Guys have attitudes no matter what sport.
1973 My family had moved to Dalton Ma. That fall the town hosted the ISDT a six day motorcycle race. First time ever in the US. And a huge deal to a JR high boy.
The motorcycles were impounded each night. Only a brief time allowed in the morning for repairs. The riders left the impound through a chain link bordered path leading into the team area all of it in the middle of the tradeshow.
Of course we wanted autographs! Especially of the US guys. The Pentons who were sons of the owner of the company that made the team bikes.
And both of them were whiny jerks. (We used other words, yeah even in JR High.)
"Sorry guys my hand hurts" or "sorry, my wrist" One guy had no outward signs of a problem, the other just a bandaid.
Heck, maybe I could get out of homework if I had a bandaid on my hand.....
The Russian guy however...........Broken arm. Still riding. We figured there was no way he was signing at all. He had a cast, and had just done a solid 8 hours of advanced trail riding.
He looked at the gauntlet of kids and whistled to the mechanic. Who brought him a pen that fit perfectly into a socket molded into his cast. Then he signed for everyone.
Hardly what we expected - We had a kids eye view of Russians as the scary comunists who ruled most sports except baseball football and maybe basketball.
I don't recall his name, but still have the autographs. and program somewhere.
And a very long lasting memory about someone who really went beyond what was necessary and provided a great example to a bunch of kids.
Maybe they should find him and hire him to give the guys like Jeter a talking to?
Steve B
PS the East Germans were also pretty gracious when dads car rolled into their equipment van at one of the banquets...
02-09-2013, 11:30 AM
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