The First International Special Olympics Games (Summer Special Olympics) were held in Soldier Field, Chicago, Illinois on July 20, 1968.
These were the very first Special Olympics world games. They were held In Chicago, ILL. at Soldier Field.
1000 athletes from 26 states, and Canada competed in track and swimming. Swimming included 25 meter races, and track had short distance runnings, ball throws, and standing long jump.
The athlete's oath was introduced at these games by founder Eunice Shriver at the opening ceremony. The oath is," Let me win. But if I can not win, let me be brave in the attempt."
Famous quotes containing the words special, world, summer and/or games:
“Personal prudence, even when dictated by quite other than selfish considerations, surely is no special virtue in a military man; while an excessive love of glory, impassioning a less burning impulse, the honest sense of duty, is the first.”
—Herman Melville (1819–1891)
“A proper autobiography is a death-bed confession. A true man finds so much work to do that he has no time to contemplate his yesterdays; for to-day and to-morrow are here, with their impatient tasks. The world is so busy, too, that it cannot afford to study any man’s unfinished work; for the end may prove it a failure, and the world needs masterpieces.”
—Mary Antin (1881–1949)
“One cannot speak of ice to summer insects nor talk about the sky to frogs in a well.”
—Chinese proverb.
“At the age of twelve I was finding the world too small: it appeared to me like a dull, trim back garden, in which only trivial games could be played.”
—Elizabeth Bowen (1899–1973)