{{Short description|Multi-sport event in Santa Clara, California, US}} {{Infobox games | name = World Games I | logo = World Games 1981 logo.png | size = 200 | Slogan = | host_city = Santa Clara, California, US | nations = 58 | athletes = 1,400 (est.)<ref name="upi30"/> | events = 104 | opening = July 24, 1981 | Countdown = | closing = none held<ref name="upi1"/> | opened_by = Kim Un-yong<br> {{small|President of World Games I Executive Committee}}<ref name="upi2"/> | athlete_oath = | judge_oath = | torch_lighter = | stadium = Toso Pavilion (19 events) | next = London 1985 }} right|thumb|241px|Cover of the World Games I brochure produced for Santa Clara in 1981. right|thumb|241px|Buck Shaw Stadium, site of the opening ceremonies and tug of war matches {{Location map|California|width=180|float=right | alt=Location of Santa Clara, United States | caption=Location of Santa Clara, the host city, in California on the west coast of the United States. | label = Santa Clara | background=white | lat_deg = 37.35444444 | lon_deg = -121.96916667 }} right|thumb|120px|World Games I souvenir button
The '''1981 World Games''' were the first World Games, an international multi-sport event, and were held in Santa Clara, California, United States. The games featured sports that were not included in the Olympics, including tug-of-war, racquetball, baseball and softball, artistic roller skating, roller hockey, roller speed skating, finswimming, karate, women's water polo, bowling, bodybuilding, waterskiing, casting, badminton, trampoline, powerlifting and taekwondo.<ref name="upi2"/> Best estimates for attendance figures were that about 80,000 spectators witnessed the first World Games.<ref name="upi29"/>
==Implementation== The World Games Council was formed independently of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and adopted policies designed to avoid problems that had plagued the Olympic Games for several decades.<ref name="upi2"/> For example, construction of new facilities was not required or encouraged.<ref name="upi29"/> Any flags displayed at ceremonies and Games sites were limited to the flags of the participating sports federations. No national anthems were played nor national flags displayed. Athletes entered the opening ceremonies grouped by sport under individual federation banners rather than by country. Athletes also were housed according to sport.<ref name="upi1"/> The respective sport federations paid for each athlete's housing, food and airfare.<ref name="upi29"/>
The decision to stage World Games I was finalized in January, 1981. The organizing efforts were seriously set back when the Games' promotions agency, Global Sports Management of New York, pulled out in the final months. "It's a humble beginning to what we think is going to be a hard-earned, but successful and regularly-held international event. It's a miracle it is taking place at all," said World Games I promotions and sales coordinator Kent Hertenrath.<ref name="humble">{{cite news|title=A Humble Beginning |first=Karl |last=Laucher |page=5E, 7E|work=San Jose Mercury-News|date=23 July 1981|location=San Jose, California}}</ref>
Kim Un-yong, president of the World Games executive committee, opened the Games with a brief address. “Our theme is sport for the sake of sport and a total disregard for where an athlete comes from,” said Kim. Casey Conrad, executive director of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, represented U.S. President Ronald Reagan, who had survived an assassination attempt four months earlier, in greeting the athletes.<ref name="upi2"/> Governor of California Jerry Brown had planned to attend the opening ceremonies. But that summer, when Mediterranean fruit flies were discovered in the Santa Clara Valley, Brown withdrew to focus on emergency eradication efforts.<ref name="upi1"/>
The Soviet Union had been invited to send athletes but, in the aftermath of the boycotted 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, instead worked to prevent the competition from ever occurring.<ref name="upi3"/> An event-day official of the casting governing body said that it had located the casting venue on land, which was preferred by the Eastern Bloc nations, instead of on water, as was the usual practice, in a failed effort to encourage their participation (personal communication, August 1, 1981). Games secretary-general Don Porter said that some of the problems encountered in the first World Games were created by the International Olympic Committee, especially the Eastern Bloc countries. Porter said that the national Olympic committees of these countries, as well as the IOC, had intensely pressured the World Games. He stated, “I think the International Olympic Committee is very concerned about World Games. We’re not competing with the Olympic Games. We support the Olympic movement.”<ref name="upi23"/>
In fact, the World Games were organized to welcome both Olympic and non-Olympic sports. The sport governing bodies that were members of the World Games Council desired to be accepted eventually into the Olympic Games. Looking to the future, the Council sought to rule out the potential for the IOC to deny a sport’s Olympic acceptance based on an exclusion of the Olympic sports from the World Games program. Therefore, the World Games Council encouraged the participation of the sport federations of the Olympic Games.
Indeed, the Olympic sport of boxing was to have been contested in these games and was featured on organizers' promotional materials. However, AIBA withdrew the sport from the program in the weeks before the opening of the games because of IOC disapproval.<ref name=NYT/> Don Porter stated that, according to the president of AIBA, Don Hall, the IOC threatened to exclude boxing from the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics if AIBA participated in the World Games.<ref>{{cite news|title=Russians keeping tabs on Games success |first=Dan |last=Hruby |page=1E|work=San Jose Mercury-News|date=July 24, 1981|location=San Jose, California}}</ref>
In the morning after the close of these Games, U.S. air traffic controllers went on a nationwide strike, leaving some athletes temporarily stranded.<ref name="upi29"/>
As for the competition, Games officials expressed great satisfaction. Kim said, "The important thing was the competition, and in that regard, the Games were a big success."<ref name="upi29"/> Kim presented the city of Santa Clara with the first official Games flag.<ref name="end">{{cite news|work=San Jose Mercury News|title=World Games end without fanfare, deficit, worries|page=4D|date=Aug 4, 1981}}</ref>
The executive director of World Games I, John Bragg, envisioned more than 50 sports participating in future events. "[H]opefully we will set the trend for many World Games to come. ... ," he said. "People here are beginning to realize that this is not just another competition. We could really revolutionize and clean out some of the negative aspects of international sports."<ref>{{cite news|title=World Games curtain set to be tugged |first=Peter|last=Finch |page= 7E|work=San Jose Mercury-News|date=July 24, 1981|location=San Jose, California}}</ref> At the time, the World Games Council planned to hold the Games every two years and received presentations during the 1981 Games from prospective cities to host the 1983 edition, with London said to be the front-runner.<ref name="humble"/><ref>{{cite news|work=San Jose Mercury News|title=American team remains unbeaten in softball|date=Aug 1, 1981|page=5E}}</ref>
==Participants== 58 nations sent athletes to the first World Games.<ref>{{cite news|title=World Games I facts and figures |page= 5E|work=San Jose Mercury-News|date=July 23, 1981|location=San Jose, California}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=World Games|page=10D |work=San Jose Mercury-News|date=July 25, 1981|location=San Jose, California}}</ref> The People’s Republic of China was the only communist country represented.<ref name="upi30"/> (Poland was expected but evidently did not show.) Mainland China had not participated in a summer international multi-sport competition since one athlete competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics.<ref name="upi29"/> China participated only in badminton, capturing four of the five gold medals.<ref name="upi18"/>
World records in waterskiing and powerlifting highlighted the first weekend of competition. Ana Maria Carrasco of Venezuela broke her own world record in waterskiing tricks.<ref name="upi3"/> In the 100 kg class in powerlifting, Jim Cash of the U.S. set world records in both dead lift and total lift.<ref name="upi9"/>
Two athletes each won four individual gold medals in these games: Steve Rajeff of the U.S. in casting and Juergen Kolenda of West Germany in finswimming.<ref name="upi28"/> Tom Peterson of the U.S., in roller speed skating, and Anne-Marie Rouchon of France, in finswimming, won three each.<ref name="upi29"/>
{| class="wikitable collapsible" style="margin:1em auto; width:75%;" ! Participating Nations at the 1981 World Games |- |{{Colbegin|colwidth=15em}} * {{flagIOC2|ARG|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|AUS|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|AUT|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|BAH|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|BAR|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|BEL|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|BIZ|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|BER|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|BRA|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|CAN|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|CHI|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|CHN|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|TPE|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|COL|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|CUR|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|DEN|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|DOM|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|ECU|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|EGY|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|ENG|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|FIJ|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|FIN|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|FRA|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|GBR|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|GUA|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|HKG|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|IND|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|INA|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|IRL|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|ISR|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|ITA|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|CIV|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|JPN|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|KEN|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|LUX|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|MAS|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|MEX|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|NED|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|NZL|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|NGR|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|NOR|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|PAN|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|PAR|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|PER|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|PHI|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|POR|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|PUR|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|VIN|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|SCO|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|SIN|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|KOR|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|ESP|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|SWE|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|SUI|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|THA|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|USA|1981 World Games|}} ''(host)'' * {{flagIOC2|VEN|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|WAL|1981 World Games|}} * {{flagIOC2|FRG|1981 World Games|}} {{Colend}} |}
==Sports== For seven World Games sports, according to their federation presidents at the time, the strongest competition ever held in those individual events was fielded at these Games.<ref>{{cite news|work=San Jose Mercury News|title=World Games offer new sports showcase|date=July 23, 1981|page=7E}}</ref> 104 titles were awarded in 16 sports, including one belatedly designated an "invitational" or demonstration sport.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theworldgames.org/the-world-games/editions/santa-clara-usa-1981/overview?showall=&start=3|title=Santa Clara, USA 1981 Programme Sports| publisher=International World Games Association|access-date=2015-10-25}}</ref> An invitational sport program did not exist at the time. An agreement was reached with FINA in the lead-up to the games not to allow women's water polo athletes to march in the opening ceremony, to assuage the displeasure of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for its being included in the program.<ref name=NYT>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/07/28/sports/unheralded-sports-exert-a-pull-too.html|access-date=2015-10-25|work=New York Times|date=July 28, 1981|first=Ira|last=Berkow|title=UNHERALDED SPORTS EXERT A PULL, TOO}}</ref>
{{Color box|palegreen|border=darkgray}} as invitational sport {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%; text-align:center;" |- !Sport !!Titles<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.theworldgames.org/the-world-games/editions/santa-clara-usa-1981/calendar-results#!open=18%7C65%7C66%7C45%7C25%7C46%7C30%7C59%7C22%7C27%7C61%7C60%7C40%7C28%7C37%7C68| title=Santa Clara, USA 1981 Calendar & Results| access-date=2015-10-25|publisher=International World Games Association}}</ref><ref name=results>{{cite web|url=http://www.theworldgames.org/the-world-games/results-history#edition=5&category=0&country=0| title=Results of the World Games| access-date=2015-10-25|publisher=International World Games Association}}</ref><ref name="upi16"/>!!Notes |- |align=left|Badminton || 5 ||align=left|venue: San Jose Civic Auditorium. China, in its first summer multi-sport event since the 1952 Summer Olympics, competed in badminton only, winning 4 gold medals.<ref name="upi18"/> |- |align=left|Baseball || 1 ||align=left|venue: San Jose Municipal Stadium. Teams: Australia, Panama, South Korea and United States.<ref name="upi13"/> |- |align=left|Bodybuilding || 6 ||align=left|venue: San Jose Center for the Performing Arts. Arnold Schwarzenegger, winner of seven consecutive world championships and later the governor of California, carried the flag of the International Federation of Bodybuilders in the opening ceremony. |- |align=left|Bowling || 3 ||align=left|venue: Homestead Lanes, Cupertino, Ten-pin |- |align=left|Casting || 11 ||align=left|venue: Gunderson High School, San Jose |- |align=left|Finswimming || 12 ||align=left|venue: Santa Clara International Swim Center. This was the only sport in which athletes of the host nation were not entered.<ref name="upi2"/> |- |align=left|Gymnastics: || ||align=left|venue: San Jose Civic Auditorium |- |align=right|''Trampoline'' || 6 || |- |align=right|''Tumbling'' || 2 || |- |align=left|Karate || 9 ||align=left|venue: Toso Pavilion, Santa Clara University. Japanese athletes won five of the nine events.<ref name="upi29"/> |- |align=left|Powerlifting || 9 ||align=left|venue: Grandstand Pavilion (today the site of The Grizzly roller coaster<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=d_acAwAAQBAJ&q=%22Grandstand+Pavilion%22%2C+Marriott%27s+Great+America&pg=PA45|page=45|title=California's Great America|first=Steven W.|last=Wilson|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|year=2014|isbn=9781467131902}}</ref>), Marriott's Great America, Santa Clara . American athletes won six of the nine events.<ref name="upi29"/> |- |align=left|Racquetball || 4 ||align=left|venue: Decathlon Club (today the Bay Club), Santa Clara. This competition served as the first racquetball world championships. American athletes won all four events.<ref name="upi28"/> |- |align=left|Roller sports: || ||align=left|Inline skates were not used. |- |align=right|''Artistic skating'' || 4 ||align=left|venue: [http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2011/07/29/milpitas-roller-skating-rink-closing-after-34-years/ Cal Skate], Milpitas. American athletes won all four events.<ref name="upi29"/> |- |align=right|''Speed skating'' || 8 ||align=left|venue: Marriott's Great America Parking Lot J and neighboring streets, Santa Clara. The course was a 400-meter triangle-shaped track. The marathon road race was the first to be contested at the international level. Italian athletes won 12 of the 24 medals. |- |align=right|''Roller hockey'' || 1 ||align=left|venue: Cal Skate, Milpitas. Teams: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Italy, Portugal and United States.<ref name="upi13"/> |- |align=left|Softball || 2 ||align=left|venue: Central Park, Santa Clara. Both men's and women's competitions were held. Kathy Arendsen pitched four shutouts for the U.S. women.<ref name="upi30"/> Mexico's men withdrew, being replaced by a second U.S. squad, which won the gold.<ref name="upi28"/> |- |align=left|Taekwondo || 10 ||align=left|venue: Toso Pavilion, Santa Clara University. South Korean athletes won nine of the ten weight classifications.<ref name="upi25"/> The victory of a Canadian athlete in the heavyweight class was called "the biggest upset of World Games I."<ref name="upi22"/> |- |align=left|Tug of war || 2 ||align=left|venue: Buck Shaw Stadium, Santa Clara University (site of the opening ceremonies) The first medal event of the first World Games was the outdoor 640 kg tug of war.<ref name="upi2"/> |-bgcolor=palegreen |align=left|Water polo || 1 ||align=left|venue: Santa Clara International Swim Center. Women's teams from the Netherlands, Canada and the U.S. (2) participated, playing six games.<ref name="upi9"/><ref name="upi13"/> |- |align=left|Water skiing || 8 ||align=left|venue: Berkeley Aquatic Park, Berkeley |- !Total !!104 |}
==Medal table== The medal tally during the first World Games follows. The United States was at the top of the final medal table.<ref name=results/> <!--- This table has been meticulously researched and checked for accuracy. Its medal counts are at variance with those published on The World Games website, in which there are known errors and omissions. Please do not change the medal counts below to match that source. ---> {{Medals table | caption = | host = USA | flag_template = | event = | team = | gold_USA = 38 | silver_USA = 38 | bronze_USA = 25 | host_USA = yes | gold_KOR = 9 | silver_KOR = 3 | bronze_KOR = 1 | name_KOR = {{flagteam|KOR|1949}} | gold_ITA = 7 | silver_ITA = 14 | bronze_ITA = 19 | name_ITA = {{flagteam|ITA|1946}} | gold_FRA = 7 | silver_FRA = 6 | bronze_FRA = 6 | gold_JPN = 7 | silver_JPN = 4 | bronze_JPN = 5 | gold_CAN = 5 | silver_CAN = 5 | bronze_CAN = 6 | gold_GBR = 4 | silver_GBR = 4 | bronze_GBR = 4 |note_GBR = {{ref|a|[a]}} | gold_FRG = 4 | silver_FRG = 0 | bronze_FRG = 5 | gold_NOR = 4 | silver_NOR = 1 | bronze_NOR = 3 | gold_CHN = 4 | silver_CHN = 0 | bronze_CHN = 0 | gold_NED = 3 | silver_NED = 4 | bronze_NED = 5 | gold_BEL = 3 | silver_BEL = 0 | bronze_BEL = 4 | gold_VEN = 2 | silver_VEN = 0 | bronze_VEN = 0 | name_VEN = {{flagteam|VEN|1954}} | gold_AUS = 1 | silver_AUS = 4 | bronze_AUS = 5 | gold_SWE = 1 | silver_SWE = 4 | bronze_SWE = 3 |note_SWE = {{ref|a|[a]}} | gold_AUT = 1 | silver_AUT = 2 | bronze_AUT = 3 | gold_SWI = 1 | silver_SWI = 2 | bronze_SWI = 1 | gold_FIN = 1 | silver_FIN = 2 | bronze_FIN = 0 | gold_TPE = 1 | silver_TPE = 1 | bronze_TPE = 1 | gold_NZL = 1 | silver_NZL = 0 | bronze_NZL = 0 | gold_POR = 1 | silver_POR = 0 | bronze_POR = 0 | gold_ESP = 0 | silver_ESP = 3 | bronze_ESP = 3 | gold_MEX = 0 | silver_MEX = 2 | bronze_MEX = 5 | gold_ARG = 0 | silver_ARG = 1 | bronze_ARG = 2 | gold_DEN = 0 | silver_DEN = 1 | bronze_DEN = 2 | gold_CIV = 0 | silver_CIV = 1 | bronze_CIV = 2 | gold_EGY = 0 | silver_EGY = 1 | bronze_EGY = 1 | gold_THA = 0 | silver_THA = 1 | bronze_THA = 0 | gold_INA = 0 | silver_INA = 0 | bronze_INA = 3 | gold_IND = 0 | silver_IND = 0 | bronze_IND = 1 | gold_BAH = 0 | silver_BAH = 0 | bronze_BAH = 1 }} * Two bronze medals were awarded in each badminton (5), karate kumite (7) and taekwondo (10) event. No bronze medals were awarded in 8 of the 9 powerlifting events and the women's synchronized trampoline event. No silver medal was awarded in one powerlifting event. In women's individual trampoline, Canada and USA tied for the silver medal; thus no bronze medal was awarded. *{{note|a|[a]}} The mixed badminton title was won by a pair of players from Sweden and Great Britain. Both nations are counted as having won a gold medal.
==Calendar== * <ref name="upi30">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/08/03/For-the-real-sports-fan-the-name-of-the/7757365659200/|title=For the real sports fan, the name of the...|first= JOE |last=SARGIS|publisher=United Press International|date=Aug 3, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi1">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/23/The-World-Games-an-ambitious-movement-featuring-some-of/4641364708800/ |title=The World Games, an ambitious movement featuring some of... |first= JOE |last=SARGIS|publisher=United Press International| date=July 23, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi2">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/24/With-a-simple-ceremony-a-touch-of-pageantry-and/1139364795200/|title=With a simple ceremony, a touch of pageantry and...|first= JOE |last=SARGIS|publisher=United Press International|date= July 24, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi29">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/08/03/The-World-Games-slipped-out-of-town-Monday-quietly/8794365659200/|title=The World Games slipped out of town Monday, quietly...|first= JOE |last=SARGIS|publisher=United Press International|date=Aug 3, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi3">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/25/Ana-Maria-Carrasco-of-Venezuela-shattered-her-own-world/6219364881600/|title=Ana Maria Carrasco of Venezuela shattered her own world...|first= JOE |last=SARGIS|publisher=United Press International|date= July 25, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi23">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/31/The-World-Games-I-executive-committee-is-leaning-toward/4796365400000/|title=The World Games I executive committee is leaning toward...| publisher=United Press International|date=July 31, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi18">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/29/For-the-Republic-of-China-the-climb-back-into/7227365227200/|title=For the Republic of China, the climb back into...|first= JOE |last=SARGIS|publisher=United Press International|date=July 29, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi9">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/26/Jim-Cash-of-Manhattan-Kan-set-two-world-records/3155364968000/|title=Jim Cash of Manhattan, Kan., set two world records...|first= JOE |last=SARGIS|publisher=United Press International|date= July 26, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi28">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/08/02/Arendsen-pitches-perfect-game/9988365572800/|title=Arendsen pitches perfect game|first= JOE |last=SARGIS|publisher=United Press International|date=Aug 2, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi16"/><ref name="upi13">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/28/The-Netherlands-with-Ria-Roos-scoring-four-goals-buried/5541365140800/|title=The Netherlands, with Ria Roos scoring four goals, buried...|first= JOE |last=SARGIS|publisher=United Press International|date=July 28, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi25"/><ref name="upi22">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/30/Darrell-Hanegan-of-Montreal-scored-the-biggest-upset-of/2834365313600/|title=Darrell Hanegan of Montreal scored the biggest upset of...|first= JOE |last=SARGIS|publisher=United Press International|date=July 30, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi27">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/08/02/World-Games-Results-International-at-Santa-Clara-Calif-Aug-2/6021365572800/|title=World Games Results International, at Santa Clara, Calif. Aug., 2| publisher=United Press International|date=Aug 2, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi4">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/25/World-Games-I-Results-At-Santa-Clara-Calif-July-24/1002364881600/|title=World Games I Results At Santa Clara Calif., July 24 ''(sic)''| publisher=United Press International|date=July 25, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi5">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/25/undays-schedule-of-events-in-World-Games-I10-am/8444364881600/|title=Sunday's schedule of events in World Games I: 10 a.m....| publisher=United Press International|date=July 25, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi6">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/26/World-Games-I-at-Santa-Clara-Calif-July-26/5985364968000/|title=World Games I at Santa Clara, Calif. July 26| publisher=United Press International|date=July 26, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi7">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/26/Mondays-schedule-of-events-in-World-Games-I1-pm/8956364968000/|title=Monday's schedule of events in World Games I: 1 p.m....| publisher=United Press International|date=July 26, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi10">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/27/Jurgen-Kolenda-a-20-year-old-physics-major-from-the-University/1611365054400/|title=Jurgen Kolenda, a 20-year-old physics major from the University...|first= JOE |last=SARGIS|publisher=United Press International|date= July 27, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi11">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/27/World-Games-I-Results/7040073755465/|title=World Games I Results| publisher=United Press International|date=July 27, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi12">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/27/World-Games-schedule-of-events-for-Tuesday-July-28/3207365054400/|title=World Games schedule of events for Tuesday, July 28,...| publisher=United Press International|date=July 27, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi14">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/28/Of-course-these-are-only-the-first-World-Games/5852365140800/|title=Of course, these are only the first World Games...|first= JOE|last=SARGIS|publisher=United Press International|date=July 28, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi15"/><ref name="upi17">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/29/Thursdays-schedule-of-events-in-World-Games-I9-am/5215365227200/|title=Thursday's schedule of events in World Games I: 9 a.m....| publisher=United Press International|date=July 29, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi19">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/30/Fridays-schedule-of-events-in-World-Games-I9-am/6202365313600/|title=Friday's schedule of events in World Games I: 9 a.m....| publisher=United Press International|date=July 30, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi20">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/30/World-Games-Results/7300365313600/|title=World Games Results| publisher=United Press International|date=July 30, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi21">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/30/Not-to-anyones-surprise-World-Games-I-is-beginning/8342365313600/|title=Not to anyone's surprise, World Games I is beginning...|first= JOE |last=SARGIS|publisher=United Press International|date=July 30, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi24">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/31/Its-a-long-way-from-Olympic-ice-hockey-to/4388365400000/|title=It's a long way from Olympic ice hockey to...|first= JOE |last=SARGIS|publisher=United Press International|date=July 31, 1981}}</ref><ref name="upi26">{{cite news|url=http://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/08/01/Sundays-schedule-of-events-in-the-final-day-of/1569365486400/|title=Sunday's schedule of events in the final day of...| publisher=United Press International|date=Aug 1, 1981}}</ref> {{1981 World Games Calendar}}
==Gallery== :IWGA World Games I gallery of photos [https://www.flickr.com/photos/iwga/albums/72157681842494556/with/33661696886/ here]. <gallery> Image:WG Kim Opening 7-24-1981.jpg|Dr. Kim Un-yong of South Korea opens World Games I. Image:WG Arnold S Bodybuilding OC 7-24-1981.jpg|Arnold Schwarzenegger, winner of seven consecutive world championships, carries the flag of the International Federation of Bodybuilders in the opening ceremony of World Games I in 1981 at Santa Clara University, California. Image:WG OC Panorama done.jpg|World Games I athletes grouped by sport at the inaugural opening ceremony; tug of war pulling area marked on foreground for first ever World Games event, which followed the ceremony Image:WG 720kg tug of war 7-24-1981.jpg|Men's 720 kg tug of war final scoreboard at World Games I Image:WG Ladies Singles Artistic Skating July 1981.jpg|Artistic skating ladies singles gold, silver and bronze medalists (l to r) Anna Conklin (USA), Elena Bonati (ITA) and Tina Kneisley (USA) acknowledge the crowd at the medal ceremony. Image:WG Artistic Skating Pairs July 1981.jpg|Artistic roller skating pairs gold medalists, Tina Kneisley and Paul Price (USA) Image:WG Artistic Skating Pairs bronze medalists July 1981.jpg|Sylvia Gingras and Guy Aubin (CAN), bronze medalists in pairs artistic roller skating at the 1981 World Games Image:WG Australia Baseball July 1981.jpg|Australia's baseball team at World Games I in 1981 at San Jose Municipal Stadium Image:WG Korean Baseball fans July 1981.jpg|Korean baseball fans cheer for their team at World Games I. Image:WG Canada Softball team July 1981.jpg|Canada's men's softball team at the 1981 World Games Image:WG Casting 2 in August 1981.jpg|Casting athlete at World Games I Image:WG Casting August 1981.jpg|Casting - Multiplier Distance Single Handed gold, silver and bronze medalists, respectively – Steve Rajeff (USA), Chris Korich (USA) and Zack Willson (USA) Image:WG Casting competition August 1981.jpg|Casting competition at San Jose, California, during World Games I Image:WG Casting medal podium 2a August 1981.jpg|Casting - Multiplier Distance Double Handed gold, silver and bronze medalists, respectively: Chris Korich (USA), Art Walker (CAN) and Keith Pryor (USA) Image:WG Finswimming July 1981.jpg|Finswimming competition at World Games I Image:WG Finswimming medal podium July 1981.jpg|Medals podium for the unofficial men's finswimming 4x200m relay, with Italy II on top (time 6:30.16) and Sweden, the next single-nationality team, in third place. Other swimmers stood in for the second-place team of two West German and two French athletes. Image:WG Roller Hockey 2 July 1981.jpg|World Games I action in roller hockey Image:WG W Softball.jpg|Women's softball at World Games I Image:WG Water Polo.jpg|Women's water polo at World Games I Image:World Games I Pairs Artistic skating medalists after podium ceremony July 1981.jpg|World Games I Pairs Artistic Skating medalists after podium ceremony, July 1981 Image:World Games I Pairs Artistic Skating medals podium July 1981.jpg|World Games I Pairs Artistic Skating medals podium, July 1981 Image:1981 World Games ladies artistic skating medals podium (July 1981).jpg|World Games I Ladies Artistic Skating medals podium, July 1981 Image:World Games I USA-Australia baseball July 1981.jpg|World Games I USA-Australia baseball game, July 1981 Image:World Games I Women's Softball Bahamas post-game celebration August 1981.jpg|World Games I Women's Softball, Bahamas post-game celebration, August 1981. After the bronze-medal clinching women's softball game, Bahamian fans staged an impromptu celebration that wound its way around the perimeter of the field, with continual singing, dancing, music and Caribbean beats. </gallery>
==References== {{reflist|2}}
==External links== * [http://www.theworldgames.org/ Official Website of the IWGA]
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Category:1981 World Games 1981 Category:1981 in multi-sport events Category:1981 in American sports Category:Sports competitions in Santa Clara, California Category:International sports competitions hosted by the United States Category:International sports competitions in California Category:1981 in sports in California Category:Multi-sport events in the United States Category:July 1981 sports events in the United States Category:August 1981 sports events in the United States