The Day of the Round-the-Block Olympics
By Cafe on Jan 22, 2008 in Baby Boomer, James J. Brown | comments(3)
Ozzie and Harriett, Father Knows Best? Those were the days, when no one imagined the kind of trouble kids get into today. In this excerpt from his novel “Will the Laughter Stop? Baby Boomer Chronicles,” James J. Brown recalls an innocent day in the life of his own youth: the day of the “Round-the-Block Olympics.”
In 1964, the Olympic Games were held in Tokyo, Japan. But more importantly for my friends and me, the Olympics were again televised and brought into our living rooms.
In track and field, Al Oerter of the U.S. won the discus for the third straight time. Sprinter Bob Hayes of the U.S. equaled the world record of 10 second flat in the 100 meters. He also helped lead the U.S. to set a world record in the 4 x 100 meters.
I had been working at the Shell Gas Station on Hillside Avenue pumping gas since the morning. It was now about one-thirty in the afternoon, in late September, and it was still fairly warm in the New York City area.
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