The aging of American Sports Heroes

Not a single one of those faces/names means a thing to me.

Cthulhu said:

Not a single one of those faces/names means a thing to me.

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*sigh*

Anyone know how Greg Louganis is doing?

maestrowork said:

He's still alive, apparently. But with a head of white hair. This guy is only in his early 50s, isn't he?

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Without googling, I'd imagine early 50s, late 40s, yes.

KrystalR said:

That looks like a pretty recent pic and he looks good there. I googled him and couldn't find news regarding any changes in his health. He seems to be keeping busy so I guess that's a good sign.

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Indeed. He hasn't had all that great a life, from what I remember. I certainly hope things are good for him. He was a tremendous athlete.

maestrowork said:

He's still alive, apparently. But with a head of white hair. This guy is only in his early 50s, isn't he?

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And your point?

All of these folks were. I remember Mark Spitz and all those gold medals...i also remember him making a fair shot at getting back onto the Olympic swimming team twenty some odd years after 'his Olympics.' Greg Louganis, I believe, is 47 or 48 and from all accounts is dealing extremely well with his HIV+ status. Peggy Fleming I do NOT remember in the Olympics for some reasons--it may have something to do with a childish antipathy to ice skating. I do, however, remember her doing commercials in my childhood (until she was superseded by the evil Dorothy Hamill) and commentating in subsequent Olympics and skating events. Bruce Jenner always means Wheaties to me. Joyner-Kersee epitomized a couple of Olympics track teams that I loved--Carl Lewis was a big part of that too--but Bob Beamon is one whose name does not register with me.

Regardless, this picture has captured a group of athletes who were, at one time, the best of the best in their sport--and their integrity has followed through to this day. An inspiring sight.

maestrowork said:

You're a Viking. That doesn't count.

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There is that.

Mead...it does a body good.

mscelina said:

...but Bob Beamon is one whose name does not register with me.

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Bob Beamon, IIRC, set a long-jump world record at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. It stood, again IIRC, for nearly thirty years; for a long time - maybe twenty years - no one got anywhere even close to it.

Too bad Flo-Jo didn't make it to this pic. And where is Carl Lewis?

Yes, BJ is rather dopey on Keeping Up with the Kardashians (like you didn't really know .

The unintentional comedy with BJ is off the charts.

maestrowork said:

This guy is only in his early 50s, isn't he?

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I think I love you.

poetinahat said:

Bob Beamon, IIRC, set a long-jump world record at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. It stood, again IIRC, for nearly thirty years; for a long time - maybe twenty years - no one got anywhere even close to it.

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I always found it interesting that so many "experts" wanted to attach an asterisk to Beamon's record, citing "record set at high altitude." If memory serves, the other competitors jumped at the same track, on the same day, at the same altitude. No other jumper surpassed 27 feet that day. Beamon not only went over 27', but he was also the first jumper to ever top 28', and 29'.

At the time, jumps were measured by an optical device that followed the jumpers along a rail and pinpointed the precise landing point. A battery of human "spotters" line the pit to corroborate the device's findings. On Beamon's jump, the device ran out of railing and fell to the ground.

Mike Powell eventually broke the world record by 2(+) inches at the 1991 world championships, but Beamon's jump still stands as the longest jump ever recorded in an Olympics and the second longest of all time.

Hell of an athlete.