Forgotten White Athletes?
- Thread starter mastermulti
- Start date
mastermulti
Master
fantastic - looks like someone was taking pot shots from the stands, the red guy down, the yellow guy down ..... this was the era of everybody in for the honour of running for your country and team. NO flags of convenience or quick-fire citizenships, no pumping of the fists and flashy self promotion.
If a sprinter got injured the long jumper was happy to fill in for him/her - and were often not too much slower. I miss those attitudes.
Aussie sprinters from different states couldn't wait for match ups against their rivals. These days they run and hide.
And we're talking people who had full-time jobs and went out to train often in the dark after work.
These days they have part or full funding, tech jobs rather than hard labour jobs and a team of professionals ready to help when there's physical or mental duress.
And the result (here anyway)- SOFTER ATHLETES ......... something's changed
McCaffrey Dude
Mentor
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2016
- Messages
- 561
sprintstar
Master
lol
I'm totally against the way Turkey buys athletes for their National teams. They have Guliyev, a South African, many other Africans, Jamaicans, etc.
That doesn't mean I won't root for Guliyev as an individual, but I don't think this country swapping should be allowed; or at least there should be much stricter rules in place.
That doesn't mean I won't root for Guliyev as an individual, but I don't think this country swapping should be allowed; or at least there should be much stricter rules in place.
McCaffrey Dude
Mentor
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2016
- Messages
- 561
I agree as most of the country swapping deals with European countries taking in African athletes that are not quite world class. I have mentioned before that Sweden's top 3 sprinters are from Jamaica. Japan has Sani-Brown though I don't know his origin either. Germany always has a couple of black sprinters invariably though it was refreshing to see their under 23 gold medal 4 x 100 relay team win gold was all white. Even Italy has a few black sprinters coming in from other countries over the last few years though they are also marginal at the world level.
mastermulti
Master
on a sad note here's a news flash on a former great sprinter. Betty Cuthbert had shown the first signs of multiple schlerosis not long after she retired from track. She lived with it from virtually 30 till nearly 80.
Fitting it happened during the Worlds somehow - it will be told to the crowd in London and possibly some clips shown during a still time in the stadium
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/athleti...etty-cuthbert-dead-at-79-20170806-gxqkbn.html
Fitting it happened during the Worlds somehow - it will be told to the crowd in London and possibly some clips shown during a still time in the stadium
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/athleti...etty-cuthbert-dead-at-79-20170806-gxqkbn.html
mastermulti
Master
how I missed those days when my country punched above its 15 million person weight. We couldn't make a final now if they gave us 10m start.
If we're not little chubby kids with computer screens indoors to keep us safe or team sport players hoping to become football stars, we have a small pool of people (often not our best athletic specimens) doing Track but unable to compete physically or psychologically against the world players.
25 million of us now but fewer compete in club competition.
- Sally Pearson and one or two others excepted.
If we're not little chubby kids with computer screens indoors to keep us safe or team sport players hoping to become football stars, we have a small pool of people (often not our best athletic specimens) doing Track but unable to compete physically or psychologically against the world players.
25 million of us now but fewer compete in club competition.
- Sally Pearson and one or two others excepted.
Last edited:
mastermulti
Master
I am sure glad Ramil Guliyev was born in Turkey.
well, he crossed the border to get employment and a coach but already spoke the language and had the cultural similarities. Then waited 3 years to compete for them internationally.
Very different to jumping continents and getting fast tracked, don't you think?
But I follow him simply as another mould breaker.
I mean, when did an Azerbaijani run except to catch his goat.
I remember first seeing him against Lemaitre in 2009? as he got 2nd in the Euro Junior 100 and then totally dominating the World University Games 200 in 20.04
Last edited:
white is right
Hall of Famer
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2006
- Messages
- 10,163
Yes they showed photos of the only athlete to win gold medals in all three sprints. She is in the argument for the greatest all around sprinter, just off that accomplishment alone....
I didn't know much about Monte Upshaw except that he broke Jessie Owens' national HS record in the long jump, and that he was the father of Grace Upshaw, who was a world class long jumper.
Apparently he was a very good sprinter and hurdler, in addition to his long jumping talents.
away.aspxhttp://www.calbears.com/news/2017/8/11/track-field-cal-hall-of-famer-monte-upshaw-passes-away.aspx
Apparently he was a very good sprinter and hurdler, in addition to his long jumping talents.
away.aspxhttp://www.calbears.com/news/2017/8/11/track-field-cal-hall-of-famer-monte-upshaw-passes-away.aspx
mastermulti
Master
his other daughter Joy (55) ran a 13.22 / 100 last year to be the world's leading female 55-59. 2nd fastest world 200 and 3rd furthest world long jumper - some motivation and genetic gifts there
mastermulti
Master
I put it here because no other thread seemed close, but this is what I loved about 1970's T@F. Two west Germans (had never heard of Elvira Possekel) and 2 Brits became a Euro select team and nearly broke the East German world record.
This stuff doesn't happen anymore. No wonder people went to watch.
This stuff doesn't happen anymore. No wonder people went to watch.
mastermulti
Master
it seems Fox Sports presenter Matt Shirvington is doing OK after his track career
https://www.domain.com.au/news/olym...n-purchase-of-a-mosman-house-20170624-gwwc5w/
https://www.domain.com.au/news/olym...n-purchase-of-a-mosman-house-20170624-gwwc5w/
Carolina Speed
Hall of Famer
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2011
- Messages
- 5,757
https://www.si.com/vault/1982/09/27/625010/whatever-happened-to-the-sugar-land-express.
This story appeared in the September 27th, 1982 Sports Illustrated. I remember reading this as a teenager and myself a white RB and wanting to be a great RB! The story reminds me a little of my own son, but not quite the magnitude. What happens to these great RB's when life throws them a curve and how do they react and go on with their life after disappointment.
It's a long read, but interesting. How he was treated by then Texas A & M coach Bear Bryant etc., Amazing of what could have been. I think ya'll will enjoy it. Admittedly, I haven't finished re-reading myself. Let me know if you have any comments as you read through it.
This story appeared in the September 27th, 1982 Sports Illustrated. I remember reading this as a teenager and myself a white RB and wanting to be a great RB! The story reminds me a little of my own son, but not quite the magnitude. What happens to these great RB's when life throws them a curve and how do they react and go on with their life after disappointment.
It's a long read, but interesting. How he was treated by then Texas A & M coach Bear Bryant etc., Amazing of what could have been. I think ya'll will enjoy it. Admittedly, I haven't finished re-reading myself. Let me know if you have any comments as you read through it.
Last edited:
mastermulti
Master
I don't understand the game or its nuances but Hall's story is a great one. They could craft a good movie out of that
Carolina Speed
Hall of Famer
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2011
- Messages
- 5,757
Yeah, I know this thread is mostly about track and field, but it's a great overall thread about white athletes. It could be put in other threads too. It also talked about Hall's T&F ability and some thought he could've been an Olympian!
....and yes, would make a great movie!
I had never heard of this guy, Gene Cole.
But he set a HS record in the 440.
Then he gave up track during his time at college.
However he made a comeback, and in one year's time qualified for the Olympics and won a silver medal in the 4x400 relay at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.
http://onceuponatimeinthevest.blogspot.ca/2018/01/v-8-n-3-gene-cole-rip-1952-4x400-silver.html
But he set a HS record in the 440.
Then he gave up track during his time at college.
However he made a comeback, and in one year's time qualified for the Olympics and won a silver medal in the 4x400 relay at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.
http://onceuponatimeinthevest.blogspot.ca/2018/01/v-8-n-3-gene-cole-rip-1952-4x400-silver.html
mastermulti
Master
Wow, so he ran a 45.5 leg on a cinder track 65 years ago. It's hard to predict what some of these guys would do with today's advantages in almost everything pertaining to sprints
mastermulti
Master
if things were like they were here in Australia then, white guys did their sport as a lifestyle choice outside getting their qualifications.
Often pretty bright people and goal oriented as to education and career, they neither expected nor got government support to do their sport.
Doing track has only been seen as a living since the black American athletes made it big from late 80s onward I guess