1930 Commonwealth Games
16-23 August, Hamilton, Canada
The first Commonwealth Games were held in 1930 in
Hamilton, Canada. “Bobby” MM Robinson,
an influential figure in Canadian athletics finally
put into action a sports plan that had been talked
and discussed amongst Commonwealth nations for almost
three decades.
Eleven countries with 400 athletes in total participated
in the first Commonwealth Games. A sum of $30,000
was provided by the City of Hamilton to these nations
to help cover traveling costs. Since then, the Games
have been conducted every four years except for 1942
and 1946, due to World War II.
From 1930 to 1950 the Games were known as the British
Empire Games, then the British Empire and Commonwealth
Games until 1962. From 1966 to 1974 they took on the
title of British Commonwealth Games and from 1978
onwards they have been known as simply the Commonwealth
Games.
The city of Hamilton proved a gracious first host
of the Commonwealth Games movement and is as important
to it as Athens is to the Olympics. Then called the
British Empire Games, the sociological, cultural and
political makeup of the Commonwealth Movement has
altered substantially since 1930.
The inaugural Games was utilitarian and very down
to earth, proving that more doesn’t necessarily
mean better. The athletes’ village was the Prince
of Wales School next to the Civic Stadium, where the
competitors slept two dozen to a classroom. Despite
missing some basic comforts, the participants were
unanimous in their praise for the Games and Hamilton’s
hospitality.
Eleven countries sent a total of about 400 athletes
to the Hamilton Games. Women competed in only the
swimming events. The participant nations were Australia,
Bermuda, British Guiana, Canada, England, Northern
Ireland, Newfoundland, New Zealand, Scotland, South
Africa and Wales.
The Hamilton Games featured six sports: track and
field, boxing, lawn bowls, rowing, swimming and diving,
and wrestling and ran at a cost of $97,973.00.
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