Alajos Szokolyi

Szokolyi was born on 9 June 1871 in Rónicz, Kingdom of Hungary (now Hronec, Slovakia) as the first child József Szokoly, an engineer and Emília Holub. At the age of 3, he was adopted by his childless godparents, Alajos Schőnn, a veteran of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 and Amália Szokoly, sister of Alajos' father. Szokolyi went to grammar school in Ipolyság (Šahy), subsequently he absolved the high school in Selmecbánya (Banská Štiavnica) and Léva (Levice). He excelled with his talent already in high school, having been nominated the "best gymnast of the school" while in fourth grade. He was also regularly awarded in the school-year ending gymnastic competitions. In 1887 Szokolyi with his family moved from Ipolyság to their new mansion in Bernece, lying just on the opposite side of the river Ipoly. Two years later he was enrolled at the medical faculty in Budapest. ==Career==

Entering athletics and setback In Budapest Szokolyi immediately joined the Magyar Athletikai Club (MAC). Founded in 1875, MAC was the first athletics club in continental Europe and played a pioneer role in developing sports in Hungary. Competing in the junior category – athletes who did not participate in public competitions before were regarded as juniors –, Szokolyi won his first race in the 100 metres dash at the 1890 autumn championships of MAC. (That time MAC organized a spring and a autumn championships every year.) Szokolyi participated in the seniors' race as well, finishing third in the 100 yards. Prior to the final, Szokolyi and Hoyt, the second placed of the other heat were pulled out, referring not to the rules of the International Olympic Committee but those of the Amateur Athletic Association, causing some controversy and bitterness in the Hungarian team. The year 1896 not only marked the first modern Olympic Games, but also the millennium of the Hungarian landtaking. On this occasion many prestigious sports competitions, shows and exhibitions were organized; Szokolyi, a celebrated sportsman of his time, was depicted on the promotional materials. Additionally, he participated in the organization of the events as the secretary of the National Gymnastic and Sports Committee (Országos Torna és Sportbizottság). From 1896 onwards, Szokolyi concentrated less on competing and more on organizing and supervising sports events, and he eventually retired in 1900. Szokolyi raced over ten years; during this period he took part in 71 events in 29 competitions. He won 26 times, finished runner-up 16 times and came third 6 times. Additionally, he improved the Hungarian national record thirteen times in various events. ==Later life and death==

Following his retirement, Szokolyi moved back to his estate in Bernece and married to Charlotte Berchtold on 27 November 1900. By this marriage Szokolyi became related to the country's most distinguished families – the Berchtolds, the Károlyis and the Bánffys. The couple had 5 children. Alajos was ordained priest, József took the military path and served by the hussars while Ferenc became an agronomist and also followed his father example in sports and achieved several notable results. Their daughters were Erzsébet and Mária. Erzsébet married to Count István Révay, founder-president of the Association of Physical Education of Hungarians in Czechoslovakia. In 1906 Szokolyi founded the Sports Association of Hont County (Hont vármegyei Sport Egyesület), of which presidential position held until his resignation in 1912. In 1907 he was appointed as chief archivist of Hont County. In the 1910s he changed the spelling of his name to Szokolyi. During the World War I he organized the medical service of the county as the chief physician of the military hospital in Ipolyság. After the war Ipolyság fell under Czechoslovak administration, subsequently Szokolyi retired to the family mansion in Bernece. In 1928 he was diagnosed with atherosclerosis. He died of a heart attack in 1932. ==References==