Historical Dictionaries of Sports
2 total works
The third edition of this fascinating book deals with both levels of the competition-the competitive side and the administrative side. The dictionary includes hundreds of cross-referenced entries on the major sports, more outstanding athletes, participating countries and numerous bodies in the organization as well as successive generations of officials-starting with the founder, Pierre de Coubertin. Two chronologies trace the history of the Olympic movement back to the Ancient Olympiad first celebrated in Greece in 776 B.C. as well as all of the modern Games up to Athens in 2004. The appendixes then provide elusive facts on the Games, the officials, the torchbearers, and the top Olympic medal winners.
The nearly 150-year-old sport of cycling had its first competition in France in 1868. Soon afterward, the need arose for purpose-built cycling tracks because of poor road conditions at the time. Racing on blocked off pieces of street or grass soon evolved into racing on special tracks called velodromes. This development marked the split into what are still the two main forms of cycling competition: road racing and track racing. Initially, track cycling was more popular in terms of public attention and money to be earned by racers, but this gradually changed in favor of road racing, which has been the most popular form of cycling since at least the end of World War II. The Historical Dictionary of Cycling takes a closer look at the sport, as well as discussing the use of bicycles as a means of fitness, touring, and commuting. This is done through a chronology, an introductory essay, appendixes, photos, a bibliography, and over 500 cross-referenced dictionary entries on cycling's two main disciplines-road and track-as well as brief overviews of the other forms of cycling. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about cycling.