Odyssey

Forever. As we look to the opening of the games we'll hear from some who are also former Winter Olympians who listen to their tales of Olympics past what they remember about the games and about their sports and what being an Olympian has meant to them. Join in the Odyssey after the news from Chicago. From National Public Radio News in Washington I'm CORBA Coleman. President Clinton is deciding what his next move will be in the showdown with Iraq over weapons inspections. White House press secretary Mike McCurry says time is running out for a diplomatic

solution. NPR's Elizabeth Arnold reports. Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's presidential palaces are at the center of the standoff over U.N. weapons inspections. U.N. weapons experts must determine whether Iraq has eliminated its weapons of mass destruction a requirement for lifting U.N. sanctions imposed after the 1990 Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The inspectors are seeking access to sensitive sites including presidential palaces diplomatic efforts have intensified over the last few days as French and Russian envoys try to avoid military action on Capitol Hill the Senate is near approval of a non-binding resolution giving President Clinton full support to use any means necessary to force Saddam Hussein to comply. At the White House spokesman Mike McCurry would not comment on whether the president has decided that additional diplomacy is pointless. He did however say that time is running out for a diplomatic solution. Elizabeth Arnold NPR News the White House.

The Army's former top enlisted soldier has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting and harassing women soldiers. Jean McKinney is being court martialed and jury selection for his trial has started at a military base near Washington D.C.. Opening statements are scheduled to begin tomorrow. Jury selection was supposed to get underway yesterday but defense lawyers wanted to know why the army's first witness was put in the witness protection program. The witness a female sergeant says she was threatened after making the sexual misconduct allegations against McKinney. McKinney denies all charges. A strong low pressure system along the East Coast is pouring rain on the southeast and mid-Atlantic United States. In the Ohio Valley it's heavy snow. More than a foot of snow is predicted in some areas. From member station KNAU and Highland Heights Kentucky Jan Handelman reports. When are storm warnings are in effect today for parts of Kentucky Ohio Pennsylvania West Virginia and Tennessee and parts of eastern Kentucky officials report as much as a foot of snow with drifts four to five feet deep. The snowstorm has cut off transportation and utilities. The Kentucky

Division of disaster and emergency services says several counties have declared states of emergency. National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Gallagher. So forecasters expect that snow in the Ohio Valley but not this much. We've got low pressure systems coming up the East Coast and the upper level though was a little bit farther west than what was predicted and that's where the snow came from and it's just one of those things that we don't always pick up on our models. The storm system is the same one which caused several tornadoes in Florida on Monday. For NPR News I'm Jay Hansen one in Highland Heights Kentucky. On Wall Street the Dow Jones Industrial Average is down 46 points at eighty one hundred thirteen. This is NPR. In NPR's business update the stock market is mixed after a two day rally. Bloomberg's Krisna reports from New York trading has been cautious after a warning from Russian President Yeltsin that current tensions between the U.S. and Iraq could provoke a world war. Among the active issues is Eastman Kodak which is down after the company said the cost of advertising associated with the Winter Olympics will

cut first quarter profit by 5 cents a share. And Ford Motor is lower after reporting that U.S. vehicle sales fell a greater than expected 10 percent during January. On the other hand computer networking stocks are higher after better than expected earnings from Cisco Systems. I'm Doug Christie Federal Reserve policymakers are meeting today to discuss interest rates. Some analysts suggest the Fed could even be thinking about cutting interest rates because of the current Asian financial crisis. But other analysts say the Asian turmoil won't make more than a dent in the U.S. economy. They say the central bank is more likely to increase rates and cut them. Most economists do agree on this week's meeting they say the Federal Reserve won't touch interest rates now. A published report says the Federal Aviation Administration is way behind in converting computers to handle the Year 2000 problem. USA Today says lawmakers will question FAA officials on this problem computers that cannot process

dates after 1999. The FAA has said it will adjust the most critical of computer systems by November of 1999. One congressman says the glitch could ground half the nation's flights. The FAA insists that airline safety will not be compromised. I'm CORBA Coleman National Public Radio news from Washington. Support for NPR comes from Borders Books and Music in more than 200 neighborhoods across the United States where browsing is a fine art. 800 6 4 4 7 7 3 3. Good morning and welcome to odyssey on WBEZ Chicago I'm Gretchen health as everyone well knows by this point. The Winter Olympics opened this weekend in Nagano Japan. Huge Olympiad means new stories and memories for those of us watching at home. But that feeling must only be intensified for the athletes who participate. So today to find out

about Olympic memories from the inside we've invited three former Winter Olympians from here in the Chicago area to talk about what it was like to compete in the Olympics and share their Olympic memories. We're joined in the studio today by Twyla Hinkle magic housekeeper who is a cross-country skier participating in the 1906 games in Innsbruck. Chuck Burke who is a speed skater he was at the Olympics in 1952 in Oslo Norway and also in 1056 in Cortina Italy and also David Santi who is a figure skater who competed in Innsbruck in 76 and in Lake Placid in 1980. Good morning to all of you and thank you for joining me MORNING. Well I mean I imagine that when the the excitement starts to build for the the Winter Games and we start to see the specials on TV in the previews and that sort of thing that you know I know for those of us who are just fans the excitement gets you know reaches a certain pitch but it must bring back a certain a particular nostalgia for those of you who have actually been there what does it get you thinking about when you start to

feel the excitement building. I find that just even watching some of the pre-game shows that have been on you kind of look and say yeah I remember you know I remember getting ready to go and I get I remember meeting the team and Brooke we met in New York City before we went over to Europe. And I remember you know going and seeing the flag lifted in the Olympic village and all those things and it's a weird sensation because it's it's been a while but it hasn't been that long and the memories are still very clear and it's an interesting feeling I mean it's almost like you're standing next to yourself thinking about the things that happen. Is it nervousness is it excitement combination. Well I don't have anything to be nervous about anymore but I mean I'm very excited to see what's going to happen I think in figure skating it's it's wide open there are people who can win in each of the events and it's not just one person that's going to dominate and it will be interesting to see what happens. Checkmark How about you when you think back to competing in the games I also find it exciting and most of all you get an appreciation for what the

skaters have put into their training and the years between the Olympic Games are very important also the World Championships and so forth. And it's. It's really exciting and we know some of the current skaters and they work very hard and really have a lot of fun though skating isn't all we hear about all the work and and sacrifices and everything but it's really a lot of fun I mean behind it all. Skating is very satisfying and to go to the Olympic Games and and represent your country in your sport and all the other skaters that didn't make it is quite an honor. Tyler how about you what are your what are the main things you think about when Olympic time comes around. Well I agree with him in that it's really a lot of fun skiing for me was a lot of fun. It was a sport to me that is like

almost like ballet on skis. And it's beautiful when you're out there and the snow is coming down in and it's just a beautiful sport. I think of just passion because you know I think every athlete has this real passion in them to win and to do his best and to put his whole heart into something in and see what he can do. And so that's that's one thing. Think about it. What's your favorite memory of the Olympic Games that you competed in. This is one thousand seventy six games in Innsbruck What's your favorite memory of your experience of going to the Olympics. OK I think my favorite memory is one of the races that I was in when I was coming down the last downhill. It actually was more like three down holes in one and they had each had curves and I was coming down this downhill and I could see the crowds of people and I could see the finish line was not too far away and I thought well I'm just going to

go down this hill as fast as I can. And when I went down it I ended up falling and I ended up with snow in my face. And you know my skis are all turned around and but I remember the crowds for like. They were all yelling yelling yelling and you know cross country skiing can be a very lonely sport in that you're out there on the track you're pounding the tracks day after day training very hard and you don't really see. You know you see your teammates because they're out there with you but you don't you know you don't always see a lot of people and for me when I was in the Olympics it was absolutely awesome to see that many people and the crowds and how even though I fell they were tearing just so loud. And it gave you just this you know excitement. So there was a sense I would say of excitement and sadness and all those things all together.

Jack how about you what are your what are your what stands out as the most. Well I noticed Monday. As a long distance speech Kater at that particular time we didn't have the technique and knowledge that they have now in training facilities but we always did well in the sprints and I think my biggest thrill was seeing. My teammate Don McDermott skates the fastest time. He was the first pair and we had a way through all the all the times in his time held up until the last pair which is Ken Henry another teammate. Be just fine so we got a gold and a silver and it was really touching touching time to see them up on the stand and that's very memorable. That must have been agonizing to wade through all those. There was not any were there. Well there was possibly. Maybe 30 30 40 skaters in the skating in Austin at that particular time in business

stadium that's one of the. Holy Grails of speed skating in the in the crowd were just unbelievable and it was for us coming over there where speech going over here was popular but not near that popular and the people just went wild natured for you. If they knew you were doing your best whether you were competitive or not they are. They really cheered for you we were competitive with the English and Canadians and Germans and so forth but the Australians or the Norwegian to Scandinavians were they were one step ahead of us as far as long distance went. David how about you. Is there anything in particular stands out in your memory as the most at the moment that sticks with you. Well Chuck and I were both fortunate enough to compete in two different Olympics so I'd have to say that the Olympics had their own meaning to me the first Olympics. I didn't expect to make really I was not one of the front runners to be on the Olympic team so it was a surprise when I made the Olympic

team and I think I pretty much walked around the whole two weeks in shock you know that I was there and I was 18 years old. You know and just everything was so big. And I'm sure Twyla will agree that the most awesome parts of the Olympics that year was walking into the opening ceremonies which was held in the ski jump area and we came around the corner and as you came around the corner all of a sudden there was a sea of people and I heard estimates up to 100000 people I don't know I just I've never seen so many people in one spot and they were just all the way up the hill. And it was just amazing. And I think you know the shock of seeing all those people and it never wore off the whole two weeks that I was there in Lake Placid on the other hand I'd been on the World team for four years I'd been in the top world top of the World Championships for a few years. I was in the fight for a medal. And so my focus was different it was in Lake Placid home country. The crowds were wildly supportive of course and that was great because you know you could really soak in everything and you know I was over the whole you know. You know odd

feeling that I had felt in broke and so I was able to appreciate a little bit more and I was able to savor a little bit more of what happened and I performed well in Lake Placid and just missed a medal was fourth and at that particular time I had started skating to music from Rocky and ABC made a big deal about me being Rocky on Ice and. So I kind of became the character which was really neat and so I took away things that were more important to me than winning a medal I mean I did everything I could to you know when a medal I came in fourth and I was pretty proud of it. It was it. Can you talk a little bit more about what it was like to compete at home. I always think that if I were an Olympian I'd want to go someplace I've never been before that that would be part of the excitement but a lot of times you know at the Atlanta Games and also at the L.A. games in 84 and even at the Lake Placid games you know the American athletes are so thrilled to be able to compete at home was it like that. I think it was it was great I mean when when we were in Innsbruck you were very envious of the Austrians coming in last in the big ovation reserved for them and unlike

last when we came in last and you know all of our our fans were there for us and you know there's there's fans from all the countries that are there but it's you know the reception is certainly much bigger for the home country and you know you're comfortable with with the food you're comfortable with the transit transit and all the Lake Placid had many many problems with the bus system. It was it was just really great to be able to be in the home country and have so much support and it was terrific and I guess in Lake Placid It didn't realize how big it was because between 76 and 80 and figure skating was really the start of the big boom in figure skating which really has continued all wait until this point where it's really probably the most viewed event in the Winter Olympics and it really was starting in 76 with Dorothy Hamill and it kind of grew. And in one thousand eighty when we finished the Olympics we were flown to the White House to see President Carter and personally I had no idea the magnitude of what had just happened until we got off the plane. They flew us in and I think was Air Force Two

or whatever. We got off the plane and air force base got in these buses and start driving toward Washington and there was people everywhere and they were shouting out our names and people saying hey it's rock and ice and then it was like wow this is really like big. I mean this is really something special and so you know again it was like one of those situations where you kind of like stunned a little bit like wow that's pretty neat. So you didn't really have a sense of what people at home were thinking about the games until afterwards. Not at that point. I was I was so focused on what I had to do. And in the four years between the first Olympics and the second Olympics I had been kind of a rocky ride for me especially confidence wise had kind of gone up and down and in the previous six months had really had started working with a sports psychologist I'd kind of grabbed on to the rocky percent. And I really had turned my career around so I was so focused on doing the things that I needed to do that you just you know just going along for the ride pretty much whatever was happening was happening and you know you didn't have any time really think ahead or think

about what was going on. You know at home you know there were a lot of telegrams and things like that that were coming in from you know people all over but again it wasn't something that you really focused on because there were other things going on in our event didn't happen until almost the end of the Olympics so again you're practicing in you. I was finding time to go to the hockey game which you know that you're of course sure to be on the Olympic team Yeah or collect class and you know we had a front row seat pretty much for every game I only missed one game the Czechoslovakia game which was the second game they played because they had a practice and I guess you know priorities should practice first. Well you're listening to WBEZ Chicago ninety one point five FM. This is Odyssey and Gretchen health. Today we're talking with three former Olympians from here in the Chicago area about what the winter games were like for them. That was David Santi that we were just hearing from a figure skater who competed in 1976 and 1980. We're also joined by Chuck Burke a speed skater who competed in 52 and 56. And while a hangel magic a

cross-country skier from 1976. We need to take a quick break because as our listeners well know it's fundraiser time here at WBEZ So we're going to take a short break but when we come back we're going to keep talking with our Olympians. Now consider who our Olympians are. Here's more about what that experience is like but let's turn for a few minutes over to Emily Hanford to let us know how the fundraising is going Emily how goes it over there. Now we're doing OK this is the last day of the fundraiser as most of you know 7:00 o'clock tonight is it. This is a short fundraiser we are trying to make our overall goal of three hundred twenty five thousand dollars if we can do that and if we can make our goal in the spring membership drive we are going to cancel the summer membership drive. But we have a ways to go to make three hundred twenty five thousand dollars I believe we have to make about $75000 by the end of the day so we need your help 75000. Yeah. Child's play. 1 Triple 8 9 6 8 7 6 7 7 that's 1 Triple A Your NPR and of course you are eligible to win a

trip to Paris for two. Anyone who calls before 7 o'clock tonight anyone who calls right now is eligible to win the trip someone is going to win the trip. It might as well be you. You can't win unless you call one Triple 8 9 6 8 7 6 7 7 or pound 9 1 5 if you have a cell one phone. Emily do we have a challenge for this hour do we have a goal for when I have to make one. We have to make wine what would you like to do Gretchen would be too ambitious to say 25 calls during this hour only five. No no we should be able to 25 calls during our program people are getting used to a great program Well thank you a great programme and for all of you out there who listen to this program and know how great it is it's only been around for about a month and it's already fabulous. Prodigy child prodigy doesn't have it right. Give us a call one Triple 8 9 6 8 76 77 It's like our it's like our local TALK OF THE NATION in a way it's your chance to call up and we call it Talk of the station Station one AAAS things that are going on around the station we bring them to

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give us a call and think about what this station means to you and give us something we are very happy to have small donations large donations anything you can give us one Triple 8 9 6 8 7 6 7 7 we're going to go back to the program and we'll be back later. Thanks a lot Emily just one more time the number is 1 Triple 8 9 6 8 7 6 7 7. Do you call do support public radio help us keep these programs on the air. Thanks a lot Emily. I'm Gretchen health and this is Odyssey and today we're talking about Olympics past with our Olympians. David Santi Chuck Burke and Twila Koski. I wanted to ask you guys about whether you have a lot of time when you're at the Olympics to meet the other athletes and you know that sort of feeling of brotherhood that we all think about at Olympic time and bringing all these different athletes together do you really have a chance to get to meet a lot of the competitors from other countries. Well I think it's changed a lot. When we went over to skate back in the dark ages we didn't have the

money behind us so we we had a more or less barnstorm from town to town to raise money so we could live through the week to compete the following. This was before the Olympic Games were taken care of during the games but we got to compete in small towns where we met the people we stayed in farmhouses in. And we really got to meet people I think the kids now travel first class. And I'm not sure whether they meet everyone. But it was quite quite an experience just really looking back on it it was it was a benefit by by not having all the benefits the travel arrangements and everything that they have now but was there an Olympic village. When did you join 56 you know you're living with you know Athens and it's looking back on it the security we had was you had a you had to pass you had a button in the past and if you had the both you could get in. What difference what do you know how so and

no one when we visit a lot we visit among the team I knew a lot of the figure skaters from before because I was also a figure skater in my younger days so. So I think the teams mingled a lot now and now I think there's a lot more seriousness than there was. But were you able to meet you were mostly with the American team or with from other combat Well whether you know it was a funny time was during the Cold War so we were winning a lot mostly with the Americans but also with the other English speaking countries the Australians were great pals but we also tried to make friends with the Russians and hunted areas and so forth and it was it was as friendly as it could get on their on their part. I mean they were they had always had someone with them to make sure that they said the right thing for them. Had you checked had you competed internationally before you went to the Olympic Games or were your competitions northwesterly.

We didn't have the international competition that we have now. In fact probably the biggest difference in the beach gators now than in the past was that. Now I think each gator as they come into the sport they have an Olympic goal in mind. And we did too in our in the back of our minds but basically we were worried about the next weekend's local meet in Chicago silver skate which was a big big thing. The yearly national championships so we stumble from one meet to another trying to survive even and and the Olympics was just a frosting on the cake. So we were totally involved weekends in fitting conditions were different we had to depend on our outdoor natural ice and our training didn't really start on ice until till the summer and when we did get ice it was a frantic effort we had made sometimes of if a meet was canceled on weekends we'd have a meet Wednesday Friday Saturday and Sunday and and then get ready to go to their nationals and it was it was a really

hectic week so we really have a lot of time to train we. We skated when there was ice and that was it. Wow. So you just started training just in the December before the games. She's had a couple more far as far as ice training. But I had the advantage because I figure skated and I got a little ice. I got ice time. Artificial life time but now they skate and train all year round but we also used to bike race there this summer mostly. Most of the skaters were bike racers also during the summer and the ones that weren't did dry dry training in other training we didn't get on the ice cold we were in shape when we get on the ice but but it was different to where you are all all they're all basically amateurs. A lot of the fellows that I skated with were family man had families and jobs and responsibilities which are a lot of the skaters don't have now it's it's it's more of a vocation no than than Twila.

Chuck brought up an interesting point about security of course the 1976 Olympics when you competed where after the Munich games with the terrorism that went on at the Munich games and so security became a much larger concern what was that what was that like was it easy to move around still. Well for us we were actually our events were up and say feld. And so they were actually right in Innsbruck. And so because we weren't in the Olympic village we were from what I remember if I'm correct there were like four military police per athlete. And so now I at least that's from what I remember it's just that there were a lot of a lot of people around and it seemed that there were even there was even more security or more people around after Bill Koch won the silver medal in the 30 kilometer race. And you know I was that white Why did that make a difference in security. Because this is the first time that in cross-country skiing that anyone had ever won a medal. And so this was like quite exciting for us. But I just

remember there was just a lot more excitement a lot more you know for us to get on the trail to go and train every day. We had to have of course our passes and and we you know we were just told there were people around that you know you know we didn't have to worry because there were there were people around. So you weren't in the Olympic Village but were you were with the other ski teams from the other countries. We're just we were American team no just with the American team. I'm not sure where all the other teams were at that point but we were actually up in say felt so we were. Did you have any chance to meet athletes from other countries or were you guys set makes it sound like you were kind of isolated. I would say yeah little bit we would we would see them often on you know when you're on the course of course or you know you're skiing. But I would say from what I remember we didn't see them a lot but there were times when we were able to go down to Innsbruck I think one of the times that I went down we were able to go down and see the figure skating and that was exciting to be able to go into the atan and there were different times we were able to but

because of our events and the different days that the different events were going on. You know we pretty much stayed stayed where we were. Now David you are in a much higher profile sport in the Olympics. And I would guess that the figure skaters pretty well know each other before they get to the Olympics that that circuit is pretty pretty intimate. Did you were you were you pretty much mingling with the skaters there. We well we got to know the hockey players because we were sharing the same venue as they would especially in Lake Placid would be figure skating one day hockey the next day so we'd be always passing the hockey players and we got to know Miss Scott Hamilton was friends with a few of the hockey players who had played for Bowling Green which is where he's from. So we got to know them through him and it was neat they'd come and watch our events we go watch their events. We spent some time in Lake Placid after our competition with some of the Russians and tempted to drink vodka with the Russians which wasn't a good idea. But you know we got a chance to mingle a little bit. And it was a little more difficult because our events were toward the end but there was

still there was still enough and hopefully you save the vodka drinking till the very last you know as a as I discovered that you know you never want to do that because the next day can be pretty ugly. Especially with Russians you know. Did you have any any heightened security being in a sport where there's a lot of attention a lot of. I mean I'm sure you must have had a lot more media attention than other sports but probably also more fans did you have any additional security. Well I think in both the Olympics the security was tight and as you said Brooke Olympics was the very next Olympics after Munich. So in the village which we were at it was very tight security and then it was also the same way in Lake Placid so you couldn't get around that easily it was a lot easier for us to move around than it was for people to see us for an example. One of the funny stories from Lake Placid Olympics for me involved the security and to some extent you know as many young athletes know you know a lot of times especially in figure skating you have to worry about your quit and things like

that. So my mom used to bug me all the time about you know do you have your skates ready they you know polished blades tight enough and I had a costume and I'd always go yeah yeah. So after the short program there was a day off in between. We went compulsory figures one a short program one day a day off. And during the day off my mom did her speech as usual and I was yeah but for once I decide OK well you know I got a little time I might as well check and I had no pants on my phone I freestyle. That's quite freestyle wouldn't it. So so obviously I panicked I called my mom where they were staying and said guess what we got a big problem. I have no pants. So she got on the phone back to Chicago and had some friends go oh you had even brought them from Chicago No they weren't they were in there were nowhere to be found. So you know I had visions of either you know skating in my underwear or just wearing the costume I'd worn in the short program. So my mom got on the phone had somebody go to our house in Park Ridge and grab every pair of blue pants that they could find and just send them and this was before Federal Express but they had some sort of overnight delivery that they were supposed to

you know have them delivered the next day which was a long program day so the deal was that they were supposed to be delivered to the Lake Placid post office and then she and a friend would go pick them up. So the morning of the long program my mom and her friend went to the post office and sure enough there was a package there. So she went and got the package and excitedly ran out with the friend and right next to the post office is the fire station. So they raced into the fire station without even you know worrying where they were. You know who was around and ripped open this package and it turned out to be two tins of chocolate chip cookies from a fan. So now she's thinking we're going to have to take these chocolate chip cookies to his legs or getting enough money with me. But as it turned out the pants had been delivered to the Olympic village you know and I had him. So I was ok but my mom never got a chance to see me because of all the security she couldn't get down to where I was even even before the competition so as far as she knew she had no idea. What I was going to be wearing. You know if anything at all.

But she of course being a good mother had taught you to wear clean underwear so I would have been OK. I wish it was exactly the situation mothers worry about so I was I was not worried because I had the pants but they were very concerned and I did not know what it was going to happen how to house how soon before the competition and you get the pants I got on the morning of so I knew even during the practice but again I never got a chance to really see my family because you know we were pretty much isolated there's no way that they could come to an entrance where we were anything like that. Apart from me yelling out I got my pants and I thought yeah I have recollections of the morning practice. I think they were off seeing another event or I think that was actually our practice was during the time when she was going to the post office because I never did see them before the event. What were you going to do if your parents didn't arrive. I would have worn the short program custom again which you know it's that time of probably this time too you know as a as a skater it's kind of tacky when the same thing twice. You know if worst came to worst I would have done it but you talked about compulsory figures and of course as I understand it this will be the first Olympics where there are no compulsory figures is that right the

last one then the last last one they had on. I thought they still had some remnant that was on the whole series. Little Hammer was the first timer they had no compulsory figures so there has been precedent already set. How much has the sport changed since you were there actually I direct this question to all three of you how much of your sport's changed since you were in the Olympics. Well based on the fact that figure skating has become so popular and you can pretty much turn on the TV every weekend now and see some sort of figure skating Whether it's professional or amateur and the stakes are certainly much higher and the money that all the skaters are making is certainly much much more. I think the pressures are different. I think that you know it's the old cliche where you skate for the love that and truly I think back in those times when we were building the success of the sport to the where it is now you didn't have that outside pressure of money and you know every jump you land is for you know $500000 or whatever it's pretty much just there's enough pressure to deal with just with trying to do your very best and try to be the best in the world and. I just think it's different

and you see you know these athletes handle it differently now than they did then. I mean I think it's especially difficult for a female figure skaters because you look at Michelle Kwan of Tara Lipinski they're so young and they're expected to be you know very graceful and Belle Epoque and beautiful and light and lovely and tough as nails at the same time. And I think it's only of a select few that can handle that contradiction I think you can be graceful and dainty and you know that's one thing and then to be tough as nails is another thing to be both this is awfully difficult. You got you were a little older. You were 18 and 22. Yeah. And the men tend to be older yes women certainly So there's not quite well. Well they were a little more time to mature before they have to step into that kind of pressure. Chuck we've heard a lot about changes in speed skating Of course this year the big stories clap skates and these these new skates with snapping blades I sort of don't really understand how they work but I don't really understand how the old ones

worked so well. They're very much like cross-country ski binding they're hinged at the ball of the fought. And as you push off the blade the heel can. Detach from the blade so the blade stays on the eyes a plate stays on the ice a longer period of time which adds about six inches to the stroke end. Obviously if it's lowered at times. Most of our skaters don't particular didn't particularly depict or like them. Is that the first major change since you were Yeah yeah. All of this case has been the same for for since the 1900s. But. Most of the skaters that I talked to felt that they should have been outlawed till after the Olympic Games to give another three years for everybody to get on the same the same plane. Myself I feel everybody has had

them for the last year and it's about time now to stop worrying about that and get out and lay down the line and and skate. What do you think American skaters are going to be used to them. I do think that they have. Will they do well you knowing and with a handicap. Some people seem adept to right away others have are having a hard time getting minor adjustments. That takes time but I think our skaters that have come over from inline skating have had less of a problem because they're they're more used to changing techniques and with their type of racing they they're they race under all kind of conditions so a slight change like that doesn't seem to bother them. But let me say as as elder statesman here in 40 some years I would like to point out the way the heritage of the L annoy speed skaters have. We've had at least one speed skater on every Olympic team since 1928 when the Olympic won the Winter Games were first

conducted. We've we've had we have four skaters from the Chicago area on the team now. We have David Cruickshank from Northbrook on the long track team Becky Sundstrom from Glen Allen. Did I mention David was from Northbrook. We also have Nathaniel Mills who is originally from the north the old and we have Andy gable on the short track team from Northbrook also. We've had a member of the North for at least one member of the Northbrook beach Skating Club on every team since 1956 when I was on the team so it's a sort of a you know it's great you're Dishan you know something akin to an Illinois tradition something we're proud of that Definitely definitely. While I want to ask you about changes in skiing but I'm being instructed to take another break so that we can raise a little money here so when we come back we'll talk to you about what you've seen happen since

you were competing but for now we'll check in and see how WBEZ is doing in its own little competition to raise money to support public radio. Emily How's it going. Well it seems to be going pretty well I know we are trying to get 25 phone calls before the end of the hour I'm not quite sure how we're doing we have a few people to thank. Thanks for pledging to Robert Crowe of Winnetka Michelle Murphy of Chicago thanks Michelle Andrew. BORGER I believe I hope I said your name right Andrew thanks a lot he's from Bolingbrook and John Stefan from Elgin. Thanks so much for calling those are all fellow WBEZ listeners who have called to pledge their support to the station. If you are a WBEZ listener and you have not yet called or if it's time to renew your membership please give us a call now 1 Triple 8 9 6 8 76 77 that's 1 Triple 8. If your NPR we have lots of things that we can give you to say thank you we also will enter your name. Into a hat to win a trip to Paris France for two you get three

nights lodging. This is courtesy of Air France the Concorde hotels and the chair Museum of American Art here in Chicago. Someone's going to win the trip and it might as well be you and it could be you. So give us a call one Triple 8 9 6 8 7 6 7 7. I think I can get 25 calls. I you know the fudging so far we have 15 calls right and also we only need 10 more before the top of the hour. That's a piece of kit all that is a piece of cake but you don't get lazy. You know if we have everybody who's an Olympic fan who's listening right now call in and give a pledge. Add 1 Triple 8 9 6 8 7 6 7 7. And show you know little Olympic support. Sometimes people on public radio they don't necessarily want to hear about sports on public radio but then there's a whole other part of the audience that loves sports they just don't want the goofiness and the silliness so here we're whole and I don't know. Conversation is very much about sports but it's about a lot of other stuff. It's just different as it is. It's very exciting and even if you're not a big sports fan I bet you there's a lot of people who aren't sports fans that get really into the Olympics especially because you see all kinds of sports that you can never really see unless it's the Olympics.

Yeah plus you just you feel like you have a Everyone has a vested interest in seeing your athletes do well you know whether they be athletes from Chicago like all of the fine speed skaters that we were just talking about or or just other Americans you know you can sort of safely be patriotic without worrying that you're hurting anybody. National pride and this is time to have a little Chicago pride some local pride WBEZ is Chicago's Public Radio station we are the only public radio station in Chicago we are very proud of it. We know that you like us that you rely on us that you appreciate the programming. So give us a call 1 Triple 8 9 6 8 7 6 7 7. So far we have 17 calls more calls to make our goal. We can do it by the top of the hour eight more calls at 1 8 8 8 9 6 8 7 6 7 7. Emily Hanford of WBEZ News thanks very much welcomed will come back to you at the top of the hour and check in and hopefully we'll hit our goal of 25 calls Thanks a lot. You're listening to WBEZ Chicago ninety one point five FM. I'm Gretchen health and today we're talking about Olympics and Olympians and we will get right

back to that conversation in just a moment here on WBEZ. Support for this WBEZ program is provided by prairie crossing a unique conservation community in Gray's Lake which recently received the 1997 National Award for Excellence in environmental responsibility from professional builder magazine. Information about her crossing is available at 8 4 7 5 4 8 50 400. This is WBEZ Chicago ninety one point five FM. I'm Gretchen how fortune here in the studio are David Santi a figure skater Chuck Burke a speed skater and Twila Hankel magic Koski a cross-country skier all former Olympians all current Chicagoans sharing their Olympic stories with us. Twila Let's talk about skiing How is skiing changed since 1976 when you were competing. Well I'll first talk about the equipment when I was in high school in junior high actually in high school. The skis that we had were wooden skis that were split cans and we would take

sandpaper we'd sand them down make it very smooth and as you know cross-country skiing uses like 30 different kinds of wax and so you have to put this wax on that's for glide and then you have to put a caking wax underneath where your your heel plate maybe about a foot or so so that when you go up hills you won't slide back down them. And so you know I did that with wax. I was wondering. Thank you for sharing yet there's like the course they usually for of course they try to have a third of the Course that's uphill a third of the course. Course that's flat in the third of the Course that's downhill. And so you really need to use wax to go up the hills. But at the same time you want to have a wax that's fast so when you're on the flat or you're going downhill you'll be be quick. And what I thought change is they started making skis out of fiberglass

and they would have to give us different ski suppliers would just give the U.S. ski team skis to try and ski on just to you know they said take him out try to you know just skim hard and see what they do. And they would we would do like a lot of testing for that. And which are much much faster skis and also they had back in when I was competing. The inside of the ski was like foamcore and so it was very light and so the skis were lighter they were. The thing that's different about the wooden skis is they would often the wood would absorb the moisture and so then after a while it would slow the ski down because

when you are skiing on ice you need a different pair of skis than when you're skiing on powder snow because of the camber. And so then if you have what's going to explain what camber OK camber is where see if I can say it we understand if you take the bottom of both pair of skis and put them together they kind of ball in the middle where they where your foot would be. And this stiffer the camber is the faster the ski will be on ice or on a slushy snow. But if you have if it's just. If the trail is like powder snow and it's just snow the night before then you have to have a ski that is very you can push the camber in very easy so it's very soft. OK otherwise it's hard to get the kick that you need when you go uphill so that you had several pairs of skis with you. Yeah we often travelled with anywhere from 8 to 10 per skis because depending on the conditions you have to switch your skis.

Now our skiers now are using a different technique of skiing. I thought I had heard. I think they used the same there's like diagonal skiing and then which is just regular But there's also this skating that became popular I think around when Bill Koch won the medal he he was really good at skating so that you'll soon realize he was a skater. So both are used. Yes both are used both are legal legit ways of skiing. Yeah OK well you know let me open up our phone lines here in our studio the number is 3 1 2 8 3 2 3 1 2 4 3 1 2 8 3 2 3 1 2 4 If you'd like to give us a call here. You hope you'll call and pledge first and then give us a call here in the studio but if not you can give us a call if you want to join in the conversation. I want to ask all three of you whether when you sort of look at your whole life and where you are now and where you've come what does or does being in the Olympics fit in I mean is it is it your proudest moment is it one achievement

among many do you do you sort of sometimes when you're feeling blue just sit down and go Hey I was in the Olympics no need for me to feel blue. How does it sort of fit in with other things. Any of you. They're all looking around. Now I remind you that a couple their spouses are outside the windows they have to say nice things about their spouses. Well I think I think one of the things that that has lasted through the years with the friendship we've made through skating. We still keep in touch with several opinions and a lot of them are still occupied in the sport officiating or coaching and. And. Every time we go to a big meet it's like a reunion seeing all these people and it's like a like a small community. And not only the former Olympians but the current kids too. It seems to be a bond that you form and I think you have in common and it's just a nice feeling.

Do people still when people find out that you are an Olympian do they get a little money I have to admit I do I get completely I got the idea that someone's competed in the Olympics you have to you know respond that way. Yeah in fact I just happened a week or so ago we went to our grandchild one of our grandchildren's Grandparents Day. And as I walked in this one kid was looking at me like you know I'm thinking what is this kid looking at me like this for. So he came up to me and he says are you famous. And I said Well in some circles my home and so forth. So he said so much. Obviously my grandson had been telling me that I was on your team and everything well and it was all pandemonium was all autographs and that it threw the whole programme that the teacher had bought into the turmoil that we straighten all that out. So I have to go back now this week and give a talk to the school and the Olympic Games so for sort of quite a thrill too. Well the only regrets that I would have in my career would be that I never

that my children have never seen me compete at my best you know. You know I think that's what most of you know I mean by the time your children come along you're you're mostly Pasch and competitive age. But fun. Twila How about you do you does it still provoke a response in people if they find out that you're in the Olympics. Yeah I think it does and I think sometimes we do. I guess I can only speak for myself but I think when I quit racing I I really struggled to find my identity because I was a skier for so many years. That was how I viewed myself. And now it was like my life was changing there are all these changes. When did you stop racing. I just have to racing right after the Olympics in 1976 and so this has been a process for me. It's kind of knowing Well yes I this was one event in my life that I did. But there I felt like there are so many other things out there that I can discover that I haven't yet done in

and in other things you know to do. And I guess I would say for me one of the most important things to me is family. And when we were on the team we were like a family in a way. And yet you know way there's I feel like I'm I'm part of I'm still part of that Olympic family and I get excited when I think of other people that are going to the Olympics because you bring it brings back memories of the fact that there are so many people that are behind the scenes that actually put you there or were involved in some way of your life for years be it coaches that are getting up at 5:30 in the morning. To go out and and set tracks in the snow or parents or just people that are cheering you on are standing out there when it's really cold outside during the race and they're you know they're doing the

time the time. And so for me I really feel like I've been more complete in it. First of all I'm a Christian and I really feel like when you understand that what your purpose in life is is to love God then anything you do can be exciting because of that and and just the things that you learn the things that you grow in and how you change in your life. Well we have a cross country skiing fan on the phone or cross-country skier I think on the Sunday let's get to the phones. Let's talk to Bob Bob. Hi I know you are I'm a cross-country skier. It's like you're the forgotten sport of. I want to get we get it. One man sport that millions of people do but I don't even know the names of the people on the team. And I'm a very

unfortunate but. Are you going to watch it this year if it's if you can or you know I would but they only show about 30 seconds here and over and our way they show the whole race which is 50 kilometers. They show up for hours at the national sport over there and really they show the whole thing on the whole race. They've got television and it's exciting television. WOW AND thing is it's a lifetime sport it's not some of these Olympic sports that they're like circus performers the luge never seen luge rose up in Marquette Michigan skiing recently they've got a luge run but nobody ever alludes in that now every sport has its part as part of every sport has its partisan although it's a matter of circus performers. Bob was saying that you know as much as I have the trappings artist in the Olympics. So you'd like to see more cross country skiing.

Well you know I'd like to see more people do it because it's a healthy thing to do you can tell you're ninety nine years old and it's good for your health. No I don't I don't believe in being a spectator I would like to see it but I wouldn't waste my time watching the Olympics because you'd be that there for four hours watching you know because it's easier to. Go figure. Do you still ski. Yes I do and I actually just do it for fun I take my kids out in and we just have a lot of fun. It's a great sport for your cardiovascular. Yeah great exercise great exercise and you know I think the fact that it isn't as popular I would say in the United States is because it was very very popular in the Scandinavian countries because it's a way of life in that children from the time they are little they just grow up on skis they ski to the store they ski to school they ski everywhere. Whereas in the United States it's it's popular in certain areas of the

United States but it isn't like you have the entire country in that sport like say football over here is very popular in basketball and baseball. It's it's different in that in Europe it's that big in Europe. And so it doesn't surprise me that people don't understand you know I don't even know as much as they do about the sport because of just sharing their money is hard to the country where you could. Because I just can't do it because there's no business interest in it. Well Bob thanks very much for your call. I think we can sneak one more call in. Let's talk with Dawn Dawn you're on the BBC. Hi John Ireland. And I just wanted to call and tell the whole listening area that I'm very proud of my father who was shocked. I just can't get away from the credit of his accomplishment. And do you because of his accomplishments and his dedication to his sport I think that he has molded each of his four daughters into what they have become today.

Do you brag about your father being an Olympian. Constantly. And my mother was also a nine time national speedskating champion and we're very proud of her as well and her accomplishments. And we have been bragging about knowing Olympians and I think people go through their whole life and never know one person that competed in the Olympics and we are surrounded by Olympians I had a cousin in the Olympics for speedskating. We've been with all of the skaters speed skaters figure skaters. I've been lucky enough to know some of the gymnast that were on the Olympic teams and you know for someone to not ever have met an Olympian for me to be surrounded by them I feel very lucky as well. Well Don thanks very much for calling and we're very proud of you daddy. Thanks a lot. Ok bye. DAVID Look can we just get a final word from you we have to go back and check in with Emily on our fundraising progress but a final word about your thoughts on being an Olympian.

Well I think it's helped me continue on and figure skating and how the direct the skating program in Niles and one of the powerful things that I have to my benefit is is I can always say you know when when a skater asked me about something while I've been to where you want to go and this is what I had to do to get there and they listened because they know that truly I put in the time and done what it took to get to the top and you know it makes my job a lot easier. Well I want to thank all three of you for coming down today and talking with us David Santi a figure skater who competed in 76 and 80. Chuck Burke speed skater who competed in 52 and 56 and Twila Hinkle Maje Koski cross-country skier who competed in 1960. Thank you all so much for coming in and talk. With us today. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. That's going to wrap it up for us here on Odyssey I do want to thank Joshua Andrews for producing and directing and Steve Warren asked us and Barry Winograd for engineering and I want to turn it over to Emily Hanford and find out if we can get an update on how we're doing Emily.

Well here is the update we hope this is a sign of things to come but we have exceeded our little goals yet gotten 35 phone calls so THANK YOU THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WOW. And if you haven't called yet you can still help us out we still are working on three hundred twenty five thousand dollars to make by the end of the day we have about 60 grand to go I believe so let's clearly give the number because we only had about a minute one Triple 8 9 6 8 7 6 7 7 that's 1 Triple 8. Your NPR if you have a cell one phone it's pound 9 1 5 Thank you to Jennifer Bruce from Chicago Margaret parents from Lake Forest. And also we have a new business partner Katie Katie belly North Shore security in Evanston you too can be a business partner if you have your own business for one hundred seventy five dollars pledge you get your name in our business partners directory which goes out to thousands of WBEZ listeners beezy members. Please give us a call 1 Triple 8 9 6 8 7 6 7 7 Let's get a couple phone calls in 25 seconds Yeah let's hear those phone rings to answer those phones

ring 1 Triple 8. Your NPR 1 age 9 6 8 7 6 7 7. Let's get. Live calls let's get to 40 calls a video likens enjoyable a 9 6 8 7 6 7 7 help us out we're about to go to world view we have a lot of work to do today you can help us 1 Triple 8 9 6 8 7 6 7 7. This is WBEZ Chicago. Support for programming on WBEZ is provided by the Goodman Theatre presenting the world premiere of a new play griller featuring Robert Klein and Karen Valentine now through February 21st. All the performances are outstanding says the daily self town and the Daily Herald says this is one BBQ You won't want to miss. To get information is available at the Goodman Theater box office 3 1 2 4 4 3. Thirty eight hundred BBC World Service. This is the news with Michael Pope as talks continue in.