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I
know that many people (like myself) are already fed up with the mention of
football, so I thought perhaps I could jump your minds to 2012 - the year
when the Olympic Games are to be held in London.
I
and my colleagues have already been told that they are not looking for
athletic officials past 50 - which puts me out straight away. I don's think
it would go down very well to see officials pushing Zimmer frames around the
track - mind you that could be a new race
Anyhow I'm sure you don't want to think that far ahead and I wondered if any
of our readers had any fond memories of the last time the Olympic Games were
held in London 1948 and like Jasper Carrott can say “I was there” or
remember anything that happened - the athletes from the various countries
were billeted in Army huts in Richmond Park. Most of the Countries
represented were belonging to the Commonwealth in the year of 1948.
There were not so many countries taking part as there are now - the Opening
Ceremony was very short and I agree with Prince Philip who said that the
Closing Ceremonies are awful now and in 1948 the last day was given over to
Equestrian events and I was lucky to be there and saw Colonel Llewellyn win
a gold medal for Britain on Foxhunter.
In
fact my memory of the 1948 Olympics is as follows:
I
had just become interested in athletics and I worked with a man who was a
quarter/half mile County champion and he asked if t was interested in going
to Wembley Stadium to see some races - not realising he meant the Olympics,
but I agreed and when we arrived at the Stadium he said we could not go in
yet as we had to sell tickets - his club Surrey Athletic Club had purchased
a quantity of Olympic Games tickets and had not been taken up by friends and
members - the Club could not afford to lose money from Club funds, so
members and friends – me! who were going, stood outside and tried to sell
tickets.
Can
you picture a scenario today of trying to sell Olympic tickets for the
actual price stated on the ticket - we did not want to make a profit only
wanted the cash back in Club funds. We sold them all so I would like to
think I was one of the original “ticket touts” one hears of to-day albeit an
honest one
That
was my eventful start of my love with athletics, which has now been and
still is my connection for over 50 year,
It
does not have to be athletics what about the World cup 1966 - I'm sure our
men readers have some amusing, or not, stories?
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