Fifth International Special Olympics at Brockport

Fifth International Special Olympics at Brockport. . , In 1979, the world of Special Olympics came to our community., The College at Brockport Professor Joseph Winnick, PhD, (above) considered the father of adaptive physical education, was the driving force behind bringing the 1979 games to Brockport. And the College was the right place, having a long and distinguished history hosting similar but smaller events in 1968, 1975 and 1976., The time was right, too. "Mainstreaming" was taking root in schools around the country, bringing the mentally and physically disabled out of the shadows and into a more inclusive society. Further, Eunice Kennedy Shriver (right) and the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation had, since the 1950s, made a commitment to developing programs for that community., "I still have my medals I won in the 440, and the softball throw, and the standing broad jump. It was the best time of my life." , - Donald McDougall, Special Olympian, The fifth Special Olympics World Games, contested in Brockport in August of 1979, were special. For the 3,500 athletes who hailed from 29 countries, it provided a rare opportunity to compete and achieve while changing attitudes about the potential of the intellectually disabled. For the 3,000 volunteers and the thousands of spectators, the Games became an outpouring of love and support., Celebs Support Special Olympics - Luminaries from the worlds of sports, entertainment, and politics were on hand to support the Games. In addition to Eunice Shriver, Maria Shriver, and Ted Kennedy, athletes Muhammad Ali (left), Arnold Schwarzenegger, Hank Aaron, Bobby Orr, and Pele were joined by Christopher Reeve, Marlo Thomas, Phil Donahue, and Sally Struthers. Frank Gifford also was on hand and produced a 17-minute segment that aired on ABC's Wide World of Sports., The Stadium - Brockport was awarded the 1979 games in August of 1977. In two years, an 8,000-seat stadium, along with an eight-lane all-weather track and additional campus infrastructure improvements, were completed for less than $1 million as part of the overall $2.3 million Games budget. , Since 1979, Special Olympics Stadium has undergone a variety of upgrades and was renamed for Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who died in August of 2009., USSR Sends Monuments - In what were to be the only gifts ever given to the United States from the Soviet Union, two monumental sculptures by Zurab Tsereteli were presented to the College by a delegation from the Soviet Union. They stand today in front of the Allen Administration Building and next to the Drake Memorial Library, commemorating both the games and 1979 as the United Nations' "Year of the Child.", Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt. , - Special Olympics Oath.