[MGSA-L] First Marathon cup goes on sale

[June Samaras]

First Marathon cup goes on sale
Posted on 09/03/2012

http://whenthecrisishitthefan.com/2012/03/09/963/

Greece might not have ended on e-bay but the silver cup that was
awarded to Spiros Louis, the winner of Marathon at the first modern
Olympics (Athens 1896) is one on the box, at Christie’s.

The grandson of the legendary runner, also called Spiros Louis,
decided to sell the precious artifact inherited by his grandfather.
According to an interview he gave to Ta Nea newspaper, he originally
tried to sell the cup to the Greek state. At the beginning it was the
former Mayor of modern day city of Marathon who was interested to buy
the cup in order to exhibit it in the municipality’s museum. Then,
there was interest by the Hellenic Association of Amateur Athletics
(SEGAS) and by Kostas Panagopoulos of the Athens 2004 Organizing
Committee for the Olympics. Spiros Louis also tried to contact the
Minister of Culture but there was no result. Greece managed to host
one of the most expensive Olympiads in the history of the modern Games
but there was no money to keep this artifact in Greece.

According to Christie’s, the silver cup is estimated to realise
between £120,000 and £160,000. Funnily, Spiros Louis said that he
originally tried to sell the family’s artifact to the Greek state at a
much lower price.

The news about the cup going on the box caused many reactions. Like
that one of George Patoulis, Mayor of Athens’ Marousi district where
the main Olympic Sports Complex is. The legendary runner, you see, was
born in Marousi and the current Olympic Sports Complex is named after
him. “We are emotionally attached to Spiros Louis. As soon as we
learned about the auction we were mobilized. I personally send letters
to friends who are businessmen in London in order to open an account
so that we buy the Cup” said Patoulis.

As for who is going to pay for it so that Patoulis celebrates the
return of the cup to its home, no one knows.

And even if this idea is realized another question will remain. Why
did we have to pay a higher price, including the commission of
Christie’s, in order to keep this artifact in Greece?

-- 
June Samaras
2020 Old Station Rd
Streetsville,Ontario
Canada L5M 2V1
Tel : 905-542-1877
E-mail : june.samaras at gmail.com