Modern...and not so good Olympics ushered in 80 years ago this month

I lost interest in the Olympics back in the 50's when they were hyped as one more contest in the death struggle between communism and capitalism; Russia versus the US. What nonsense. The Olympics have always been tied to mindless nationalism. The ancient Olympics were held at Olympia every 4 years from 776 BC to 393 AD. They were used by the Greek city-states to assert dominance over one another and spread Hellenistic influence throughout the Mediterranean. The modern Olympics, restarted in Athens in 1896, were modest affairs run on shoestring budgets and relatively devoid of nationalistic bravado through the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles.

That changed forever eighty years ago with Olympiad XI held in Berlin. Awarded the games in 1931, during the Wiemar government, Germany changed course under Hitler, determined to use the games to promote the Nazi ideal and inevitability of their future world conquest. Lavishly financed and first to be broadcast and televised, Hitler also commissioned Leni Riefenstahl to document them in likely the greatest sports documentary ever, albeit to further the Nazi cause. Riefenstah's 'Olympiad' forever set the model and tone for sports documentaries, still a stunning view eighty years later.

But Hitler and his Nazi thugs almost lost the games twice in '34 and '35 when their virulent racism and antisemitism sparked threats of boycotts. The first effort followed the Nazi's demand that no blacks and no Jews compete. American Nazi enabler Avery Brundage, head of the US Olympic Committee, met with Nazis and Jewish athletes, reporting back 'no problem here' when Hitler caved on other country's use of Jewish and black athletes. The Fuhrer even allowed a Jewish token on the German fencing team, one Helene Mayer, whose Nordic stature made everyone pretend she was a pure Aryan. Brundage came back charging it was simply American Jewish communists who were agitating for an unnecessary boycott. In a close vote, the US Amateur Athletic Association voted to attend and US participation was secured.

A record number of countries and athletes descended upon Berlin for the August 1 opening event, not seeing the Gypsies who'd been shuffled off to local concentration camps or 'no Jews allowed' signs taken down for the duration.

American blacks were gung ho for the games to show their prowess in one of few avenues of achievement open to them..and they didn't disappoint. Jesse Owens' 4 Gold in Track became an iconic Olympic moment, making Hitler sputter about America's 'black auxiliaries'. But Owens didn't spoil Der Fuhrer's party as Germany crushed runner up US in medals 89 to 56, with Hungary a distant third with 16.

Best thing about the '36 Olympic? Berlin's Jews got velvet glove treatment for about nine months up to and during the Big Show. Best thing about the current Rio Olympics? They're not in Chicago.