He died at the age of 97 and will be remembered as much for
his brief Olympic career as for his courage in two-plus years of captivity by
the Japanese. As a wayward youth from
Torrance, California, he discovered his speed by outrunning the police during
one or more of his youthful misadventures.
Family support motivated him to run track in high school, becoming the
first high school athlete to break the four-minute mile, and gaining the
attention that would earn him a place on the 1936 American Olympic team; a team
that included Jesse Owens. While he
finished only in the middle of the pack, he was determined to improve both
speed and position in the 1940 Olympics, which were scheduled to be held in
Japan, but never happened. While in Berlin, he fell to pattern and climbed a flagpole to get a trophy Swastika flag. Captured by Gestapo he somehow convinced Hitler to deliver it to him the next day.
Louis found himself in Japan and earlier in Japanese-held
Marshall Islands when a plane he was in, came apart from its chewing gum and
Scotch tape jerry-mongering while on a S&R mission. He, and eventually one
other survivor somehow survived 40 days at sea with no provisions, only to land
on an island, nicknamed the Island of Death.

He returned to japan carrying one of the six Olympic torches
he was honored to carry through the years and literally visited the camp where he had been
confined and tortured. His grand
nemesis, named The Bird by the prisoners chose not to meet with him, but others
in the camp were more gracious.
He could have been forgiven for not being able to get past
that chapter of his life: mimicking the old lady who told her pastor she could
not forgive her enemies because, “All those bitches are dead.” Instead he is a model of the true spirit of
redemption and how God and religion can have a positive effect on our lives and
how living them can affect others.
We soon will have a film version of his life, whether
inspired by Hillenbrand’s book or by the MSCNN
television show, or neither; I am unsure.
What is sure is that with Angelina Jolie direction and the Coen Brothers
producing, it is certain to be a film with staying power.
My next Post will offer a rare look at my take on what
politics has become. Don’t look for an
Obama or Tea Party rehash, or even a Bill O’Reilly take.
Instead I will concentrate on a Rhode Island politician and why his probabe
decision to run for Mayer brings vivid memories to my mind. I hope to see you then.
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