Throughout his adult life, Baron Pierre de Coubertin rhapsodized about the benefits the modern world had derived from the Ancient Greek passion for sport.  But in a speech he gave to the Greek Liberal Club of Lausanne on February 24, 1918, the Baron let his imagination run in reverse.  He led his audience to consider the joy the ancient athletes would have felt if they had a chance to play with the advanced sports equipment from our times. 

“What joy the splendid youth of Hellas would have felt in far-off times had it possessed the foil, that docile weapon, the supple and firm boxing glove, the coaxing bicycle, and above all the outrigger, that marvelous craft the very feel of which lends the rower wings! What an intoxication for the bygone athlete had our numerous gymnastic appliances been to hand! Indeed, never has sporting pleasure been made more attractive than in our days, nor its opportunities for exercising its fascination more numerous.”