#115 Sabotage At Sports City (29th Anniversary Review)

[tomswift2002]

Published: August 1992
Publisher: Minstrel Books (1992-1998?)
Author: Unknown as of May 2022

Plot:
Frank and Joe swing into action -- to save the summer Olympics!

The Hardys draw a treacherous opponent in a world-class tournament of terror!

Frank and Joe have landed a couple of prime tickets to the greatest sporting event in the world. But an anonymous note delivered to the chairman of the Olympic Committee has put a sinister edge on the competition. "I plan to set an Olympic record," the message says. "Fifty-three people will die during these games!"

Is it a prank ... or is it a promise? Sabotage on the track, in the field, and in the gym proves just how serious the threat is. The Hardys go undercover, determined to protect the athletes from foul play. But the boys will have to hang tough and demonstrate plenty of athletic prowess of their own, to expose the truth behind the terrorist plot.

Review:  So as I said in another thread I jumped ship from Trouble Island, which jumped the shark getting to the island, to Sabotage At Sports City.

I first read Sports City around 1995.  And I've read it a few times since.  Not one of my favorites, as I don't really care for the Olympics.  Just a historical note, but the 1992 was the last time the Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics were held in the same year.  The 1992 Winter Olympics ran from February 8 - 23, 1992 in Albertville, France, while the Summer Olympics ran from July 25 to August 9, 1992 in Barcelona, Spain.  Then the Winter Olympics had only a 2-year hiatus before the 1994 Lillehammer, Norway Olympics, and the summer Olympics had a 4-year break until the infamous 1996 Atlanta, USA Olympics.

And Sabotage At Sports City wasn't the only time the Hardy's would be involved with the Olympics.  They would work at the 1996 Olympics in Casefiles #111 Competitive Edge, setting up the 2002 Winter Olympics with Nancy Drew in At All Costs.

[tomswift2002]

In SASC we also meet Sean O'Malley from Ireland, Chet's cousin.

Now we can assume another reason for Chet's bike excursion in The Witchmaster's Key was to visit (most likely on his mother's side) his Irish family.

[MacGyver]

Published: August 1992
Publisher: Minstrel Books (1992-1998?)
Author: Unknown as of May 2022

Plot:
Frank and Joe swing into action -- to save the summer Olympics!

The Hardys draw a treacherous opponent in a world-class tournament of terror!

Frank and Joe have landed a couple of prime tickets to the greatest sporting event in the world. But an anonymous note delivered to the chairman of the Olympic Committee has put a sinister edge on the competition. "I plan to set an Olympic record," the message says. "Fifty-three people will die during these games!"

Is it a prank ... or is it a promise? Sabotage on the track, in the field, and in the gym proves just how serious the threat is. The Hardys go undercover, determined to protect the athletes from foul play. But the boys will have to hang tough and demonstrate plenty of athletic prowess of their own, to expose the truth behind the terrorist plot.

Review:  So as I said in another thread I jumped ship from Trouble Island, which jumped the shark getting to the island, to Sabotage At Sports City.

I first read Sports City around 1995.  And I've read it a few times since.  Not one of my favorites, as I don't really care for the Olympics.  Just a historical note, but the 1992 was the last time the Summer Olympics and Winter Olympics were held in the same year.  The 1992 Winter Olympics ran from February 8 - 23, 1992 in Albertville, France, while the Summer Olympics ran from July 25 to August 9, 1992 in Barcelona, Spain.  Then the Winter Olympics had only a 2-year hiatus before the 1994 Lillehammer, Norway Olympics, and the summer Olympics had a 4-year break until the infamous 1996 Atlanta, USA Olympics.

And Sabotage At Sports City wasn't the only time the Hardy's would be involved with the Olympics.  They would work at the 1996 Olympics in Casefiles #111 Competitive Edge, setting up the 2002 Winter Olympics with Nancy Drew in At All Costs.

Why do you consider the 1996 Summer Olympics "infamous"? (You're welcome to your opinion, of course; I'm just curious.

[MacGyver]

In SASC we also meet Sean O'Malley from Ireland, Chet's cousin.

Now we can assume another reason for Chet's bike excursion in The Witchmaster's Key was to visit (most likely on his mother's side) his Irish family.

Cool connection!

[MacGyver]

Yay! I've talked about this book before but I will reiterate here that Sabotage At Sports City is one of my favourite Hardy Boys books!
    I have read it numerous times. I think the big facts for me are as follows: I love all The Hardy Boys books in general. (At least in this series and the Casefiles world. Sadly, my affinity has waned with more recent series.) I also love sports in general and the Olympics has always been the biggest sporting event for me, with countries from all over the world competing in multiple sports.
I also have a bit of a personal connection, after been born in Spain and being blessed enough to actually attend a few of the events of the 1996 Summer Olympics in person.
     Beyond those factors, I also like the grand scale of this book. The Hardy Boys trying to stop 53 deaths at the Summer Olympics seems like a gargantuan task so I like the challenge it gives them. I also enjoy the tie-in with Chet Morton having an Irish cousin in the Olympics. And any time one of the chums is in a book- particularly Chet- the book is even better than usual in my opinion.
I also think the ultimate plan that was revealed was fairly tricky as well. I liked that aspect of it too.
I also liked the court room drama where Frank and Joe had to work to prove their case.
    All of the elements combined- along with a good amount of action, even if not as excessive as other books- make for an exciting and interesting story for me.
😀

[tomswift2002]

Why do you consider the 1996 Summer Olympics "infamous"? (You're welcome to your opinion, of course; I'm just curious.

They're infamous for the bombing that occurred at them. 

Also it's interesting, but the Olympics in SASC apparently take place in the US, while in real life in 92, both Olympics took place in Europe.  I couldn't identify which US city, but at one point the characters mentioned Sisters of Mercy Hospital.

[MacGyver]

They're infamous for the bombing that occurred at them. 

Also it's interesting, but the Olympics in SASC apparently take place in the US, while in real life in 92, both Olympics took place in Europe.  I couldn't identify which US city, but at one point the characters mentioned Sisters of Mercy Hospital.

Oh wow! I totally didn't realize that happened!

[tomswift2002]

Oh wow! I totally didn't realize that happened!

As I mentioned in my intro the Winter Olympics were in France while the Summer Olympics were in Spain.

And here's the 96 Olympics bombing

https://youtu.be/zqhZUyX-Wx8

[MacGyver]

As I mentioned in my intro the Winter Olympics were in France while the Summer Olympics were in Spain.

And here's the 96 Olympics bombing

https://youtu.be/zqhZUyX-Wx8

I knew the part about the 1992 Summer Olympics being in Barcelona, Spain. I didn't realize the Winter Games were in France that year.
   And yeah- I don't recall anything about the '96 Olympics bombing. I wonder if I was just shielded from it as a child.
    Anyway- thanks for the link on that.