Frank Thomas

Waldner Notable Sports Figures
Where Is He Now?
Waldner has been relatively inactive since the 2000 Olympics. After
breaking his foot in the fall of 2002, Waldner has been concentrating on
getting back into playing shape. Although there were many rumors concerning
the details of the injury, Waldner says he was at a pub when he
tripped over a step on his way to the bathroom. During his recovery he has
made appearances at tournaments and done some commentary for
Swedish television. He hoped to make his return at the World Championships
in Paris in May 2003.
make another comeback. Regardless of his current status,
Waldner has already left a lasting impact on the
sport he loves. His mythological reputation will continue
to influence and inspire newcomers to the game
while he continues to serve as an ambassador for a sport
that desperately needs the support of its stars.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Periodicals
Berlin, Peter. “Kong Holds Off Swedish Rival As Chinese
Sweep Gold Medals.” International Herald Tribune
(September 26, 2000): 26.
Corwin, Michael. “A ‘Racquet’ Heard ‘Round The
World.” Parks & Recreation (September 2000):31.
Ford, Bob. “Table Tennis Players Want Their Sport To
Come Out Of The Basement.” Philadelphia Inquirer
(July 17, 1996).
Syed, Matthew. “Chinese Domination Complete With
Defeat of Old Maestro.” Times (August 9, 1999): 31.
“Table Tennis: Waldner Regains the World Crown.” Independent
(May 7, 1997): 23.
“Table Tennis: Waldner Shines Amid The Chaos.” Independent
(May 7, 1997): 28.
Other
“The Lightening of Jan-Ove Waldner.” Fenerbahce.
http://www.geocities.com/fb_table_tennis/english/
roportaj3.htm (January 14, 2003).
“Waldner Reaches Final in Last Olympics.” Sports Illustrated
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/olympics/
newswire/2000/09/24/268268093547_afp/ (January
24, 2003).
Kenny Walker
1967-
American football player
1706
Sketch by Aric Karpinski
Chronology
1967 Born on April 6 in Crane, Texas
mid-1980s Plays high school football; receives football scholarship from
University of Nebraska
late 1980s Named Big Eight Conference Defensive Player of the Year
1991 Selected by Denver Broncos in eighth round of NFL draft
1993 Released by Broncos
1994 Signs with Calgary Stampeders
1995 Plays last season with Stampeders
late 1990s Becomes football coach at Iowa School for the Deaf
1999 Publishes autobiography, Roar of Silence: The Kenny Walker
Story
When football player Kenny Walker made his professional
debut in the early 1990s, he became the
first deaf player in the National Football League (NFL)
in nearly twenty years. A defensive lineman with the
Denver Broncos in 1991 and 1992, Walker became a
hero among the hearing-impaired with his against-theodds
success story. The 6-foot-4-inch, 260-pound player
picked up his defensive calls by reading other players’
lips, and distinguished himself on the playing field with
a strong performance. After two years with the Broncos,
Walker joined the Calgary Stampeders, becoming the
first deaf player in the history of the Canadian Football
League (CFL).
Born on April 6, 1967, in Crane, Texas, Kenny Walker
was the youngest of six children born to a cafeteriaworker
mother and an oil-field worker father. He was
two years old when he contracted spinal meningitis,
which left him deprived of his ability to hear. While his
family helped him with his disability, his two older
brothers, Darren and Gus, made sure their little brother
did not fall prey to self-pity. “If I was pouting, or wanting
sympathy, they’d deck me,” Walker told Tom Keyser
of the Calgary Herald.
After young Walker’s parents separated, his mother
relocated with her children to Denver, Colorado. Here
Walker attended a deaf program at the University of
Denver. A natural athlete, he played street sports with
friends, and made the football team as a starter in the
tenth grade. As a defensive end and split end, he was a
fast, capable player who excelled on the field. Upon
graduation from high school he was offered a football
scholarship from the University of Nebraska.
Named Defensive Player of the Year
Playing a defensive end for Nebraska’s Cornhuskers,
Walker gained a reputation as one of the fastest linesman
in the state. “He’s pretty much unstoppable,” teammate
Brian Boerboom told Ken Hambleton of the
Sporting News. “He’s so quick and so strong, it’s hard to
get in his way. You can be doing a good job on him and
not look very good when the play is over.” The press
marveled at the way Walker’s deafness did not hold him