Description
Sport has undergone tremendous changes in the
last half-century. It has emerged from the
innocent cocoon of amateur pleasure into the
complex and often bitter realm of high finance.
national fervour, international politics and
electronic urgency. Television, for example, has
given to millions of viewers instantaneously, the
best seat in the grandstand. Now the sports
journalist concentrates less upon minutely
detailed reporting and seeks instead expert
analysis, diverse points of view and intriguing
‘background’ .
One thing though has not changed: the
conslstently keen, some would say fanatical.
interest shown in sport by New Zealanders.
Where else but in this country would a
parliament cease debate while the leaders of the
nation huddle around transistor radios to listen
to a running race broadcast from halfway round
the world? Where else would a prime minister
introduce a point of order to announce that Peter
Snell had won the Olympic 1500 metres?
In recognition of this intense public devotion to
sport past and present, the authors of Memorable
Moments in New Zealand Sport have researched
newspaper archives from many countries. They
have recreated the feverish buildup to each event.
the breathless excitement of the day itself and
the subsequent flush of success, the
disappointment of defeat and the turmoil of
controversy. The result of their labours is a
privileged ‘overview’ of 44 momentous
occasions. The facts and the feelings
surrounding each are displayed; the triumphs
and disasters of our sporting history can be both
experienced and examined.
In athletics Memorable Moments take us from Laek
Lovelock’s triumph in Berlin, under the gaze of
Adolph Hitler, to John Walker’s gold medal in the
‘all white’ 1500 metres at Montreal, 40 years later
In rugby, from a crushing defeat at the hands of
the Springboks in 1937 to the hue and cry of the
dramatic win over Wales in 1978. In cricket, from
the humiliation of 26 all out against the MCC in
1955 to the ‘St Valentine’s Day Massacre’ of
England in 1978. Included are highlights in other
disciplines: Hillary scaling Mt Everest, the
conquest of Cook Strait, a clean sweep in the
One Ton Cup, Max Telford running through the
furnace of Death Valley …
This cavalcade of sporting achievements,
extraordinary for such a small nation, is brought
to life with excerpts from the press of the day,
blow-by-blow accounts and fasclnatlnq
sidelights The text is extensively illustrated by
more than 300 historic on-the-spot photographs
and cartoons.
In good preloved condition with the exception of a modest tear on the paper cover. Also the top corner of two inside pages immediately before the title page are clipped and an inscription from a previous owner is also present. All in all still a great book.
Hardcover.
320 pages.