Vince Matthews and Wayne Collett

created by anyend

(person) by anyend (1.4 wk) (print) ? (I like it!) Tue May 25 2004 at 15:30:00

Vince Matthews and Wayne Collett won the Gold and Silver medals (respectively) at the 1972 Munich Olympics in the 400 m dash. A small controversy erupted over their behavior at the medal presentation, a controversy that would soon be eclipsed by more horrifying events.

Matthews and Collett were both black. US Olympic officials were watching them intently, looking for any sign they would repeat the "black power" protest by Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Mexico City games. Matthews and Collett did, on the stand, register a protest regarding American civil rights, albeit one that wasn't as overt as Smith and Carlos. During the American anthem they refused to stand at attention. They chatting with each other and shuffled around a bit. Their lack of attention and unwillingness to stand silent during the national anthem drew the ire of the crowd. The crowd began to boo and jeer. Upon stepping off the award stands, Collett shot the crowd a mock black power fist.

The US Olympic Committee's reaction was swift and harsh. They were thrown off the track team and banned from competition for life.

Vince Matthews fate is unknown by this researcher. Collett himself went on to get a law degree. He eventually went into the real estate business. Although he fell into dishonor with the US Olympic committee UCLA recognized his contributions to amateur athletics and inducted him into the UCLA sports hall of fame in 1972.

printable version
chaos

1972 Summer Olympics	Black Power	1968 Summer Olympics	ire
Mexico City	Anthem	controversy	dash

Y'know, if you log in, you can write something here, or contact authors directly on the site. Create a New User if you don't already have an account.

Login
Password

remember me
password reminder
register

Everything2 Help

What you are reading:
Weird headless death cult of writer apostles
True Love Waits
Cats make great alarm clocks
polis
May 19, 2007
Kit Kat Konspiracy
Sadako and the Thousand Cranes
The Worst Moment
Bodhisattvacaryavatara
A Public Execution Is No Picnic
Some like it in the pot, nine days old
fisting
Why we long to be American

Augustine
Vanya on 42nd Street	(review)
tentative
Chances Not Taken	(idea)
Heitah
Why I love Everything2	(person)
trixingee
Dungeon Mastering for the first time	(idea)
Netrat0
It's Called Subtext, Honey	(person)
eyeofthebeholder
The Dragon	(idea)
Heitah
consist, comprise, constitute, or compose	(idea)
Meezzio
Gotlandssnus	(thing)
argv
Astral Plane	(idea)
Madara
One Winged Angel	(fiction)
Tom Rook
Talk is cheap	(poetry)
shaogo
Adelle Davis	(person)
Aerobe
race car g sfjsgsd	(poetry)
Binah
Dream Log: July 5, 2008	(dream)
StrawberryFrog
Forgotten things in space	(idea)

This affordable entertainment brought to you by The Everything Development Company