panamfan

1982 Commonwealth Games Closing Ceremony mostly complete Australian TV coverage (audio is a bit subpar, though):

Sorry if these are reposts but here are two marching band performances from the Kobe 1985 World University Games Opening Ceremony. Enjoy!

Here are some rare audio recordings for you all that I have digitalized and uploaded for your listening pleasure: The first two were originally released in 1956 on 7'" 33 1/3 rpm LP discs by Radiola Records in Australia - They are souvenir recordings of the highlights of the Melbourne 1956 Opening and Closing Ceremonies from the live Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) radio broadcasts. Considering these albums are 60 years old the sound quality is near pristine. These albums are very hard and generally very expensive to find. (Btw a similar recording was released of the Opening Ceremony of the VIIth British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth 1962 but it is almost impossible to find.) The third recording is also from a 33 1/3 rpm LP - the official music of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the Grenoble 1968 Winter Olympics. The music was composed and conducted by Jacques Bondon and is reminiscent of the music used in the Albertville 1992 ceremonies. Enjoy! https://vimeo.com/292624433 Games of the XVIth Olympiad - Melbourne 1956 - Opening Ceremony (31:03) Password: olym56op https://vimeo.com/292624574 Games of the XVIth Olympiad - Melbourne 1956 - Closing Ceremony (35:45) Password: olym56cl https://vimeo.com/292625368 Suite for the Tenth Winter Olympiad by Jacques Bondon (38:59) Password: olwg68ocm 1. Grand Triumphal March (first part) 2. Interlude for an Unexpected Show 3. Grand Triumphal March (second part) 4. Grand Triumphal March (third part) 5. Marche Noble 6. Apotheosis Lamoureux Orchestra and Chorus, Paris Jacques Bondon, Conductor 7. Solemn March (by Roger Boutry) 8. Olympic Hymn (by Spiro Samara) Musique des Gardiens de la Paix de Paris Desire Dondeyne, Conductor

That was my website - The Pan American Games Fan Pages! Thanks for remembering it. I'm glad somebody appreciated my work. I'm sad, too, that it was lost - I was very proud of it. I loved watching the 1987 and 1991 games on CBS and ABC/TNT and was mad that there were only 2 hours of highlights of the 1999 games shown in the US (at least on English language TV) and none of the 2003 games which is why I decided to start the site and try to educate and inform people about the Pan Am Games - especially after I started researching their history in old newspaper articles and the USOC Olympic Books and other places, and discovered so many interesting and even bizarre things that happened at the games over the years. And, I like to think that I may have been successful as ESPN started covering the games (in Spanish at first) in 2007 - coincidence or not? Somebody re-posted some of what I wrote on my site on Wikipedia's Pan American Games pages, I won't get credit for it, but it makes me happy to know that I've helped to educate people about the Pan Am Games which I love so much. I didn't have the ceremony videos on my site, but I had links to them - which is what you are thinking of.

I have uploaded two new "video" files: These are the files contain extensive audio from the CBC TV broadcasts of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg. Years ago, I found streaming video files of both ceremonies in different places on the internet. At the time, I did not have the ability to download the videos with the primitive computer and dial-up connection I had then. But, I was able to dub extensive audio from them through the speakers ear phone jack to a cassette tape deck. Thus the audio is not CD quality by any means but is much better than could have been expected from such a primitive set up. I think you will still enjoy these audio files and if you want to hear more of the music from the ceremonies, I highly recommend the official CD https://www.amazon.com/Music-American-Games-Victor-Davies/dp/B001T4IW2E Enjoy! These ceremonies were way better than Toronto 2015 and I wish so much the CBC telecasts would show up on youtube or somewhere. Winnipeg 1999 Opening Ceremony CBC TV audio (1:02:40) https://vimeo.com/291405442 Pwd: panam1999o Winnipeg 1999 Closing Ceremony CBC TV audio (1:06:50) https://vimeo.com/291405872 Pwd: panam1999c

Here is a new and very rare find indeed: A portion of ESPN's coverage of the 1993 World University Games in Buffalo. They aired six hours total 3 on the last Saturday and 3 on the last Sunday of the games. I have most of the Saturday (I think it is) broadcast on a DVD (dubbed from VHS) but this is the first time I have ever seen a clip on youtube. This 20 minute clip from the Sunday telecast includes the opening of the broadcast (with the opening title sequence and theme music, an introduction by ESPN's host John Saunders, and the diving event. Its was posted by a gentlemen who was the main cameraman at the diving venue. ESPN did not televise the ceremonies, but a quick glimpse of the cauldron lighting can be seen in the opening intro. Enjoy! BTW: ESPN did not buy rights to the 1993 WUG - these broadcasts were a time buy by the organizing committee. Shows you how little interest there was in these games even though they were held in the USA.

2018 Asian Games - opening and closing ceremonies - official world feed from host broadcaster - in full HD:

Here you go: Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games opening ceremony https://vimeo.com/288968263 Password: panam2015

Baron-Pierre - I have the CBC (originally streaming) coverage of both the opening and closing ceremony, but I don't have a youtube channel or anywhere to upload them.

I just finished reading a great new book. It's called "Zany Games: America at the 1900 Paris Olympics" by Howard Burman. I highly recommend it. Mr. Burman has done a terrific job bringing to life the weird and crazy Paris games. The book's format will seem strange at first. As Mr. Burman writes the narrative from the viewpoint of one of the competitors (as if that competitor was the author of the book.) and includes many passages written as first person accounts from various people connected to the games - including athletes, team officials, Baron de Coubertin and more. But, he has done a remarkable job of sifting through the myriad of confusing information to ferret out what actually took place on that hot, bizarre summer of 1900 in Paris. Zany Games: America at the 1900 Paris Olympics Paperback – January 31, 2017 by Howard Burman (Author) Paperback: 460 pages Publisher: Howard Burman (January 31, 2017) Language: English ISBN-10: 1542745969 ISBN-13: 978-1542745963 Product Dimensions: 6 x 1 x 9 inches The 1900 Paris Olympic Games were zany in many ways: No opening or closing ceremonies were held. Some competitors had no idea they had actually participated in the Olympics. Competitions included swimming obstacle races, underwater swimming, motorcycle racing, live pigeon shooting, tug-of-war, ballooning and firefighting. Children were used in rowing events. Most winners received cups, trophies or prizes such as carriage clocks or paper knives. Some received money. Questions remain as to whether the French winner of the marathon ran the same course as the other runners. The track and field events were held on a lumpy grass field. Some American athletes refused to compete on Sundays setting up a situation in which a Jewish athlete couldn't compete on a day that wasn't his Sabbath while a Gentile could compete on a day that was his Sabbath. Fisticuffs followed. It remains unclear whether some events were part of the Olympics or not. These Games of the II Olympiad, held in conjunction with the 1900 Exposition Universelle, nevertheless provided some outstanding contributions to Olympism: Nearly 1000 athletes representing twenty-eight nations competed. Team sports were included. Women competed in sailing, lawn tennis and golf. A black athlete competed in Rugby. Alvin Kraenzlein remains the only athlete to have won four individual gold medals at one Olympic Game. Here is the story of the American participation in these remarkable Games, Games in which American athletes won 17 of the 23 track and field events.

Here is a very rare clip of TNN's coverage of the opening ceremony of the 1989 U.S. Olympic Festival in Norman, OK - featuring a performance by country music legend Roger Miller:

Two new videos of the 1986 Asian Games Opening Ceremony in Seoul on youtube. Enjoy!

A couple of Paralympic Ceremonies just turned up on youtube: Atlanta 1996 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony Athens 2004 Paralympic Closing Ceremony Unfortunately, the same person uploaded the Atlanta 1996 Paralympic closing ceremony, but it has already been blocked by the IOC, which makes no sense as the IOC has no jurisdiction over the Paralympic Games.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I am proud to present "Spirit of the Games" - the official highlight video of CBC's coverage of the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnpeg. Originally made available on VHS in 1999 (I have an original copy of the VHS tape) - Spirit of the Games has finally turned up on youtube. This 60 minute video features a montage of highlights of the opening ceremony, day by day highlights of the competitions with an emphasis on Canadian athletes), and another montage of highlights of the closing ceremony. It is MUST SEE viewing for any fan of the Pan American Games. Enjoy!

I just found this on youtube: The opening minute of CBS coverage of the Opening Ceremony of the 1983 Pan American Games! It includes the cold open with Brent Musburger and the complete opening title graphics/theme music sequence. This theme - which was used again by CBS in 1987 - was written by John Tesh, a sportscaster for CBS at the 1983 games, who won a sports emmy award for it. Enjoy! (P.S. I wonder if the poster has more CBS footage from the games? One can only hope!) On a related note, I recently read "The Game Behind the Game" the memoirs of Terry O'Neil who was executive producer of CBS Sports from 1982-1986. He included a lengthy section on CBS coverage of the 1983 Pan Am Games that was very interesting to read, indeed.

Highlights of the Opening Ceremony of the 1980 Paralympic Games in Arnheim , The Netherlands:

Here is an interesting new posting on youtube - 2 videos of the dutch ice hockey team at the Lake Placid 1980 Winter Olympics. What is neat is that they contain a surprising amount of home movie footage (with the original sounds of the ceremony) shot by an athlete during the opening ceremony from the stadiums infield - certainly a unique view of the proceedings. The second video contains footage of Eric Heiden swearing the Olympic Oath at the opening ceremony (about two-thirds of the way through). Enjoy!

Here is the a link to a 23 minute audio file of the Helsinki 1952 Closing Ceremony as broadcast by YLE Finland's national radio broadcaster. Click on the photo of Helsinki's Olympic Stadium to start the recording. It is a flash audio recording. Enjoy! https://svenska.yle.fi/artikel/2008/07/03/os-i-helsingfors-avslutas Here is a list with approximate times of what you will hear: 1:25 National Anthems of Greece, Finland, and Australia as the flags are raised. 5:34 (This is where IOC Pres. Edstrom delivered his closing address, but it has been deleted from the recording) 5:40 Olympic Fanfare played as Olympic Flame is extinguished. 9:15 Five Gun Salute 10:14 Olympic Hymn performed by Band and Chorus as Olympic Flag is lowered. 17:28 Exit of Olympic Flag followed by National flagbearers as "Song of the Athenians" composed by Jean Sibelius is played. 22:23 Finnish National Anthem "Maame" (Our Land) is performed to end the ceremony.

Here is a very interesting article from The Sporting News revealing how Tamara Kline came to write the CBS Winter Olympics Main Title Theme used in 1992-1994-1998: http://www.sportingnews.com/athletics/news/tamara-kline-winter-olympic-theme-music-cbs-1992-1994-1998-video-recording/rwe9tz1oom4418fwa2a13ifq4 The Sporting News In appreciation of Tamara Kline’s wonderful, forgotten Winter Olympics theme February 13, 2018 6:33pm EST February 13, 2018 12:39pm EST Back when CBS held broadcast rights for the Winter Games, it was a largely unknown composer for television commercials who provided the Olympic soundtrack that filled living rooms and became a nightly earworm. Jason Foster @ByJasonFoster Published on Feb. 13, 2018 For much of the past three decades, the sound of the Olympics has belonged to superstar composer John Williams, whose fanfares and melodies have become a ubiquitous presence embedded in the DNA of international competition. But for six years in the 1990s, the sound of athletic glory also belonged to Tamara Kline. Back when CBS held broadcast rights for the Winter Games — 1992, 1994 and 1998 — it was Kline, then a largely unknown composer for television commercials, who provided the Olympic soundtrack that filled living rooms and became a nightly earworm as it anchored CBS’ coverage. Her theme was a soaring, uplifting piece that resonated in the way valiant sports anthems usually do — a tune you can’t escape, instantly recognizable, immanently hummable, and the kind of thing you hear in your head when you accomplish something special. But after CBS concluded its final Olympic broadcast on Feb. 22, 1998, the theme vanished into the ether, becoming a mostly forgotten footnote in the Olympics’ musical legacy. Despite its relative obscurity, Kline’s Olympic theme is noteworthy, not only for its quality and uniqueness but also the seemingly random way in which a virtually unknown composer landed such a major assignment. Underrated, under-discussed and still unknown to many, Kline’s theme nobly did its part as the musical heartbeat that drove a large chunk of the ‘90s Olympic experience in the United States. This is the story of how it happened. Kline’s journey to her own version of Olympic glory started in 1991 when a colleague mentioned that CBS was looking for an Olympic theme for its coverage of the 1992 Winter Games in Albertville, France. Kline was composing music for commercials at the time, and though she had some national spots — AT&T, Burger King and FedEx among them — she wasn’t a big name in the industry. CBS had already invited many composers, including a few prominent ones, to submit demos for consideration, but Kline felt drawn to the assignment. “They didn’t know me, so I called and asked if I could submit a demo,” she told Sporting News. “It seemed like a one in a million opportunity, but I definitely wanted to throw my hat into the ring.” The network wanted a memorable theme that could be molded into different styles and orchestrations, and that could be adapted to whatever mood the broadcast called for. They also wanted something grand and heroic, but wholly original. In other words, they didn’t want a John Williams knockoff. “They wanted to try something unique,” Kline said, recalling how the network’s original fax asked for a theme that would illicit a “vast landscape of snow-covered mountains.” “They [also] wanted a memorable melody that would capture the emotional dichotomy of the Olympics: the glory and the humility, the greatness and graciousness.” So Kline got to work in her home studio, working up a synth mockup of an orchestral theme that she felt matched CBS’ desires. She was especially inspired by the idea of people striving for their best, facing their limitations and overcoming them. The theme came to mind almost immediately — a melody that seems to embody the idea of reaching higher, then higher still. “I genuinely connected to all the emotions [CBS] described,” Kline said. “I stood in my backyard and looked out into the canyons. Honestly, it was as if the theme wrote itself.” She submitted the demo, one of about 200 that CBS received. Months passed, and she assumed CBS had already hired another composer. Then she got a call from late CBS producer Doug Towey, the man who later commissioned the network’s famous NCAA basketball theme, who told Kline her theme had been chosen. “I was shocked,” she said. “I thought one of my friends was playing a joke on me. I was ecstatic.” From there, it was a whirlwind of activity over a short period. Kline and a team of arrangers had roughly two weeks to come up with about 60 versions of her theme — a pop version, a traditional orchestral version, a laid-back version, a five-second bumper, a 10-second bumper, a 30-second presentation, a 60-second take, a 2 ½ minute version, and so on — before heading to England to record with the London Symphony Orchestra. “We were still finishing some of the arrangements on the trip to London,” Kline said. CBS used the theme in some commercials to promote the upcoming games in Albertville, but it wasn’t until Feb. 8, 1992, that Kline’s music had its national debut. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, both from CBS and Kline’s colleagues. For a composer whose music was usually competing with dialogue and sound effects in commercials, having her theme front and center before a national audience was a unique experience. “To hear it on television, rhythmically cut to Olympic skiers and skaters, or with the beautiful CBS graphics, was absolutely thrilling,” Kline said. “It made me smile every time. And to hear it all day, every day, for 16 days in a row, was pretty surreal.” Indeed, Kline’s theme was a constant presence. For those two weeks in 1992, then again in 1994 and again in 1998, she had arguably the most-heard tune in the United States. But even as viewers hummed the theme during the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Kline’s anthem was already on its way out. Before CBS could secure another Winter Olympics, before the theme could further ingrain itself in America’s conscience, NBC surprised everyone in 1995 with a major winning bid for the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City. CBS’ time as an Olympics host was over — and so was Kline’s time as the maestro. She hoped that CBS would find another use for the theme, or perhaps release the music commercially on CD, but neither happened. Nor did her theme’s prominence lead to other composing assignments, likely because it wasn’t exactly a “score” and wouldn’t have attracted much attention in the commercial and TV/film scoring worlds. Still, nearly 20 years after its strains last wafted across America, Kline’s theme has a cult-like following among fans of film and television music, and, judging by various message board posts through the years, remains a Holy Grail recording for some. Fans have written to her to ask about a potential CD or digital release, but the chances of that happening are slim. Even Kline doesn’t have the recordings, apart from a few of the shorter renditions. But even if she did, she co-owns the music with CBS, so any proper release would have to be worked out between them. “I brought it up a few times over the years, but CBS wasn’t really interested,” she said. “They probably didn’t think it would’ve generated much money.” But knowing that her theme still resonates, albeit in small circles, 20 years after it left the airwaves is its own kind of reward. “I am surprised and delighted,” she said. “It means so much to me.” Though she still occasionally writes music and performs, Kline left the music business in the early 2000s after the industry’s culture and landscape began to shift. Budding software and other technology allowed virtually anyone to be considered a composer, which meant the amount of competition proliferated. Meanwhile, music budgets for commercials, TV shows and films started to shrink. Add it all up and it was time to try something new. “I feel incredibly blessed to have had such a rich and wonderful career in the music business. I look back on those days with awe and gratitude,” she said. “But when music budgets and residuals started getting smaller, and I started getting older, I knew I needed to make a change.” Kline went back to school to study clinical psychology and now works as a licensed therapist in Beverly Hills — a new life that’s worlds away from the one in which she landed that plum assignment in 1991. But don’t think for a minute that she doesn’t still treasure her Olympic experience, even without album sales and fame. Being chosen for an assignment that was previously given to an All-Star composer like Williams was and is a true honor, Kline said. “It’s a gold medal for me,” she said. “That’s for sure.” © 2018 Sporting News Media and its licensors. All rights reserved.

Oops! I meant YLE Finland's national radio broadcaster.

Here is a great find! An excellent quality 43 minute audio recording of the Helsinki 1952 Opening Ceremony as broadcast on YLE Sweden's national radio broadcaster. This recording picks up where the Norwegian radio broadcast I posted a link to earlier leaves off and includes the rest of the ceremony. Click the link below and then click on the large photo of Helsinki's Olympic Stadium to play the recording (It's a flash audio file.) Enjoy! https://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2008/06/05/rauhanenkeli-ja-nurmi-olivat-helsingin-olympia-avajaisten-vetonauloja Here is a list with approximate times of what you'll hear: 4:49 - Opening Address by Erik von Franckell, Chairman of the Helsinki Organizing Committee (in Finnish, Swedish, English, and French) 11:05 - Opening Declaration by Juho Paasikivi, President of Finland (in Finnish and English) 12:10 - Olympic Fanfare (written especially for the Helsinki Games) as Olympic Flag is raised followed by a 21 gun salute 18:48 - Roar of Crowd as Paavo Nurmi enters with the Olympic Torch 19:37 - Roar of Crowd as Nurmi lights Olympic Flame on infield 20:58 - Olympic Hymn (written especially for the Helsinki Games) is performed by Band and Choir as Olympic Torch is carried to top of the stadium tower 28:15 - Roar of Crowd as Olympic Flame on tower is lit by Hannes Kohlamainen 28:47 - Ceremony interrupted by German "Peace Angel" Barbara Rotbraut-Pleyer who runs to podium and shouts "Ladies and Gentlemen" before being dragged away from the microphones 32:34 - Olympic prayer by Archbishop of Helsinki 34:33 - Musical performance by Choir 37:56 - Olympic Oath recited by Dr. Heikki Savolainen 38:52 - National Anthem of Finland "Maame" (Our Land) 40:43 - Exit of the Athletes

Just posted on youtube: The quality is horrible but here are several clips from the Argentine TV broadcast of the Mar del Plata 1995 Pan American Games opening and closing ceremonies - the first three are from the opening and the last two are from the closing. Enjoy!

I watched most of NBC's TV coverage of Pyeongchang and I must say I've seen much improvement by NBC. There was far less talk about the medal counts, the commercial interruptions were less annoying and more sensibly placed, and the announcers were generally better. Mike Tirico did a fairly decent job, but lacked the poetic flair for drama of McKay or Costas. The figure skating was boring, although I thought the Lipinski/Weir duo added a fresh twist to the coverage. I'm still frustrated that NBC still edits out protocol stuff from the ceremony broadcasts (the oaths, any speech not in English - they didn't even show the Greek Flag/Anthem at the closing!) but overall there was much more sports events and almost no "Up Close and Personal" fluff pieces or exaggerated soap opera scripting this time. My favorite moments were the Cross-country and Biathlon events - NBC's announcers for those events were terrific and really conveyed the excitement and drama of those events. The worst thing about NBC's coverage is that it never stopped. Between NBC, NBCSN, and CNBC alone the games were on almost non-stop 24/7 and as much as I have a passion for the games I was quite fatigued by the final day and ready for them to be over! (lol) BTW - Check out this article by the Associated Press - NBC's on-air announcers managed to offend people left and right in Pyeongchang. (Ouch!) http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OLY_NBCS_GAFFES_NYOL-?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Just for the record there is one error in the articles about the cauldrons. The winter games article states that a separate cauldron was lit indoors for the closing ceremony from 1964-1984. This is not entirely correct as can be seen in the official reports. In Grenoble 1968, Lake Placid 1980, and Sarajevo 1984 a separate indoor cauldron was used. Grenoble's was lit at the beginning of the ceremony (ala Vancouver 2010) and Lake Placid and Sarajevo's were lit out of sight before the ceremony began. But at Innsbruck in 1964 and 1976 and Sapporo in 1976 no indoor cauldron was used. Instead, the outdoor cauldron (cauldrons in 1976) was projected on a large screen on the wall of the arena via a live television picture so that the flame could be seen during the indoor closing ceremony. The Innsbruck screen was on the end wall, while the Sapporo screen was mounted at the very top of the arena seating area near the roof aligned with the center red line of the hockey rink.

The Sarajevo 1984 Cauldron is still in place in Kosevo Stadium (now named Asim Ferhatović Hase) as can be seen in this photo on Wikipedia: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Asim_Ferhatovic_Hase.jpg I could not determine if the smaller cauldron used during the closing ceremony in Zetra Arena still exists or not. Likely not, as the arena was heavily damaged during the war. Also, according to Snowball's Chance: The Story of the 1960 Olympic Winter Games by David C. Antonucci "The (Squaw Valley) Ski Corp. participated in relocation of the Tower of Nations and Olympic flame cauldron to the entrance of the valley to serve as a beacon reminding passersby of the events that occurred in the valley beyond." The cauldron and tower as they appear today can be seen in this photo on Wikipedia: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Squaw_Valley_entrance_sign_left.jpg