The Hindu Business Line : <I>The man who made Hitler wait </I>

The curtain came down last week on the football World Cup 2006 after a month-long soccer feast that enthralled millions across the globe. This was Germany's biggest sporting extravaganza after the 1972 Olympics in Munich, sadly also remembered for the gruesome killing of nine Israeli athletes by the terrorist group Black September.

This World Cup was the first mega sports event in united Germany. The final was played in the historic city of Berlin. In 1936, as the capital of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler, the city had hosted the Olympics, regarded as Hitler's personal effort to showcase "Aryan supremacy".

But in a fitting reply to Hitler's belief in the supremacy of one race over all others, Jesse Owens, the Afro-American, won as many as four gold medals in the athletic events. This is often quoted as an incident that served as a rebuff to Hitler's arrogance.

But there was another incident, not widely known, that may have also annoyed Hitler at the 1936 Olympics. The incident involved an Indian sportsman, C.S.A. Swami, who later became the sports editor of Indian Express.

It was the last day of the Berlin Olympics. Hitler was to review the colourful closing ceremony that was to follow the final event — the Marathon.

The winner of the event had already crossed the finishing line. But there was one never-say-die sportsman, who was still running to complete the course — Swami. He still had a few miles to cross the ropes. Meanwhile, the clock had struck the hour for the closing ceremony but it could not begin till the Marathon was officially over.

The authorities were naturally worried and anxious that the delay might annoy "der Führer". They heaved a big sigh of relief when the diminutive but indefatigable Indian athlete finally crossed the ropes. The closing ceremony then began after a considerable delay.

Journalists who were both amused and amazed by the tireless Tamilian asked him how he felt having delayed the proceedings. "I feel great. After all, I made Hitler wait!" a proud Swami replied.

(The author is a New Delhi-based freelance writer.)

R. C. Rajamani

More Stories on : Sports | Politics | Impressions

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
The sugar policy muddle

Need for speed on the reform road

Fear of prosecution

Move on CFO

High levels of derivative exposure

Chocolate teacakes or `unjust enrichment'

Smoke 'n mirrors

These Special Uneconomic Zones

The man who made Hitler wait

"Judicial deal"

Save oil