PROFILE - Billy Mills

TOKYO 2020

FOR BILLY MILLS, IT’S A DREAM ON HOLD

Billy mills is pictured during training exercises at Camp Pendleton. Mills was born in 1938 in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. Mills went on to win the 10,000 meter gold medal in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics with a time of 28 minutes, 24.4 seconds.

Photo courtesy of Running Strong for American Indian Youth

BY GARY PORTER

Minnesota runners of a certain age recall two of the state’s all time best, both running legends of the 1960s. In 1963 Buddy Edelen, a graduate of the University of Minnesota, set both an American and World record in the marathon with a time of 2:14:28. The following year he finished sixth in the marathon at the Tokyo Olympics. Ron Daws, who has an MDRA race named after him, qualified for the 1968 Mexico City games with a third place finish in the first ever USA marathon trials in Alamosa, Colo. He finished 22nd in Mexico City. The next American after Buddy Edelen in Tokyo finished in 14th place. That same runner was in Alamosa four years later and shouted encouragement to Ron Daws. “Just keep this pace, no way he can catch you,” referring to the runner in the 4th position. Buddy’s teammate and the one shouting encouragement to Ron achieved fame not in the marathon, but in the 10,000 at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics……….

“Look at Mills, look at Mills!”

Those words uttered by NBC analyst Dick Bank rank right up there with Al Michaels’ “Do you believe in miracles?” call of the USA hockey gold medal in 1980. After all, Billy Mills was barely on anyone’s radar to be in contention for a medal in the 10,000, let alone the gold. Had he miscounted and still had a lap to go? One of the race officials reassured him, no he did not still have a lap to go, that he was in fact the new Olympic champion in the 10K. His time that day was a new Olympic record, 28.24.4. To this day, he remains the only American to win the Men’s Olympic Gold in the 10,000 meters.

Tokyo 2020 was to be a dream trip for Billy Mills and his wife, Pat, an accomplished visual artist. Along with their four daughters, two sons-in-law and a close friend, they planned to return to the city where he made history 56 years earlier. But we all know why that dream has been put on hold, one of the many casualties of the Covid-19 pandemic. Naturally, Billy was devastated, but he has made a lifetime of facing challenges and overcoming obstacles. To understand his true character requires going back to the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, home to the Oglala Lakota tribe of Sioux Indians……

The Author of this article, Gary Porter, is pictured on the right with his wife, Melissa, and Billy Mills.

Submitted Photo

William Mervin Mills was born there on June 30, 1938. By many measures, the county in which the reservation is located is ranked among the poorest in the United States, with alcoholism and suicide rates far above national averages. Billy’s parents divorced and his mother died when he was eight years old. Struggling to cope with her loss, Billy’s father told him “Son, you have broken wings. If you follow your dreams, then someday you will have the wings of an eagle.” Those wings had not healed when his father died four years later, leaving him an orphan at 12 years old.

Billy was sent to one of the well known Indian boarding schools, the Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kan. He was a three time state champion in cross country and also won the Kansas Relays high school mile three times. At the University of Kansas Billy was a three time All American in cross country. But all that success didn’t stop the discrimination and prejudice he experienced. Once after a meet he was asked to step aside when a group photo was being taken.

Understandably, those wings still hadn’t healed. Once during his junior year of college he contemplated jumping from a window. But he heard his dad’s voice telling him “Don’t, Don’t.” So he moved away from the window, gathered himself, and wrote down “Gold medal, 10,000 meter run.” It was a dream that he hoped would help mend the wings of a broken soul.

In 1962 Billy graduated from Kansas, married his college sweetheart Pat and joined the Marine Corps. He was a first lieutenant when he qualified for the Olympics in both the 10,000 and the marathon.

The race for the gold medal in the 10,000 at the 1964 Olympics has been well documented. A YouTube video of the final lap shows three men in contention: Ron Clarke, the world record holder from Australia, Mohamed Gammoudi from Tunisia and Billy Mills (Gerry Lindgren, first in the USA trials, had fallen off the pace and would finish in 9th place). As they entered the final straightaway the three men jockeyed for position while struggling to avoid runners they were lapping. Twice Billy was thrown off balance. With about 100 meters to go he could feel the presence of his wife Pat, sitting 32 rows up in the stands. At one point he looked over to see an eagle on the singlet of a German runner who had moved over to an outside lane. In one final surge Billy broke the tape, followed by Gammoudi for the silver and Clarke for the bronze. After the race Billy sought out the German runner to thank him for the inspiration he provided. There was no eagle on his singlet.

Billy Mills celebrates at the finish line at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo

Photo courtesy of Running Strong for American Indian Youth

Billy Mills receiving his gold medal in the 10,000 during the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo.

Photo courtesy of Running Strong for American Indian Youth

Mills and his wife, Pat, are pictured with his gold medal.

Photo courtesy of Running Strong for American Indian Youth

The number four is sacred in the Lakota culture. Each of the four directions is associated with a color: West-Black, North-Red, East-Yellow and South-White. The Lakota also hold sacred four virtues: Bravery, Fortitude, Generosity and Wisdom.

In not only the race in Tokyo but throughout his life, Billy Mills has been the embodiment of a Lakota warrior, living by these four virtues. The movie Running Brave, starring Robby Benson as Billy Mills, is a testament to his courage to face all the obstacles in his path. During his college career Billy struggled at times to finish races, bewildered by what was causing him to crash. Eventually he was diagnosed as hypoglycemic and borderline type 2 diabetic. Low blood sugar was the culprit. Imagine the fortitude it took, the emotional and mental strength to deal with this condition and not give into the temptation to offer it as an excuse. And the grit to circle 25 laps around a track faster than anyone ever had in the history of the Olympics. All the while possessing the wisdom to know when to hold back and when to make that final surge.

Generosity in the Lakota culture is exemplified in a tradition called “the giveaway.” In most societies, one who achieves success or receives some honor is showered with gifts. Certainly winning an Olympic Gold Medal would qualify. But in the Lakota culture you recognize good fortune by giving both your possessions and your time to help others. As soon as Billy won the gold medal he knew what the trajectory of his life would be from that day forward. He would devote his life to helping those less fortunate.

In 1986, Billy Mills and Gene Krizek cofounded Running Strong for American Indian Youth®. Since then the organization has worked tirelessly to improve the lives of those on some of the most impoverished reservations in the country. Digging water wells, providing kids with backpacks for school and growing organic gardens are just a few of the organization’s projects. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Billy’s gold medal, Running Strong initiated a program to award $10,000 grants to deserving Native American youth. No surprise the name chosen for the program: Dreamstarters. Billy Mills wanted native youth to dream big, just like he has done his entire life. For a number of years Running Strong sponsored a team for the Marine Corps Marathon. This author and his wife were thrilled to be part of that team for three years and in the process raise money for the organization. In 2012 President Obama awarded Billy the Presidential Citizens Medal for his efforts on behalf of Native American youth.

Sadly, both Buddy Edelen and Ron Daws died relatively young, Buddy from cancer at age 59 and Ron of a heart attack at 55. Although Billy deals daily with the challenges associated with hypoglycemia, he is still going strong and continuing his “giveaway” 56 years after his gold medal. He looks forward to returning to where his dream came true and helped mend a broken wing.

In an interview for this article Billy expressed his hope that the Tokyo Olympics can serve to bring about global unity and diversity. After all, with the wisdom of an elder, he points to another of those sacred Lakota virtues… “We Are All Related.”

You can learn more about Running Strong for American Indian Youth at www.indianyouth.org

Photos for this article courtesy of Billy Mills, Running Strong for American Indian Youth and the author.

Mills ran track at the University of Kansas.

Billy Mills is pictured in training.