Seo Yun-bok won the title in 1947. The New York Times was released
Oct 08, 2024
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In the meantime, the news that Seo Yoon-bok won the Boston Marathon in 1947, known through the Boston Sunday Globe (1947.4.19), was also published by the New York Times (1947.4.20), according to the Seo Yoon-bok Memorial Project Promotion Committee (Chairman Oh Chun-jin).
'Running to win from far away KoreaThe article, under the title of ', elaborated on Seo's sprint scene, and interestingly dealt with the fact that the fox terrier darted on his heels, fell and bruised, but got up and ran again.
The Seo Yoon-bok Memorial Project Promotion Committee also discovered and released the original article of The New York Times (1947.5.14), which details how Korea participated in the first Olympics (London, 1948), which was not well known to the public.
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Seo Yoon-bok (1923-2017) won the Boston Marathon in 1947 and became the first person to promote Korea to the world after liberation. It is generally evaluated that his victory in the marathon world paved the way for the London Olympics next year.
Before the establishment of the government, Korea's participation in the London Olympics was truly a difficult process. As far as it is known, at the end of 1946, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) made the conditions for participation in 'joining the International Federation (ISF) in more than three sports' and 'Unified Independent State' (Joseon Ilbo) December 28, 1946)
At that time, the Olympic Committee (Chairman Yoo Eok-gyeom, Vice Chairman Jeon Kyung-moo, and Lee Sang-baek) under the Chosun Sports Association (Chairman Yeo Woon-hyung) applied for ISF seven sports, including track and weightlifting, resling, soccer, basketball, cycling, and boxing, and five sports were approved, but two sports and soccer had to wait for approval until just before the IOC General Assembly (Stockholm) on June 15, 1947.
Despite the efforts of the Olympic Committee, it was not easy to form international public opinion about Korea's first participation in the Olympics. However, due to the lack of official data on this, it has been difficult to determine the exact circumstances of the participation.
The newly discovered New York Times article is a valuable material showing the discussion and cooperation of the international community about participating in Korea's first Olympics.
According to the article, Seo's participation in the difficulty at the time seems to have made a breakthrough by winning the Boston Marathon. The international community was deeply moved by his victory and decided to actively support Korea's participation in the Olympics.
On May 14 after Seo's victory, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) held a luncheon meeting in New York to invite Seo Yoon-bok and gathered the will of track and field officials, including the IOC, to send a green light to the ISF of track and field and soccer, which were unclear until then.
In addition, the January 1948 Saint-Moritz Winter Olympics also added significance to the participation through this meeting, which can be estimated from the attendance of Choi Yong-jin, the director and athlete of the Winter Olympics.
The speech of Lim Young-shin (then president of Chung-Ang Women's University), emphasizing the partnership between South Korea and the U.S., is also interesting.
◆The following is the main contents of the New York Times dated May 14, 1947
▶Seo Yoon-bok's victory was the decisive moment for his first participation in the Olympics
◇A group of Seo Yoon-bok, who recently won the Boston Marathon with a new record, had a luncheon at the invitation of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) at the New York Sports Club yesterday. The purpose of the meeting is to pave the way for South Korean athletes to wear the Korean flag at the 1948 London Olympics.
◇ The main point of the keynote speech on this day was the bond of goodwill and friendship between Koreans and Americans. Speakers pointed out that the U.S. has strengthened ties between the two countries by liberating South Korea from Japanese confinement, citing the U.S. interest in Korean sports as an example that led to donations by the GI (U.S. military in South Korea). In fact, Korean marathon runners were able to travel 8,000 miles to Boston with the help of GI.
◇ IOC member Jeremiah T. Mahoney said, `Although the fact that Korea does not have a government yet complicates matters, the Korean Olympic Committee has already submitted an application to the IOC and will go to Europe next week with American Olympic Committee Chairman Avery Brundage to persuade the IOC so that Korean athletes can participate in the Olympics under the Korean national flag.,' he said.
◇Louise Yim said with a smile. "You sent your sons to liberate us. We sent our sons to your country to take your trophies. There's no better relationship than sportsmanship that you've shown us."
▶ Speakers and participants who know the size of the meeting
◇The luncheon was attended by sports leaders, U.S. Army representatives, athletes who distinguished themselves at the Olympic Games, and Korean representatives.
◇In addition to Mahoney and Louise Lim, 1st Army Commander Courtney H. Hodges, Brigadier General Gruman C. Thorson, Madison Square Garden Corporation CEO John R. Kilpatrick, United Olympic Conity President and former AAU Chairman Gustave T. Kirby, and former AAU Chairman Murray Hulbert.
The ◇ speakers consistently congratulated the Korean marathoners, especially emphasizing the surprise created by Seo Yoon-bok's victory, and saying that sports between the United States and Korea contributed to solidifying the friendship between the two countries. General Kilpatrick said the `GI funded the travel of Korean marathoners"As long as we have that spirit, we are optimistic about the future."
◇ Participants included Colonel Benjamin C. Limb, the chairman of the Korean Committee, Asa Bushnell, the secretary of the U.S. Olympic Committee, and Frank A. Sieberman Jr., the president of the New York Sports Club. AAU President Willard N. Greim sent a telegram praising the Korean athletes for their performances at the Boston Marathon.
◇Ochan also included Son Ki-jung, the winner of the 1936 Olympic Marathon, Nam Seung-yong, the 12th-ranked Boston Marathon, Johnny Hayes, the winner of the 1908 Olympic Marathon, Pincus Sober, the chairman of the Metropolitan AAU Athletics Committee, Charles L. Ornstein, the chairman of the Jewish National Welfare Committee, Ted Van Twisk, the head of the New York Sports Club, Dr. Mauric Williams, the U.S. secretary-general of the Sunyatsen Group, the Presbyterian Church's laity representative, A. C. Marts, the Korean American Friendship Fund's Word.
◇ Minister Choi Yong-jin (January 1948 Saint Moritz Winter Olympics speed skating coach and athlete), Rudy Hyun, Emmanuel Demby, and Ferris also attended.
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Major Journal Participating In Korea's First Olympics (1945-1948)
1945
Reconstruction of the Joseon Sports Council (Chairman Yeo Woon-hyung) in November
1946
In July, within the Joseon Sports Council, the Olympic Committee (Chairman Yoo Euk-gyeom, Vice Chairman of the U.S. Military Government and Education Department, Vice Chairman Jeon Kyung-moo, Lee Sang-baek)
12.28 Conditions for joining the International Sports Federation (ISF) in three or more events are presented by The Chosun Ilbo / The Brundage (Chairman of the U.S. Olympic Committee and Vice Chairman of the IOC)"Recently, I was asked whether I would participate in the Joseon Olympics, but in my opinion, until Korea becomes a unified and independent country, I can only look forward to the time when it will participate in the Olympic Games."
1947
4.19 Seo Yun-bok wins Boston Marathon
5.13 American Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), invited luncheon for Seo Yoon-bok
5.16 Formation of the Korean Olympic Committee
ISF membership just before the ISO General Assembly in two athletics and soccer events in June
6.15 IOC General Meeting to be held
6.20 Approved to join the IOC
1948
1.30~2.8 Saint Moritz Winter Olympics (speed skating, 3 athletes, 2 executives)
7.29-8.14 London Olympics (50 athletes, 17 executives, including track and field, weightlifting, wrestling, soccer, basketball, cycling, and boxing)
August 15th, the government will be established
tokkig@sportschosun.com
