I remember the marketing for the Lake Placid games more than I remember specific events. I remember liking the bobsled. Of course, we didn’t go to the summer games that year, so no memories, and I was too young to remember anything from 1976.
I can recall some from 1984, the year of the Soviet boycott. My clearest memories don’t really happen until the Seoul games in 1988, when I watched tons of boxing and was outraged at the awful judging and blatant cheating. But man, I’ll never forget how they lit the torch in the opening ceremonies at Barcelona in 1992. That was so awesome, it’ll probably never be topped.
72 Jim McKay talking about the kidnapping and eventually the deaths. I watched Wide World of Sports a lot so Jim was a familar face. That image of the guy in the ski mask on the balcony is what sticks out. I know Mark Spitz but I don’t recall him swiming at all.
I first remember Muhammed Ali lighting the torch at the 1996 Olympics, and how cool it was to see him do that…
And then I remember learning about the Bombing that happened there, and being puzzled about it but not really the same feelings of shock/awe/terror that I would at 9-11…
And I recall watching “The Magnificent Seven” and especially Kerri Strug land that 2nd Vault- and then collapsing. That even toDay chokes me up, how she nailed that last vault, and then collapsed onto her ankle, but she locked up the gold for the US team…
I remember seeing the Mexico City closing ceremonies on TV in 1968. I have clearer memories of 1972, of the stolen men’s basketball gold medal game, the terrorist attack and probably mistaken decision to continue the games, and poor Dave Wottle of the US winning the 800 meter foot race and then standing on the podium while the national anthem played with his hand over his heart and his cap perched squarely on his head.
I lived in Soul for the 1988 Olympics, I was 4. I remember the opening ceremonies watching them on TV and out the window of our appartment. I also got to practice with the US Tae-Kwon-do team with was very cool. I showed up after my practice still dressed to pick up my dad who was working security for them and they invited me to join. I remember lynette love being able to kick the basketball net. Then I got to go with my dad and watch Jimmy Kim with the gold medal and piss of the entire crowd. Lynette Love won too but I don’t remember it.
Summer - I’d say 1968, mainly because of the “Black Power” salutes in Mexico City by Tommie Smith and John Carlos, but also because it was the first time I’d ever heard of George Foreman. He was quite impressive winning the gold for heavyweight boxing.
Winter - also 1968, because of Jean-Claude Killy and Peggy Fleming.
I would have been 16 at the time. Frankly, I have no real memories of the 1964 or 1960 Olympics. probably because they weren’t televised they way they are today.
Like others, I remember Olga Korbut, Mark Spitz. However, I also remember an impostor running into the stadium ahead for Frank Shorter (the winner) in the marathon. He was just some guy who wanted to do it. I also remember the US women swimmers being heavily favored, but pointing out that the East German women were decidedly masculine and must be using steroids. The press belittled them for it, and chalked it up to poor sportsmanship. Of course, history would prove them right. I also remember the terrorists, but that is in another thread.
What I remember most about the 1980 winter games was missing the Miracle on Ice. I just knew we wouldn’t win, so I wasn’t worried about it. I was in college, the dorm had just one TV, which was in the lounge, and I got back in time for the celebration.
However, I have some memories of the 76 games, especially Dorothy Hamil and her hair cut becoming a fad.
I dimly remember Bruce Jenner and Dorothy Hamill from the '76, but they were also saturation-marketed to death so I’m not sure if I even watched the games or if I just absorbed all of the media fluff.
The first games I genuinely watched and remember events from were the 1980 games.
The earliest Olympic event that I remember having seen was a newsreel clip from the 1952 Summer Olympics in which Czech runner Emil Zátopek won an exciting race. (For the younger folks: In the early 'fifties, when many people did not yet have televisions in their homes, movie theaters often showed collections of news stories before the main attraction.)
When I was in third class at school I did a project on the 1972 Munich games. And I remember hurriedly adding a few final sentences to mention the Israeli sportsmen who had been murdered.
The 1994 Winter Olympics is the one I have the best early memories of. I know I watched the 1992 Summer Olympics, but those memories are rather incoherent. I have no recollection of watching the 1992 Winter Olympics or either of the 1988 Olympics, and I was not in existence for the 1984 Olympics.
My earliest memory is the cauldron for the olympic flame in Mexico City, 1968. It was a feature of my block-building thereafter. I don’t remember anything from those games besides that (I was 6).
Another early memory was watching skiing in the 1972 winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan and puking my guts out from some stomach flu.