog racing. View Image
For the first time in Winter Olympic history, figure skating, part of the hockey events and the demonstration sport of curling were held at an indoor arena. Never before had any part of a Winter Olympic program been held under a roof. View Image
The 1.5 mile bobrun at Mt. Van Hoevenberg was the first track of that length used in Olympic competition and the first run built in North America. It was also the first time that a 2-man bobsleigh race was contested at the Olympics. View Image
There were three feeding stations on the route of the cross-country 50-km Clifford Trail. Supplies on hand to sustain the skiers included oatmeal gruel, oranges and lemons, raw eggs, cold beefsteak, warm milk, bouillon, and tea. View Image
1980 Facts
United States speed skater, Eric Heiden, became the hero of the 1980 Olympic Winter Games. This superstar set one new world record and broke five Olympic records during his clean sweep of the Men's Speed Skating events. He became the first person in Olympic history to win five individual Gold Medals at one Olympic Games. View Image
Because of the press center's location in the school building, Lake Placid is in the Guinness Book of Records for being the only high school in the United States that holds a liquor license. There were three saloons located in the facility: Math room 239, Business room 318 and the largest room Home Economics. View Image
The New York Telephone Company Provided the major communications system and made electronics history when it installed light guide cable (optic fiber) between the Olympic Ice Center and the Broadcast Center. This allowed for many firsts: fiber optics used in NYS; fiber optics used in an Olympic Games; fiber optics used in transmitting network color TV programming. View Image
Over 6700 volunteers, who were recruited by the various sports organizations for their expertise, were used at the event sites. They were covered under Workmen's Comp and received orientation training in advance of the Games. 249 multi or bi-lingual volunteers were also recruited by the LPOOC. To become one of 200 hostesses it was necessary to be fluent in a minimum of two foreign languages, to be well groomed and attractive in appearance, to have an appealing personality and relevant work experience, and to be knowledgeable about the Lake Placid region. In all, 22 languages were spoken, representing every participating team, with the exception of Korea and Mongolia, a last minute entry. View Image
In spite of the worst snow drought to hit the eastern United States since 1887, the "man-made" snow proved to be effective in all the skiing events. "Artificial" snow cover had never been used before in Olympic competitions and because of this, the ski events were not disturbed and resulted in top competitions. View Image
Links
International Olympic Committee
United States Olympic Committee
Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism/Lake Placid CVB
Lake Placid Hall of Fame
International Sport Heritage Association
Hall of Fame Network
International Society of Olympic Historians
Small Town, Big Dreams: Lake Placid's Olympic Story
