Bubba Sparks takes mournful detour from Sydney to Swayze
Yesterday’s blog entry by Bubba “Heading Down Under” Sparks is a remembrance of his junior high teammate Buddy Swayze, better known as Patrick Swayze of “Ghost” and “Dirty Dancing” fame. Patrick died of cancer Sunday at age 57. Bubba writes: “I didn’t know that Buddy’s name was Patrick until I saw him in his first movie. Yep, THAT Patrick “Buddy” Swayze is the guy I learned how to pole vault with at Frank M. Black Jr. High School. I ran into him in Hollywood many years later by chance on the Paramount lot where I was with some friends who were actors in the Dynasty/Colby’s series as they were taping the wedding show. . . . He was my first vault hero.” Heroes are good. Who was your local track hero in school? Mine was hurdler Rhett Bray at Orange County’s Valencia High School in 1970, my alma mater. Rhett was the Tigers’ star hurdler when I was overcoming my fear of the highs. Watching him skim was a thrill.
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I have two track heroes from my youth. First was Cyndy Poor, a teammate of mine on the San Jose Cindergals in the 70’s. Older and more experienced than my young 12 or 13 year old self, she competed in the 1976 Montreal Olympics in the 1500. Much to my great dismay, she did not make it out of rounds, despite the fact that 8 or 10 slower runners advanced based on their positions in their heats.
My other hero was Ann Reagan of Camden High School in Northern California. Ann was a three time CA state champ in the 880, who ran an eye-popping 2:04 800 meters as a Sophomore in 1977. Unfortunately I was also a 880 runner and each time we raced together I had to watch her run WAAAAAY ahead to victory. We all were in awe of Ann. Great memories!
i remember Patrick Swayze with Jennifer Grey on Dirty Dancing movie'”‘
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