Tag Archives: sports

You Don’t Know Till You TRY

24 Sunday Jun 2018

Posted by in Columbus OH, Photojournalism, Special Olympics, sports

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Saturday I was reminded why I like photographing Special Olympic games.  Couple of years ago National Games were in New Jersey and Ohio had a special swim team in competition. Special as in good hard workers, not Special Olympics even though that is why they were there. While waiting on one of the teams to compete I notice a gentleman on the swim floor in a wheelchair. He got up and using a metal cane approached the pool lane. It became obvious that he had the use of just one arm and leg, but jumped into the pool to compete. Swam a freestyle competition and did very well.

Yesterday at the powerlift competition held in the Thurber Theatre at the Drake Union on campus – The Ohio State University – I was witness to another ‘special’ moment.

Young man approached the weights to be lifted with his coach and as the coach was getting the athlete set as I’ve seen the other coaches do I thought he was placing the athletes hand in the right position for the lift. As the coach left I saw this young man using just one hand to do the powerlift!  And lift he did!

The athletes of Special Olympics are a constant reminder that most anything can be accomplished if you are willing to try and the outcome is secondary.

Let me win, but if I cannot win let me be brave in the attempt.

Special Olympics Ohio State Summer Games
Special Olympics Ohio State Summer Games
Special Olympics Ohio State Summer Games

Ali

04 Saturday Jun 2016

Posted by in Louisville, personal, Places

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In the late 60’s we lived in Louisville, Ky. Dad was working at appliance park for GE and I had returned from NM where I had attended college at NMMI for a couple of years. I was dating Cathy Thomas at the time and we were going to see a movie downtown.  As we turned into the parking lot I stopped to let this young black man walk down the sidewalk, we parked and ran into the young man, oddly familiar , again on the way to the theater. Tall handsome and very solid looking.  We had passed Cassius Clay/Muhammad Ali.

This was to be the first of a couple of additional meetings with Muhammad Ali.

The most time I had around Muhammad Ali was the week before he fought Chuck Wepner on March 24, 1975.  I was with a young sports reporter with the News Journal where we both worked.  It was an interesting week watching Ali workout, chat with people and to see him away from the crowds.  We saw Larry Holmes knock him down during a sparing round and had a feeling Holmes would be champ one day.  Interestingly during one of our days up there everyone had left and Holmes was left behind.  Not sure how we got him into my Ford Pinto, but we did and back to his hotel.

In later years I saw him and Veronica Porsche at the Kentucky Derby.

So now I will go back thru the years of negs and slides to find all the images to scan and post.

I will say beyond the lights and hype I met a very kind, gentle and intelligent person.