The History of the Special Olympics;

a History of Hope

Independent Study

Daniel J. Pool

Dr. Holland & Dr. Walker

May 10, 2010

 Pool 2

Since its start in a single home to its growth as a global phenomenon, the history of the

Special Olympics is a story of hope. The being hope that the world can come together, share, and

celebrate diversity in individuals with disabilities. From one woman’s vision of care to the

world’s vision of community; this program has spread and touched millions of lives. To better

understand the history of the Special Olympics one should study its beginning, its growth, its

participants, and where it is today.

The Special Olympics was begun as a summer program for individuals with intellectual

disabilities (www.specialolympics.org). The project was started by Eunice Kennedy Shriver out

of her home in 1962. The Maryland based summer camp drew a number of children from the

community but soon spread outside the confines of Shriver’s home. In 1968 over 1,000 athletes

from 26 states and Canada participated in the first International Special Olympic Summer

Games. The camp offered track and field and swimming events.

The participants in these early games were termed intellectually disabled

(www.specialolympics.org) or handicapped in the medical sense of the word (Fait, 1978). The

term includes anyone who has a physical, emotional, or in this case mental disability. These

disabilities usually stem from a physical defect in the individual’s birth (Meyen & Skrtic ed.,

1988). Because of impairment the disabled student usually gains little (depending on level of

disability) from mainstream classroom environments. As such the students are often put into

specialized classrooms that offer individualized attention, but at the risk of hindering their social

skills. This is where Shriver’s program stepped in, supplying specialized attention with

socialization.
 Pool 3

By 1971 the United States Olympic Committee gave permission for the Special Olympics

to use the term “Olympics” in its name (www.specialolympics.org). In 1975 President Ford

signed into law the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, providing specialized

education for impaired individuals in the United States (Winnick, 2000). Soon this backyard

summer camp was hosting its first International Winter Games by 1977, just 15 years after its

start. Seeing the need for the program, Police Chief Richard LaMunyon began to raise money for

the Special Olympics with a Law Enforcement Torch Run, which now grosses over $30 million

annually as a fundraiser.

Gaining international attention, the United Nations recognized the Special Olympics by

dedicating 1986 as the International Year of Special Olympics (www.specialolympics.org). The

slogan for this dedication was “Special Olympics—Uniting the World”, giving it the distinction

of being an international globalization project to bring nations closer together. Not long after in

1988 the International Olympic Committee officially endorsed the program.

The reason, in part, for Special Olympics’ success was its attention to personalized

program. Most sporting events put winning as their focal point, whereas the Special Olympics is

centered on trying (www.specialolympics.org). This style and approach to physical education is

meaningful for the disabled community as the goal is personal growth (Winnick ed., 2000). A

mentally impaired athlete does better with a goal that is meaningful and reachable. This sort of

program is known as an adapted physical activity as it encompasses education, wellness,

participation, and activity though a interdisciplinary approach.

The Special Olympics continued to expand with each consecutive year. In July of 1988

the Unified Sports program was launched which encourages those without intellectual
 Pool 4

disabilities to interact and participate with those who do (www.specialolympics.org). Another

program that expanded the vision of the Special Olympics was the Healthy Athlete Project that

aimed to supply health care to participants of Special Olympics in 1995. This project offered

dental, eye, and even preventive care (www.eunicekennedyshriver.org). Also in that year, past

participants were allowed for the first time to be certified officials; thus being allowed to take

more of an active role in a growing community (www.specialolympics.org).

Involvement by United States President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton in

1998 increased awareness and promoted record sales of album “A Very Special Christmas”; a

compilation that raises money for the program (www.specialolympics.org). Arnold

Schwarzenegger joined the project in 2000 to light the torch at the Great Wall of China, gaining

the support of China in the international games. The following year Schwarzenegger teamed up

with former South African President Nelson Mandela in Cape Town for the biggest Law

Enforcement Torch Run in the program’s history.

The vision of the Special Olympics continued to widen with new campaigns such as the

“SO go get into it” kit, which was distributed to schools world-wide to educate and empower

individuals to understand and accept persons with intellectual disabilities in 2001

(www.specialolympics.org). In 2002 Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund joined the Special

Olympics to raise awareness of its Unified Sports program. The momentum increased as Ireland

became the first to Special Olympics World Summer Games to be held outside of the United

States 2003, and was the largest sporting event of the year with 5,500 athletes. After the

completion of the games Ireland even rewrote its antidiscrimination statutes

(www.eunicekennedyshriver.org).
 Pool 5

In 2004 President George Bush signed the Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment

Act that provided 15 million dollars over 5 years to aid the program in funding and operations

(www.specialolympics.org). This marked the first time the program had been aided by a

government organization though legislation. The act would also help to promote the disuse of

what is referred to as the “R-word”. Other organizations would also join in the campaign for

eliminating “retard” as a derogatory term such as the R-Word Group and of course the Special

Olympics (www.r-word.org).

Today the over 3 million athletes participate yearly in the games in all 50 states and over

150 countries (www.eunicekennedyshriver.org). The program has educated millions on the

importance of acceptance and promoted world unity. The movement has even gotten into the

movies with titles such as “The Ringer” in 2005 spreading the dangers of stereotyping and

negative thinking toward individuals with disabilities (www.specialolympics.org). In 2007 China

hosted the 12th annual Special Olympics World Summer Games which broadcasted worldwide.

Amongst these great strides, however, tragedy stuck at the program. In 2009, Eunice

Kennedy Shriver passed away (www.specialolympics.org). After several strokes and poor health,

she died in her home in Massachusetts.

The leaps and bounds of the Special Olympics depict the struggles within modern culture

with discrimination. The strides that were made by one woman in the field of hope show the

compassion that can be spread by awareness. The oath of the program, by Shriver, wraps the

entire program into a few lines, “Let me win, but if I cannot win let me be brave in the attempt.”

No truer words for no braver coalition. The Special Olympics stands as a testament to what one

can accomplish with a dream.

 Pool 6

Works Cited

Eunice Kennedy Shriver: One Woman's Vision. Web. 7 May 2010.

<http://www.eunicekennedyshriver.org/>.

Fait, Hollis F. Special Physical Education: Adapted, Corrective, Developmental. Philadelphia,

Pa.: Saunders College, 1978. Print.

Meyen, Edward L., and Thomas M. Skrtic. Exceptional Children and Youth: an Introduction.

Denver, Colo.: Love Pub., 1988. Print.

R-word.org - Change the Conversation... Web. 7 May 2010. <http://www.r-word.org/>.

Special Olympics: Home. Web. 7 May 2010. <http://www.specialolympics.org>.

Winnick, Joseph P., ed. Adapted Physical Education and Sport. Champaign, IL: Human

Kinetics, 2000. Print.