Crystal Palace in London hosted a sports event in July-August 1866 organized by Liverpool's National Olympic Association. The event included track and field competitions similar to modern Olympics events. Over several thousand spectators watched competitions like the 100-yard dash, long jump, wrestling and javelin. Notable athletes competed, like H.W. Brooke who won the general competition title, a precursor to the modern decathlon, and W.G. Grace who won the 400-yard hurdles before becoming a famous cricketer. The 1866 Crystal Palace games highlighted the vision of the National Olympic Association organizers to promote open sporting competition among all people and nations, a vision that later inspired Pierre de Coubertin to restart the ancient

1. WINNER; Crystal Palace played host to a sports event organised by Liverpool's National olympian Association
City's impact frn
'66 r that'sHE anniversary of '66 has
loomed largethis summer, a
year when Merseyside was
well represented in sporting . "
history.
Everton's Ray Wilson lined up
aiongside Liverpool's Roger Hunt as
England won the World Cup after the
Blues had won a mernorable fA Cup
final.
As if that wasn't enough, the Reds
had delivered Bill Shankly's second
league title, not to mention a place in
their first European final, the Cup
Winners' Cup in Clasgori:
And yet 140 years ago this week
London staged an event that has
perhaps had an even greater impact on
lhe world olsport.
Its roots were planted firmly in this
city and the north west of England, but
its Liverpool details have been pushed
to the margins of history.
From July 31 to August 2, 1866, the
National Ol5.rnpian Association, which
was formed in Liverpool, held its first
annual meeting, its 'Olympic Ganes',
at the Crystal Palace, the giant iron and
glass structure created for the Great
Exhibition in Hyde Park 15 years
earlier. The entire structure had been
taken down and reassembled in south
east London.
Thousands came to watch a range of
track and field disciplines rernarkably
like those 6t the firsi modern Oiympiis
in Athens 30 years later. There was lhe
100yds dash, a steeplechase over halfa
mile, high jump, long jump, vaulting
and pole leaping. There were oddities.
such as the standing longjunrp and the
.,... . :r r:;iti:,.,::it' ,':,;.f
rope climb. And ilr a nod to the anclent
Greek Games. there were rl restling.
boxing, fencing and jar,elin
competitions.
There g-ere heroes and villains too.
athietes ir ho ri orrld sur.el.,-har.e become
q.orld famous stars ln the modern era.
H : Brooke ar.rd H Landsberger
shared the General Competition title, a
forerunner ofthe modern decathlon
irrtolr ing h igh jurnp. long jump.
half-mile race, putting the r.eight and
rope clirub.
b Nurse of Brighton was disqualified
after winning the mile run. but there is
no record ofthe charges against hin.
An l8,year-old, W G Grace from
Bristol, took time out out from a cricket
niatch to rvin the 410yds hurdies before
going on to become the world's most
farnous cricketer.
And a G Henderson of Liverpool
made his mark with victory in the
vaulting and fencing with bayonet and
sabre, along with a tie in the
catch-as-catch-can wresiling,
The Crystal Palace Games were the
highpoint for the organisers ofthe
NOA, three rnen who shared a vision of
sporting competition open to athletes
from all wa1ks of life and from all
countries.
it rryas a vision which would inspire
(Baron) Pierre De Coubertin to restage
the ancient Games decades later and
which is the central philosophy ofthe
Olympic movement to this dav
Dave Booth
.i Next week: Part Two - The vear the
Ofympic Games came to Liveipool
MAKING RUNS: W G Grace won the 400-yard
hurdles event at the ,66
sports meeting

2. ln part two of our
feature on the Part
Liverpool has plaYed in
the Olympics, Dave
Booth looks back to
the summer of 1862 -
when the games were
held in the city
'i.",. rli.i::
ra
ILLIAM Penny
Brookes was the
local doctor and
Justice of the Peace in the
village of Much Wenlock in
Shropshire.
As far back as 1841, Brookes
had set up a reading societY for
the village and, inspjred bY the
Greeks ald his own religious
beliefs, he formed the Wenlock
Olympian Society to "Promote
the moral, physical and
intellectual improvement of the
inhabitants of the town and
neighbourhood".
The Wenlock Garnes were
colourfr:l pageants, rvith events
for everyone, including a
wheelbarrow race ald a
women's race for a Pound of teal
There were comPetitors from as
far as Liverpool, Birmingham
andLondon.
ln Liverpool, John HulleY and
Charles Melly had a grander
stage in mind.
Melly an ancestor of
jazz-singing George, was
responsible for installing most of
the drinking fountains in the
city centre and suburbs. Hulley
was the showman of the Piece.
dresshg as a Turk at the Palace
Games to entertain the crowds.
Both "muscular Christians",
they formed the LiverPool
Athletic Club in tB62 with the
motto mens sana in corPore sano
( a healthy mintl in a healthY
body).
They were also successful
cotton rnerchants, who.hacl
profi ted from Liverpool's
booming trade and wanted to Put
the eity on the map.
They staged the LiverPool
Olympic Games from 1862 to
1854 and 1862 firstlY at the
Mount Vernon pariide ground
and then the Zoological
(Botanical) gardens off West
Derby Road.
These were a great success,
attracting 10,000 sPectators,
men, women and children of all
classes, and they involved manY
of the events that would become
the mainstay of the Ol]mPics
toda-l-, including swimming races
-held here inthe Merse5t
Thet n ere for tlie most Part
aoll*rq:ni<erl rith Iittl.
Gymnastic Society of London,
held the opening ofliverPool
Glmnasium in N{Yrt1e Street,
one ofthe biggest )l EuroPe.
The:- formed tlie ational
The 1867 Live{Pool Games ,
were held at the Myrtle Street
gyn and. according to the
Liverpool Mercury there rvere
"competitors from Parls.
the My'rtle Street'Gymnasiarch'
Brookes continued to organise
the Wenlock Games each Year
(they are still held to this daY).
He had lor decades nrged Greek

3. F
fi
s
Y
ii jlt,
E0dn bd$ Dacl{ t0
the summer of 1852 -
when the games were
held in the city
ILLIAM Penny
Brookes was the
local doctor and
Justice otthe Peace in the
village of Much Wenlock in
Shropshire.
As far back as 1841, Brookes
had set up a readilg soci.ety for
the village and, i.nspired by the
Greeks and his own religious
beliefs, he formed the Wen-1ock
Olympian Society to "promote
the moral, physical and
intellectual improvement of the
inhabitants of the town and
neighbourhood".
The Wenlock Games were
colourful pageants, with events
for everyone, inciudilg a
wheelbarrow race and a
women's race for a pound of tea!
There were competitors from as
far as Liverpool, Birmhgham
and London.
ln Liverpool, John HulleY and
Charles Melly had a grander
stage in mind.
.Melly an ancestor of
jazz-singing George, was
responsible for installing most of
the drinking fountains in the
city centre and suburbs. Hulley
was the showman of the piece,
dressing as a Turk at the Palace
Games to entertain the crowds.
Both "muscular Christians",
they formed the Liverpool
Athletic Club in 1862 with the
motto mens sana in corpore sano
( a healthy mind in a healthy
body).
Thely were also successful
cotton rnerchants, who had
profi ted from Liverpool's
booming trade and wanted to put
the city on the map.
They staged the Liverpool
Olympic Games from 1862 to
1854 and 1867, firstly at the
Mount Vernon pardde ground
and then the Zoological
(Botanical) gardens off West
Derby Road.
These were a great success,
attracting 10,000 spectators,
men, women and children of all
classes, and they involved many
of the events that would become
the mainstay of the Olympics
today including swimming races
-held here in the Mersey
They were for the most part
well-organised, with litUe
evidence ofthe drunken yobbery
that plagued the Aintree races.
The stars of these games were
the Mitchell brothers, Robert,
William and Thomas. Their
father was John Mitcheil, who
owned a worsfed cloth bus iness
and was said to live at Fearnes
hall, Waterfoot, Lancashire.
There were medals for the
winners, a firework display and
demonstration of hopping.
On November 6, 1865, Brookes,
Hulley,Melly, andEG
Ravenstein of the German
Gl:mnastic Society of London,
held the opening ofliverpool
Gymnasium in Myrtie Street,
one ofthe biggest in Europe.
They formed the National
Olympian Association to be an
umbrella organisation for all the
sports associations in Engiand.
Its competitions would be
"international and open to
a1l-comers"; its badge was a
wrealh ofoak.
French fencing master Andre
Durbec was the gymnasium s
maitre d'armes and'Gyps-rr' Jem
Mace, the prizefighting
champion of England who was
buried in a pauper's grave in
Anfield cemetery, " gave
demonstrations in self-defence ",
The 1867 Liverpool Games
were held at the Myrtle Street
glnn and, according to the
Liverpool Mercury, there were
"competitors from Paris,
Marseilles, London and a large
contingent from Manchester".
But by now the NOA was losing
out to the Amateur Athletic Club
Gater the Amateur Athletic
Association) based in London
and Oxford and Cambridge
llniversities. Most AAC
members wanted to preserve the
' gentlemen amateur' status in
sports and had little interest in
inviting athletes from abroad.
Up north, Meily was
concentrating on charitable
work and Hully was occupied as
the M:,'rtle Street' Gymnasiarch'
Brookes continued to organise
the Wenlock Games each year
(they are still held to this day).
He had for decades urged Greek
officials to recreate the ancient
Games at Olympia or Athens.
When de Coubertin heard of ,
Wenlock, he was invited over irr
1890 and a special Games
organised in his honour. He took
up the baton, ultimately
succeeding in setting up the
Olyitrpic movement and Athens
Games of 1896. Tragically,
Brookes d ieci in December 1895,
four months before the first
modern Olympic Games, the
realisation of his 1
jfelong
ambition.