The morning of Saturday, August 29, 1984 started with a great deal of anticipation forLos Tres Amigos….Sky Pilot, Prince Of Pleasure and the ring leader….our Bone Daddy…..on their 1st day at the Los Angeles Olympics ….and they were “jacked up” to see the afternoon and evening sessions of swimming the McDonald’s Olympic Swim Center.. which was an event so incredible that Bone Daddy wrote down Prince’s quote as follows…. “I have never been so excited in my life….I love this sport….I have been a serious swimmer the better part of my life….and I just saw 3 World Records…..and screamed my lungs out at the 3 USA Gold Medals won….live and in color at the 1984 Summer Olympics…..I want more.”…..and the excitement was intoxicatng….cuz that is when the idea of a of seeing a live event of every sport that was competing for medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics was spawned….and as the idea grew with each joyful toasts to a great day….for that is when it became a “mission from God”….and the truth be known, it was for Bone Daddy. By the time this “mission” ended….it was truly a gift from Above.
Olympics – 1984 – L A Games – Swimming – Special Highlights – Men’s + Women’s Finals
Arriving early for the afternoon session at the McDonald’s Olympic Swim Stadium….which was located on the campus of the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, CA….for the boys were jazzed to be at their first live Olympic competition where they had reserved seats. So, they got there early in order to have time to walk around the “famed” USC campus. When they eventually got to the swim complex….where the facility featured two pools…..a long course (50 x 25 meters)….which featured all swimming competitions….along with a diving well (25 x 25 yards)….which featured springboards and diving towers. The facility was the new home pool for the USC Trojans Swimming and Diving teams….which was constructed for the 1984 Olympic Games and opened in July 1983…..as financial assistance for the construction of the facility came from McDonalds Corporation. At the time of the ’84 Games….it was called the Olympic Swim Stadium and was the main Aquatics venue at the Games….hosting competitions in Swimming….Diving….and Synchronized Swimming. Just for the Olympic Games….the facility featured temporary bleacher seating completely surrounding the two pools which were removed after the Games.
Olympics – 1984 – Los Angeles Games – Women’s 100m Freestyle Finals – Featuring USA Nancy Hogshead + USA Carrie Steinseifer Historic Swim
Upon entering the swimming facility and prior to the first race….the boys took a slow walk around the whole venue….as it was a spectacular facility….which was filled to the brim with folks and fans….speaking many different languages and different dialects from all over the world. The place had a prevailing energy and ambience of international flavor unlike anything Prince or Sky had ever experience. Since, BD had attended the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich….while serving on active duty in the Army as an officer and gentleman and member of The Berlin Brigade….he had experienced the same microcosm of the world in a single venue that Prince and Sky were feeling at the time…..while walking around the swimming venue at the LA Games.
Olympics – 1984 – L A Games – Swimming Men’s 200m Freestyle Finals – Featuring FRG Michael Gross + USA Michael Heath
The first swimming finals of the day was in the Women’s 100m Freestyle….which was won in the first dead heat ever in Olympic swimming….as the USA’s top two gals….Carrie Steinseifer and Nancy Hogshead touched at the very same time of 55.92. Not only was this a very exciting race….but the boys got to see history being made….as the two winners touched and tied for the gold medal in an event for the first time in Olympic competition. The second final of the day was the Men’s 200m Freestyle. This race was won in world record time of 1:47.44 by Michael Gross of West Germany….with USA Michael Heath winning silver. The third final of the day was the Women’s 400m individual Medley….won in another world record time of 4:39.24 by USA Tracey Caukins…..as the lil gal from the US literally blew the rest of the field away by winning by one full length of the Olympic pool….it wasn’t even close….but the victory just added to the awesome day that the boys were having. The fourth and last final of the day was in the Men’s 100m Breaststroke…..becoming the USA’s 3rd gold medal of the day….as won by USA Steve Lundquist….in another world record time of 1:01.65. This race just served as “the cherry on top of the big banana split” that had been consumed by Los Tres Amigos throughout that whole first day of competition.
Olympics – 1984 – L A Games – Swimming Women’s 400m Individual Medley – Featuring USA Tracy Caulkins
The energy and excitement encapsulated by this opening day’s swimming events was as intoxicating an experience as anything or anywhere either of the members of this “band of brothers” had ever felt in their lives. My boys had been in a place at a time in one single day….wherein the good ole USA had won 3 gold medals….along with 3 new world records that had been set….when all put together at the end of their first day at the XXIII Olympiad….created a state of euphoria that sent the boys spiraling into “A Mission From God” for the rest of their ’84 Olympic….as they too would make history by the time their journey was over. It was at this point that BD and Prince decided to go for their own gold medal….as their goal from there on for the Games of the XXIII Olympiad….would be to see one live event in every sport in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Can you say….”26 Sports means 26 Live Events”…..in 14 days….and they only had tickets in hand for 6 of the remaining 25 sports.
Olympics – 1984 – L A Games – Swimming Men’s 200m Breaststroke Finals – Featuring USA Steve Lundquist
To say that this day of August 29, 1984 was great day would be a “slap in the face”…..cuz this day was awesome for Prince….incredible for Sky…..and simply “life punctuating” for BD….cuz he was a Sportsphile already by this point…..but this day put the seal on the official document that Bone Daddy was the original Sportsphile.
