Thursday, May 19, 2016

The 1912 Stockholm Summer Olympics, a.k.a., The Jim Thorpe Olympics


Thursday, 19 May, 2016:

Before partaking of Thomas Kök & Catering's Thursday all-you-can-eat Swedish pancake feast, I had one more school to visit in order to get more young athletes to our final U13 tryouts tonight.

There it is,
Sandbergska Skolan

This school takes up two of the four floors of what appears to otherwise be an office building. This small sign is the only thing that I could find that would lead a somewhat lost soul like I was this morning to these hallowed halls of learning.

I do have some thoughts about Swedish schools that I would like to share.

First, the students are respectful of their teachers, each other and American visitors to their classrooms.

Just as when you enter a Swedish home, students and teachers have their shoes off when inside their school building. It is strange to see everyone walking around just in their sox.

At one school that I visited, they must be learning Australian English because when the students realized that I was not Swedish they all started saying "Hello mate!"

Classes are small in Sweden with an average of about 20 students from what I have seen.

Meanwhile, back at Sandbergska Skolan . . .

Looking good!

She is a natural in those pads

Sweden's first
Heisman Trophy Winner

Either the helmet is too big
or her head is too small

I visited two sixth grade classrooms today and the presentations went well.

Now it was time for the mile and a half walk to Swedish pancake heaven.

A random Rune Stone
on my walk

the circus is coming!
The Circus Is Coming!!
THE CIRCUS IS COMING!!!

After eating my fair share of Swedish pancakes, I opted for a quick train ride into Stockholm.

First up, a trip to the site of the . . .

. . . 1912 Summer Olympics

The Olympic Stadium
looked GREAT!

It was built specifically for the
Fifth Olympiad in Stockholm

Nice Mane

Once at the stadium, I definitely wanted to get inside for a closer look. The gates out front were locked so I circled the stadium looking for an unlocked gate.

Swedish Crowns and
Olympic Rings . . .

. . . Twice

The Offices of the
Swedish Olympic Committee

They are housed in the back part of the Stadium, I was close but still no opening to the Stadium for a visitor.

Finally, at the very last possible gate, I found the opening that I needed.

 Javelin Thrower

Lefty Shot Putter

Just a Couple of Olympians
Out for a Run

Down-Sweep Pass?

Brian FitzGerald, talk to them!

Wrestlers

Of course, a Crown in the
Olympic Stadium Brickwork

 I liked the Stadium's Clock Tower

 Jim Thorpe ran here

The view from one
end of the stadium

And the view from the other end

Yep, I really liked the Clock Tower

The Stands were Quaint

"The Joy of Effort"

So true!

Two plaques listing the 1912
Olympic Gold Medal Winners

Lots of History here

And then there was the story
of Jim Thorpe at these Olympics

Jim Thorpe
named America's Greatest Athlete
of the 20th Century

At the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, Thorpe won both the Pentathlon and Decathlon Gold Medals.

The International Olympic Committee eventually stripped him of his medals and struck all of his marks from the official records after learning that Thorpe had violated the rules of amateurism by playing minor league baseball in 1909-10.

I was happy to see the plaque honoring Thorpe hanging next to the Stadium's main entrance.

 I think that he won Olympic Gold
in 1912 for best mustache

This was a great venue although extremely small by today's Olympic standards. I am glad that I found that opening!

Strange Art at the Music Center
next to the Olympic Stadium

 Howdy Doody Time
in Stockholm?

I now opted to head South on the Metro into the Södermalm district to see . . .

 . . . The Globe

With the use of these Funicular
mini-globes you can get a great
view of Stockholm I'm told

Tele2 Arena

This is where Janne and I will come Sunday to see Djurgården D.I.F. play Helsingborgs IF in a fotboll match.

Until moving into this state-of-the-art arena just a few years ago, Djurgårdens D.I.F. played their home games in the Olympic Stadium.

It would have been fun to see a game in that cozy venue.

At 5:45 p.m., back in Upplands Väsby, it was time for a FOUR ring American football circus!

We had a U11 practice, the second day of U13 tryouts, a U13 practice and a U15 practice all going on with slightly staggered start times. 

 The U11s were delightful

Last Words of Wisdom to the U15s

This group will scrimmage the Täby Flyers this Saturday at High Noon on our home field as part of our Wäsby Warriors Spring Party extravaganza.

Friday, for me is a rare day off from all American football duties . . . ROAD TRIP!!!

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