Whenever I propose an article to CAM's editors, I try to make it both entertaining and relevant. "Why this story?" I ask myself. "And why now
?" So I keep my eye out for compelling subjects—and I keep my eye on the calendar. Anniversaries, in particular, can be a good hook on which to hang a story. I wrote a feature for this magazine about tennis champion Bill Larned, on
e of Roosevelt's Rough Riders in 1898—and we ran it in 1998.
But even better is when the story, the anniversary, and current events coincide. So it is with my upcoming profile of sports sociologist Harry Edwards (in the upcoming July/August issue). Edwards, who received his M.A. and Ph.D. from Cornell, was the man behind the proposed boycott by African American athletes of the 1968 Olympic Games. The effort made headlines for months. While the boycott never happened, the iconic "Black Power salute" by sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos on the medal stand that summer was a direct result of Edwards' movement.
Now, four decades later, the Summer Olympics in Beijing are approaching. I figured there would be some controversy surrounding the Games—indeed, that's why I pitched the story—but I had no inkling of its scope and fervor. Until China’s recent earthquake reordered the headlines, protest has dominated these Olympics. Should athletes speak out about human rights violations? Are the Games an appropriate arena for political protest?
These are the very same questions people struggled with 40 years ago. So Harry Edwards, now semi-retired but as outspoken as ever, is certainly relevant—as both a historical reminder and a contemporary voice on the issue. I love it when tales of the past can comment on present issues. Like Olympic relay racers and their batons, it's all about timing.
— Brad Herzog is a CAM contributing editor. Read more about him at www.bradherzog.com .