A To Z In The Olympics

[DoubleRBar]

Today's (Monday) birthday athletes total 164 years. Both athletes won a total of eight Olympic gold medals. Both athletes have a total of ten world records to their credit.

Athlete "A" was born 89 years ago today while athlete "B" was born 75 years ago this day.

Alf Landon (Republican who ran for president in 1936), Don Johnson (Miami Vice star), Dee Wallace (The mother in "E.T."), Paul Ehrlich (Wrote "The Population Bomb"), and Harry Sinclair (Founder of the Sinclair Oil Corporation) all graduated from the same university as did athlete "B".

The owner of one Olympic silver medal, athlete "A" set world records in two different events.

On President Jimmy Carter's 83rd birthday, athlete "B" died. Athlete "A" passed away on the 37th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy's assassination in Dallas.

There was an eight inch difference in height between the two athletes.

About five years after surviving a serious automobile accident, athlete "B" broke a world record and passed a "milestone" in that event.

Coming from the same Eastern European country, athlete "B"'s mother and athlete "A" never met.

One of our birthday athletes for today carried the Olympic flag and the Olympic torch in two different Summer Olympic Games.

Even though this athlete never won an Olympic silver medal, winning a Pan American Games gold medal wasn't too bad.

Can you name both athletes with birthdays today? Good luck and go ahead.

[LopenUupunut]

Re: A To Z In The Olympics

Good one

[dukehjsteve]

Re: A To Z In The Olympics

I think I know it too, in fact I'm pretty positive... and thought so before I got to the some of the concluding hints.

Not playing coy here, just giving others a chance. I'll be honest and let the world know if my 2 picks are correct... after the answers are fully divulged.

Edit to add an hour or so later:

Yup, I had it !

[gm33]

Re: A To Z In The Olympics

A= Emil Zatopek
B= Al Oerter

[DoubleRBar]

Re: A To Z In The Olympics

Very good, gm33. You got both of them. Happy birthdays today to Emil Zatopek (born 89 years ago) and Al Oerter (born 75 years ago). Zatopek died in November of 2000 and Oerter died in October of 2007.

I was very fortunate to have met both men and greatly admired both men. Zatopek is one of my all-time favorite runners and Oerter one of my all-time favorite field event athletes.

Nice job, gm33.

[gm33]

Re: A To Z In The Olympics

two of my favorite athletes as well, legends of the sport!

i think Oerter was the first athlete to win 4 successive Olympic golds at the same event
(and Carl Lewis was the only other athlete to achieve that feat in 1996)

[DoubleRBar]

Re: A To Z In The Olympics

You're right and Oerter is the only athlete to win four consecutive Olympic gold medals in the same track and field event and setting Olympic records each time.

[bambam]

Re: A To Z In The Olympics

two of my favorite athletes as well, legends of the sport!

i think Oerter was the first athlete to win 4 successive Olympic golds at the same event
(and Carl Lewis was the only other athlete to achieve that feat in 1996)

In track & field

[bambam]

Re: A To Z In The Olympics

Around Beijing in 2008 I got asked a lot if Michael Phelps was the greatest Olympian ever, but my answer has never changed.

Its Al Oerter.

[Davidokun]

Re: A To Z In The Olympics

Isn't that E to O?

[DoubleRBar]

Re: A To Z In The Olympics

Al to Zatopek.

[Davidokun]

Re: A To Z In The Olympics

To clarify: if Athlete A is Emil Zatopek, Athlete B is Al Oerter, and A comes before B, then isn't that Emil to Oerter (E to O), instead of Al to Zatopek (A to Z)?

[lonewolf]

Re: A To Z In The Olympics

To clarify: if Athlete A is Emil Zatopek, Athlete B is Al Oerter, and A comes before B, then isn't that Emil to Oerter (E to O), instead of Al to Zatopek (A to Z)?

Trouble maker..

[Davidokun]

Re: A To Z In The Olympics

I've been called worse...but not by better.

[DoubleRBar]

Re: A To Z In The Olympics

The title has nothing to do with the order of athletes "A" and "B". Just Al to Zatopek.