1930-2024
No one as old as me could have helped missing the notice of the passing of Greg Bell, Indiana University's 1956 Olympic Champion in the Long Jump. He came between the era's of Jesse Owens and Ralph Boston. He had an incredibly interesting life, rising from extreme poverty to living a life of service to others. Dave Woods has done an admirable job of writing about Greg and his life on Dyestat. I leave you with a link to that story.
Greg Bell Story by Dave Woods of Dyestat
The Iowa State Cross Country Tragedy
Last night on the news we were drawn to the story of the plane crash in the Potomac River caused by the collision of an Army Blackhawk helicopter and a commercial airline plane. This morning additional news included that a number the victims on the plane were members of the national ice skating program and also a Russian pair who were World Champions were on the plane. Mention was made of several past crashes of which sports teams were on board including the Manchester United soccer team, the Marshall University football team, Wichita State football, a Russian soccer team and many others, and then the memory of the Iowa State cross county team tragedy came up.
Here is the link to the Iowa State Athletics website that talks about that crash and the lives lost.
Iowa State Cross Country Tragedy 1985
Two great articles to pass on to us. Earlier in the day I had read about Greg Bell whose picture I saw every winter day at IU, large and black & white, on the Fieldhouse wall and whose life was recreated occasionally by Sam Bell. The article you sent us was more complete and more personal, but both made me think of so many things. The racism which would not allow Greg to advance to college, the racism overcome, the ability to find joy where others did not, the outreach of Dr. Bannon which sent Greg to a school I knew so well, the development of so many skills by this Olympian, and a life well lived as a dentist who served psychiatric patients the rest of his extremely-long professional life. His story reminded me a lot of Ted Corbitt's and for that I was well pleased.
The Iowa State plane crash was much the opposite yet rendered me to tears just thinking about those girls who died as well as those who lived. I couldn't help but identify with all of them, not through a tragedy like this one but instead by remembering what a teammate really means. It was impossible to note that this crash was not noted nearly as much as had they been on the football or basketball teams. Clearly they died as they had lived, mostly in public quiet. Even their memorial services were quiet and off to the side. Yet that did not diminish their lives for those who had known them, beautifully created by the comments by the student-trainer at the wedding of her sister. Those comments were as good as I have ever heard.
Bill Schnier
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