2008 Woodie Awards
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Munich Games attack a sobering moment in Olympic history
by Robert Husseman | Sports Copy Editor
Jon Anderson ran his heat of the 10,000 meters in a personal record 28 minutes, 34.2 seconds at the 1972 Munich Olympics. The field was deep, however - too deep for Anderson's time to get him into the event final.
The 10,000m is usually one of the first or last running events in the Olympic format - on the opposite end of the schedule from the 5,000m - so that athletes who run both will have recovery time between the races. In 1972 it was the 10,000m that was run first. When he didn't qualify for the final, Anderson was left with some time on his hands in Munich. Anderson shared an apartment with Kenny Moore, Steve Savage, Frank Shorter and Dave Wottle. "We had two gold medalists," Anderson noted, smiling. "That's pretty cool."
The steeplechase had been held early on and Savage had missed his final as well, so the two of them ended up spending much of the time together.
"Steve and I roomed together; basically, we were in the same bedroom together is my recollection," Anderson said. "We were all friendly, but Steve and I did a lot of stuff together."
The two made plans to take a day trip September 5 to a resort in the foothills of the Alps south of Munich. When they woke up that morning to the news of the hostage situation, they wondered if they might cancel the trip. As tanks, troops and various emergency vehicles gathered within the view of their apartment balcony, they decided against it.
"Steve and I decided, along with his wife Peg, that we're going to go over there anyway, go to this resort, because we're all done and we can get the hell out of here," Anderson said.
The three managed to get out of the Olympic Village before it was closed off, and made their way south to the resort. There, they spent the day by the swimming pool listening to Armed Forces Radio updates on the hostage situation. Around 9 p.m. they returned by subway to the village, and came upon what was close to becoming a mob scene at the gate. German soldiers had been instructed that no one was to be allowed in or out, and the crowd of people outside the gate was starting to get agitated.
The 10,000m is usually one of the first or last running events in the Olympic format - on the opposite end of the schedule from the 5,000m - so that athletes who run both will have recovery time between the races. In 1972 it was the 10,000m that was run first. When he didn't qualify for the final, Anderson was left with some time on his hands in Munich. Anderson shared an apartment with Kenny Moore, Steve Savage, Frank Shorter and Dave Wottle. "We had two gold medalists," Anderson noted, smiling. "That's pretty cool."
The steeplechase had been held early on and Savage had missed his final as well, so the two of them ended up spending much of the time together.
"Steve and I roomed together; basically, we were in the same bedroom together is my recollection," Anderson said. "We were all friendly, but Steve and I did a lot of stuff together."
The two made plans to take a day trip September 5 to a resort in the foothills of the Alps south of Munich. When they woke up that morning to the news of the hostage situation, they wondered if they might cancel the trip. As tanks, troops and various emergency vehicles gathered within the view of their apartment balcony, they decided against it.
"Steve and I decided, along with his wife Peg, that we're going to go over there anyway, go to this resort, because we're all done and we can get the hell out of here," Anderson said.
The three managed to get out of the Olympic Village before it was closed off, and made their way south to the resort. There, they spent the day by the swimming pool listening to Armed Forces Radio updates on the hostage situation. Around 9 p.m. they returned by subway to the village, and came upon what was close to becoming a mob scene at the gate. German soldiers had been instructed that no one was to be allowed in or out, and the crowd of people outside the gate was starting to get agitated.
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