Cyclist at the Nazi Olympics
OLYMPIC cyclist Jason Queally caused a sensation on Saturday when he won for Britain an unexpected gold medal in the time trials (this story appeared during the 2000 Olympics).
Sixty four years ago, another young cyclist became the hero of the hour in Milngavie when he took part in the Olympic Games in Berlin.
His name was Jackie Bone, he lived in Lennox Avenue, and even if he did not return with a medal, the very fact that Milngavie had produced the only Scots cyclist at the world's greatest sporting extravaganza, was a matter of immense local pride.
The Herald of the day sought as much mileage out of Jackie Bone as it does more than half a century later in recording the aspirations and successes of today's local Olympians, Alison Sheppard and Katherine Grainger.
It said: "We are more interested than usual in these games because of the fact that a young man from our own district - J.G. Bone, of Milngavie, the Scottish champion road cyclist -is taking part as a member of the British team.''
The 1936 Games, of course, became tainted with notoriety because the Nazis hijacked the event, using it to give their regime respectability in the eyes of the world. The German media was forbidden to publish anything that might offend foreign visitors and the German hockey team selectors were even allowed to include a Jew in their squad. As everyone knows, however, Hitler showed the Third Reich's true colours when he stormed out of the stadium rather than have to meet the black American athlete Jesse Owens, who left the master race trailing as he stormed to four golds.
The Herald acknowledged the unease that some had expressed about the Games taking place in the city the paper described as "the Nazi storm centre''. It added: "There has been political opposition to the Games, and, although there may be some non-participation, the event will be a striking success.''
Whatever he may have thought about the politics of the Nazis, Jackie Bone was as impressed as any other competitor by Germany's lavish hospitality, and at the way the event was run with Teutonic efficiency and military precision. On his return, he told the Herald: "Germany set a standard of Olympic organisation that will be hard to beat. All the arrangements were carried out with meticulous care.
"We arrived in Berlin to find even the railway engines decorated with the Olympic insignia of interlaced circles.
"A German officer in resplendent uniform met us at the station, and we were taken out to the Olympic village in military tenders. All athletes and officials had the right of free transport on bus, tube or tram on presentation of their identity cards.
"The village was situated about 45 minutes ride from the heart of Berlin. Set amidst encircling palm trees, it is an idyllic spot. We were housed in bungalows, each containing 15 rooms with two single beds in each. Everything was spotlessly clean and the cooking was done in the most efficient manner by the latest appliances, and all utensils were sterilised before and after using.
"Ships stewards from the North German Lloyd Shipping Company were in constant attendance and always at our beck and call. The same stewards were waiting on us in the large restaurant, where each nation was allocated a room. Most of the stewards had a working knowledge of the language of the nation which they were serving.
"No pains were spared to make us comfortable. For instance, thousands of foreign birds were imported to destroy the mosquitoes which normally abound in the district.
"Each bed had a swivelled reading lap fitted overhead, with a switch within each reach. Hot and cold showers were available, and even small showers for the express purpose of washing one's head! Telephones were laid on to each bungalow.''
Jackie, who was a member of the Glasgow Wheelers Cycling Club, told the Herald that each residence was named after a German city. His bungalow was called Duisburg and the city fathers there sent the occupants a flag and wished them success in the Games.
"The food was wonderfully good and plentiful, and we had no complaints on that score,'' said Jackie. "We had three meals per day. Breakfast was at nine o'clock, when we had grapefruit, porridge (made as it is at home), scrambled eggs and ham, and rolls with honey.
"Dinner was at 12 o'clock, and consisted of clear soup, meat and potatoes, different kinds of vegetables (sometimes runner beans and spinach, veal with curry and rice, and cranberries for a sweet dish. We nearly always had ice cream and tea or coffee to finish. At seven o'clock at night a light supper was served of soup, cold meat and various kinds of vegetables.
"At any time of the day or night Ovaltine or Horlicks could be got to drink, while we always had a plentiful supply of fruit."
Jackie also marvelled at the healthcare the hosts laid on for the visiting athletes. He described the hospital as being fitted with every kind of "gadget'' known to doctors.
The Olympic village also boasted such facilities as swimming pools, a cinema and theatre, a cafe and a post office. Athletes were admitted to all the entertainments free of charge.
At night guards patrolled the camps, the trees were sprayed every two days to keep them fresh; and the roads were hosed down daily.''
Outside the village, however, Jackie was a bit less than impressed by the state of the roads. He said the 621/2 mile road course that he had to race on was poor. He complained about bad paving, cobble stones that were badly laid, and roadsides inches deep in mud. "The roads in Scotland are superior to German roads,'' said Jackie.
Jack was disappointed in the race itself, not because his team did not win, but by the unsporting attitudes of some of the competitors. The team were together about two miles from the finish, then one member got his spokes ripped out through someone running into him. Jackie was deliberately shoved off the track, but got back on his bike only to find there was a smash ahead of him. He was too late to stop and ended up being thrown onto the road along with several other riders. The British team was placed fifth and Jackie was the third team member to finish. The race was won by France, described by Jackie as "a great team''.
One event that Jackie missed out on was the opening day parade in the presence of Hitler. The official uniforms had not arrived in time. But the Herald said: "He saw Herr Hitler several times, and he is undoubtedly the idol of the German people.'' Jackie was privileged to witness some "class athletic events'', including the performances of Jesse Owens which had so affronted the Fuhrer.
Another sporting spectacle which appeared to have hit the headlines was a Peru v Austria football match which had descended into a punch-up involving players and fans. Jackie described it as "a regular Donnybrook from five minutes after the start to the finish.'' He appears to have blamed the referee for the shambles.
A highlight of his time in Germany was when a member of the New Zealand boxing team sought him out. Jackie was amazed to be asked if he was Jackie Bone from Milngavie. The Kiwi stranger turned out to be a cousin of his father's. "Truly,'' said the Herald, "it is a small world we live in after all.''
The Herald noted other points of local interest in Jackie's Olympic adventure, saying that while there he met up with Robert Graham of Maryhill, a sprinter, and Donald Robertson, a marathon runner who was often to be seen training around Milngavie.
The athlete was keen to dismiss as "paper talk'' stories about him having trouble getting to London to join the rest of the team. "He had intended cycling to the metropolis for practice, but owing to an injury he had received just previously he was unable to do so, but a Milngavie gentleman very kindly conveyed him thither in his motor car.''
The town council had heard about his trouble in getting to London, and were concerned that he may have intended pedalling there because, having recently become unemployed, he had no means of affording any other form of transport. They felt he had "brought a certain amount of credit to the burgh'', and that his achievement should be officially recognised, perhaps by setting up a fund to help meet his future expenses. It was a long way from today when many top "amateur" athletes can depend on lottery funding, product endorsements and sponsorship deals to help in their quest for gold.
Jackie revealed in another interview that he had been cycling seriously for less than seven years before winning the championships and setting the road race records that put him in contention for the Olympic Games.
"I do not think there are any short cuts to becoming a proficient cyclist, and I must admit that while there is racing to be done I find it necessary to keep in training. To accomplish this I am permitted to use the Ibrox track on two days a week, and over and above this I generally go for long spins on two other nights.''
Apart from his cycling, Jackie said he enjoyed dancing and, he confessed, going to the pub, "I hope no oftener than is good for me.''
He added: "I consider at present that my form is as good as ever it has been, and I am confidently looking forward to doing better in the future, although whether or not I am fortunate in this respect, I shall never have any cause to regret my interest in cycling, not only on account of the healthy exercise it has given me, but also because of the sportsmanship I have learned through mixing with the other lads.''
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Weather for Milngavie
Friday 25 May 2012
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