While Reading Last Month About The 1936 Olympic ...

While reading last month about the 1936 Olympic games in Berlin Germany, there is a story about a friendship that was birthed between Jesse Owens a Black man and Luz Long a German. Both men were competing in the long jump, Jesse Owens was the early pick to win the event. You see the year before he had jumped 26 feet, 8 1/4 inches setting a new world record that would stand for 25 years. As he walked to the long-jump pit, however, Owens noticed a tall, blue eyed, blond German taking practice jumps in the 26-foot range. Owens naturally felt nervous. He was acutely aware of the Nazis’ desire to prove “Indo-European superiority,” especially over blacks.

At this point, the tall German introduced himself as Luz Long. He said to Owens “You should be able to qualify with your eyes closed” referring to his two jumps.

And for the next few moments the black son of a sharecropper and the Indo-European model of Nazi manhood chatted. Then Long made a suggestion. Since the qualifying distance was only 23 feet, 5 1/2 inches, why not make a mark several inches before the takeoff board and jump from there, just to play it safe? Owens took his advice and qualified easily.

In the finals Owens set an Olympic record and earned the second of four gold medals. The first person to congratulate him was Luz Long in full view of Adolf Hitler.

As the story ends Owens never again saw Long, who was killed in World War II. Later he wrote of his friend, “You could melt down all the medals and cups I have, and they wouldn’t be a spot on the 24-carat friendship I felt for Luz Long.” Now that is what I call friendship.