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by David Bruce (Author)
This is a short, quick, and easy read.
Samo Sample Anecdotes:
- In 1966, women were not allowed to run in the Boston Marathon. Fortunately, an "uppity" woman did not let that stop her. Roberta Gibb (Bingay) (a rather apt last name) traveled to Boston by bus from California to compete. Of course, she was not allowed to stand at the starting line, so she hid in some bushes near the starting line, and when the male runners raced by, she joined them. At first, she wore a hooded sweatshirt to help disguise her gender, but soon she got too warm and took off the sweatshirt. Ms. Bingay ran the marathon in three hours and twenty-one minutes, finishing 124th in a race in which 415 men competed. Ms. Bingay's running the Boston Marathon had positive results. The following year, another woman ran the marathon unofficially, and in 1972, women were finally allowed to compete officially in the Boston Marathon.
- A 10-year-old girl, nicknamed Stuffy, lived in Boonton, New Jersey, where she was a fan of the New York Giants football team. She was especially a fan of Y.A. Tittle and was a member of his fan club. At a party she gave for some of the other young members of the fan club, she became so excited that she called Giants Stadium and asked to speak to Mr. Tittle. Sure enough, she was connected with a man who said that he was Y.A. Tittle and talked to her for a while. But later, she wondered whether the man was really Mr. Tittle. A few days later, Stuffy's father took her and her younger sister to a department store where Mr. Tittle was appearing. The younger sister asked Mr. Tittle, "Did you really talk on the phone to Stuffy, my sister?" Mr. Tittle winked and asked, "You mean Stuffy of the Boonton Fan Club?"
- During his early days in show business, comedian Joe E. Brown had a chance to play for a baseball club. Because the club was just starting, he saw no reason not to ask for his favorite position, so he told the club manager he wanted to play second base and would not play shortstop or third base. This made the manager laugh because - as he pointed out to Mr. Brown - not only was he was the manager, but he also played second base.
- Jair Lynch says that he became a successful gymnast - he is the first black gymnast to win an Olympic medal and only the second black gymnast to compete at the Games - because of his name. In Senegalese, Jair means "one who sees the light." According to Jair Lynch, "Joe" Lynch would not have become successful.
- Gene Creed earned the title of Saddle Bronc Champion of the World in 1928, 1932, 1936, and 1938. When she was 16, her older sister was pregnant, and she was sent to her home to help out. However, while traveling to her sister's home, she noticed an advertisement in the Denver Post for a rodeo in Cheyenne. She had always wanted to see that part of the country, so she went to Cheyenne and competed in the rodeo, winning $300 in cash, a $75 Stetson, and a fancy belt bucket. Ms. Creed says, "I never did help my sister with the baby."
