V 6 N. 54 Bits and Pieces of News

Noting the passing of Bob Hayes, former coach and A.D. at McNeese State.

Bob Hayes, McNeese State obituary

A website called "The Undefeated"  has published a good article about  Harrison Dillard.

The Fastest Forgotten Man by Daniel McGraw

* Geoff Williams just reminded us that 1948 and 2016 were not great years to have the name 'Harrison' or  to be the fastest in the world in the hurdles.   Both Harrison Dillard and Kendra Harrison  went into the Olympic trials as the world's best in the 110 hh  and 100 h,  and both failed to make the team.   Harrison Dillard however was able to qualify in the 100 meters and win the gold in London.  Kendra Harrison is not on the team.

Here is a trailer and review of a new documentary  on the running boom  "Free To Run"




Free To Run     We have not seen it so are not  Free To Comment.



We found this story from the Denver Post about an affair between the 1936 Decathlon champion Glenn Morris and German filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl that haunted Morris the rest of his life.  Terry Frei has written a novel about their relationship.

Glenn Morris and Leni Riefenstahl

Morris and the Nazi filmmaker carried on an affair during the Olympics, but he went home afterward and never saw her again.  Riefstahl was one of the hottest madchens in Europe in those years.  Josef Goebbels threw a conniption fit when she rejected his advances.  Morris  did prove one could bang away at both ends of the human performance spectrum (sport and sex)  without affecting performance of either.  On his return he went into a brief film career starring as Tarzan, and in a short demonstrating his skill at the ten decathlon events.   He played opposite his Jane,  Eleanor Holm the swimmer who was kicked of the Olympic team by Avery Brundage for excessive partying on the way over.   When the film career went bust, Morris sold insurance, but ended up a drifter in the Pacific Northwest the last years of his life.

Riefenstahl devoted six pages to the affair in her autobiography.

Glenn must have had tender feet as he played Tarzan with shoes.

Morris posed for this rather natural discus throw.
Is this how to build up a greater following for the sport?

Is Leni showing Glenn how to throw the shot or is he helping her with her golf putting stance?  "Ach, Liebchen,
du bist zu schoen.  Laufst du by mir?"

The Man on Cover of Swiss Illustrated News.

Kaster Semenya, Too Fast To Be A Woman

2009 Documentary on the South African 800 runner.