“Somebody may beat me, but they are going to have to bleed to do it.” – Steve Prefontaine

Steve Roland “Pre” Prefontaine (January 25, 1951 – May 30, 1975) was an American middle and long-distance runner. Prefontaine once held the American record in the seven distance track events from the 2,000 meters to the 10,000 meters. Prefontaine died at the age of 24 in a car accident.

Prefontaine, Frank Shorter, and Bill Rodgers generated considerable media coverage which helped inspire the 1970s “running boom”. Prefontaine was often known for his mustache and his long locks of hair that parted as he ran. Continue reading →

The Human Rights / Black Power salute at the 1968 Olympics was a protest made by the African American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos; the athletes made the raised fist gesture at the Olympic Stadium in Mexico City. The Australian competitor, Peter Norman, who was neither black nor American, also wore a human rights badge on his shirt during the ceremony to show his support to the two Americans. The event was one of the most overtly political statements in the history of the modern Olympic Games. Tommie Smith stated in his autobiography, Silent Gesture, that the gesture was not a “Black Power” salute, but in fact a “human rights salute”. - original

What is less known is that Norman, a white Australian, Continue reading →