Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal given to the second place finisher of contests (usually sports competitions) such as the Olympic Games or Commonwealth Games. First and third place finishers usually receive a gold medal and bronze medal, respectively.
Olympic Games
In 1896, winners' medals were made from silver. The custom of gold-silver-bronze for the first three places dates from the 1904 games.[1] It has been copied for many other sports events. Creating the medals is the responsibility of the host city. From 1928-1968 the design was always the same. One side showed a design by Florentine artist Giuseppe Cassioli with text giving the host city.[2] The other side showed another design of an Olympic champion. From 1972-2000, Cassioli's design (or a slight reworking) remained on the one with a custom design by the host city on the other. Because Cassioli's design showed a Roman amphitheatre for what was originally a Greek games, a new design was create for the Athens 2004 Games. Winter Olympics medals have been of more varied design.[3]
The Open Championship
In The Open Championship golf tournament, the Silver Medal is an award given to the lowest scoring amateur player at the tournament.[4]
References
- ↑ George R. Matthews, America's First Olympics: The St. Louis Games of 1904 (Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 2005), pp. 47–48
- ↑ Shannon L. Venable, Gold: A Cultural Encyclopedia (Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2011), p. 219
- ↑ Nicola Williams; Duncan Garwood, Piedmont (Footscray, Vic.; London: Lonely Planet, 2005), p. 39
- ↑ Roy Case, The McGregor Story: The first thirty years (AuthorHouse, 2012), p. 165