Waging love on sport
A ‘‘golden age’’ of sport was born from the horrors of the World War I and II, but it was New Zealand that took the spotlight in 1950 to host the first Commonwealth Games since 1938, Jessica Long reports.
British ambassador Neville Henderson gave Adolf Hitler until 11am to say Germany would withdraw troops from Poland, or declare war. At 11.15am on September 3, 1939, two days after the Polish invasion, Britain’s Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain told the empire on BBC radio World War II had begun. Life as people knew it changed forever.
‘‘There is no chance of expecting that this man [Hitler] will ever give up his practice of using force to gain his will. He can only be stopped by force,’’ Chamberlain said.
Six years and one day later a staggering estimated 50 million lives had been lost. The New Zealand death toll was the highest per capita of any Commonwealth country, and all sport had been cancelled while war was waged.
Out of the pain and wretched memories of two world wars, significant loss, casualties, and the hardships of the Great Depression, the people were in search of something to keep their minds and bodies occupied.
The Auckland Star dared imagine the beginnings of a ‘‘new golden age of sport’’ not even a week after the war’s end, acknowledging its therapy on nations after World War I.
‘‘Recreation’’ released ‘‘nerves which had been taut for years’’, as a result of the great conflict.
‘‘Now the world is facing another period of reconstruction and settling down. The time of trial has been long; the people want to forget, are determined to be entertained. Already the sporting shape of things to come is clear.’’
Cricket, rugby, rowing and all means of athleticism were in focus. Sportsmen and women quickly become household names worldwide.
‘‘Their successes and failures were matters of importance to people who had never seen them and, apart from an occasional glimpse on a newsreel, had no chance of ever doing so,’’ The Auckland Starproclaimed.
New Zealand long-distance runner Harold Nelson, following his World War II Air Force service, became New Zealand captain and flag-bearer at the 1948 Olympic Games.
He told reporters in 1942 he was supplementing his military diet with ‘‘malt and other items’’ to keep in form during the war – his aim to establish a New Zealand junior record for three-quarters of a mile, according to the Otago Daily Times.
By 1950 New Zealand would, for the first time, host the fourth British Empire Games, now the Commonwealth Games, 12 years since the last stoush for the podium.
It would give Kiwis like Nelson a chance to prove themselves off the battlefield, his country having won hosting rights from Canada.
The Auckland Star said air travel considerably simplified ‘‘the problem of men gaining leave from their employment for the long periods’’ to visit the other side of the world and compete.
Plans for the games began and excitement swelled throughout the nation.
Cities’ bids for the chance to welcome ‘‘champions’’ turned to protests when Christchurch rallied against Auckland holding the games.
But the decision was final. At the start of the games 175 New Zealand competitors descended on Eden Park, where Nelson once again carried the flag representing the country.
The Empire Games gave Nelson ‘‘enormous status’’ after winning gold in the six-mile event and silver in the three miles. He went on to inspire generations of runners, Stuff said following his death in 2011.
At the closing ceremony Kiwi athletes were celebrated, after placing third in the medal tally with 10 gold, 22 silver, 21 bronze.
New Zealand’s love of sport has never wavered.
Christchurch’s chance to host to the games came in 1974 when the British Commonwealth Games returned to New Zealand. After a final rebranding, 2000 athletes from 55 nations stormed the country for the Commonwealth Games once again in Auckland in 1990.
In four years, Birmingham will host the games for the first time, and next year the rights to the 2026 and 2030 games will be up for consideration.
The question is once again alive: Will New Zealand host the Commonwealth’s champions?
‘‘At home and abroad the story is the same – the accent is on sport. It is not too much to predict that the late 1940s will rival the fabulous ‘twenties’ when the second golden age of sport reaches its zenith,’’ said The Star.