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pedal guest of CongniMBD George Both who was inspecting the Big Thicket am. One of the spots they toured was the Alafaama-Couehatti Indian Reservation. Walking along the pathways Billy's memories of the past came reel log tact.BRIDGE BETWEEN THE GAP — Olympic Gold Metal wfamer Billy Mills stands between Terns Congressman George Bush and Alabama - Coushetta Indian Chief FultonBattlse during a visit to the reservationlast week. Mills expressed the importanceof respect for ones self and the attainment of goal in a short speech. ~£taff PhotoAfter f .ost my family nothing particularly Irterested■RVrvlliii mIn 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 hill of philosophy i a philosophy that bridges two generation and a philosophy based on his experiences through a life hill of*1 used to look In the mirror and see an Indian, now I tee tally Mills. I never look at the negative side anymore. I build a positive image at all times. If I fail at something 1 keep on going — I’m not afraid of it.*The failures and defeats were many in the beginning, but as he grew so did his accomplishments. One of the first sports he challenged was boxing. Then he became Interested In track and the long distance runs. He became so good in high school that die University of Kansas pw tarn a scholarship. But even with this there were setbacks.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 tiack that he would get the chance to compete in the Olympic games. At Kansas in I960 he tried out for the Olympics and failed. Becoming discouraged once more he dropped track for two yean but refused to giveup completely.Billy decided it was time to rebuild his concepts and was going to give his goal and himself one last chance at the Olympic games in 1964.You know 1 got to thinking one day, •Hilly said, *lf a person 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 sire nous work program during which he ran over 100 miles a week and disregarded the oepftive concepts that might have blocked his path.*1 used a record book and whether I'd finish fifth or sixth in a race 1 would always write something positive in it. If I finished way down in the pack I wouldn't record the place, but only something good that happened during the•Duriigg my cross courtly runs I would pretend that I was running in the Olympic panes,* smiles Billy. *1 would pick out a tree and call It the finish line. Abort 30 yards from it I'd pass the imaginary Ron Clarke andwin the Olympic pimes. I ran the race a thousand times and each time I’d pretend that I'd passed Clarke before thefinish line.Some people believe that dreams are a basis for the futureand as It happened in Billy's case, It was. At Tokyo his chances were not believed to be that good, especially since an American tad never won in the long distances runs. RiUyhad never walked into anything with the odds on his side through, so it really didn't make too much difference.Abort 300 years from the finish of the gruilng race BlUy was in thlri place behind Clarke. His wind and strengthwere gone but he kept struggling. Looking up he caught a glimpse of the finish line. Then something snapped. Thewhite piece of strii* streached across the track suddenlyturned into the old tree he used to run for tack in Kansas,Adrenalin flowed and it was off to the races. As In rehersal the dark haired runner passed Clarke 30 yards from the finish line and won the gold medal fay a step.Since that time Billy has set other goals, some that he has succeeded in, some that he hasn't. Presently’ he sells life insurance and does speaking engagements all over the states. He holds residence in San Diego, California and will soon hold an important position in the Bureau of Indian Affairs.raceDuring the speeches he makes all across the courtry there is one story he tells which exemplifies Billy's own struggle as an Indian. The stoiy is of a man who sold balloons in a park in some city. To pither customers he used to let a few of his balloons loose. One day he went to a park and released a white balloon. Seconds aftenwrds he freed a blue one, then a red one and then a yellow. The elderly man felt a tugging at his pants.•Mister,* asked a small child, If you let a brown one go will it go up and float in the sky like the others?9The old gentleman looked down at the Ud and smiled. *\fr hyof course it will go up son. You see it's net the color that makes b rise, it's what is Inside that does it.*Mr. and Mrs. Alvis ElUsor of Cleveland were Sunday luncheon guests of M *s. C. El-lisor.Mrs. Aivis EllisoraadMrs. C. Ellisor visited the Brtch Ell isors at Big Thicket Camping P%rk Sunday afternoon.The McCants Family reunion was held at thehom* ofMr. anl Mrs. John WsrrenSunday. Thirty-nina persons enjoyed the get together, with relatives coming from Waxahachie, Nederland and Cleveland.Andrew Ellisor is again hospitalized in Huntsville.Mr. and Mrs. Garvey Rice, Grady and Gary of Kilgorespe.it the weekend with her psrerts, Mr. and Mrs.Dewey Mirtin.The Evergreen Baptist Church, assisted by other numbers of the Comnunity, sponsored a banquet at the community center Saturday evening. May 16, honoring the seniors of Cold-spring High School. Apprad-Approx imV-ely 50 persons at-lAiring the four year span a fellow fay the name of Hon Clarke, an Australian, was making all the headlines in the long distance runs. If Billy got the chance to go to the Olympics Clarke would be the guy he'd have to beat whenhe got there.t. S. Air Force solar furnace at C loud Croft, New Mexico, yields temperatures of 8,500 degree F.MARYLAND CLUBRUN $5.00 OB I
Newspaper Details
Shepherd San Jacinto News Times
Shepherd, Texas, US
Thu, May 21, 1970
Page 4
Full Page
Clipped by
Andrew M.
TX, USA 22 Feb 2022
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