{"product_id":"9781542745963","title":"Zany Games: America at the 1900 Paris Olympics","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe 1900 Paris Olympic Games were zany in many ways:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e No opening or closing ceremonies were held.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Some competitors had no idea they had actually participated in the Olympics.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Competitions included swimming obstacle races, underwater swimming, motorcycle racing, live pigeon shooting, tug-of-war, ballooning and firefighting.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Children were used in rowing events.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Most winners received cups, trophies or prizes such as carriage clocks or paper knives. Some received money.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Questions remain as to whether the French winner of the marathon ran the same course as the other runners.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e The track and field events were held on a lumpy grass field.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Some American athletes refused to compete on Sundays setting up a situation in which a Jewish athlete couldn’t compete on a day that \u003cem\u003ewasn’t\u003c\/em\u003e his Sabbath while a Gentile could compete on a day that \u003cem\u003ewas\u003c\/em\u003e his Sabbath. Fisticuffs followed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e It remains unclear whether some events were part of the Olympics or not.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese Games of the II Olympiad, held in conjunction with the 1900 Exposition Universelle, nevertheless provided some outstanding contributions to Olympism:\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Nearly 1000 athletes representing twenty-eight nations competed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Team sports were included.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Women competed in sailing, lawn tennis and golf.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e A black athlete competed in Rugby.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e Alvin Kraenzlein remains the only athlete to have won four individual gold medals at one Olympic Game.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHere is the story of the American participation in these remarkable Games, Games in which American athletes won 17 of the 23 track and field events.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Howard Burman","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47063814177008,"sku":"9781542745963","price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781542745963_p0.jpg?v=1763747188","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781542745963","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}