“I’ll be Looking for the Gold One"
- Trans-Pacific Pep Rally
In the fall of 1964, Gary was a senior at Hastings College (Nebraska). He was also the student body president and had taken leave from school in order compete in the 300 meter rifle event in the Tokyo Olympics.
On October 9, 1964 East met West as the students at Hastings College talked "people to person" to Gary in Tokyo, Japan. The special pep rally was the brainchild of senior Pete Koontz, who headed the project. The ten minute call cost $80 which the students financed with donations.
The students gathered in the Calvin H. French Memorial Chapel at 4:30 PM and were briefed by Koontz. The HC cheerleaders led the students in the cheers they would use when Gary got on the phone. A special loud speaker had been set up so the students could hear Gary speak and he could hear their program.
There is a nine hour time difference between Tokyo and Hastings. The call was placed in the afternoon in Hastings, so it would have been early in the morning on the next day in Tokyo. Gary had to get up early and be at the call center at 6:30 or 7:00 AM to take the call in the Olympic Village call center.
At 5:20 pm in Hastings, the overseas operator in Oakland, California relayed the call to the college switchboard with these words, "Here is your party, United States."
"Hello, Gary Anderson, please" said student body Vice President Jim Woods.
"This is Gary Anderson."
Half way around the world at the Olympic Village in Tokyo, Japan, Gary listened to the world's first trans-Pacific pep rally. Jim Woods offered encouragement from the students, Dean Melvin G. Scarlett spoke on behalf of the administration and faculty and the cheerleaders led cheers and the school fight song with a wildly enthusiastic student body.
Rounding out the call, Ruth Ann wished Gary a Happy Birthday (his birthday was the day before the call) and told him to bring back the gold medal.
Gary told the students he had been practicing four to five hours a day on the range and that he and a Russian marksman were leading the 300m competition. Gary added that he was going to "wipe out" the Olympic record (then held by Vassili Borisov, USSR).
Gary also commented about the experience of living with 7000 athletes from all over the world in the Olympic Village. He added, "It's really great. The spirit is tremendous. These people are fantastic! I've never seen anything like it!"
Gary closed the call by thanking everyone "from the bottom of my heart." And then he said, "I'll be looking for the gold one."
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| (left) Student Body Vice President Jim Woods (center) Dean Melvin D. Scarlett (right) Ruth Ann on the phone with Gary in Tokyo |
