YOUR AD HERE »

Vintage images highlight new 1960 Winter Olympics book

Special to the Sun
Find David Antonucci's recent book at local bookstores, shops and online.
Courtesy photo |

TAHOE, Calif. — The newest addition to Arcadia Publishing’s Images of Sports series is “The 1960 Winter Olympics” from local author David C. Antonucci. The book boasts more than 200 vintage images and memories from the VIII Olympic Games.

The 1960 Olympic Winter Games were a long-shot effort that succeeded beyond the wildest expectations.

Working in a sparsely populated valley in the Sierra Nevada with only rudimentary facilities, organizers created a world-class Olympic site in four short years. For the only time in Olympic history, the venues and athlete residence halls were located in a compact, intimate setting that encouraged sportsmanship and interaction between athletes.



“Images of Sports: The 1960 Winter Olympics” showcases the highlights of the games through period photography. It shares how the underdog American ice hockey team won the first-ever USA gold medal in that sport and discusses how American figure skaters swept gold in the individual events.

Details come forth about the domination of well-trained Soviet and Scandinavian athletes in speed skating and cross-country skiing, with highlights about American women proving their mettle in Alpine skiing events. German skiers upset the Nordic combined and ski jumping contests, while CBS-TV was there to capture the most exciting moments through ground-breaking live broadcasts to American audiences.



HIGHLIGHTS include:

A collection of rarely seen images, some of which are from private collections and have never before been published.

Shows the contributions of Walt Disney to Olympic ceremonies and pageantry.

Shares the story of American skier, Penny Pitou, who won the first American medal in women’s downhill skiing.

Highlights photos of Squaw Valley in its pristine condition before ski area development and the hosting of the Olympics.

Available at area bookstores, independent retailers, and online retailers, or through Arcadia Publishing at 888-313-2665 or http://www.arcadiapublishing.com.

Arcadia Publishing is the leading publisher of local and regional history in the United States to make history accessible and meaningful through the publication of books on the heritage of America’s people and places.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

David C. Antonucci has resided in the Lake Tahoe area for more 38 years. He holds bachelor and master’s degrees in civil and environmental engineering from California State Polytechnic University and Oregon State University, respectively. His interest in the 1960 Olympic Winter Games started with research on what appeared to be abandoned trails on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe. He determined the trails were remnants of the cross-country ski courses of the 1960 Winter Olympics. He founded the Olympic Trails Restoration Committee and worked with California State Parks and others to reopen the surviving trail system for public use. Antonucci leads interpretive ski tours of the trails and biathlon ranges at Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park. He serves on the board of the Squaw Valley Olympic Museum Foundation and is a member of the Olympic Heritage Celebration Committee.

The author’s first book, “Snowball’s Chance — The Story of the 1960 Olympic Winter Games” won the Ullr Award presented by the International Skiing History Association as an outstanding contribution to ski history.


Support Local Journalism

 

Support Local Journalism

Readers around Lake Tahoe, Truckee, and beyond make the Sierra Sun's work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news.