The 21st International Stoke Mandeville Games for the paralyzed opened here with Israel among the 27 participating nations. The games are played at Stoke Mandeville Hospital, where Dr. Ludwig Guttman, a specialist in paralysis and spinal injuries stemming from World War II, at the hospital’s spinal center, founded the games in 1948. Dr. Guttman was knighted for his services to the paralyzed, and the hospital continued to sponsor the games.
The games began with 14 British ex-serviceman and two ex-service women. They became international in 1952 when the Dutch joined the games. In 1954, Israel joined and has participated ever since. The games will continue throughout the week. In early contests, Israel finished second and third in various fencing matches and in swimming. Other sports include archery and basketball.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
