In his Foreword, Lord eloquently sums up the contents. 'The story Harry tells of at the is as vast and as sweeping as the landscapes of the continent itself, and the world­ wide Olympic Movement with which Australia shares such a rich history and special bond.' From Athens with Pride chronicles Australia's proud Olympic odyssey from Athens 1896 until Sochi 2014. As Gordon said at the launch, that journey has been ‘laced with some wonderful acts of courage', both individual and collective, collective induding the courage shown by the then Australian Olympic Federation in defying Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser and sending a team of 124 to the boycott-affected Moscow Olympics in 198o. A former general editor of the Australian Dictionary of Biography, John Ritchie, once said of writing biographical material that besides authors thoroughly researching and getting to know their subjects they 'should learn to write like angels'. Harry Gordon has done this in abundance in From Athens with Harry Gordon Pride. Out of interest, during the From Athens w ith Pride writing of the book Gordon, who The Official History of the Australian Olympic first reported the Olympic Games at Movement 1894 to 2014 Helsinki 1952, was inducted into the Penguin Books, 2014 336 p.; SA60.00 Melbourne Press Club's prestigious ISBN-13:9780702253348, ISBN-10:072253340 Media Hall of Fame. One of the hitherto untold stories Reviewed by Bruce Coe contained within the pages is that of Francis Gailey. In St. Louis in 1904, 'Once you pick up From Athens Gailey represented the Olympic with Pride you are engrossed, and Club of San Francisco in the swim­ you are rapt and you just can't put ming events in the man-made it down.' So proclaimed the 1960 lake in Forest Park. He collected Olympic champion, medals in each of the 200, 400,800 Herb Elliott, when, in early May, he and 1500 metres freestyle events. launched Harry Gordon's latest con- In 2009, Gordon formed part of a tribution to Australian and, indeed, group of Olympic historians who international Olympic heritage. confirmed that Gailey was in fact a The book, an update of Gordon's Brisbane born-and-bred Austral­ semina 1994workAustralia and the ian. To date, all attempts to have Olympic Games, was commissioned the medals credited to Australia by John Coates, President of the in the IOC's records have proved Australian Olympic Committee (A0 C) to be unsuccessful. Nevertheless, and lOC Vice-President. Gailey'sfour-medal haul have seen

76 him added to Australia's Olympic as well as assorted lists of Australian pantheon. Olympic facts. The performances of The book documents in detail the all of the members of those teams two greatest events in Australia's can be found on the AOC's website Olympic history, the hosting of the (www.olympics.com.au). Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956 As with all of Harry Gordon's books and Sydney in 2000. Other signifi­ (he has written 16) From Athens cant events to be chronicled include with Pride is a delight to read be­ the re-emergence of Australia as cause it is beautifully crafted and it an Olympic 'power' post-Atlanta, is informative and historically accu­ and the establishment of the rate. This book also, like Australia Australian Olympic Foundation, as and the Olympic Games, introduces part of the financial legacy of Sydney the reader to the personal sides 2000, that delivers the AOC some of many of the folk who make up $425 million each quadrennium. the wonderful Australian Olympic The sending of the team to Moscow tapestry. and the creation of the foundation have indelibly stamped the AOC as a National Olympic Council completely independent of government. The Olympic Winter Games are also comprehensively covered, espe­ cially the emergence of Australia as a constant medal contender in what Gordon calls the 'lifestyle' sports and events that have been introdu­ ced to the Olympic programme in the last two decades. From Athens with Pride is not only about the athletes but also the administrators, and their in­ teractions and relationships, from Leonard Cuffand Richard Coombes through to Julius 'Judy' Patching, Kevan Gosper, Phil Coles and John Coates, who had the vision, wisdom and drive to foster Australia's ongo­ ing integral involvement with the Olympic Movement. The book’s Afterword is a master­ ful essay in which Gordon encap­ sulates Australia's Olympic journey into three ages, those of Innocence (1896-1952), Confidence (1956-1972) and Reality (1976 to the present). These ages are mapped against changes in the Olympic Movement from Pierre de Coubertin's initial thoughts to today's age of profes­ sionalism, commercialism, mass digital communication, gigantism and greater women's participation. There are many rarely-viewed Olympics images, lists of all Australian teams and medal winners

JOH 2 I 2014 Book Reviews