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October 8, 2010
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Golden reunion for Don Bragg in Rome JAY BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Clayton resident Don Bragg became famous as a champion pole vaulter with a “Tarzan” yell and persona. In Rome for the 50th anniversary of the opening of the 1960 Summer Olympics, he was given the honor of making a speech representing the athletes of the world who competed 50 years ago. Bragg, the Rome Olympics pole vault gold medalist, culminated his speech with his trademark Tarzan yell. It was greeted by a standing ovation from more than 5,000 people in the Rome city hall square, Palazzo Senatorio, surrounded by Michelangelo sculptures. During the 1960 Summer Olympics, the United States and Soviet Union were competing in athletics at the height of the Cold War, which thankfully never got quite as heated as the battles on the sports fields. Even though the 1960 U.S. team included such legendary figures as basketball’s Jerry West and Oscar Robertson, decathlete Rafer Johnson, boxer Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali), sprinter Wilma Rudolph and discus thrower Al Oerter – all winning gold medals – the USA finished well behind the Soviet Union for gold medals and total medals. Due to a conflict with a Rome Olympics reunion event planned by the U.S. Olympic Committee for the same time in Tennessee, Bragg was the only Photo courtesy of Bragg family American athlete this August in Rome. He was treated as a CLAYTON RESIDENT DON BRAGG CONCLUDES A SPEECH at the opening ceremonies for the 50th anniversary reunion of the 1960 Rome Olympic Games. Bragg was the only American athlete on returning hero and celebrity. “I hand for the reunion in Rome. After winning the pole vault gold medal in 1960 he let out a was a rock star,” reports the Tarzan yell that would have made his hero Johnny Weissmuller proud. never bashful 75-year-old.
Inside this issue Clayton Clayton
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Shopping g Guide e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Aboutt Clayton Demographics s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Lastt Year’s s Home e Sales s . . . . .10 History y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Governmentt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16 BIG G RECREATION N SECTION Locall Parks s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Trails s and d Hiking g . . . . . . . . . . .24 Regionall Parks s . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Day y Triips s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 1 Sports s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Calendarr off Events s . . . . . . . . . . .36 Resource e Listings s . . . . . . . . . . .38 s and d Associations,, Clubs h and d Supportt Services, Health Law w Enforcementt and d Courts, Performing g Arts,, Public Transportation,, Schools s and Colleges,, Seniorr Living,, Utilities,, Worship
RETURNING HOME TO SWEETHEART
When Bragg traveled to Rome with the American track and field team 50 years ago, he went “to compete against the best in the world” and didn’t want “any distractions” – which meant sweetheart Theresa Fiore stayed home in New Jersey. “We dated for seven years, but he always told me: ‘I won’t put gold on your finger until they put gold around my neck,’ ’’ Theresa Bragg says today from the Clayton home they share with daughters Renee and Tracey and four grandkids. Bragg won the Olympic gold medal on Sept. 7, 1960. Days later, Theresa read a newspaper article which quoted him saying he was headed home to marry his sweetheart. They wed two months after the Rome Olympics and left for California, where he hoped to play Tarzan in the movies like his hero Johnny Weissmuller, another Olympic champion. Sadly, that dream never materialized. In that era, all Olympic athletes were amateurs so Bragg retired from the sport one year after the Olympics. “I dabbled in a number of businesses but found recreation to be my calling,” he explained. He served as special assistant for youth affairs and recreation to New Jersey Gov. Richard Hughes. Don and Theresa Bragg ran Kamp Olympik for boys each summer in southern New Jersey. The camp hosted 300 boys a week for nine weeks in the summer. “Many of the kids came from tough ghettos, but we gave them a great experience,” Bragg says.
“We still get notes from many of them. In fact, we got a message this week on Facebook from one who is now mentoring boys himself.” The Braggs lost their home in Clayton in 2004 in a devastating fire that also destroyed much of their memorabilia, although a fireman retrieved the Olympic gold medal from the smokefilled house. They moved to Southern California where they lived in a senior community until Don suffered a stroke on Father’s Day 2009. They moved back to Clayton to be around family as he continued his rehab. These days, Bragg can be found in Clayton working out at
See Bragg, page 8
Meet the candidates on Oct. 18 The four City Council candidates will come together with Clayton voters at a Town Hall-style forum on Oct. 18. A question and answer format, sponsored by the Clayton Pioneer and moderated by Concord City Councilman Guy Bjerke will give the voters an opportunity to quiz each candidate on the issues facing Clayton in the coming four years. The Town Hall-style meeting is open to the public and begins at 7 p.m. in Hoyer Hall in the Clayton Library, 6125 Clayton Road, Clayton.
City Council candidates address the issues This November, four candidates will vie for two City Council seats when incumbents Dave Shuey and Hank Stratford face off against Jim Diaz and Ted Meriam. The biggest challenge facing Clayton continues to be survival in a down economy. How to support and grow a vital Town Center and where to spend scarce resources – these are the questions that will take center stage in the next few weeks. The Pioneer invited all four candidates to submit five questions they would most like to ask their opponents. Their answers, uncut and unedited, follow. Voters will have an opportunity to ask their own questions at Candidates’ Night on Oct. 18, 7 p.m. at the Clayton Library.
Diaz:: (1) revenue generation, What are the three (2) public safety, and (3) keeping most critical issues facour trail system maintained ing Clayton in the next through volunteerism. four years?
higher expenses, we are challenged to deliver city services that we love and expect in Clayton. We must consider new ideas to make ends meet. The city should
also become more business friendly by encouraging economic development, fostering a
Jim Diaz, 67 Candidate Business Owner Security and Investigations
Dave Shuey, 44 Incumbent Attorney
Hank Stratford, 44 Incumbent Business Owner, CPA Diablo View Cleaning
Meriam: With less income and
What’s Inside Around Town . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Church News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Ted Meriam, 27 Candidate Account Manager Microsoft Corporation
Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Club News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Community Calendar . . . . . . . .16 Directory of Advertisers . . . . . . . .5 DVMS Reporter . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Estate Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Financial Sense . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Food for Thought . . . . . . . . . . . .19 Garden Girl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . .6 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Mayor’s Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Police Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
See Candidates, page 7
Real Estate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Reader’s Forum . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Safety Zone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 School News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Tech Talk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Weather Words . . . . . . . . . . . . .18