I did my growing early. My growth spurt began in the sixth grade, when we lived in Baltimore. Because we lived just three blocks from my school, I came home for lunch, which then consisted of two sandwiches, some cookies, and a piece of fruit. I recall how pleased I was when my weight reached 100 pounds.
Two years later, my family moved to Phoenix, where I attended eighth grade. During those two years, I gained 50 pounds and grew to the height I am now. So I was a big kid for an eighth-grader.
At that time, Phoenix had first through eighth grades in the same school. Although I wasn’t the fastest runner, I was fast enough to participate in a track meet with two other Phoenix grade schools. I was entered as one of the four runners in our 400-yard relay team, and also in the 100-yard dash. Our relay team finished second, which gave me a red ribbon. And I got off to a great start in the 100-yard dash and finished third, earning a white ribbon.
When we didn’t have anyone entered in the shot put, our coach asked me to give it a try. I had no training and almost no practice with the shot put. I had thrown it a few times when just fooling around, trying to mimic the technique of experienced shot putters. But I had never thrown in competition.
A big kid from one of the other schools, who was considered a prohibitive favorite to win the shot put, was walking around with a swagger that comes easily to eighth-grade boys. When he took his turn, he did indeed unleash some impressive throws. (Although it’s often referred to as a “throw,” shot putting is actually pushing after spinning around to get some body momentum behind the push.)
I was the final shot put participant. Although I had never thrown a shot put in competition, I watched what the others did and tried to follow their example. I was big and strong enough so that my throws went slightly farther than any others, including the throws of the expected winner.
I was as surprised as anyone to have the longest throw, which won me the winner’s blue ribbon.
That was the only time I participated in multi-school track competition. The following year I was in high school, where the boys were bigger, stronger and faster, and the shot puts were four pounds heavier. So my short tenure as an athlete ended as abruptly as it began.
But on that one memorable day, I entered three events and took home blue, red and white ribbons for my first, second and third place finishes.
I have no idea what happened to the ribbons; all that remains is a distant memory of my one day of athletic glory.
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