Olympic Torch Relay or Diamond Jubilee Service
I’m very much a supporter of the Queen and the work she does, but I’m watching the Olympic Torch Relay as it passes through Omagh.
I think when we look back on these days in the years to come, the Olympics of 2012 and the associated relay, may be in our memories more than the Diamond Jubilee. After all we’ve seen a lot of Royal ceremonials, but the Torch Relay could turn out to be an important moment, in the restoration of good relations between the UK and especially England and the whole island of Ireland. We may be divided in many ways, but no pessimist could say we’re not joined in our enjoyment of sport.
The Last Corinthian
Colin Murray has been visiting all of Great Britain’s Olympic gold medallists and I may have missed it or he could have been referring to a previous program, but he closed by talking about Jim Fox. As he won his gold medal in the modern pentathlon way back in the 1976 Olympics in Montreal, he has probably dropped off the sporting radar a bit. However this article in the Independent from 1998 gives a lot more details about Jim and his various fights, against Russian cheats, bureaucracy and Parkinson’s Disease.
This the first paragraph from the Independent.
One figure stood out among the galaxy of personalities on parade at the 50th anniversary bash of the Sports Writer’s Association last week. Indeed, Jim Fox stood out because he insisted on standing, albeit more stiffly than the rest, declining a proffered seat, his dignified presence a sobering reminder of a gentler, more romantic era before the pursuit of sporting glory became suffused by greed, drugs and duplicity.
Remember Foxy? Once he led the charge down sport’s superhighway, a swashbuckling, Corinthian hero in an age when sportsmen were men, and women seemed happy to be ladies. And Foxy was a ladies’ man, a ruggedly handsome, 6ft 3in dashing white sergeant, single, and single-minded who, on his own admission was a bit of a stud; swordsman supreme, in every sense. Now, at 57, the old soldier who was, arguably, Britain’s outstanding all- round sportsman is a victim of Parkinson’s Disease and fights on two fronts – for his own future and that of the sport with which he became identified.
I met him in the early 1990’s, when he was making a comeback and attempted to get into the British Eventing Team. We just chatted about the horses and he talked about his problems, which he put down to falling off too many horses. I don’t know whether the real diagnosis had been made.
He was an impressive man and that meeting left an indelible mark on my mind.
He must be the Last Corinthian, as sport now is just too well-funded and professional, so another will not come along. Fox was as professional in the five disciplines of modern pentathlon as anybody, but he competed in the true Corinthian spirit in the tradition of those like C. B. Fry.
I am afraid, that we won’t see the mavericks too at the Olympics in the future.
Australia has one of the bravest in Bill Roycroft. All it says in Wikipedia about his winning of the gold medal in eventing is this.
Although seriously injured during the 1960 Olympics in Rome, he left his hospital bed to compete in Show Jumping, which was the final event. He rode a flawless round, and Australia won the Gold Medal.
The truth, is more out of Aussie versions of Greek Heroic Myths.
The deed for which Bill Roycroft will forever be renowned occurred at the Rome Olympics in 1960. On the last day of the three-day equestrian event, Australia faced a grim predicament. Two riders, Laurie Morgan and Neale Lavis, were doing well; Brian Crago’s horse had broken down, and the fourth member of the team, Bill Roycroft, was in hospital – concussed, sedated, with extensive bruising and muscle damage. Doctors refused to sanction his release from hospital. The problem was that, if Australia was to win the team event, it needed three finishers. Roycroft had fallen during the steeplechase phase the previous day after his horse, Our Solo, somersaulted over pipes and landed on him. He had climbed groggily back, finished the course, then been given oxygen (and whisky) and flown by helicopter to a hospital outside Rome.
Next morning, with the final phase, the show-jumping, due to start soon, Roycroft insisted on signing himself out of hospital. The doctors said no, and refused to give him his clothes; he then threatened to leave in his underpants. Finally, he signed a document taking responsibility for his safety, and was allowed to go. He was 45, laced heavily with pain-killers, unable to bend, and his comrades had to dress him for the last ride. He was virtually folded onto Our Solo, and the reins were placed in his hands. Stiffly, flawlessly, he completed the round of 12 jumps, ensuring team gold for Australia. (Morgan also won the individual event). Roycroft, patriarch of a legendary riding family, competed in four more Olympics, winning team bronze in 1968 and 1976. He also carried the flag at the Mexico Opening Ceremony in 1968.
It can’t be a myth as it’s on the Internet. But even the author, left out the bit about jumping the round with his arm in a sling. Roycroft won his bronze medal in 1976 at over sixty.
Mavericks too, must include Dick Fosbury, who developed a new method of high-jumping and then turned up at the US Olympic Trials in 1968, won it and then went on to win the gold medal at the Olympics in Mexico. Without his method, Mary Peters would never have got her gold in Munich.
We Don’t Do High Jumpers Do We?
All the years, I’ve been following athletics, we have had very few high jumpers of note, despite having some good triple and long jumpers in that time.
I suppose there is one notable exception in that Mary Peters jumped herself to gold in the pentathlon in the high jump. I remember that night in 1972 vividly, as she kept clearing height after height, cheered on by a very passionate crowd, who seemed mainly to support her, despite the fact her rivals were a West and an East German. I think at the time it was said, that quite a few squaddies from the British Army of the Rhine were present and they willed her over. A difficult job, as to put it truthfully, she wasn’t built for high-jumping.
We’ve never won gold in the men’s high jump at the Olympics, but there is always a surprise medal in something and perhaps with a bit of luck it could be Robbie Grabraz, as reported here in the Telegraph. After losing his funding, he’s now number one in the world.
One-Nil to Ing-Er-Land
I’m just listening to the 606 phone in on BBC Radio 5. Everybody is being so negative.
I’ll admit that Roy has a problem, but it isn’t of his making. How many people would relish being dropped into the scenario he found himself, just a few weeks before a major tournament. Only a complete masochist! Or a Leo pig!
I remember 1966, when I was just 18. Were we optimistic? Of course not! We were looking forward to a good summer of football as the World Cup was going to be held in England.
We’re looking forward to a big summer of sport with the Olympics. And judging by the way the torch has been received in the last two weeks the country is getting fired up. If the players we’re sending to Euro 2012 aren’t getting turned on by that, they shouldn’t be going. They’ve also got three Chelsea players and Steven Gerrard, who’ve tasted European glory in the Champions League.
Going back to 1966, if you look at the side that won the World Cup, some were virtually unknown before the tournament. Jimmy Greaves was expected to be the man to score all the goals and Jimmy Armfield was supposed to be the right back. So is Rooney setting himself up for the Greaves role? We need some players to step up and be counted. I’ll put my money on Phil Jagielka, John Terry and Theo Walcott.
They’re still being negative on the phone-in.
The only positive thing I’ve heard is someone saying, he’d take a one-nil win in every game.
The Olympic Torch Goes By
I climbed the hill and then waited on the platform on which the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral is built.
The pictures are in the order I took them.
If I’d made a video, you would have heard the bells ring out. Just as they did, when the Relay passed the Anglican Cathedral.
A few thimgs to note in the various pictures :-
2 – This picture shows the platform at the right, where I took the pictures from.
3 – Lloyds Bank TSB’s publicity vehicle was a converted Bedford CF van, that started its life selling ice cream.
18, 19 – You can spot the Archbishop of Liverpool, the Most Reverend Patrick Kelly in full regalia. Admittedly, it was mainly red, white and blue. He seemed to be enjoying himself, but I don’t know whether he blessed the relay.
21, 26 – The giant puppets are from Hope Street Ltd. and represent Beatles characters.
23,24,25,26 – The building directly opposite is part of Liverpool John Moores University. In my day it was a Roman Catholic Teacher Training College. Opposite the building and behind the one with all the columns, used to be the Everyman Theatre, which is currently being rebuilt.
35 – Note the man on the crane.
36,37,38,39 – The torch and a kiss is in there somewhere.
40 – Walking back towards Brownlow Hill and the University.
What it was like at ground level is shown by this video.
If C Had Been in Liverpool, She’d Have Been Here
St Luke’s in Liverpool, was one of C’s favourite churches, as sitting there at the bottom of the hill, it says so much about the pointlessness of war.
Every time I go to Liverpool, I always pass the church and contemplate for a few moments about what might have been, had she not got the cancer.
Liverpool Waterfront in the Sun
It was a glorious sunny day yesterday in Liverpool.
The amazing waterfront, showed itself at its best.
It was a pity, that because of the evening celebrations surrounding the Olympic Torch Relay, the Pier Head was shut off.
Mastercard at the Olympics
Not on VISA’s nelly, as they’ve removed the cash machines that accept them, as is reported here.
I have all three of VISA, Mastercard and AMEX, and generally have them all with me, but for most transactions I use Mastercard, as it helps me keep track of my expenses. AMEX I use for holidays and travel, so that the insurance kicks in and VISA generally takes up space in my wallet.
But no sponsor, is going to tell me which card to use!
I assume they use those credit cards with Lizzie’s picture on them.
Anyway what would I be able to buy at venues, as there might not be any gluten-free food, in which case, I’ll have to take my own.
The BBC’s Description of Today’s Torch Relay Leg
The Olympic Torch is going from Bolton to Liverpool today. I was drawn to their description of the leg on the BBC’s web site.
Through Lancashire and down the coast to Knotty Ash, made famous by Ken Dodd and his Diddy Men characters, via Aintree Racecourse to Liverpool, home of The Beatles, two top football clubs and once known for its wealth as the “Second City of Empire”.
In my view Liverpool may not now be the “Second City of Empire”, but it’s certainly the Second City in the UK.
The description is accompanied by a picture of a horse jumping to victory in the Grand National. I thought for a moment the horse was Red Rum, but the picture is more recent, the colours are wrong and the horse doesn’t have a sheepskin noseband.
Eat your heart out Manchester!
Where’s your historic city centre, world-famous racecourse and amazing river? To name but three!
Off to Liverpool Today
I’m going to watch the Olympic Torch Relay in Liverpool today. It’s going straight through the University, where C and I met. I will just walk up the hill to the Victoria Building.
The weather looks to be reasonably good.
If you are watching the relay on the Internet, today promises to be one of the most architecturally spectacular days so far. The flame is going past the two cathedrals, through the City Centre, past St. George’s Hall, under and over the Mersey and then the evening celebration will be in front of The Three Graces at the Pier Head. Remember that a lot of the centre of Liverpool is a World Heritage Site called the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City.
The Olympic Torch will feel at home as it passes St. George’s Hall, which has been described by Nicholas Pevsner as one of the finest neo-Grecian buildings in the world. In 1967 or 1968, during Panto Week, the students organised a hog roast in front of the hall. I doubt anybody would be allowed to do that now!
The Anonymous Widower 