Post by blackcrowheart on Mar 26, 2007 19:43:28 GMT -5
Olympic Gold Medalist speaks at Cheyenne & Arapaho tribes' Elders
Conference
By Michelle Conroy 1/11/2007
nativetimes.com/index.asp?action=displayarticle&article_id=8517
<http://nativetimes.com/index.asp?action=displayarticle&article_id=8517>
Olympic Gold Medalist Billy Mills spoke recently at the Cheyenne &
Arapaho Tribe's Elders Conference. Shown here are Joyce Martinez,
Billy Mills and Michelle Conroy.
Billy Mills, the 1964 Olympic Gold Medalist and an Oglala Lakota (Sioux)
from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota, was the guest
speaker during the Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes Elder's Conference at the
Redlands Community College recently. Those in attendance were treated to
an inspiring presentation by Mills that included footage of his 10K run
from the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
At 12 years of age, Billy became an orphan, and looking for something
positive in his life, focused on running. He attended Haskell Institute,
an Indian boarding school, now known as Haskell Indian Nations
University, in Lawrence Kansas and went on to receive an athletic
scholarship to the University of Kansas.
While attending the University of Kansas, Billy continued to improve as
a distance runner. He was named an NCAA All-America cross country runner
three times and in 1960, won the individual title in the Big Eight cross
country championship. The University of Kansas track team, coached by
Bill Easton, won the 1959 and 1960 outdoor national championships. Billy
graduated with a B.S. in physical education.
Upon graduation, Billy was commissioned as an officer in the United
States Marine Corps where, after training, he made the U.S. Olympic
Track and Field Team in the 10,000 meters and the marathon.
Billy Mills' qualifying time for the Olympics was almost a full minute
slower than the favorite's, Ron Clarke of Australia. The pre-race media
coverage focused on Clarke and his expected duel with Mohammad Gammoudi
of Tunisia. Billy went largely unnoticed. The field for the 10,000 meter
included many Olympic gold medalists and world record holders. Often
described as one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history, Billy's
accomplishment of setting an Olympic record of 28 minutes 24.4 seconds,
remains a great source of pride to American Indian people, as he became
the first and only American to win a gold medal in the 10,000 meter run
in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games.
"Running Brave", a movie based on the story of Billy Mills with
Robby Benson as Mills, portrays the reservation life, obstacles and
racism Billy had to contend with, all the while keeping that positive
focus of running in his life and excelling in sports.
Today, Mills remains active in Native American causes. He uses his
speaking skills as an advocate for and a role model to young Native
Americans. He is the national spokesman for "Running Strong for
American Indian Youth", a non-profit organization that helps
communities with self-sufficiency programs, youth activities and
cultural identity projects. As the national spokesman for Christian
Relief Services, he has helped raise more than $212 million in
contributions. He has also served on the President's Council on Physical
Fitness and Sports and was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young
Americans by the Jaycees in 1972. In 1990, he was selected as a Healthy
American Fitness Leader and was a recipient of the 1993 Distinguished
Service Citation, the highest award given by the University of Kansas
and it's Alumni Association.
In 1991, Billy wrote "Wokini: A Lakota Journey to Happiness and
Understanding" with Nicholas Sparks, now in it's fourth printing.
In 1984, he was inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame,
and is a member of the United States Track and Field Hall of Fame, the
National Distance Running Hall of Fame, the Kansas Hall of Fame, the San
Diego Hall of Fame, and the National High School Hall of Fame. He and
his wife Patricia live in Sacramento, California.
While Billy was in Oklahoma, I had the honor of picking him up at the
airport and visiting with him, and I had to ask a question I'd often
wondered about; "What do you think would have happened had you not
gotten off the reservation?" He replied he knew his life would not
be as it is now, that he probably would've died years ago, like many
others who passed on, from alcoholism, suicide and/or poor health.
Conference
By Michelle Conroy 1/11/2007
nativetimes.com/index.asp?action=displayarticle&article_id=8517
<http://nativetimes.com/index.asp?action=displayarticle&article_id=8517>
Olympic Gold Medalist Billy Mills spoke recently at the Cheyenne &
Arapaho Tribe's Elders Conference. Shown here are Joyce Martinez,
Billy Mills and Michelle Conroy.
Billy Mills, the 1964 Olympic Gold Medalist and an Oglala Lakota (Sioux)
from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota, was the guest
speaker during the Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribes Elder's Conference at the
Redlands Community College recently. Those in attendance were treated to
an inspiring presentation by Mills that included footage of his 10K run
from the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
At 12 years of age, Billy became an orphan, and looking for something
positive in his life, focused on running. He attended Haskell Institute,
an Indian boarding school, now known as Haskell Indian Nations
University, in Lawrence Kansas and went on to receive an athletic
scholarship to the University of Kansas.
While attending the University of Kansas, Billy continued to improve as
a distance runner. He was named an NCAA All-America cross country runner
three times and in 1960, won the individual title in the Big Eight cross
country championship. The University of Kansas track team, coached by
Bill Easton, won the 1959 and 1960 outdoor national championships. Billy
graduated with a B.S. in physical education.
Upon graduation, Billy was commissioned as an officer in the United
States Marine Corps where, after training, he made the U.S. Olympic
Track and Field Team in the 10,000 meters and the marathon.
Billy Mills' qualifying time for the Olympics was almost a full minute
slower than the favorite's, Ron Clarke of Australia. The pre-race media
coverage focused on Clarke and his expected duel with Mohammad Gammoudi
of Tunisia. Billy went largely unnoticed. The field for the 10,000 meter
included many Olympic gold medalists and world record holders. Often
described as one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history, Billy's
accomplishment of setting an Olympic record of 28 minutes 24.4 seconds,
remains a great source of pride to American Indian people, as he became
the first and only American to win a gold medal in the 10,000 meter run
in the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games.
"Running Brave", a movie based on the story of Billy Mills with
Robby Benson as Mills, portrays the reservation life, obstacles and
racism Billy had to contend with, all the while keeping that positive
focus of running in his life and excelling in sports.
Today, Mills remains active in Native American causes. He uses his
speaking skills as an advocate for and a role model to young Native
Americans. He is the national spokesman for "Running Strong for
American Indian Youth", a non-profit organization that helps
communities with self-sufficiency programs, youth activities and
cultural identity projects. As the national spokesman for Christian
Relief Services, he has helped raise more than $212 million in
contributions. He has also served on the President's Council on Physical
Fitness and Sports and was named one of the Ten Outstanding Young
Americans by the Jaycees in 1972. In 1990, he was selected as a Healthy
American Fitness Leader and was a recipient of the 1993 Distinguished
Service Citation, the highest award given by the University of Kansas
and it's Alumni Association.
In 1991, Billy wrote "Wokini: A Lakota Journey to Happiness and
Understanding" with Nicholas Sparks, now in it's fourth printing.
In 1984, he was inducted into the United States Olympic Hall of Fame,
and is a member of the United States Track and Field Hall of Fame, the
National Distance Running Hall of Fame, the Kansas Hall of Fame, the San
Diego Hall of Fame, and the National High School Hall of Fame. He and
his wife Patricia live in Sacramento, California.
While Billy was in Oklahoma, I had the honor of picking him up at the
airport and visiting with him, and I had to ask a question I'd often
wondered about; "What do you think would have happened had you not
gotten off the reservation?" He replied he knew his life would not
be as it is now, that he probably would've died years ago, like many
others who passed on, from alcoholism, suicide and/or poor health.