In 1984 the Summer Olympic Games came to Los Angeles. It was an amazing few weeks. Truck traffic was banned on the freeways during daytime hours, which sped up LA’s notorious traffic crawl to a healthy jog to the delight of all, except the truck drivers and those who had to work nights on the shipping and receiving docks.
This Olympics was notedly well organized, and turned out to be profitable, which were both in contrast to recent previous Olympics. As each Olympic year approached there would be talk of what events should be added, and which should be retired.
In 1984, the most significant event added was the Women’s Marathon. Yes, until 1984, women did not compete in the Olympic marathon. I’ll save that rant for another time.
Local corporations were called upon to provide volunteers for the unskilled work that needed to be done to pull of the massive effort of staging, supporting and cleaning up after, each event. GTE (the bygone telephone company) was tagged to gather the people needed to support this new women’s marathon. GTE employees and their families were eligible to help. My sister Sheila worked at GTE and included me in the roster.
My job was Course Marshall. I got to stand in my designated spot on the Marathon course and make certain, during the race, that the spectators stayed behind the barriers and did not interfere with the runners. If you see and pics of the race, look for the people in the uniform of white caps, blue and white shirts and white pants. I am the guy with my back to the camera facing the palm trees and ocean.
As volunteers, we got to attend a celebrity-filled kickoff dinner and a dress rehearsal of the opening ceremonies. We also took home our uniforms and a bunch of memorabilia.
There are a number of great stories that came out of the race.
Joan Benoit was the first gold medalist, winning for the USA
Grete Waitz of Norway and Rosa Mota of Portugal won silver and bronze.
Switzerland’s Gabriele Andersen-Scheiss, suffered from heat exhaustion; it was August in LA. The race’s finish line was in the Coliseum. As she entered, her muscles were shutting down. Her body was contorted and she was losing control of her arms and legs. Staggering, barely able to remain upright, she managed to finish the race in 37th place. The crowd was horrified watching her and many screamed for the officials to help her, but she waved off all attempts of assistance as that would have disqualified her. Google that video if you want to see determination personified.
And the UK’s Joyce Smith who finished 11th was, at 46 years old, the oldest athlete in that year’s track and field events, male or female.
Skip ahead to 1986. LA was still basking in the afterglow of the Olympic spirit that had delighted the community. Looking for a way to maintain some of that spirit and good will, the City of Los Angeles started the annual Los Angeles Marathon.
To gather the people needed to organize and manage the Marathon, they used the mailing list of the 1984 Olympic Marathon volunteers. I got a letter asking me to join the effort. I did. I was part of the timing crew at the finish line every year for 13 years.
And the connection to the “He Looks Familiar” story? When Richard Reardon became Mayor of LA in 1993, he and I attended an LA Marathon planning session. He recognized me as the ‘guy on the plane’. He didn’t remember my name, though.
