Annotated Bibliography

There are two indispensable primary sources of information covering specifically the 1908 London Games. The Official Report of The Olympic Games of 1908 was drawn up by Theodore Cook and published in 1909 by the British Olympic Council. This comprehensive work includes a complete list of competitors and results, photographs of winners, information on the preparations for the Games and comments of most of the events of the Games. It contains also the rules and regulations governing each Sport. The other very good primary source of information is the book coauthored by the Olympic historians Bill Mallon and Ian Buchanan, The 1908 Olympic Games (Jefferson NC, 2000) which covers the results of all competitions together with a commentary on them. The book also provides some interesting material dealing with the disputes and protests that arose during and after the Games.

Several general histories of the modern Olympics have been written which include particularly useful information on the 1908 Games. The pick of the bunch are David Wallechinsky’s, The Complete Book of the Olympics (New York 991), John Findling’s and Kimberly Pelle’s, Historical Dictionary of the Modern Olympic Movement (Westport, Conn. 1996), The Olympic Games, edited by Lord Killanin and John Rodda (London 1979), Frederick Webster’s Olympic Cavalcade (London 1948), and Allen Guttman’s, The Olympics, (Chicago 2002). Brian Dobbs includes an interesting chapter on the revival of the Olympian movement in his book, Edwardians at Play (London 1973).

Richard Schaap in his impressive, Illustrated History of the Olympics, (New York 1975), covers the 1908 Games and highlights the Marathon event. Another well documented history of the early Olympics can be found in John Kieran’s and Arthur Daley’s The Story of the Olympic Games 776 B.C.-1952 A.D. (Philadelphia 1969) Readers interested in the political background to the Games will find this aspect covered well in David Kanin’s, Political History of the Olympic Games, (Boulder, Colo. 1981). On a lighter note, William Johnson’s, All that Glitters is not Gold (New York 1972) and David Guiney’s, The Dunlop Book of the Olympics, (Lavenham 1975) both provide an amusing and irreverent look at the Olympics in general, and feature incidents and athletes from the London Games.

There are three useful sources of information dealing specifically with the Games’ controversies. George Matthews in his article, The Controversial Olympic Games of 1908, , provides a good insight into how the disputes were regarded in the press on both sides of the Atlantic, (Journal of Sports History 1980). Similarly, Caspar Whitney has covered this aspect judiciously in the American sporting weekly, Outing magazine. As regards the role and influence of the Irish American athletes and officials, this is described well in John Schaefer’s, The Irish American Athletic Club: Redefining Americanism at the 1908 Olympic Games, (Archives of Irish Americans). Thomas Burlford provides a British perspective in his, American Hatred and British Folly, (London 1911)

Only a few of the Olympians portrayed in this book have been the subject of specific published biographies. By far the most detailed is Greg Growden’s thorough and colourful account of Snowy Baker’s eventful life in his book, The Snowy Baker Story, (Netley, South Australia 2003). The astonishing career of Tom Longboat is dealt with perceptively in Bruce Kidd’s biography, Tom Longboat, (Markham, Ontario 2004), and also by David Blaikie on the Internet –www.davidblaikie.com. The Sheridan Memorial Community Centre at Bohola, Ireland, has compiled a warm and thorough account of Martin Sheridan’s life and illustrious athletic career in its publication, The Martin Sheridan Story (c1999)

Otherwise, most of the biographical information used is drawn from a variety of sources, such as books, articles and newspapers and the Internet. Many of the accounts of the 1908 Games refer to the inspirational role played by Lord Desborough, although he has yet to receive the full biography he deserves. However, readers can find a useful summary of his remarkable sporting achievements in the publication Olympic Hero (Taplow Court 1994). Similarly, the illustrious marathon runners Johnny Hayes and Dorando Pietri both lack thorough biographies, although a wealth of personal and anecdotal details appears in various books, articles, and internet sites when their part in the London Marathon is discussed. Relatively little has been published about the Olympic champions Ralph Rose, Madge Syers and Henry Taylor, but James Bancroft has included a much-needed sketch of the life and achievements of the swimmer Henry Taylor in his publication, Olympic Champions in Manchester (Aim High Publications 1993)

Reports on the Games were carried in several British newspapers and magazines but the best daily coverage can be found in The Times for the period July 13-25, 1908. The British published a daily sporting newspaper, The Sporting Life, during the Games, and also in 1908 produced a complete record of the winners and events. The American newspapers such as the New York Times, the New York Herald and the New York Daily Sun, also maintained a high interest in the Games both during and after the event, and especially in the controversies that arose.