Olympic trivia

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 08 Jul 2004, 18:33

1. Which year was boxing not included in the Olympic Games and why?

2. Which was the first Olympic Games that started the tradition that every losing semi-finalist received a bronze medal?

neil r · Post by **neil r** » 08 Jul 2004, 18:49

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:1. Which year was boxing not included in the Olympic Games and why?

2. Which was the first Olympic Games that started the tradition that every losing semi-finalist received a bronze medal?

1. 1912. the games were held in stockholm, sweden where boxing was banned at the time

2. 1952 in helsinki

Freiheit · Post by **Freiheit** » 08 Jul 2004, 18:53

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:1. Which year was boxing not included in the Olympic Games and why?

2. Which was the first Olympic Games that started the tradition that every losing semi-finalist received a bronze medal?

1: 1896, 1900 & 1912. The swedish goverment never really liked boxing so maybe boxing was outlawed in 1912 in Sweden. I dont why it wasnt on the first 2 olympics

2: 1952

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 09 Jul 2004, 04:47

Correct. Yes, I meant since it's introduction so the answer to 1 is indeed 1912.

You lads obviously have:

a) great knowledge
b) great libraries
c) great search engines

Here's a more off the wall one. The gold and silver medallists in the 1908 middleweight division could be fairly described as all rounders. Explain.

Matchfixer · Post by **Matchfixer** » 09 Jul 2004, 06:11

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:Correct. Yes, I meant since it's introduction so the answer to 1 is indeed 1912.

You lads obviously have:

a) great knowledge
b) great libraries
c) great search engines

Here's a more off the wall one. The gold and silver medallists in the 1908 middleweight division could be fairly described as all rounders. Explain.

They won medals in other events (not boxing) ?

knockout · Post by **knockout** » 09 Jul 2004, 06:25

John Douglas (gold medal winner) was also a fine cricketer
Reg Baker (the aussie) represented his country in other sports too

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 09 Jul 2004, 07:44

You are in the ball park. Props for anyone who can come up with specifics...pretty amazing blokes!

neil r · Post by **neil r** » 09 Jul 2004, 08:42

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:Correct. Yes, I meant since it's introduction so the answer to 1 is indeed 1912.

You lads obviously have:

a) great knowledge
b) great libraries
c) great search engines

Here's a more off the wall one. The gold and silver medallists in the 1908 middleweight division could be fairly described as all rounders. Explain.

The gold medal was won by J.W.H.T Douglas, to give him his sunday name, who went on to captain England at cricket. apparently due to his initials he was known as "Johnny Wont Hit Today" not sure what that means, but them we're talking cricket here and Im Scottish

Reginald Baker, or Snowy to his Aussie pals, actually competed in 19 different sports! including horse racing, weight lifting, yatching, soccer, cricket (yep it used to be in the olympics), rugby and hockey.

He also was an actor appearing in several films as well as represtening australia in five other sports. Before he was beaten by Mr Douglas in the 1908 final he had taken p[art in the springboard diving competition!!

Dont you just hate these folk who are good at everything!!

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 09 Jul 2004, 13:13

Neil, you are a bastard! I mean, well done sir! 8)

Douglas is one of those old school all-round legends (headed by C.B. Fry) who seemed to be able to do anything he wanted. Captained England at cricket 18 times, scored almost 25,000 first class runs and took nearly 2000 wickets.

The vomit-inducing swine also played football for England and the Corinthians (who else?).

Apparently Snowy Baker had a 50-year sports career competing in more than 20 sports. I think he won Aussie national boxing belts at four weights - that's half of them in those days. Amazing.

knockout · Post by **knockout** » 09 Jul 2004, 13:20

Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:Neil, you are a bastard! I mean, well done sir! 8)

Douglas is one of those old school all-round legends (headed by C.B. Fry) who seemed to be able to do anything he wanted. Captained England at cricket 18 times, scored almost 25,000 first class runs and took nearly 2000 wickets.

The vomit-inducing swine also played football for England and the Corinthians (who else?).

Apparently Snowy Baker had a 50-year sports career competing in more than 20 sports. I think he won Aussie national boxing belts at four weights - that's half of them in those days. Amazing.

much as i respect these old skool legends... 98% of the world was struggling to fill their stomachs in 1904, therefore competition was much less intense.
There are still characters around like this today though...

Iam botham was a great cricketer and good footballer.
Bo jackson and Deon Saunders both had baseball and football careers in the USA.
Michael Bates got a medal in the olympics at 200m and was a very good footballer

TheRiverCityHippy · Post by **TheRiverCityHippy** » 09 Jul 2004, 13:40

i remember reading something about douglas years ago.
i dont think it was a happy ending though, i`m sure he died trying to save his dad from drowning.

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 09 Jul 2004, 13:44

Yes, he died in Scandanavia in a steamship accident aged only 48.

Just read something funny though...his Olympic medal was dodgy to say the least. The points decision was given by the ref...who was Douglas' dad!

They had a rematch shortly after and Snowy sparked Douglas in the first!

neil r · Post by **neil r** » 09 Jul 2004, 18:10

knockout wrote:
Ian 'Mr' McNeilly wrote:Neil, you are a bastard! I mean, well done sir! 8)

Douglas is one of those old school all-round legends (headed by C.B. Fry) who seemed to be able to do anything he wanted. Captained England at cricket 18 times, scored almost 25,000 first class runs and took nearly 2000 wickets.

The vomit-inducing swine also played football for England and the Corinthians (who else?).

Apparently Snowy Baker had a 50-year sports career competing in more than 20 sports. I think he won Aussie national boxing belts at four weights - that's half of them in those days. Amazing.

much as i respect these old skool legends... 98% of the world was struggling to fill their stomachs in 1904, therefore competition was much less intense.
There are still characters around like this today though...

Iam botham was a great cricketer and good footballer.
Bo jackson and Deon Saunders both had baseball and football careers in the USA.
Michael Bates got a medal in the olympics at 200m and was a very good footballer

There is a vast difference at being exemplary enough at one sport and just "good" at another. The guys we're talking about here were world class at many sports. Internationalists at the majority of them.

TheRiverCityHippy · Post by **TheRiverCityHippy** » 09 Jul 2004, 18:38

michael bates??

cant recall a sprinter of that name and cant say i`ve heard of a footy player with that name either.
he must have played in the lower leagues.

TheRiverCityHippy · Post by **TheRiverCityHippy** » 09 Jul 2004, 18:55

oops, american footy, sorry guys

YakimaEaglesBoxing · Post by **YakimaEaglesBoxing** » 12 Jan 2009, 16:00

[/quote]
Great knowledge. Looking at that list, only Charles "Machine Gun" Carter failed to break into world class as a pro.[/quote]

Amazing the knowledge in this forum.

I have had the pleasure of meeting Charles. He was a member of our club long before I was around. His nephew Johnathon works out in my gym from time to time.

I would have liked to have seen him compete in the Olympics.

John

Olympic trivia

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