Hooray! The Stockholm celebration of the Olympic Games was reduced to 10 weeks.
By tradition, each host country is allowed to stage an event of their choice, after all they are laying on the games. In 1912 the Swedes introduced the modern Pentathlon and it was no surprise that they dominated the event. However, who should be in 5th place, future American General, George S. Patton.
The American Olympic team sailed to Europe in the liner ‘Finland’. This was an omen for the middle distances which were dominated by Kolehmainen. In the 5,000 M Kolehmainen was pushed so hard by Bouin of France that he knocked over 20 seconds of the world record.
In this era produced some colourful swimming champions, in the 1912 Olympics Duke Paoa Kahanamoku won the blue-riband event – 100m freestyle. Duke seemed an unlikely ‘moniker’ for a Hawaiian, but research show that his royal parents named him after the Duke of Edinburgh (Queen Victoria’s second son).
In wrestling at the Stockholm Games in 1912, the light heavyweight final between a Swede, Anders Ahlgren, and a Finn, Ivar Bohling, lasted nine hours. Since neither had gained an advantage over the other, no gold medal was awarded. Each received a silver medal.
Jim Thorpe Greatest Ever Athlete?
For many, Jim Thorpe was the greatest athlete of the era. He did not just win the 1912 Olympic Pentathlon and Decathlon but he annihilated the opposition. The name Jim Thorpe is also famous as he was controversially disqualified for alleged professionalism. Some say there as anti-Indian prejudice, others say it was personal animosity between Thorpe and Avery Brundage (Later IOC president) who was 5th in the pentathlon.
Olympic Games Trivia
The 1912 Olympics was the last time that gold medals were solid gold. Ever since, they’ve been silver with gold plating.
General Patton at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics
George Patton, who would later become a famous U.S. general, competed in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics pentathlon, an event combining pistol shooting, swimming, fencing, cross country and steeplechase. Patton performed poorly in his best event, pistols, but shined in fencing, defeating the French army champion. ‘Old Blood and Guts’ finished fifth overall, the only non-Swede to make the top seven.
Stockholm Olympic Trivia
No boxing was held at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics because the sport was illegal in Sweden.
Please send us your interesting facts and trivia for the Stockholm 1912 Olympic games.
