Frank Thomas

Unser Notable Sports Figures
Carey, Jack. “Bobby Unser Accused.” USA Today (May
19, 1994).
Dorsey, Chris. “Unser Drives You Wild.” Sports Afield
(March 2001): 10.
El-Bashir, Tarik. “Another Indy 500 Brings Another
Unser to the Track.” New York Times (May 20, 1998).
Jones, Robert F. “A Fierce and Fiery 500.” Sports Illustrated
(June 1, 1981): 22-27.
Kindred, Dave. “Mears Victor at Indianapolis Second
Try: Mears Backs Off, Wins as Bobby Unser Falters.”
Washington Post (May 28, 1979).
Kirshenbaum, Jerry. “Attention, Auto-Racing Fans,
There’s Been Another Lead Change at Indy.” Sports
Illustrated (October 19, 1981): 35.
Kohler, Judith. “Bobby Unser Convicted of Violating
Federal Wilderness Act.” Associated Press (June 12,
1997).
Kohler, Judith. “Race Car Champ Bobby Unser Convicted
of Violating Federal Wilderness Act.” Associated
Press (June 13, 1997).
Korte, Tim. “Bobby Unser Says He Will Appeal Judge’s
Ruling.” Associated Press (June 23, 1997).
Lefevre, Lori. “Spinning His Wheels.” Mediaweek (February
26, 2001): 46.
Long, Gary. “Bobby Unser Behind Wheel Once Again.”
Toronto Star (January 14, 1991).
Mabin, Connie. “Federal Trial Begins for Race Car
Champ Bobby Unser.” Associated Press (June 11,
1997).
Massey, Barry. “Bobby Unser Takes 1994 Case to
State’s Highest Court.” Associated Press (November
12, 1997).
May, Tim. “Bobby Unser: Without Stars, Indy a Shadow
of Former Self.” Columbus Dispatch (May 12, 1998).
Moran, Malcolm. “Bobby Unser Wins Indy 500 Marred
by Crashes, Fires.” New York Times (May 25, 1981).
Moran, Malcolm. “Reluctantly, Unser Bows Out.” New
York Times (December 23, 1982).
Moses, Sam. “I Will Go Fast Until the Day I Die.”
Sports Illustrated (January 11, 1982): 66-79.
“New Mexico Supreme Court Won’t Rule in Bobby
Unser Appeal.” Associated Press (November 17,
1997).
“Race Driver Bobby Unser Reported Missing.” Record
(December 22, 1996).
Tuschak, Beth. “Bobby Unser Survives Two Days in
Mountains.” USA Today (December 23, 1996).
Other
“2000 Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame Class of
Inductees.” Colorado Springs Sports Corporation.
http://www.thesportscorp.org/events/09200hof_
unser.htm (November 7, 2002).
About Bobby Unser Jr. http://unser.hypermart.net/
AboutUs.html (November 7, 2002).
1672
“Bobby Unser.” CART World-Drivers. http://www.
cartworld.free-online.co.uk/drivers/bunser (November
7, 2002).
“Bobby Unser Stays Busy In Life After Racing.” Indianapolis
500. http://www.indy500.com/press/1998/
bunser.html (November 7, 2002).
Indianapolis 500. http://www.indy500.com (November
7, 2002).
Statement of Bobby Unser on Wilderness. http://www.
wildwilderness.org/wi/unser.htm (November 7, 2002).
Sketch by Janet P. Stamatel
1980 U.S. Men’s Olympic
Hockey Team
American hockey team
History is replete with examples of epic struggles
where ordinary people face overwhelming odds to
achieve monumental victories. David, a simple shepherd
boy, bore the weight of a nation and armed with only a
sling slew the most feared and seasoned warrior Goliath.
Local militias comprised of farmers, artisans, and volunteers
defeated the professional armies of the British Empire
in securing independence during the American
Revolution. In U.S. Olympic history, perhaps there is no
greater example than when a group of college kids came
together in February 1980 to strike gold and ignite a
long dormant flame of national pride and patriotism.
On November 4, 1979, militant Iranian students
stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran taking several
American citizens hostage. One month later military
forces from the Soviet Union invaded neighboring
Afghanistan lowering the temperature of an already
frigid Cold War. In the United States inflation and unemployment
rates were on the rise and lines for gasoline
were growing longer. In February of 1980, as the Winter
Olympics approached, world events had served to foster
a growing sense of national pessimism and hopelessness.
Low Expectations
Overall, international amateur ice hockey was thoroughly
dominated by the Soviet Union. The Soviets had
captured gold in five consecutive Olympics prior to
Lake Placid and with Vladislav Tretiak in net, widely regarded
as the best goaltender of all time, they were expected
to tally a sixth. Although technically amateurs,
the men of the Soviet hockey team were officially members
of the Red Army whose only responsibility was to
eat, sleep, and breathe ice hockey. Despite growing rumblings
within the international community over a boy-