"there has only ever been one perfect man, the Lord Jesus, and we killed him. I only missed a putt."
Running with Fire, [the true story of Harold Abrahams],
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Mark Ryan, London, JR Books, 2011
Eric Liddell and Harold Abrahams were the two athletes featured in the film Chariots of Fire. Before reading this book, I knew a lot about Eric Liddell [See reviews of Liddell books ] but very little about Abrahams. The book was an education.
Chariots of Fire portrays Liddell as a thoroughly likeable man, at peace with himself and Abrahams as a troubled soul. The book confirms this portrayal of Abrahams showing him as a very complex character for whom life was always a struggle. He is described as “one of the most extrovert, conceited men in the university” whose appointment as President of the Cambridge University Athletic Club was due to “talent rather than popularity”. The author states that “Eric’s positive, almost selfless approach to running was so much easier to handle than Harold’s burdensome ego”.
Towards the end of his life Abrahams was concerned that people should realize “ that this bald old bugger had won a gold medal”.
He is portrayed as a man years ahead of his time in his training and in his employment, controversially, of a professional coach. Traditionalists apparently claimed he had broken unspoken rules by taking his winter and spring training too seriously! He was said to carry a stopwatch everywhere and was so obsessed with time that he even timed his length of time in the toilet!
The book pays tribute to Abrahams’ great contribution, after his retirement, to modernising athletics rules and practices as well as promoting opportunities for women. Yet, ironically, the athlete who was ahead of his time was seen as very reactionary as an administrator. He opposed any hint of professionalism in the sport - tooth and nail.
Contemporary coach, Tom McNab is quoted: “Abrahams was a poacher turned gamekeeper. In his athletic days he had a professional coach and often went against the mainstream of athletics thinking. But when he became part of the establishment he undermined professional coaching and became reactionary.”
With regard to Chariots of Fire , Alan Abrahams said that the portrayal of his father was very accurate in terms of what it said about the kind of person he was as a young man but added that later in life he wasn’t like that at all. The book lists a series of points of detail where the film had changed the facts to suit the storyline.
The book describes Abrahams’ friendship with Roger Bannister and his role in Bannister’s world record. There is also an account of the controversy over Abrahams’ role as in the world record. While he was not listed as an official time keeper, he signed the official result form. Moreover, photographs show him situated some distance from the finish line and therefore not well placed to see the exact moment when Bannister crossed the line.
One of the more interesting revelations in the book was that the Jew, Abrahams, espoused Christianity while at university where he “took his initial steps towards Christianity”.
His adopted daughter, Sue Pottle, is quoted as believing that “Harold’s decision to embrace Christianity was influenced by his need for acceptance beyond the Jewish community."
Eric Liddell is known as the man who sacrificed his chance of a 100 metres gold medal because of his religious priciples. Abrahams, in contrast, speaking at function organized in his honour by a Jewish organisation called the Maccabeans explained why he could not follow Jewish religious law as to do so would rule out athletic distinction. He referred not only to competing and travelling on the Sabbath but also to the Jewish dietary laws.
The author’s conclusion is: “But the truth was that Harold Abrahams was neither a committed Christian nor ]ew in the second half of his life. If he firmly believed in anything, it was that he didn’t want religion to restrict him in life. He never had let it. At best he was a ‘hoper’ for an afterlife”.
For many readers, one of the most interesting aspects of the book will be the relationship between
Liddell and Abrahams. There is a lot of material but no clear picture. Family members suggest that there was no particular relationship between them. They were said to be neither friends nor unfriendly to each other. Yet at the premiere of Chariots of Fire, Eric Liddell’s wife came up to Ben Cross and said, “Ah, Mr Abrahams, my husband spoke a lot about you”. That, the author adds, would have pleased Harold!
Abrahams believed that he was a better 100 metre runner than Liddell but at the same time he admitted to be lucky not to have had to face Liddell in the 1924 Olympics. Abrahams is quoted of Liddell that “No runner of his superb ability ever possessed a worse style. …But my goodness for energy and determination he was second to none”. There is a suspicion that Abrahams avoided running against Liddell in the 1923 AAAs – claiming injury – because he feared losing.
The author, neatly, brings out the fundamental difference between the approach to life of the two men: “The terror Abrahams felt at the mere prospect of losing face didn’t exist for his Scottish counterpart. For Liddell, the race was a celebration of the ability God had given him. Why should there be any fear of failure? He felt a fierce determination to serve his Maker by running as fast as he could on any given day. That would honour Him.
Other points of interest include the account of the 1924 Olympics, showing how low key the Games were in those days. There is also a fascinating account of BBC agonizing about whether or not to use Abrahams, as athletics commentator in 1936 Berlin Olympics because of his Jewish background. During the war Abrahams gave time to encourage British troops and also adopted a German Jewish boy.
An important book which adds to the sum of knowledge of athletics in that period and of a legend of British athletics. And very readable.