OT - Are there any other Olympic Athletes on the Board?

[whitehse]

Originally Posted by Michael B

Since we did win a bronze, and 10th place, in Star we did okay. I have met one of the medalists, Peter Dean from Mass. The best yachtsmen on that 1972team sailed out of Wisconsin.

Sounds like you are speaking of Buddy Melges. I live not far from him in Southern Wisconsin and go past the small "factory" on occasion in a VERY small town here. It is so small the post office used to be someone's front porch.

[Michael B]

Originally Posted by whitehse

Sounds like you are speaking of Buddy Melges. I live not far from him in Southern Wisconsin and go past the small "factory" on occasion in a VERY small town here. It is so small the post office used to be someone's front porch.

Yes, Buddy Melges, Bill Bentsen and Bill Allen, gold medalists in the soling class (3 man keelboat) were members of the Lake Geneva Yacht Club, though Melges was the only one from Wisconsin. Melges was born in Elkhorn and lived in Zelda. Allen was from Minneapolis and Bentsen from Chicago. Bentsen graduated undergrad from the same school as my wife, Denison in Ohio.

[whitehse]

Originally Posted by Michael B

Yes, Buddy Melges, Bill Bentsen and Bill Allen, gold medalists in the soling class (3 man keelboat) were members of the Lake Geneva Yacht Club, though Melges was the only one from Wisconsin. Melges was born in Elkhorn and lived in Zelda. Allen was from Minneapolis and Bentsen from Chicago. Bentsen graduated undergrad from the same school as my wife, Denison in Ohio.

I didnt realize he was from Elkhorn as that is where I currently live. I do wish they would promote Mr Melges' accomplishments in and around his hometown. They really dont speak of him at all.

[Michael B]

Here are a couple of photos from my archives.


The first photo shows members of the U.S. Yachting team leaving for Tokyo from O'Hare:
Buddy Melges, Bill Bentsen, Peter Barrett, Dick Stearns and Lynn Willians.
Melges and Bentsen won a bronze in the Flying Dutchman Class (2 person dinghy where one person is attached to the boat via a rope and trapeze and leans out of the boat over the water to control it). Bentsen was an Assistant Dean at Beloit College at the time.
Peter Barrett won a silver in the Finn Class (one person dinghy). He was a professor at the University of Wisconsin
Dick Stearns and Lynn Williams won a silver in the Star Class (2 person keelboat). They were both sailmakers.

The other photo shows the boat of Melges, Bentsen and Allen on their way to winning the gold medal in the soling class at the 1972 Olympics. The boat on the left, D-64 is skippered by Paul Elvstron who was trying to become the first person to win a gold medal in 5 Olympics in sailing.

[iowadoc77]

With all that right arm forearm strength you could have dominated in arm wresting as well, although no one would have wanted to touch your hand...