Amateur Athletic Union, Junior Olympics, Washington, D.C., August
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~~>~ M~->~ ~ ''-fi!CE PRES IDE T UBERT HUI11PHREY ../) A I 0 OPENI I G CE l E110NY ~__....--. ...-"? AU JUNI OR OLYI' PICS SYLVA! THEATER WASHI NG TON , D. C. AUGUST 21 , 1967 IT IS A PRIVILEGE TO BE HERE THIS EVENING ••• TO WE LCOME YOU AAU J UN IOR OLYMP IC CHAMP IO NS TO ASH INGTO N Ill AND TO OFFICIALLY OPE N THES E GAMES . ~ I EXPECT TO HEAR ABOUT MANY OF YOU NEXT YE AR WHEN YO U GO ON TO INTERNAT IONA L CO MP ETITIO N IN MEXICO CITY AT TH E ' 68 OLYMPIC GAMES OR I N TH E 1972 GAMES . ~ I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THERE IS A LONG LI ST OF YOUNG AMER ICANS WHO PICKED UP GOLD MEDA LS AFTER FI RST WI NN ING IN THE AAU ' s JU NIOR O LY M PICS ~ NoTAB LY ABS ENT FROM THAT LI ST IS CONGR ESS MAN BoB f~ A T H I AS , WHO IS WIT H US TO NIGH T. -2- i}~u/(11~ AT THE AGE OF 17, HE WON THE DECATHLO N AT THE 1948 OLYMPICS" HE WOU LD CERTAI NLY HAVE BEEN A JUNIOR OLYMPICS WI NNER , BUT THE AAU DI DN 'T GET AROUN TO ORGANIZING THESE GAMES UNTIL TWO YE RS LATER. ~ BoB WEN T ON TO REPEAT " AS. i\~I~!~:-fc~AMPION THE AMA TEUR ATHLETIC UN IO ALL PARTY LABELS I I THAT's OF OUR YOU NG PEOPLE"' ARE OUT ALL ACROSS AMER ICA HAVE BEEN PUTTING FORTH AN -3- UNPRECEDENTED EFFORT TO PROVI DE OPPO RTU NITY FO R OUR BOYS AND GIRLS . PI ibillfATI~ A YO R S Il-- J.MI<EB :m !eli FERE!QC~ WA ltH-- ALL HAVE JOI NED IN TO GIVE OUR YOU NGS TERS A BETTE R CHA NCE FOR WOR THWH ILE EMPLOYMEN T, RECREATION, AND LEARN ING EX PERIE NCE. ~~ HAVE THE PRIVILE GE F SERVI NG AS CHAI RMAN OF THE PRESI DEN T's CouN CIL ON YouTH OPPO RTU NITY. TH IS CoUNCIL COORDINATES TH E FEDERAL PROGR AM S FOR YOU NG PEOPLE, AND TRIES TO MAKE TH EM WORK A LITTLE BETTE R. BuT, MAINLY, WE TRY TO GET LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND- LOCAL CITIZENS INVOLVED IN HE LPI NG YOU NG PEOPLE HELP THFMSfLVES. - 4 ~ WHILE THESE PRO GRAMS DON 'T ALWAYS MAKE THE HEADLINES, THE SUCCESSES ARE NOTEWOR THY. ~ ~ ILITARY INSTALLATI ONS HAVE BE COME YOUTH CAMPS; TENEMEN T WA LLS HAVE BE COME MO VIE SCRE EN S; OLD tO =-- WAREH OUSES AND IDLE FAIRGROU NDS HAVE BE COME MAS S RECREATION CE NTERS; ~ -4- STR EETS, VACA NT LOTS AND PARK I NG LOTS HAVE BECOME PLAYGROU NDS ; TRUCK BEDS HAVE BE COME STAGES , BR I NG I NG ENTERTAINMENT TO GHETTO NE IGHB OR HOODS , THESE THI NGS HA PPE N BE CAUSE PEO PLE CARE , MANY OF YOU ARE HERE TO NIGH T BE CAUSE SOME ONE . CARED . You WERE ENCOURAGED BY A BOYS CLUB OR A Po LICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE OR A ~1CA OR A CoMMUN ITY AcTIO N AGENCY, You DEVELOPED YOUR SKILLS AND YOUR ABILITY, AND TOMOR ROW YOU WILL BE IN AAU COMPETITIO N FO R NATI0NAL HONORS, ~A SPECIAL TRI BUTE IS DUE A COMPA NY THAT CARES -- THE UAKER OATS COMPAN Y -- FO R MAK ING THIS FIRST NA TIO NA L COMPETITION POSSI B L E ~KE HUNDREDS OF OTHER GREAT BUSINESS FIR MS ACRO SS THE COU NTRY, IT SEES ~ YOUTH -5- AS A .: RECREA TI ONA 0 PORTUNITY FOR YOUTH, 4~~~~~~D ..!,I§.S ~lii!Wi.!i-iiaw.-•!!M-1~H ELP. I NG YOUNG PEOPLE HE:; THEMSELVES IS AN AMER ICA N TRADITIO N, ~4~ BECAOSa=wi ALL AR~ NO T D%DI~hrs 5 Wi'" 2 Pliii i"ORL\¥ JQ. YEI R ooft? acrr B~R .:£.0lllf0 I I iii~IE ALL NEED TO RO LL UP OUR SLEEVES AND GET TO WORK , ~OUR HISTORY ECHOES WITH THE NAMES OF CITIZENS IN POVERTY, BUT GOT A HELPING HAND-- AND WHO GREW UP . .. OVERCAME GREAT ADVERSITY TO LEAVE THE IR MARK ON THIS .'J;:...~~- WOR LD. LAMONG TH E MOST DRAMATIC EXAMPLES ARE TH E ATHLET ES WHOSE SKILLS CARR IE D THEM TO THE BIG TI ME OF THE OLYMPICS AND PROFESSIONAL SPORTS, -6- BuT WE MUST ALSO ASSURE THAT A YOUNGSTER WITH AN I NTEREST IN SCIENCE, WHO MA Y FIND A CURE FOR CANCER, GETS SIMILAR OPPORTUN ITIES AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO DEVELOP HIS TALENTS. THAT 'S WHY WE HAVE MADE AN EFFORT TO GET YOUNGSTERS I NVOLVED THIS SUMMER IN EDUCATIONAL - 7 = ENDEAVORS AND MEAN INGFUL EMP LOYMENT, AS WE LL AS RECREATION . LIHAT' s WHY WE ARE Now LAU NCHI NG A STAY IN ScHOOL CAMPA IGN TO GET ACTUAL DROPOUTS AND POTENTIAL DROPOUTS BA CK T~ =-~~.:!~OL 'O You , THE YOUNG ATHLETES OF THE NATION, ARE NATURAL LEADERS IN YOUR SC HOO LS AND COMMUN IT ES . YoUR FRIENDS LOOK UP TO YOU. URGE YOU TO GO HOME AND URGE YOUR FRIENDS TO Jl ~~ .. a-... ::. (..:;-.r".....sz >"Ao>U."C.ll> _,roi ~ _...-:• GO BACK TO SCHOOL NEXT MONTH II I TO GET TH T DIPLOMA WH ICH -~... ~l'~h--.'1':'1,... SQ&4d3%Z¥ .dU W ILL -~~~AbO I NT OUT TO THEM THAT .:..:~~ · AS I N SPORTS , IT'S THE GUY WHO DOESN 'T QUIT THAT WINS/ - .J!"": , -7- You KNow THAT, FOR THE AAU JuNIOR OLYMP ICS HAS GIVEN YOU AND T~ M ~LION OTHE~ ~~;S YEAR AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEST YOUR SKILLS AND TO LEARN THE MEAN ING OF FAIR PLAY. THERE ARE MAN Y GREAT CHAMPIO NS , FORMER OLYMPIC GOLD MEDA L WIN NER S, HERE 0 THE PLATFO RM ...._... .................. =-- lDf! I!J[- i!l .... .d . ¢d ,..,. TONIGHT. THEY WILL ALL AGREE THAT THE IMPOR TA NT THI NG WA S NO T SO MU CH THE WI NN I NG) BUT THE TAK I NG PART- IN THE GAMES/ AND DOING YOUR BE ST T WIN. ~ AND THAT'S WHAT WE ARE TRYI NG TO DO IN OUR COUNTRY -- TO GIVE EVERY YOU NGSTER IN AMER ICA THE CHA-------NCE TO TAKE PART ••• TO OPEN THE DOOR T EMPLOYMENT , EDUCAT.:-- IO N, AND RECREATION • j \E DON 'T CLAIM TO HAVE ALL TH E AN SWERS , BUT MORE AND MORE YOU NGS TERS ~ GE TTI NG A CHAN CE, AND WE ' RE NOT GOING TO QUIT, -8- AND NOW, 1 WIS H EACH OF YOU THE BE ST OF LUCK IN TOMORROW'S COMPETITIO N AND OFFIC IALLY PROCLAIM THE 1967 JUNIOR OLYMPIC GAMES UNDERWAY . # # # ... ., • . -. VICE PRESIDENT HUBERT H. HUMPHREY Remarks Opening the First AAU Junior Olympic Games Washington, D. C. August 21, 1967 What a wonderful sight it is to look out over this great auditorium and see these fine champions, all these excellent young people. If ever there was a time when criticism of our young people ought to be proven false and put aside, I think it's tonight. I want to compliment you on the wonde rfui example that you are setting for t~e youth of Arne rica, and I want to wish each and every one of you the best in your forthcoming competition. I welcome you to the AAU Olympic games in track, field, and swim- ming. I welcome every champion to Washington. And what an honor it is to officially open these games. Some of you may not know, but I have looked forward to this day for many years. In fact, when I was a United States Senator, time after time, I introduced resolutions, offered amendments, spoke on the floor of the Senate in support of what I called the Junior Olympics. I believe that this is the way that we develop the talent that ultimately brings us the great victories, but above all, brings us that fine sense of sports- manship and competition for which this nation ought to stand. Many of ' .' ' . -. 2 you will go on to international competition in Mexico City for the '68 Olympic games or possibly in 1972 in those games. I've been told that there's a long list of young Americans who have picked up gold medals at the Olympics after first winning in the AAU Junior Olympics. I might add that in 1968, there's another competitiveevent going on in America. I don't know just which category it falls under --- track, field, or swimming. But I can assure you of one thing, it'll be hotly contested and you ought to be in shape for it. Now this summer, people all around your great country ---this coun- try that you've just spoken of in your Pledge of Allegiance ••• have been putting forth an unprecedented effort to provide genuine opportunity for boys and girls. Governors, Mayors, Federal Government officials, people in the great sports organizations and many voluntary organizations, the churches, the business community--- all of them ha'\e joined together in an effort to give our youngsters a much better chance for worthwhile employment, for wholesome recreation, and a rich learning experience. We call this our Youth Opportunity program. Now I've had the privilege of serving as the Chairman of the President's Council on Youth Opportunity. Of all my work in the Government none has , been more inspiring to me, more challenging, and more rewarding than this chance to be Chairman of the President's Council on Youth Opportunity. ·. 3 I serve as chairman of the National Aeronautics and SP,ace Council, which coordinates all of your Government• a efforts in the field of space research.