A LEGEND DIES, BUT LIVES ON

Seventy-five year old, Parry O’Brien, died last Saturday of a heart attack while swimming in a 500 meter race in California. Okay, people die of heart attacks all the time, so why is his death so noteworthy?

O’Brien was one of the greatest track and field athletes of all time. Not simply because of his vast accomplishments, being the first to throw the 16 pound shot 59 feet, 60 feet and 63 feet. It was how he did it.

He used his mind as well as his body.

First, he used his mind to revolutionize the sport. Applying physics, he knew the longer he pushed on the shot with the same amount of force, the further it would go. So, he changed from the conventional 90 degree turn in the ring to a stance in which he would face the back of the circle, for a 180 degree turn. O’Brien went from throwing 55 feet to throwing just over 63 feet using what was dubbed “the O’Brien Glide.”

Yet, it was more than his innovation. He also brought to the sport a focused mental approach. Once he approached the competitive ring, he was so focused, a firecracker popping nearby wouldn’t distract him.

Years after his shot putting days were over, I met him while we were working out in the UCLA weight room. In between sets, we had a few laughs at how he would psyche out his opponents, a friend of mine being one of them.

Parry O’Brien will long be remembered in the world of sports for what he contributed to his particular sport, not just for his numerous world and Olympic records. Something every athlete ought to work at doing. Not just compete, but contribute.

That was not just O’Brien’s way.

It’s also God’s way.

That was My Turn.

Now, it’s Your Turn.

If you have anything to say about Parry O‘Brien, or anything I wrote in this blog, please leave a comment for others to also read.

Yours for sports excellence,

Wes