The Austerity Olympics: When the Games Came to London in 1948London 2012 Olympics is fast approaching, with new developments and plans causing huge excitement the world over. Yet, this multi-million pound corporate extravaganza could not be further from the realities of the 1948 'Ration Book Olympics' which took place with London a bombed out ruin and Britain in deep economic crisis. The resulting games were not only an amazing achievement in terms of organisation, thrift and invention - being the most successful, inexpensive and unpretentious games of the 20th century - but also something for the world to celebrate following the long years of war and strain. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
The Torchbearers | 9 |
How the Games came to London | 17 |
Copyright | |
24 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
The Austerity Olympics: When the Games Came to London in 1948 Janie Hampton No preview available - 2012 |
The Austerity Olympics: When the Games Came to London in 1948 Janie Hampton No preview available - 2009 |
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amateur Americans arena Argentinean army arrived Arthur Arthur Wint athletes Berlin Blankers-Koen blazer boat boxing Britain British team bronze centre champion championships Club coach competed competition competitors crowd Denzil Batchelor Despite diving Elvstrøm Emil Zátopek Empire Pool English Fanny Blankers-Koen felt fencing film final flag football four French Getty Images gold medal gymnastics Harold Abrahams heat Henley hockey hurdles later Leander Club London manager Matt Busby Maureen Gardner Maurice Crow metres never official Olympic Committee Olympic Games opening ceremony Organising Committee Park played players race remembered reported Rex Alston round rowing Royal runners semi-final Sigfrid Edström silver spectators sport sprinter Sweden swimmers swimming television tickets took torch Torquay track Uxbridge watch weeks weightlifting Wembley Stadium women won gold won the gold world record wrote yacht Zátopek Zealand