Games Symbol

The late British Empire left a splendid legacy which includes the Commonwealth Games. Though more a family get-together than other international athletic festivals, the 1978 Games in Edmonton, Canada will no doubt be so exciting that citizens of the Alberta capital may even temporarily forget about the Edmonton Eskimos football team. In 1891 Reverend Astley Cooper of England first proposed a gathering such as the one to take place in Edmonton from August 3 to 12, 1978. He hoped to increase goodwill and understanding within the Empire. Teams from Australia, Canada, South Africa and the United Kingdom competed in various sports at London in 1911 to mark the coronation of King George V. Otherwise, little progress was made until the 1928 Olympics when M. M. (Bobby) Robinson, a Canadian, proposed that Canada hold the British Empire Games in 1930. Hamilton was the host city of the spectacle, now regarded as the first of its kind. The Games continued on a four-year cycle until World War II interrupted, and were resumed in 1954, when Commonwealth athletes met in Vancouver. Though not able to boast as many sports as the Olympics, the 1978 Commonwealth Games will feature cycling, weightlifting, badminton, wrestling, boxing, swimming, shooting, bowls, and track and field, including a marathon, which could turn out to be quite a challenge for competitors who may have to run against a brisk prairie wind. Canada had an opportunity to choose a tenth sport for 1978 and selected gymnastics. There will also be a demonstration of lacrosse. The Commonwealth Games stamps were designed by Stuart Ash Toronto. The 14-cent stamp features the Games symbol presented on an elegant background of horizontal bands of silver and gray. The symbol is derived from four elements: The Canadian maple leaf; the Union Jack (with the red, white and blue colours of the Commonwealth); converging arrows depicting movement to Edmonton; and a series of V's symbolizing the efforts of volunteers who make the Games possible.