Letter from Pierre de Coubertin to Theodore Roosevelt (1901-12-23)
Paris. Dec. 23. 1901
Sir
I received your Excellency's letter with
deep gratitude and your very kind words
and too flattering appreciation of my
work make it most pleasant duty
for me to express my sincerest Thanks
without delay. It is extremely gratifying
for me to learn that such a sportsman
as President Roosevelt has followed with
a keen interest our progress and feels ready
to give us his powerful support in our
new undertaking.
I confess I am not astonished to
hear that you do not think it possible
yet to grant our request with regard to the
Chicago Games. But I hope that it will become
possible later. May I be permitted to point
out that the Games of 1896, in Athens, were
presided over by the King of the Hellenes, while
President Loubet held the honorary leadership
of the Paris Games of 1900, it would be a
source of deep regret to all in Europe as
well as in America if the President of the
United States refused to patronize the
American Games of 1904. We wish a solution
of the difficulty might be found.
I would beg to be allowed to present
you, Sir, with copies of some of my books
on Education in a Modern History, had
I not to ask lease to dedicate to you the
book which I am now writting in « La
Gymnastique naturelle et l'Éducation sportive ».
It will not be out before some months and
indeed, I have been working at it for
a long time as I meant to have a personal
experience of all the preparatory exercises
which I think fit to be recommended.
With renewed thanks for your
Excellency's kindness and apologies for
my imperfect English.
I am, Sir,
most respectfully yours.
Bon Pierre de Coubertin