Sports & Activities
Silver Celebration—25 Years of Gay Games Photos
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Federation of Gay Games
Gay sports are growing up. Twenty-five years ago, a small group of LGBT sports lovers, led by former Olympian Dr. Tom Waddell—pictured leading the pack in the original event poster above—created the first Gay Games and Cultural Festival, originally known as the Gay Olympics.
With seven quadrennial events under its belt, tens of thousands of volunteer hours invested, and, of course, more than a soupcon of drama along the way, the event has grown into a hugely popular international sports and cultural event with excellent competition, celebrity guest entertainers, politicians flashing their smiles, and more than 12,000 competitors from countries all over the world. It's a whole lot of fun.
In honor of the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Gay Games, the Federation of Gay Games has planned a special weekend of events on October 27 and 28, 2007 in San Francisco, the host city of Gay Games I and II in 1982 and 1986. And to honor their historic celebration, RealJock.com is proud to showcase a slideshow of some of the historic (and some just decidedly fun) photos from the big Gay Games photo archive managed by Doug Litwin, marketing officer for the Gay Games. A special thanks to Mr. Litwin for his hours of help digging through the photo archives.
So relive our gay sports history by checking out the 25 slides of photos from Gay Games I to VII. Plus, if you're going to be in the Bay Area next weekend, come celebrate the Games's silver anniversary—you're cordially invited, of course.
Gay Games 25th Anniversary Event Links
With seven quadrennial events under its belt, tens of thousands of volunteer hours invested, and, of course, more than a soupcon of drama along the way, the event has grown into a hugely popular international sports and cultural event with excellent competition, celebrity guest entertainers, politicians flashing their smiles, and more than 12,000 competitors from countries all over the world. It's a whole lot of fun.
In honor of the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Gay Games, the Federation of Gay Games has planned a special weekend of events on October 27 and 28, 2007 in San Francisco, the host city of Gay Games I and II in 1982 and 1986. And to honor their historic celebration, RealJock.com is proud to showcase a slideshow of some of the historic (and some just decidedly fun) photos from the big Gay Games photo archive managed by Doug Litwin, marketing officer for the Gay Games. A special thanks to Mr. Litwin for his hours of help digging through the photo archives.
So relive our gay sports history by checking out the 25 slides of photos from Gay Games I to VII. Plus, if you're going to be in the Bay Area next weekend, come celebrate the Games's silver anniversary—you're cordially invited, of course.
Gay Games 25th Anniversary Event Links
- Federation of Gay Games 25th Anniversary Official Web Site—Overview, meeting and celebration info
- Gay Games 25th Anniversary Dinner—Join the celebration! Attend the official dinner Saturday, October 27, 2007
- Gay Games 25th Anniversary Community Day—An afternoon of fun and education, Sunday, October 28, 2007
- "The Games that Change the World: 25 Years of the Gay Games"—Tour an exhibition of historic materials at the San Francisco Public Library, October 20 through December 20, 2007.
hotdaddystl wrote:
Thank you for the memorial of pictures. Last year, in Chicago, my partner and I participated in Gay Games VII. We were there from the opening to the closing ceremonies. We competed in the sport of bowling. He also played in the concert at the Millennium Park.
I cannot express the incredible feeling we experienced running onto the field at Soldier's Field for the opening ceremony and exiting off the field into the stands at Wriggly Park.
We met so many people and had a great time in the city as well. Mayor Daley did an excellent job in making everyone feel welcomed and allowed FREE transit via the subway all week long. Chicago has a lot of attractions as well as late night fun.
I had the opportunity to take many pictures. They are posted on my website: http://www.jfpriv.com/games/games.html .
Our plans are to go to Gay Games VIII that will take place in Cologne, Germany. I am confident that it too will be fun and a great success.
I urge everyone that has an opportunity to participate and/or watch the games to do so. It really was a memorial time in our lives and it could be one in your's too.
Oct 25 1:52 PM
DiVer wrote:
haha heyyyyyyyyyyy
Oct 24 6:10 PM