The Rationalisation + Modern day development of Track and Field Athletics

Question 1

Pre Industrial- Foot racing

Answer 1

• Consisted of footmen (hired servants) competing as messengers by the upper class for their speed of movement across open land.
• Upper class wagered on these races.
• They had rural fairs.

Question 2

Olympian class

Answer 2

• 1850= Wenlock Agricultural Reading Society (WARS) formed the Olympian class.
• This was set to promote moral, physical and intellectual improvements, especially targeted at the lower class.

Question 3

Wenlock Olympic- what?

Answer 3

• Dr William Penny Brookes was the driving force.
• First games held in 1850- were the forerunners to the modern day Olympics.
• Mixture of football, cricket, running and hurdles.
• Rules were written.

Question 4

Wenlock Olympic games- continued.

Answer 4

• Games held in a high regard.
• Band, procession, Olympic hymns, crown of laurel leaves etc.

Question 5

What else did the WARS and Brookes campaign for?

Answer 5

• For physical education to be on the school curriculum and promoted the benefits of sport and exercise nationally.

Question 6

Wenlock games

Answer 6

Brookes- founded the National Olympian Association who held there first festival in 1866= attracted 10,000 spectators.

Question 7

De Coubertin

Answer 7

• Inspired by Brooks and went on to establish the IOC and reform the modern Olympic games.

Question 8

Industrialisation- Athletics

Answer 8

• Became popular in towns and cities that had purpose built tracks and facilities.
• Rural athletic fairs- Urban athletic fairs.
• Large numbers of people attended.
• Wagering was still common.
• Class divisions still evident- upper/ middle class ran for enjoyment, lower class ran to make money.

Question 9

‘Exclusion clause’

Answer 9

• An ‘exclusion clause’ (excluding lower class), attempted to separate modern athletics from the old corrupt form.

Question 10

AAC (Amateur Athletics Club)

Answer 10

• 1866- AAC was formed by gentlemen amateurs.
• This brought respectability to athletics, emphasising endeavour, fair play, courage and no wagering.

Question 11

What happened in 1880?

Answer 11

AAA was formed (Amateur Athletics Association) and they withdrew the exclusion clause.

Question 12

Women in Athletics

Answer 12

• Track + field was not seen as acceptable for women as it was seen as unladylike and they were unable to follow an appropriate dress code.

Question 13

Women’s AAA

Answer 13

• Not founded until 1922, with no female Olympic ppts until 1928.

Question 14

The emergence of elite female athletes in modern day sport

Answer 14

• Until the very late 20th century, women were still excluded from a number of Olympic events:
• Marathon= 1984
• Triple jump= 1996
• Hammer= 2000