Health crisis for Mary Lou Retton

This rabbit hole about the '84 Olympics sent me to this terrific Zola Budd feature from Runner's World. Have to think it was published sometime around 2010. I hope it made BASW, but, well, we know how that guy ran things.

Zola Budd: After The Fall

 

I was a doe-eyed freshman reporter at the Maneater when Mary Lou Retton's mom and a couple of MU big wigs paraded the potential journalism student through our sparkling new newsroom...but only after either Lamar Graham or Pat Forde (can't remember for sure) raced across the slot to tear down the big poster of Miss Retton on a Wheatie's box...with a dick Magic Markered onto her face (imagine that in a news room, even a student paper, today!).

 

Did you work on the Shiteater issue every year, too?

 

Proudly!

 

Cue the wise-ass Photoshopping Nixon's face onto the box.

 

That was an excellent story. Thanks for posting it.

 

I was watching Game 4 of the 1980 NLCS, which was 43 years ago today (treeee-mendous LCS; I’d argue it’s one of the most exciting playoff series in any sport) - the Vern Ruhle catch/trap game, if you remember. Anyway, JR Richard threw out the first pitch at the Astrodome, and I believe that was his first appearance on the field since his stroke.

So that led me down looking up his life, and 14 years after that first pitch he was destitute and living under a bridge. Two divorces and bad investments were the culprit. Fortunately for JR, he was able to pick himself up and led a good life as a pastor until he died a few years ago.

So that’s a possibility with Mary Lou as to why her family is asking for money. I bet a lot of unscrupulous characters come talking when you’re suddenly thrust into stardom.

Reading all these threads also reminded me of a special she did around 84 or 85 with Edwin Moses, maybe? They were introducing the new Saturday morning lineup on, I think, ABC. Had it on VHS, for some reason.

 

I welcome you to club fail. There’s no judgement here.

 

Remember when each Big 3 network had a special preview show introducing the fall lineup? Guess that was the Gen X version of the Studebakers being revealed in the showroom.

 

I don’t think it’s that far fetched that she might have money problems. I mean, even now many Olympians are the talk of the town and then disappear from our collective consciousness by the time college football is playing conference games. Also, 1984 was a long fuckin’ time ago. I know this because I was born in that year.

 

That's the wrong thing to say to a bunch of people who REMEMBER WATCHING the 1984 Olympics, you young punk!