Citius, Altius, Fortius – Communiter

Pierre de Coubertin established the motto of the “modern” Olympic Games in 1894.  And in 2021, “communiter” was added (together) to the original:  swifter, higher, stronger.  

We Americans of a certain age grew up with the ABC television version of the Olympics, presented by the inimitable Jim McKay.  ABC’s “Wide World of Sports” also showcased his talent, covering everything from Acapulco Cliff Diving to skiing wrecks in the Giant Slalom to horse shows and racing.  It didn’t hurt a bit that he loved horses, and was the founder of the Maryland Million.  The Olympic ideals of perfected human nature inspired us all.

Moreover, it’s not a stretch to say that without the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, Santa Anita might never have been successful; in fact, it might never have been.  Period.

In 1923, the International Olympic Committee sought to find the host city for those ’32 Games.  There was only one applicant:  remote Los Angeles.    It wasn’t much different in the 1970s.  After the calamities of Munich terrorism and Montreal’s financial disaster, only two nations were interested in the 1984 Games:  Iran and the United States.