THE GAME DETAILS
VENUE
MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND
Playing area was 167 yards (152.7 metres) x 140 yards (128 metres)
DATE
Friday 7th December, 1956
Practice game was held on Sunday 2nd December, 1956 and was won by V.A.F.A.
START TIME
Scheduled start time was 4:00pm. Actual start time was 4:10pm.
THE RESULT
V.A.F.A. V.F.L. and V.F.A.
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Gls.
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Bhds.
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Pts.
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Gls.
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Bhds.
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Pts.
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1st Quarter
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6
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1
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37
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1
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0
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6
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2nd Quarter
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9
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4
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58
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6
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0
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36
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3rd Quarter
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11
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8
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74
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6
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2
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38
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FINAL
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12
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9
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81
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8
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7
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55
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V.A.F.A. won by 26 points.
BEST PLAYERS
V.F.L.-V.F.A.
Allsopp, Collopy, Dunin, Dwyer, Edwards, Gabelich, Plunkett, Sassella, Turner, Westacott & Woolnough.
V.A.F.A.
Anderson, Capes, Collins, Fenton-Smith, Hannan, Harkness, Hibbins, Pettigrove, Rochow & Thomas.
GOALKICKERS
V.F.L.-V.F.A.
Dunin (3), Allsopp, Plunkett, Tobin, Turner, Woolnough (1)
V.A.F.A.
Fenton-Smith, Pettigrove (4), Anderson (3), Rochow (1)
REPORTS
V.F.L.-V.F.A.
NIL
V.A.F.A.
NIL
INJURIES
V.F.L.-V.F.A.
NIL
V.A.F.A.
NIL
UMPIRES
FIELD
L. F. WENKER
EMERGENCY
S. G. BIRTLES
BOUNDARY
W. H. QUINN
J. C. WILSON
GOAL
R. H. COLDREY
O. J. MEEHAN
TIMEKEEPERS
N. W. HECTOR
P. A. MATTHEWS
OFFICIAL ATTENDANCE
21,236
TICKET PRICES
(Reserved Seating)
£1 2s. - 11s. - 6s. 7d.
(Un-reserved Section)
6s. 7d.
LIVE TELEVISION BROADCAST
ABN-2
(DAILY LIVE TELECAST)
OTHER DETAILS FROM THE GAMES
OTHER SPORTS, VENUES & DATES
ATHLETICS (MEN'S & WOMEN'S)
MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND, JOLIMONT
(23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 November & 1 December)
BASKETBALL
EXHIBITION BUILDINGS ANNEXE, CARLTON
(22, 23, 24, 26, 27 November & 1 December)
BOXING
WEST MELBOURNE STADIUM, WEST MELBOURNE
(23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 November & 1 December)
CANOEING (MEN'S & WOMEN'S)
LAKE WENDOUREE, BALLARAT
(30 November & 1 December)
CYCLING
OLYMPIC PARK VELODROME, MELBOURNE
(3, 4 & 6 December)
ROAD COURSE, BROADMEADOWS
(7 December)
DIVING (MEN'S & WOMEN'S)
OLYMPIC POOL, MELBOURNE
(1, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 December)
EQUESTRIAN
STOCKHOLM STADIUM, STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
Grand Prix de Dressage/DRESSAGE EVENT (15 June)
Olympisk Banhoppning/OLYMPIC GRAND PRIX JUMPING EVENT (16 June)
HUSARBRON, LILLJANSSKOGEN WOOD, STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
ULRIKSDAL, NORTH OF STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
Fälttävlan/THREE DAY EVENT (11, 13 & 14 June)
FENCING
TOWN HALL, ST.KILDA
(23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 November, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 December)
FOOTBALL-ASSOCIATION (SOCCER)
OLYMPIC PARK FOOTBALL FIELD, MELBOURNE
(24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 November & 1 December)
MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND, JOLIMONT
(4,5,7 & 8 December)
GYMNASTICS
WEST MELBOURNE STADIUM, WEST MELBOURNE
(3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 December)
HOCKEY
OLYMPIC PARK HOCKEY FIELD, MELBOURNE
(23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29 & 30 November)
MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND, JOLIMONT
(3 & 6 December)
MODERN PENTATHLON
OLYMPIC POOL, MELBOURNE (200 METRE SWIM)
(27 December)
UPPER STOREY ROOMS (BALCONY) AT EXHIBITION BUILDINGS, CARLTON (EPEE FENCING)
(24 December)
OAKLANDS HUNT CLUB, BROADMEADOWS (CROSS-COUNTRY RUNNING & HORSE RIDING)
(23 & 28 December)
MERRETT RIFLE RANGE, WILLIAMSTOWN (SHOOTING)
(26 December)
ROWING
LAKE WENDOUREE, BALLARAT
(23, 24, 26 & 27 November)
SAILING
PORT PHILLIP BAY
(26, 27, 28, 29 November, 3, 4 & 5 December)
SHOOTING
MERRETT RIFLE RANGE, WILLIAMSTOWN
RAPID FIRE PISTOL, SLOW FIRE PISTOL, SMALL BORE RIFLE & RUNNING DEER EVENTS (30 November, 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 December)
ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE STATION, LAVERTON
CLAY PIGEON SHOOTING EVENT (29, 30 November & 1 December)
SWIMMING (MEN'S & WOMEN'S)
OLYMPIC POOL, MELBOURNE
(29, 30 November, 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 December)
WATER POLO
OLYMPIC POOL, MELBOURNE
(28, 29, 31 November, 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 December)
WEIGHTLIFTING
EXHIBITION BUILDINGS, CARLTON
(23, 24 26 November)
WRESTLING
EXHIBITION BUILDINGS, CARLTON
FREE STYLE (28, 29, 30 November & 1 December)
GRECO-ROMAN (3, 4, 5 & 6 December)
BASEBALL (DEMONSTRATION SPORT)
MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND, JOLIMONT
(1 December)
DATES OF SIGNIFICANCE
OPENING CEREMONY
NOVEMBER 22, 1956 (MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND, JOLIMONT)
CLOSING CEROMONY
DECEMBER 8, 1956 (MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND, JOLIMONT)
STOCKHOLM STADIUM OPENING
JUNE 6TH, 1956
EQUESTRIAN EVENTS OPENING
JUNE 10, 1956 (STOCKHOLM STADIUM, STOCKHOLM)
EQUESTRIAN EVENTS CLOSING
JUNE 17, 1956 (STOCKHOLM STADIUM, STOCKHOLM)
PARTICIPATING NATIONS
MELBOURNE
INVITATIONS TO COMPETE (ABOVE), WRITTEN IN ENGLISH ONLY, WERE SENT TO 91 MEMBER NATIONS OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE.
OF THESE NATIONS, 11 DECLINED THE INVITATION. THEY WERE:
BARBADOS
BOLIVIA
CAMBODIA
COSTA RICA
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
DUTCH WEST INDIES
EL SALVADOR
LIECHTENSTEIN
MONACO
PARAGUAY
SYRIA
ANOTHER 11 NATIONS ACCEPTED, BUT WITHDREW PRIOR TO THE GAMES FOR VARIOUS REASONS. THEY WERE:
CHINA (PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF)
EGYPT
GOLD COAST
GUATEMALA
HOLLAND (REPUBLIC OF)
IRAQ
LEBANON
MALTA
PANAMA
SPAIN
SWITZERLAND
THE I.O.C. RECOGNIZED THE 'OLYMPIC COMMITTEE OF EAST GERMANY' ON THE CONDITION THAT GERMANY SENT ONE UNITED TEAM WITH WEST GERMANY. THIS WAS AGREED TO.
THE 'OLYMPIC COMMITTEE OF SAAR' ALSO ACCEPTED, BUT JUST PRIOR TO THE GAMES, THE COMMITTEE WAS DISOLVED. HOWEVER THE SAAR ATHLETES WERE INCLUDED INTO THE GERMAN TEAM.
THIS MEANT THAT 67 NATIONS ULTIMATELY PARTICIPATED IN MELBOURNE. THEY WERE:
AFGHANISTAN
ARGENTINE
AUSTRALIA
AUSTRIA
BAHAMAS
BELGIUM
BERMUDA
BRAZIL
BRITISH GUIANA
BULGARIA
BURMA
CANADA
CEYLON
CHILE
CHINA (REPUBLIC OF)
CUBA
CZECHOSLOVAKIA
DENMARK
ETHIOPIA*
FIJI*
FINLAND
FRANCE
GERMANY (EAST GERMANY, WEST GERMANY & SAAR)
GREAT BRITAIN & NORTHERN IRELAND
GREECE
HONG KONG
HUNGARY
ICELAND
INDIA
INDONESIA
IRAN (ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF)
IRELAND
ISRAEL
ITALY
JAMAICA
JAPAN
KENYA*
KOREA
LIBERIA*
LUXEMBOURG
MALAYA*
MEXICO
NEW ZEALAND
NIGERIA
NORTH BORNEO*
NORWAY
PAKISTAN
PERU
PHILIPPINES
POLAND
PORTUGAL
PUERTO RICO
RUMANIA
SINGAPORE
SOUTH AFRICA
SWEDEN
THAILAND
TRINIDAD
TURKEY
UGANDA*
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
U.S.S.R.
URUGUAY
VENEZUELA
VIET-NAM
YUGOSLAVIA
(*THESE NATIONS PARTICIPATED IN THEIR FIRST OLYMPIC GAMES AT MELBOURNE)
STOCKHOLM
29 NATIONS
ARGENTINE
AUSTRALIA
AUSTRIA
BELGIUM
BRAZIL
BULGARIA
CAMBODIA
CANADA
DENMARK
EGYPT
FINLAND
FRANCE
GERMANY (EAST GERMANY, WEST GERMANY & SAAR)
GREAT BRITAIN & NORTHERN IRELAND
HOLLAND (REPUBLIC OF)
HUNGARY
IRELAND
ITALY
JAPAN
NORWAY
PORTUGAL
RUMANIA
SPAIN
SWITZERLAND
SWEDEN
TURKEY
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
U.S.S.R.
VENEZUELA
NATIONS WHO BOYCOTTED MELBOURNE
EGYPT (PROTESTING THE SUEZ WAR)
IRAQ (PROTESTING THE SUEZ WAR)
LEBANON (PROTESTING THE SUEZ WAR)
NETHERLANDS (PROTESTING THE SOVIET INVASION OF HUNGARY)
SPAIN (PROTESTING THE SOVIET INVASION OF HUNGARY)
SWITZERLAND (PROTESTING THE SOVIET INVASION OF HUNGARY)
PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA (PROTESTING AGAINST THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA (TAIWAN) BEING ALLOWED TO COMPETE UNDER THE NAME OF 'FORMOSA')
NUMBER OF ATHLETES
MELBOURNE
3,184 ATHLETES
COMPRISING 2,813 MEN & 371 WOMEN
STOCKHOLM
164 RIDERS
AUSTRALIA HAD FOUR COMPETITORS AT STOCKHOLM. THEY RODE TWO IRISH BORN HORSES, ONE ENGLISH BORN HORSE AND ONE AUSTRALIAN BORN HORSE. THEY WERE:
-Ernest Frederick BARKER, riding 'DANDY', An 11 year-old bay gelding born in Great Britain. They competed in the Three Day event.
-Brian John CRAGO, riding 'RADAR', a 10 year-old brown mare born in Ireland. They also competed in the Three Day event.
-Albert Frank JACOBS, riding 'DUMBELL', a 9 year-old bay mare born in Australia. They competed in the Grand Prix Jumping event.
-Wyatt Weston THOMPSON, riding 'BROWN SUGAR', a 10 year-old brown gelding born in Ireland. They also competed in the Three Day event.
Australia had no entrants in the Grand Prix Dressage event.
NUMBER OF SPORTS
MELBOURNE
19 x OFFICIAL SPORTS
2 x DEMONSTRATION SPORTS
STOCKHOLM
1 x OFFICIAL SPORTS
0 x DEMONSTRATION SPORTS
NUMBER OF EVENTS
MELBOURNE
145 EVENTS
STOCKHOLM
3 EVENTS
OFFICIALLY OPENED BY
MELBOURNE - H.R.H. DUKE OF EDINBURGH (PRINCE PHILLIP)
STOCKHOLM - KING GUSTAV VI ADOLF OF SWEDEN & H.R.H. QUEEN ELIZABETH II
OLYMPIC TORCH LIT BY
MELBOURNE - RON CLARKE (AUSTRALIAN ATHLETE)
STOCKHOLM - CAPTAIN HANS WIKNE (SWEDISH CAVALRY CAPTAIN)
KARIN LINDBERG (SWEDISH GYMNAST) & HENRY ERIKSSON (SWEDISH ATHLETE)
OLYMPIC OATH READ BY
MELBOURNE -JOHN LANDY (ATHLETE)
STOCKHOLM - HENRI ST.CYR (RIDER)
MEDAL COUNT (MELBOURNE & STOCKHOLM)
NATION
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GOLD
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SILVER
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BRONZE
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TOTAL
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U.S.S.R.
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37
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29
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32
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98
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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
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32
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25
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17
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74
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AUSTRALIA
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13
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8
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14
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35
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HUNGARY
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9
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10
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7
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26
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ITALY
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8
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8
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9
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25
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SWEDEN
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8
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5
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6
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19
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UNITED TEAM OF GERMANY
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6
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13
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7
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26
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GREAT BRITAIN & NORTHERN IRELAND
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6
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7
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11
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24
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ROMANIA
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5
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3
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5
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13
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JAPAN
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4
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10
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5
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19
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FRANCE
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4
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4
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6
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14
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TURKEY
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3
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2
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2
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7
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FINLAND
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3
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1
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11
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15
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ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN
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2
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2
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1
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5
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CANADA
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2
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1
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3
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6
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NEW ZEALAND
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2
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0
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0
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2
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POLAND
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1
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4
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4
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9
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CZECHOSLOVAKIA
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1
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4
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1
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6
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BULGARIA
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1
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3
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1
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5
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DENMARK
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1
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2
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1
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4
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IRELAND
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1
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1
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3
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5
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NORWAY
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1
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0
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2
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3
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MEXICO
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1
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0
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1
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2
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BRAZIL
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1
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0
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0
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1
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INDIA
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1
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0
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0
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1
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YUGOSLAVIA
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0
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3
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0
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3
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CHILE
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0
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2
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2
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4
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BELGIUM
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0
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2
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0
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2
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ARGENTINE
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0
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1
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1
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2
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KOREA
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0
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1
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1
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2
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ICELAND
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0
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1
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0
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1
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PAKISTAN
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0
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1
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0
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1
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SOUTH AFRICA
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0
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0
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4
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4
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AUSTRIA
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0
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0
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2
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2
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BAHAMAS
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0
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0
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1
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1
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GREECE
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0
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0
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1
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1
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SWITZERLAND
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0
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0
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1
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1
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URUGUAY
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0
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0
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1
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1
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BIDDING RESULTS FOR GAMES
MELBOURNE WAS SELECTED TO HOST THE GAMES AT THE 43RD IOC SESSION IN ROME, ITALY, ON APRIL 28, 1949.
THE ROUND BY ROUND RESULTS ARE LISTED BELOW.
CITY
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COUNTRY
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ROUND 1
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ROUND 2
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ROUND 3
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ROUND 4
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Melbourne, Victoria
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Australia
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14
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18
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19
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21
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Buenos Aires
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Argentina
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9
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12
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13
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20
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Los Angeles, California
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United States
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5
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4
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5
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ELIMINATED RD.3
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Detroit, Michigan
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United States
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2
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4
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4
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ELIMINATED RD.3
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Mexico City
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Mexico
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9
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3
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ELIMINATED RD.2
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ELIMINATED RD.2
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Chicago, Illinois
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United States
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1
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ELIMINATED RD.1
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ELIMINATED RD.1
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ELIMINATED RD.1
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Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Minnesota
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United States
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1
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ELIMINATED RD.1
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ELIMINATED RD.1
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ELIMINATED RD.1
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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United States
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1
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ELIMINATED RD.1
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ELIMINATED RD.1
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ELIMINATED RD.1
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San Francisco, California
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United States
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0
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ELIMINATED RD.1
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ELIMINATED RD.1
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ELIMINATED RD.1
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TORCH RELAY DATES & HIGHLIGHTS
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN
JUNE 2, 1956
FLAME FOR STOCKHOLM EQUESTRIAN EVENTS LIT AT OLYMPIA, GREECE.
LENGTH OF STOCKHOLM TORCH RELAY IS 325 KM.
JUNE 6, 1956
OLMPIC FURNACE IN STOCKHOLM STADIUM IS LIT ON HORSEBACK BY SWEDISH CAVALRY CAPTAIN, HANS WIKNE.
TWO TORCHES ARE LIT FROM FURNACE. THESE ARE CARRIED BY KARIN LINDBERG (SWEDISH GOLD MEDALLIST GYMNAST) & HENRY ERIKSSON (SWEDISH GOLD MEDALLIST ATHLETE),TO TWO TORCHES ON BOTH TOWERS AT THE END OF THE STADIUM, AND LIT BY THEM.
MELBOURNE, VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA
NOVEMBER 2, 1956
FLAME LIT AT OLYMPIA, GREECE.
FLAME RELAYED TO ATHENS BY GREEK RUNNERS.
NOVEMBER 3, 1956
FLAME TRANSFERRED TO A MINERS LAMP AT ATHENS AIRPORT, AND FLOWN TO DARWIN (NORTHERN TERRITORY) ABOARD A QANTAS 'SUPER CONSTELLATION' AIRCRAFT NAMED "SOUTHERN HORIZON". PILOTING THE PLANE IS CAPTAIN YOUNG.
FLAME WAS THEN PLACED ABOARD A R.A.A.F. (ROYAL AUSTRALIAN AIR FORCE) 'ENGLISH ELECTRIC CANBERRA' JET BOMBER, AND FLOWN TO CAIRNS (QUEENSLAND).
NOVEMBER 9, 1956
FLAME ARRIVED AT CAIRNS, AND THE FIRST TORCH WAS LIT BY THE MAYOR OF CAIRNS, ALDERMAN W.J.FULTON.
THE FLAME WAS THEN RELAYED DOWN THE EAST COAST OF AUSTRALIA, THE FIRST RUNNER BEING A LOCAL AUSTRALIAN-BORN GREEK, WHO HANDED IT TO A LOCAL ABORIGINE MAN. THE FIRST RUNNER BEGAN HIS RUN AT EXACTLY 1:40 PM.
THE FLAME WAS RELAYED BY 2,380 RUNNERS IN 1 MILE STAGES, USING DIECAST ALUMINIUM TORCHES WEIGHING APPROXIMATELY 1.8 KGS (3 LBS.).
THE RELAY TRAVELLED ALL DAY AND NIGHT FOR 13 DAYS, 1 HOUR AND 53 MINUTES.
NOVEMBER 22, 1956
THE FLAME ARRIVED IN MELBOURNE AND THE OLMPIC TORCH, AT THE M.C.G., WAS LIT BY LOCAL ATHLETE & JUNIOR MILE RECORD HOLDER RON CLARKE, USING A SPECIAL CEREMONIAL TORCH. THIS TORCH IS NOW HOUSED IN THE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE MUSEUM AT LAUSANNE IN SWITZERLAND.
WEBSITE
I.O.C. 1956 SUMMER OLYMPICS SITE
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
PHOTOS, MEMORABILIA & DATA PROVIDED BY
THE HERALD & WEEKLY TIMES
THE SUN NEWS PICTORIAL
THE AGE
THE ARGUS
INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC FEDERATION
MR. G.A. LANSDOWN PRIVATE COLLECTION
MR. K.R.J. KRIEGER PRIVATE COLLECTION
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