The First Winter Olympic Games: Scandinavian Dominance & American Surprises
Kellar Ellsworth
Author
Every four years the Winter Olympics plunge Americans and the world at large into frozen sports they mostly know nothing about. While other countries may have had an intermittent interest in winter sports, the same was most likely not so for Scandinavian countries. Those frozen countries with their seemingly endless winters undoubtedly became envious following the first modern Summer Olympics in 1896. Five years later they laid the groundwork for the Winter Olympics with their 1901 Nordic Games.
Canada and the USA battle during at the first Winter Olympics at Chamonix in 1924. Getty Images
After years of politicking and a World War, the first Winter Olympics took place in 1924. Thanks to Scandinavian countries wanting to protect their Nordic Games, it was dubbed the “International Winter Sports Week.” The tiny town of Chamonix located in the French Alps earned the distinction of hosting what retroactively became the world's first Winter Olympic games. Here’s what it looked like.
Canada showed the world who owns hockey, eh.
“International Winter Sports Week”
Obviously living in winter for 8 months out of the year has its downsides. However, it also probably means you’ve gotten really good at every aspect of winter. That obviously includes recreation. The world’s first “International Winter Sports Week” featured just 16 countries. Nevertheless, they enjoyed it so much that after the event, the IOC declared it the first-ever Winter Olympics.
American skaters looking exactly as athletic as you'd expect for 1924. Getty Images
A Limited Field
In the first Winter Olympics, roughly 250 athletes competed. Of that relatively small number, only 11 were women, all of whom competed in figure skating. The event took place between Jan. 25 through Feb. 5 with 10,000 paying spectators attending the inaugural event.
Back then only six winter sports rose to the level of Olympic competition, creating 16 separate events. Amazingly, over nearly a century of development, the number of sports has only increased by one! Somehow they have managed to increase the number of events to an astounding 107.
Skating actually became one of America best Winter Olympic sports.
Norway Dominates
As expected Scandinavian countries monopolized the medal count, especially Norway. The Norwegians claimed more medals (17) than total events. Of the nine skiing events, they took gold in all but one. They were led by Thorleif Haugh who gained legendary status in his home country by taking 1st place in three separate skiing events. He did so well the country named several iconic races after him.
He even competed in the ski jump competition, holding the bronze medal for about 60 years before a scoring mistake was discovered in the 1970s. After many decades American Anders Haugen was awarded the bronze. Mistakes are to be expected on an event’s debut.
The Canadians beat the United States 6-1 in the final, taking the first Olympic gold in dominate fashion. Getty Images
Some Things Never Change
Like the United States in basketball and the Kenyans in long-distance running, the Canadians own hockey. Back in 1924, things were no different. In fact, they overwhelmed their competition to an almost hilarious degree. Not only did they take gold but did so while scoring 122 goals to their opponents’ 3.
They also accomplished that amazingly lopsided tally in just five games. As Olympic historian David Wallechinsky put it, “The hockey tournament was dominated by Canada, to put it mildly. So Canadians think really highly of these games.”
Apparently the hockeyfinal was a rather rough and tumble affair, which also what you'd expect for 1924.
A USA Canada Hockey Final
In what became a theme in the first Winter Olympics, the Americans punched above their weight class. The longshot Americans managed to make the final, facing the heavily favored Canadians. Obviously, our neighbors to the north took the gold 6-1 but the account of the game reads like high comedy:
“Twenty seconds after play began, a Canadian was sent sprawling. Before two minutes had elapsed an American was laid out by a Canadian’s stick. From start to finish the players knocked each other about so that the game was a succession of man-ruled-out-for-two-minutes, and man-retired-for-injuries.”
Charles Jewtraw became the first American to win a gold medal in the first Winter Olympics. Getty Images
An American Upset
The United States did better than expected, finishing 4th with 29 points thanks to speed skater Charles Jewtraw. A heavy underdog in the 500-meter speed skate, Jewtraw beat out a field of 26 other highly touted athletes. According to reports, the “furious start” elicited “gasps” with the American crossing the line first at 44 seconds flat. For context, he finished 8th in the 1,500 meters and 13th in the 5000.
Jewtraw inspired many kid leading to further gold from the US in Olympic skating.
An All-Around Success
While the Scandinavian countries were concerned that a Winter Olympics would overshadow their Nordic Games, they ended up cherishing the event. Apparently, winning really does cure all ills. More importantly, the games were heralded as a roaring success, laying the groundwork for the Winter Olympics that we know and love today.
The then President of the IOC, President Pierre de Coubertin, announced “Winter sports have about them a certain purity, and that is why I was inclined to support and nurture them in this Olympic environment. The recent unprecedented success of these Games gives us hope.”
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Kellar Ellsworth
Author
Kellar Ellsworth was born and raised in Hawaii. He is an avid traveler, surfer and lover of NBA basketball. He wishes he could have grown up in the free love era!
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