Sept/Oct 2005 | The Olympian

LETTERFROMWILLIEBANKSU.S.OlympiansPresident

The Olympic Movement has faced many challenges over the 111 years of its modem existence. However, the reason for its continued strength and popularity has been the lofty goals that we all aspired to as Olympians. We are role models for the world and we have to strive to strengthen the right things about the Olympic Movement -Fair play. tolerance, brotherhood, compassion and spirit. Those characteristics proscribed by Pie1Te de Coubertin in 1894. two years before anyone would compete in an Olympic Games.

We must all understand that our participation in the Olympic Games has shaped our lives as local , regional, national and world famous celebrities . Any negative effect on the Games diminishes the value of our paiiicipation. It is for this reason that we as U.S. Olympians must work to promote the positive nature of Olympism and offer our organization's members as a resource to help support new initiatives designed to foster programs that reflect the Olympic ideals.

To that end , we are developing a plan for a " Champion for Fitness·· program in the U.S. that will encourage people of all ages to maintain fitness and a healthy lifestyle . We are also seeking to encourage young people to take a bigger role in the message of Olympians by enlisting young people to be ambassadors for Olympism. We also seek to look outside our borders to support causes that need our help. Accordingly, the U.S. Olympians have raised funds for the tsunami relief fund. We look fo1ward to sending athletes to that ravaged area of the world to put on clinics and give assistance We feel that this will serve to give people hope to persevere. Ifwe can serve the world in this small way we feel we are living up to the promise we made to the Olympic Movement. We must encourage each other to be an active pmtner in spreading goodwill and hope around the world.

Similarly. we must care for our own Over the years some of our friends have come upon hard times. especially when it comes to illness. The Olympians for Olympians Relief Fund has helped many and we are always looking to do more. Through generous donations and creative fundraisers we have been able to stay ahead of the requests. If you or anyone you know needs a little help you will find that we are here ready to do our pmt .

Finally, over the last four months I have been approached by many Olympians asking how they can get involved. It thrills me to hear how often Olympians have taken the challenge to stay involved with the Olympic Movement . The first step to getting involved is to get in contact with us. Sign up for the newsletter. send your contact information to Cindy Stinger at the USOC's Olympian Association office, email: cindy.stinger @usoc.org so that we can get you involved. I hope to hear from you!

In conjunction with the International Olympic Day Celebration on June 23, 2005 the United States Olympic Committee dedicated a new sculptme, " Olympic Strength." The 30 -foot bronze and steel monument features fom colossal figures sculpted in the classic style suppmting a framework globe on their shoulders. The globe is lit from within to designate all past Olympic host cities The base of the sculphu-e includes pictograms of all 45 Olympic and Pan American Spmts sculpted in bas-relief. The aitwork is a philantbsopic gift from Irwin Belk, who. along with the artist , Jon Hair, was pre sent for the dedication ceremony.

In1952,RemiginoWasFastestManAlive

By Joe Palladino

Time has done what no man could; it has caught up with Lindy Remigino.

After 52 years as track coach at Hartford Public High School, Remigino retired at the conclusion of the State Open track championships at Willow Brook Park. He ' s not going anywhere. He will still host two of the most prestigious track championships in the east , the Hartford Public Invitational , one indoor and the other outdoor 100METERMEDALIST,HERBERTMCKENLEY{JAM),LINDYREMIGINO (USA)ANDEMMANUELMCDONALDBAILEY(GBR/TRI)

No one seemed hemtbroken on retirement day. They know that Lindy Remigino , now age 74, won't be that easy to get rid of, fortunately. So why you wonder, should we care? Many of you, perhaps. are asking: what is a Lindy Remigino? Here is the sholi answer: if you take all of the coaches that we know and cherish from 74 years of great hist01y in the Naugatuck Valley League, names like Legenza , Lee , Foley, Jarvis , Donahue. and all the others I have shamefully omitted , and put them together, you'd end up with a man who stands no more than 5-6. weighs 150 pounds. and answers to the name Lindy.

There is a long answer, too. Remigino's Harford Public track teams have won 31 CIAC championships , enjoyed 12 undefeated seasons, finished second on 16 other occasions , won 24 City Championships , 21 conference championships , produced 157 individual state champions. 40 relay champions , and 12 All-Americans

Remigino is a member of nine Hall of Fames and is a Connecticut Gold Key recipient.

But for all the accolades you can heap upon Remigino. for six decades of teaching and coaching at Hmtford Public , his alma mater by the way, it is all dwarfed by one event on a cold rainy. dreary day in Helsinki , Finland during the summer of 1952, when Lindy Remigino became the world ' s fastest human

He won what is considered the most stunning gold medal ever handed out in the Olympic 100. No one gave him a chance , even though he had finished second in the U.S t1ials. Four men crossed the finish line in that 100 meter dash - track and field 's signature event - timed at 10.4 , hand held. It took the judges 20 minutes to examine and debate the result by photo finish, but they all agreed : Lindy Remigino , the kid from Hartford. the Hartford Public grad , got his right shoulder across the line before the rest of the field.

"I thought I had lost it ." Remigino recalled. "I thought I was leading , but I went into my lean too soon and I slowed down. I went over and congratulated Herb McKenley, from Jamaica. I thought he had beaten me. "

He didn ' t. Some have called it one of the great upsets in Olympic histo1y. Remigino doesn't appreciate that. He may not have been t\ the favorite. but he brought with him to Finland a trail of first-place finishes He proved he gold wa s no fluke in the weeks following th e Helsinki Games. He raced in Oslo London. Amsterdam and Gla sgow. against the same men that ran in the Olympic l 00. and he beat them all.

" I came back from Europe undefeated ," he said proudly. thankful for the chance to prove that Helsinki , nm in the mud of a clay track . was no fluke.

And just to cement his stanis as Olympic legend, at that Norway meet, Remigino won the 100 with a time of 10.2 and that equaled the world record in the 100 of a man whose name you may have heard before : Jesse Owens. Remigino is not a track star who stood on the shoulder of giants He stood shoulder to shoulder with those very giants.

He did not get his face on a Wheaties box as usually happens when you are the world ' s fastest man. That honor went to Bob Richards. the Olympic pole vault champ. Remigino never made a nickel off of his Olympic glory. He received a little more than a dollar a day at the time , for expense money while in Helsinki. He couldn't even afford a phone call home as an Olympic hero.

And we mustn't forget that he won a second gold in Helsinki , as a member of the champion 4xl00 relay team. He took the baton for the third leg from another of the great names in American Olympic history Hanison Dillard.

You wouldn't believe it today if Remigino strolled your way He doesn't present the imposing physique that we think of from your spo1is heroes. He has difficulty walking now. from knee injuries and a chronic back condition. This is a man who fo ught and beat cancer, twice.

He admits that age has finally forced him to slow down. But coaching is like a relay. The job of producing the next generation of track stars has now been passed to someone else. Lindy held on to that baton for six decades and no one canied it with as much success , yes, but also with as mu ch dignity and fellowship

A coach has stepped down. It happens all the time . But seldom do we see a career that can rival this. Remigino has always been going somewhere , fast, but what we will always remember is what he left behind like those champions , and like that moment, immmialized in a frozen black and white image . that reminds us that Lindy Remigino was once the fastest man alive.

1980Women'sVolleyball

Continuestolnspirel

LEFT TO RIGHT: TOP ROW, JANET BAIER , PATTY DOWDELL , LAURIE FLACHMEIER , SHARON MOORE , DR ARIE SELINGER , DIANE MCCORMICK , PAULA WEISHOFF, SUE WOODSTRA ; BOTTOM ROW, CAROLYN BECKER , DEBBIE GREEN , DEBBIE LANDRETH , DANIELLA SCOTT AND LAUREL BRASSEY.

A day after being honored by U SA Voll eyball at the organization's 60th Annual Dorothy C. Bo y ce Annual Awards and Recognition Banquet at the Adam s Mark Hotel in Denver. the team wa s in Colorado Springs to host an " Olympism Symposium" for the current member s of th e Wom en ' s National Team Training Program

Dmin g th e sympo sium the form er playe r s memb ers of the fa st r es id ent program in any sp01t to call the Co lorado Spring s Olympic Training Center home , shar ed stories. e xp eri enc es and ideal with the cm-rent t eam memb ers

Following th e symposium the United State s Olympic Committee honored the team with a VIP tour of the complex , lunch and a specially decorated cake in the Athlete Center, a brief afternoon ceremony with Chief E xec ut iv e Officer Jim Scherr in the Pres ident ' s Confer enc e Room and by lighting th e Olympi c Torch above the Vi s itor 's Ce nt er

" It trul y is an honor for us to ha ve yo u h ere toda y.·· said Sch en " We ' r e very appreciativ e that y ou m ad e a stop aft er gettin g your award in Denver. I think it 's gr eat that USA Volleyball recognized this team on its silv er anniversary.

U.S.OLYMPIANCHAPTERS

Did y ou !m o w thar rh e US Ofvmpians have regional chap ters r/11vug hour the co un try? L ook for updares on clzaprer happenings infurure iss ues of Th e O/ vmpia n ! lfy ou wo uld like ro fi nd out wha r is happe ning in yo ur area, conracr:

Pres ident : Gene Kotlarek (s kiin g, 19 6 0, ' 64) (303)-807-3911

F lor ida O lympians

President : Jim Milius (fig ure s karin g, 1976) (813) 979 -5608

Georg ia O lymp ians

Pres id ent: TBD

Hawa ii O lym pi ans

Pres ident: Richard " Sonny" Tana be (sw imm i ng, 195 6 ) (808) 735-1088

Indi an a O lympi ans

Pres id ent: Ollan Cassell (athl eti cs, 1964) (317) 466-0444

Mid wes t O ly mp ians

President: Willye White (athl et ics, 1956, '60, '64 , '68, T! ) (773) 651-8267

Nationa l Ca pi ta l Area O lympi ans

President: Arlene Limas ( taekwo ndo , 1 99:! , '96) (540) 720-1988

New Eng land Area O lympi ans

Pres id ent: TBD

Nortl1em Ca li fo rnia Oly mpi ans

Presid ent: Anne Warner C'J.ibb s (s wimmin g, 1960) (650) 856-3200

Oregon O lym pi ans

Pres ident: C lem Eischen (a thl e tics, 1948) (503) 492-2232

Southern Ca li fornia O lym pi ans

Pres iden t: Cath y Marino Bradfor d (c anoe/ kayak, 1988, '9:!) {714) 847-5596

Sou thwest O lym pi ans

Pres ident: Sammy Walker (we igh tliftin g, 197 6 ) (469) 964-8824

Tr i- States O ly mpi ans

Pres id ent: Otis Davis (arhleri cs, 1960) {201) 392-8448

Utab O lympi ans

Pres id ent: Henry Marsh (a rhl er ics, 19 76, '8 0, '84 , '88) (801) 560-8698

Washington State Olympi ans

President : John Stillings (,vwing, 19 8 4) (206) 440-0708

No cbap t er in your area? Interested in starting a cbapter? Con tact the U.S. O lym p ians Ass o ci ati on office for detail s at (8 00 ) 7 17 -7555.

Colorado O lympi ans

AdeccoPartnersWithUSO(toOfferCareer TransitionAssistance

Navigating your way from one career to another can be difficult and stressful. The USOC now offers the Athlete Career Program to make this transition smoother for U.S. Olympians, Paralympians, and elite athletes. This program, tailored to meet the needs of athletes , is delivered by the Adecco Group , the USOC's Official Career Management Services Supplier, recognized as the global leader in HR solutions. Accepting assistance from the professionals at Adecco can pave the way for a smoother transition.

The Adecco Group network connects up to 700 , 000 associates with business clients each day through its 29 ,000 employees and 6,000 offices in 70 territories around the world.

The Adecco Group's three companies, Lee Hecht Harrison , Adecco Staffing , and Ajilon , are combining efforts to provide a broad range of services to you, after a referral has been made on your behalf by the USOC.

Services include the following:

• A personal career coach who will serve as a mentor as you create and implement your career game plan. Your coach can assist you with:

o Professionally creating or updating your resume

o Creating your short and/or long term career game plan

o Providing assessments to help you detennine the best career for you, based on your personal likes , dislikes, and values

o Training in your desired career field

o Networking tips and ways to expand your network and make it work for you

o Interviewing preparation

o Job placement assistance

o Job shadowing or internship experiences

o Tools for the job search

• You may attend a public seminar or meet with a consultant in an office near you

• You can pursue career consultation on-line

If you are interested in pursuing any of these services, please contact the USOC's Career Services Department at 800 / 933-4473, ext. 1. We will make a referral to Adecco on your behalf and an engagement specialist will then contact you.

ALUMNINEWS

IN MEMORY

Hans Jorgens Jensen (rowing , 1948) a U.S Olympic gold medali st and longtime CIA agent died on May 23 at a hospital in the Riverside County town of Rancho Mirage. He was 79. Jensen learned how to row at the University of California at Berkeley in the 1940s. He raced the eight -m an shell composed of Cal rowers that won gold in Eng land during the 1948 Olympic Games . To this day, his Olympic jacket hangs in the Cal boathouse on the Jack London waterfront along the Oakland Estuary, a somce of inspiration to the huncheds of young rowers who train with UC Berkeley ' s medal winning teams.

In 199 8, he was honored at the Cal boathouse in Oakland and at the New York Athletic Club during a 50-year celebration for the U.S. Olympic team. One of his fondest memories of the 1948 Games was sailing on the ship from New York to England with Grace Kelly, who was tra v eling with her brother, Jack Kelly, a champion sculler.

RonLangVolleyballHallofFameInductee

Ron Lang (volleyball, 1964) , of the USA , made his mark on the game of volleyball both on the com1 and in the sand and will be inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame on October 27, 2005 in Holyoke , MA. Ron was a member of the first-ever USA Men's Olympic Volleyball Team in 1964 Lang was also a long-time standout player at the USA Men's Open Volleyball Championships. From 1958 - 1967 he earned nine First -Team All -American I\ selections, one Second-Team-All -American honor, three Open National Championships and was an eight-time Open National runner-up.

RON LANG

Paul Hamm Receives the 2005 Citizenship Through Sports Alliance Award

Paul Hamm (gymnastics , 2000, '04) was honored at the 2005 Citizenship Tbrnugh Sport Alliance (CTSA) Award Dinner on Saturday, June 4, at the Renaissance Grand Hotel in downtown St. Louis, MO.

Hamm, who in April received the 75th Sullivan Award as the nation's top amateur athlete, won the all -around Gold with spectacular performances on the parallel bars and high bar, shocking the world when he pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in Olympic

gymnastics history by vaulting from fourth to fu-st in the final rotation. He also became the first American male to win an Olympic all-around title in gymnastics. Hamm captured three medals, including the high bar silver and helping his teammates win the team silver medal.

In conjunction with the awards dinner, the CTSA hosted a "Good Spmis Nite" on Friday, June 3 at the Herbe1i Hoover Boys and Girls C lub in St. Louis. During the event the U.S. Olympic Committee conducted a Champions In Life program featuring Olympians , Teresa Edwards (basketball, 1984 , '88 , '9 2 , '9 6, '00) and Ray Armstead (athletics , 1984).

U.S. OLYMPIANS TERESA EDWARDS (CENTER) AND RAY ARMSTEAD (BACK RIGHT) GATHER WITH KIDS ON "GOOD SPORTS NITE" HELD AT HERBERT HOOVER BOY'S AND GIRL'SCLUB ON JUNE 3

PAUL HAMM

OlympicGoldMedalRowersDelivered FirstPitch

Olympic gold medal rowers Matt Deakin , Bryan Volpenhein , Beau Hoopman , Dan Beery and their coach Matt Imes delivered the ceremonial first pitch at the Baltimore Orioles - Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball game on Saturday, July 16th at Safeco Field.

The Olympians were a pait of the United States men's eight-oared crew that made history at the 2004 Athens Games by setting a world's best time on the way to winning the gold. Their victory ended a 40 -year gold medal drought in the event for the U.S.

On the way to winning the gold , the U.S. men's eight , which finished second to the Canadians at the 2003 World Championships, set a world's best time of 5:19.85 in its qualifying heat , finishing 0.61 seconds ahead of Canada. The time was 2.95 seconds faster that the previous world's best time Prior to the Athens Olympics , the last U.S. men's eight -oared Olympic gold was won in Tokyo at the 1964 Games.

JudoOlympianJasonMorrisNamed Coach

Jason Morris has been named by USA Judo as a coach of the team that will compete in the 2005 World Judo Championships in Cairo , Egypt, September 811 , 2005. Mon-is is fresh off his head coach duties for the U.S. team at the Pan Ame1ican Judo Union Championships in Pue1to Rico where the squad won 10 total medals including 4 gold. Jason is a fom--time Olympian ('88 , '92, ' 96 , '00) and won a silver medal in Barcelona in 1992.

NationalScoutJamboree

U.S. Olympian , Mari Holden (cycling , 2000), and U.S. Paralympic track and field athlete , Pam McConigle, addressed more than 120 ,000 boy scouts and leaders about the impmtance of ethics, fair play and integrity in sport as patt of the 2005 National Scout Jamboree, hosted by the Fmt , AP. Hill on July 26August 1, in Carolina County, VA.

Holden and McGonigle serve as Athlete Ambassadors for the U.S. Anti -Doping Agency. A contributor to Boy Scouts of America's Quest Venturing Scouts and Fitness Program through its drug-free sports and clean play elective. Holden and McGonigle paiticipated on July 30-31 in the Olympic and Venturing Quest Award tent at the Jamboree.

ALUMNINEWS

BIRTHS

Stacey Jill Blumer (skiing, I 998) and husband Troy are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter, Cadence Emma Evans , born on January 21. 2005 .

Tara Nott Cunningham (weightlifting , 2000 , '04) and her husband Casey Cunningham, announced the bi11h of their first child, Hayden William Cunningham on April 28 , 2005. He weighed 5 lbs , 14 ounces and was 19 inches long

Scott Stoll (bobsled, 1994) who is cmTently serving as a physician at the Lehigh University Sports Medicine Division is doing well and sent along a picture of his three boys Dawson , Gabriel and Samuel.

STACEYJILLBLUMER,TARANOTTCUNNINGHAMANDSCOTTSTOLL'STHREEBOYSDAWSON,GABRIELANDSAMUEL

OLYMPICALUMNINEWS

I have some news to share with or announce to my fellow Olympian Alumni:

Please fax or email your latest achievement, promotion, significant life event, maniage, birth, etc; to the U.S Olympians Association c/o Cynthia E. Stinger, Manager fax: 719 - 866 -4728 or email : cindy.stinger@usoc.org

SPECIALREQUEST!!

The US Olympic Committee has a US Olympic Team sponsor that is looking to identify athletes with ce1iain criteria and we are trying to determine which Olympic athletes meet their criteria. We recognize that you may not be willing to share such personal information and we ce11ainly respect your decision.

1.) We are looking for athletes that have torn their ACL and have had reconstructive surgery using Depuymitek paiis.

2.) We are looking for female athletes who have an OAB (Overactive Bladder) specifically or have experience with it through a -Jose friend or relative. Ideal candidate would be between the ages of 30 - 55 years old .

\Ve appreciate your assistance with this project. We would like to gather the information by Friday, September 30. 2005 so that we can pre s ent potential candidate s to the sponsor on both reque st s Plea se send all sugg es tions to Amy Gray at amy .gray@usoc.org .

COLORADO SPRINGS. COLORADO 80909-5760

UNITEDSTATESOLYMPIC COMMITTEEBOARDOFDIRECTORS

USOC CHAIRMAN

Peter Uebenoth

Bob Ctv1ilik

Enoll Davis

Anita Defrantz

Jim Easton

Jair Lynch

MmyMcCagg

Jim McCmthy

Mike Plant

Dr. Harold Shapiro

Stephanie Streeter

USOCCHIEFEXECUTIVE OFFICER

Jim Schen

USOCCHIEF

COMMUNICATIONSOFFICER

Darryl Seibel

U.S.OLYMPIANSOFFICERS

2005 - 2008

PRESIDENT

Willie Banks (athletics , 1980 , '84 . '88)

VICE PRESIDENTS

Anne Warner Cribbs (swimming, 1960)

Colll.1ie Paraskevin -Ymmg (speedskating , 1980. '84 / cycling 1988 '92 , '96)

Carol Lewi s (athletics. 1980. ' 84 , ' 88)

Dick Fosbmy (athletics . 1968)

Micki King (diving. 1968 . '72)

Gary W. Hall Sr. (swimming . 1968 , ' 72 , '76)

HONORARY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dorothy Franey Langkop (speedskating , 1932)

IM~EDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

John Naber (swimming 1976)

PAST PRESIDENT

Bill Toome y (athletics, 1968)

EDITORIALSTAFF

SENIOR EDITOR

Cynthia E. Stinger (team handball. 1984. '88 , '92)

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Michael Wilson

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Denise O'Shea - O'Shea Design

Photos by: Getty Image s & The USOC Library