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MAY 21,1970Billy Mills was raised on a Sioux Indian Reservation on the flatlands of South Dakota. Before he was ten he learned a lot about how rugged life can be at times. His mother had passed away after he had entered schoo I and within a year all of his brothers and sister had left hisside. He grew up as a loner. Years later at the age of *3he was hailed as the greatest distance runner in the United States after winning the 10,000 meter run in theTokyo Olympics. __Billy was in Polk County last week. He had come as aDecial guest of Congressman George Bush who was inspecting the Big Thicket area. One of the spots they tour-ed was the Aiabama-Coushatta Indian Reservation. Walk-Ing along the pathways Billy’s memories of the past camereeling bad* * , . . . . . .“After 1 .ost my family nothing particularly uterestedme. ; uecame interested In sports because there wasn't anything else to do,* he recalled. ...Billy is now in his late twenties. His youth is still with him. Hidden behind a set of sky blue eyes is a mind full of philosophy , a philosophy that bridges two generation and a philosophy based on his experiences through a life full ofcomebacks. . ,*1 used to look in the mirror and see an Indian, nowI see Billy Mills. I never look at the negative side anymore. I build a positive image at all times. If I fail atsomething I keep on going -- Pm not afraid of it.*The failures and defeats were many in the beginning,but as he grew so did his accomplishments. One of thefirst sports he challenged was boxing. I hen he became interested In track and the long distance runs. He became so good in high sclwol that the I niversity of Kansas gave him a scholarship. But even with this there were set-lucks •Once he really became interested in life he found that setting goals, even small ones were a key to a happier life. In high school one of his goals was to become so good in track that he would get the chance to lt;smpeP* In the Olympic games. At Kansas in 19M! he tried out for the Olympics and failed. Becoming diseouraged once more he dropped track for two years but refused to giveup completely- .. . , ,Billy decided it was time to rebuild his concepts and was going to give his goal and himself *me last chance atthe Olympic games in 1904.•You know 1 got to thinking one day, Billy said, ll aperson fails or makes mistakes 49' of the time and succeeds 51% of the time then he’s going to come out ahead.With this In mind he began a strenous work programduring which hi* ran over 100 miles a week and disregarded the negative concepts tint might have blocked his*1 used a record book and whether Pd finish fifth or sixth in a race I would always write something positive in it. If I finished way down in the pack I wouldn’t reeord the place, but only something fipod that happened during ther*t ceDuring the four year span a fellow by the name of BorClarke, an Australian, was making all the headluies in thi long distance runs. If Billy got the chance to to thlt; Olympics C larke would be the guy he’d have to beat whethe got thereif: BETWEEN THE GAP -- Olympic Medal winner Billy Mills stands^ be-Texas Congressman George Bush am . ( nushatta Indian Chief FultoiBattise during a visit to the reservationlast week. Mills expressed the importance of respect for ones self and the attainment of goal in a short speech. —Staff Photol)uring my cross country runs I would pretend^totI was running in the Olympic gomes,* smiles Billy. IJSd P“ a tree and call .it the hUU.. About^30vards from it I’d pass the imaguiary Bon C larke andOlympic games. 1 ran the race a thjyusand ttaes and each time I’d pretend that I’d passed ( larke before thtnslt;.mlU^ple believe that dreamsareatasisfor tte future imi it haDoened in Billy’s case, it was. At I okyo his chan c* into be that good especially since anAmerican had never won in the long distances runs. Billy hud never walked into anything with the odds on his side tough. ~ it really didn’t make too much difference.About 300 vears from the finish of the gruling race Billy wis in thir l place behind Clarke- His wind and s reilgth were gone but he kept struggling. Looking up he caught a glimpse of the finish line. Then something snapped. 1 he white piece of string streached across the track suddenly turned inU the old tree he used to run for bnckin Kansas. Adrenalin flowed and it was off to the races. As im rehersa the dark haired runner passed ( larke 30 yards from thefinish line and won the gold medal by a step.Since that time Billy has set other goals, some thathe has succeeded in, some that he hasn’t. I resently hesells life insurance and does speaking engagements all overthe states. He holds residence in San Diego, Californiaand will soon hold an important position in the Bureau of Indian Affairs.During the speeches he makes ail across th^^w’ there L one story he tells which exemplifies Billy S ownsi™X » Indian. The story is of a man who soldin a pnrt. In some city. To gather customers ^used to let a few of his balloons loose. One day he went to a park and released a Miite baHt^S^s a^^rds he fn-ed a Uue one, then a red one and then a yeUow. I he. id. rlv man felt a tugging at his pants.•Mister,* asked a -mall chUd, If you lot a brown one go will it go up and float in the sky like the others.The old gentleman looked down at the lad and Kof course it will go up son. You see it’s not the color thatmakes it rise, it’s what is inside that doesL. S. Air Force solar furnace at Cloud ( roft, New Mexico, yields temperatures of8,500 degree F.
Newspaper Details
Shepherd San Jacinto News Times
Shepherd, Texas, US
Thu, May 21, 1970
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Andrew M.
TX, USA 11 Feb 2022
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