Pierre de Coubertin: 'Build this grand and beneficial enterprise', Union of French Societies of Athletic Sports (USFSA) - 1892

25 November 1892, Paris, France

This is an excerpt from a 1992 speech the manuscript of which was recently rediscovered. It sold for $8.8 million making it the most valuable sports memorabilia of all time.

There are some people you call utopians when they tell you that wars are bound to vanish and you are not totally wrong, but others believe that the occasions for wars will eventually disappear and to my mind this is not a utopia. It is clear and obvious that the telegraph, the railway, the telephone, the passionate research in the field of science, congresses, world fairs did more for peace than all the treaties and all the diplomatic conventions. Well, I do hope that athletics will do even more. Those who saw 30,000 people run under the rain to attend a football game will not regard this as an exaggeration. Let us export rowers, runners, fencers: this is the free trade of the future, and the day when it is part of the mores of old Europe the cause for peace will receive a powerful and new support. This is enough to encourage your humble servant to think now of the second half of this program. He hopes you will give him a hand as you have helped him so far, and with you he will be allowed to go on and build this grand and beneficial enterprise, on a basis true to the conditions of modern life: the reinstatement of the Olympic Games.

Muhammad Ali: 'They put me out of that restaurant', on throwing Olympic gold medal away - 1976

1976 Australia

Muhammad Ali granted an interview with Tim Blue, of the ABC’s This Day Tonight, in 1976, in which he recounts a racist incident in his home town of Lousville, Kentucky.. The incident was related in Ali’s 1973 autobiography. Ali’s wikipedia entry suggests there is some doubt on the story’s accuracy.. He tells it well!

It was 1958, we couldn’t eat in the restaurants in Louisville we couldn’t eat downtown.

One day I saw two Africans go in with their robes and their turbans. They couldn’t speak English and I heard the manager say, ‘let em in, they’re not negros’.

I thought, ‘somethng’s wrong’. I can’t access because I’m black and they’re so black they’re near blue but they went in.

So I said, ‘I’ll get my Olympic gold medal, then I’ll go in’.

So I went and got my Olympic gold medal, went back in, and ordered two cheeseburgers and the lady said, ‘sorry, we don’t serve negros ‘. I said, ‘I don’t eat them either, just give me two cheeseburgers’.

She said, ‘you’re getting smart’ and she called the manager and he said, ‘I don’t care who he is …’

‘He says he’s Cassius Clay’

‘I don’t care who he is.’

Anyway,  the idea was that I couldn’t eat there.

Anyway I got so angry I drove down to the Ohio river and stood there and looked at the gold medal, and I could imagine that American flag waving while they play the national anthem when I beat the Pole and I beat the Russian …

Dun dun dun dun dun dun!!! [singing beats]

And I’m standing there with the medal on …

Dun dun dun dun dun dun!!

I though I’m going back to Louisville, and I can eat there, I can go in the restaurants put them on the spot,  they can’t put me out now, I’m the champ of the world! I’m in a big country like Rome representing the United States out of one little city named Louisville, I now I beat the whole world!

Boy, dun dun …

They put me out of that restaurant, and I said, ‘this medal aint worth a damn’. I became so frustrated …

And now I wish I had it because I wouldn’t become so frustrated now, but at the time I took that medal and said, ‘it aint worth nothing, I don’t care’ and took it off my neck and said ‘it aint no good’ and threw it into the Ohio River.

I heard there are problems in Australia just like there are in America and in other countries. But to all of those regardless of whether you’re Australian, whether you’re black or white, this one thing I want you to always remember is this. When we mistreat others, we are certainly mistreating the artist who created them. If we realised this, it would not be difficult to feel God’s presence everywhere.

So I repeat. When we mistreat others we are certainly mistreating the artist who created them. If we realise this, it would not be difficult to feel God’s presence everywhere.

Jesse Owens: 'I am very glad to have won', acceptane speech 100m Berlin Olympic Games - 1936

3 August 1936, Berlin, Germany

I am very glad to have won the 100 metres in the Olympic Games here in Berlin. A very beautiful place and a very beautiful city. The competition was grand, and we’re very glad to come out on top. Thank you very kindly.

Carl Lewis: 'I don't know how he does it', remarks following Ben Johnson's 100m win at Seoul - 1988

24 September 1988, Seoul, South Korea

This was a BBC interview after Johnson won the 100m final and before he was disqualified for taking PEDs. (from 1.16)

Well I was surprised because this time, Ben made a tremendous drop … really in twenty four hours because he just wasn’t the same person Friday as he was Saturday, I mean , that race was shocking. I just don’t know how he does it, or whether he gets a hypnotist or something, but he does something to stimulate him in the finals.

Lawrie Lawrence: 'Stuff the silver we're here for the gold', Seoul Olympic Games - 1988

19 September 1988, Seoul, South Korea

Duncan Armstrong was the 43rd ranked swimmer in the world in the event when he upset American Matt Biondi and German Michael Gross to win gold in the 200, freestyle at the Seoul Olympics. Lawrie Lawrence was his flamboyant coach.

Stephen Quartermaine: How do you feel Lawrie (repeated)

We did it again! We did it again. Lucky lane six. Lucky lane six!

Stephen Quartermaine: Can you talk now how do you feel?

We just beat three world record holders! pynctuation slap). How do you think I feel? (punctuation slap) How do you think I! How do you think I (grabs reporter in joyful headlock)

Stephen Quatermaine: I reckon you knew he was going to do that …

(To passer by) Thanks! (fist clench)

Stephen Quatermaine: Mate, inside, did you think he could do it?

Mate, what do you think we come here for? Silver? Stuff the silver we come for the gold! What do you think we come for!

Stumbles down stairs.

Juan Antonio Samaranch: 'The best Olympic Games ever!', Closing Ceremony Sydney Olympics - 2000

These are my last Games as president of the International Olympic Committee. They could not have been better. Therefore I am proud and happy to proclaim that you have presented to the world, the best Olympic Games ever!

Sebastian Coe: 'All my life I have loved sport', Opening of London Olympic Games - 2012

27 July 2012, London, United Kingdom

All my life I have loved sport. You have to love sport to compete at it. There is a truth to sport, a purity, a drama, an intensity, a spirit that makes it irresistible to take part in and irresistible to watch.

London 2012 seeks to capture all of this. London 2012 will inspire a generation.
In every Olympic sport there is all that matters in life. Humans stretched to the limit of their abilities, inspired by what they can achieve, driven by their talent to work harder than they can believe possible, living for the moment but making an indelible mark upon history.

To the athletes, gathered here on the eve of this great endeavor, I say that to you is given something precious and irreplaceable. To run faster, to jump higher, to be stronger.

To my fellow countrymen, I say thank you, thank you for making all this possible.

In the next two weeks we will show all that has made London one of the greatest cities in the world. The only city to have welcomed the Games three times. Each time we have done it when the world faced turbulence and trouble. And each time the Games have been a triumph.

Our history as a thriving commercial center, as a place where the people of all nations have for centuries come to meet, as a city which never stands still, this history has prepared us for today.

For us too, for every Briton, just as the competitors, this is our time. And one day we will tell our children and our grandchildren that when our time came we did it right.

Let us determine, all of us, all over the world, that London 2012 will see the very best of us.

Anna Meares: 'You’re about to represent yourself, your family, friends, team, sport and country' Address to athletes - 2016

3 August 2016, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

What lies ahead for us no one knows, it’s unwritten history

But what lies ahead of our rivals and competitors is known. A team of men and women brimming with Aussie spirit, a spirit that many in the world envy.

We’re a nation proud of our heritage.

From our indigenous Australians to those who have immigrated and sought refuge, to those born and raised on Aussie soil. We are all proud to call ourselves Australian.

I’ve been asked so many times why I’m still here, why I still ride, why I still compete.

The simple answer is, I love the feeling I get on the rare few days once every four years to wear the green and gold.

My name is Anna Meares, but it’s not my name that makes my rivals take notice.

It is the strength and pride I gain in spirit when I put on my green and gold racing gear.

I have lost more races then I have won.

I stand before you still striving for more success and still dreaming the same dream I had as a young girl in country Queensland.

I could have retired after London, gone out a winner, gone out on top of my sport.

But Rio offered a chance for me to not just be great, but to be greater again.

You’re about to represent yourself, your family, friends, team, sport and country.

It sounds like a lot. But the reason we are held in such high esteem as sportsmen and sportswomen is because we carry that Aussie spirit, that never-give-in attitude and that ‘let’s have a real crack’ mindset.

No one can find fault or disappointment in anyone who strives to be better in themselves and challenge themselves to do great things.

In its simplest terms it starts with bringing that competitive Aussie out in all of us and digging deep like Cathy Freeman, Kieren Perkins, Herb Elliott, ‘Thorpey’ and a great friend of mine, Marjorie Nelson Jackson, did in years gone by.

So to all in this team, in my team, in our team, let’s make this Olympics great.

Continue to be you, that’s what has got you here.

Continue to fight and battle and no matter the outcome I, like your family, friends, team and country, will be proud of you.

Marion Jones: 'I want you to know that I have been dishonest', Apology for Steroid Use and Dioshonesty - 2007

10 October 2007, USA

Good afternoon everyone. I am Marion Jones-Thompson, and I am here today because I have something very important to tell you, my fans, my friends, and my family.

Over the many years of my life, as an athlete in the sport of track and field, you have been fiercely loyal and supportive towards me. Even more loyal and supportive than words can declare has been my family, and especially my dear mother, who stands by my side today.

And so it is with a great amount of shame that I stand before you and tell you that I have betrayed your trust. I want all you to know that today I plead guilty to two counts of making false statements to federal agents.

Making these false statements to federal agents was an incredibly stupid thing for me to do, and I am responsible fully for my actions. I have no one to blame but myself for what I have done.

To you, my fans, including my young supporters, the United States Track and Field Association, my closest friends, my attorneys, and the most classy family a person could ever hope for -- namely my mother, my husband, my children, my brother and his family, my uncle, and the rest of my extended family: I want you to know that I have been dishonest. And you have the right to be angry with me.

I have let them down.

I have let my country down.

And I have let myself down.

I recognize that by saying that I'm deeply sorry, it might not be enough and sufficient to address the pain and the hurt that I have caused you. Therefore, I want to ask for your forgiveness for my actions, and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.

I have asked Almighty God for my forgiveness.

Having said this, and because of my actions, I am retiring from the sport of track and field, a sport which I deeply love.

I promise that these events will be used to make the lives of many people improve; that by making the wrong choices and bad decisions can be disastrous.

I want to thank you all for your time.

Lindsay Gaze: 'I thought he was playing one of his typical practical jokes', Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement - 2015

12 September 2015, Naismith Hall of Fame, Springfeld, Massacheusetts, USA

No transcript availalbe at this time. submissions@speakola.com

Jim Thorpe: 'Thanks, king', Decathlon gold medal presentation, Olympic Games - 1912

July 15, 1912, Stockholm, Sweden

Jim Thorpe was an American (also native American) decathlete who won gold in the decathlon. At the medal presentation, King Gustav of Sweden announced to Thorpe, "Sir, you are the greatest athlete in the world!". Thorpe's two word reply:

Thanks, king.

Margot Foster: MUSA Blues Awards - 2015

21 November, 2014, Copland Theatre, University of Melbourne

Distinguished guests, parents of Blues and most importantly all of you here today who are about to be awarded a full blue or half blue in recognition of your achievements in sport during the recent Australian University Games in Sydney in October.

It is my pleasure to be here as the president of the Melbourne University Sports Association and as a law and arts graduate of this university.  It is the role of MUSA, one of the oldest university sports associations in the country, founded in 1904, to represent the clubs and their members, the athletes, to ensure their best interests are looked after when it comes to resources, facilities and of course training, coaching and support for athletes, teams and crews.  This is done in conjunction with the university’s sports administration department Melbourne University Sport.

University Blues are awarded to athletes for “outstanding sporting performance representing the university” at an Australian University Games or Championships.  Blues have been awarded by the University of Melbourne since 1870 and follow in the long established tradition established by Oxford and Cambridge universities who each have their blues:  the navy blue for Oxford and the light blue for Cambridge.  Their rivalry is highlighted most publicly in the annual Boat Race on the Thames.  That race, so long for men only is, I am pleased to say now complemented by a women’s race over the same gruelling distance of 6.8km rowed in the dead of winter.

You are here because you have been nominated by your club, your coach or by MUS.  Those nominations are then deliberated on by the Blues Advisory Board a group formally constituted under the auspices of the Melbourne University Sports Association.  It comprises a number of experienced people from across sport at the university who consider and take very seriously their responsibility to maintain the standard of blues from year to year and between and amongst the different sports  recommending the awarding of blues and half blues, the highest sporting acknowledgement the university can bestow.  The Melbourne University Sports Association council then approves those recommendations.  I am pleased to note thata Distinguished Service Award will also be awarded tonight to a very worthy recipient.

Thank you so much to the members of the MUSA Blues Advisory Board who were available to meet at short notice between the Sydney AUG and this occasion to make these important decisions.  Whilst all are not here I’d like to acknowledge Cheryl McKinna  (athletics and basketball), Bob Girdwood (AFL and MUSA DSA) - Lisa Lovell (tennis DSA) Iain Scott  (football), Tony Steele  (cricket and squash), Ben Yeo (Water Polo DSA) Megan Lane (touch) and the MUS nominee Rod Warnecke who assisted me in this task. 

The University of Melbourne has produced many fine athletes over the years who were awarded Blues prior to becoming well known performers on the international stage bringing acclaim to themselves, their country and of course the university.  Many were household names of their eras:  John Landy, 1500m Olympic bronze medallist at the Melbourne 1956 Games and a former governor of Victoria; Ralph Doubell the 800 m winner at the 1968 Mexico Olympics in world record time; the late Dr Phil Law  (boxing), after whom one part of the Lazer Law Medal is named, himself a pioneer in Antarctic exploration; Sir Roderick Carnegie, a captain of industry and Sir James Gobbo, former governor and Supreme Court judge were both rowers in the late 40s and 50s, Geoff Rees, the Chairman of the Board of Sport and Australia’s first lightweight rowing world champion,  Dr Donald Cordner who played for the Demons and won a Brownlow, Kathy Watt former science student turned photographer who won gold on the bike in the road race  Barcelona in 1992; Peter Antonie current president of Melb Uni Boat Club who represented Australia on more occasions than you could imagine winning lightweight and heavyweight gold medals in rowing which is no mean feat.  And whilst there are many more I could mention, as but a selection of the illustrious company you are joining and will no doubt happily keep, I will conclude with Alice McNamara who loves her rowing so much (and as part of her training, and just for fun, she won the Eureka stair climb for the third time last weekend) she keeps on keeping on representing both Australia and the university winning her ninth blue last year.

I am particularly pleased to be here and to welcome you tonight as I too am a Blue in rowing.  I was fortunate to grow up well knowing what a blue was all about:  my father, a dual water polo Olympian,  was awarded full blues in each of water polo, swimming and tennis, one of a handful of triple blues in different sports, and it was something to which I aspired though never thought I would achieve.    I would not be standing here but for the fact that when I was at Trinity College I was made to go rowing.  I resisted and resisted but eventually relented, went for a row one early morning, was hooked and the rest is history.  I rowed for Trinity and for Melbourne Uni and was then fortunate to be selected in Olympic, Commonwealth Games and World Championship crews winning medals along the way.  I was able to combine elite sport whilst running my legal practice and I am grateful always that I was able to do both simultaneously though I am not sure it is possible in these times.  I have much to thank university sport for and have no doubt that all of you enjoy the opportunities that participating in sport at uni has provided as much as I did.   I encourage you to stay connected to university sport via your club or MUSA – in either a playing capacity or as a volunteer in  sports administration.  There can be no finer example of this commitment than that of Alf Lazer, the other half of the Lazer-Law medal, whose contribution to university sport, and to athletics particularly, spanned some 60 years before his retirement last year. 

It is with disappointment that I am unable to remain with you for the balance of these celebrations but I have an annual commitment to the Olympians Club of Victoria dinner which is on tonight this night being the closest Friday to the opening day of the Melbourne Olympic Games which was on 22nd November 1956.  Unfortunately this clash was unavoidable.  It has been my delight to be with you however for this short time and it is my pleasure to invite the Patron of Melbourne University Sports Association Dr Geoff Vaughan AO, a blue and a former Wallaby to present your certificates recognising your wonderful achievements.

In conclusion I hope to hear of your continued engagement with university sportand wish you well for your studies and your careers and your sporting endeavours.  I also hope that as I did, and others in this room have, that you might be able to do combine and meet the myriad challenges of study and career and sport, to the very best of your abilities, and participate and enjoy and succeed in each area of endeavour at the same time for a long time. 

Thank you.

Herb Brooks: If we played 'em ten times, they might win nine', (reenacted) Miracle on Ice - 1980

22 February 1980, Lake Placid, New York, USA

Great moments are born from great opportunity.

And that's what you have here tonight, boys.

That's what you've earned here, tonight. One game.

If we played 'em ten times, they might win nine. But not this game. Not tonight.

Tonight, we skate with 'em.

Tonight, we stay with 'em, and we shut them down because we can!

Tonight, we are the greatest hockey team in the world.

You were born to be hockey players -- every one of ya.

And you were meant to be here tonight.

This is your time.

Their time -- is done. It's over.

I'm sick and tired of hearin' about what a great hockey team the Soviets have. Screw 'em!

This is your time!!

Now go out there and take it!

A cute reenactment