Encyclopedia of the Summer Olympics

The Olympic Games began in Greece in 776 B.C., when athletes and spectators gathered to honor their gods. That first Olympiad consisted of a single event -- a footrace. Since that time, athletes have often come together to determine who is the fastest, the strongest, and the best in the world. From a single footrace, the Summer Olympics have grown to include nearly 400 events in 35 sports. The Summer Olympic Games attract over 10,000 participants from almost 200 countries, as well as millions of spectators from around the globe. How did one race grow into such a worldwide phenomenon? The Encyclopedia of The Summer Olympics discusses the ancient contests and describes how one man rekindled the Olympic spirit and organized the modern games.Fischer, David is the author of 'Encyclopedia of the Summer Olympics' with ISBN 9780531163924 and ISBN 053116392X.