For any American, it would be a thrill to hold an Olympic gold medal. For the men of the San Quentin 1,000-Mile Club, it was an honor for Fast Eddie Hart to bring his into the prison and share his experience with them.
Hart won the Gold medal running the 4×4 relay in the 1972 Olympics.
“I want to say is that it is a pleasure and an honor to stand here and speak to you men and women. Coming into San Quentin is an experience that will stay with me for the rest of my life,” said Hart to the crowd of long distance runners and the sponsors of the track club. “Ever since I was five years old, I was fast. At five years old, I was faster than all the kids my age and most the kids a little older than I was. From childhood, I have received accolades for (my speed), and I loved it.”
Hart made international news in the summer of 1972 when he missed his semi-final race and couldn’t compete in the 100 meter sprint due to a mix-up in the racing schedules.
“I remember going back to the hotel room, standing in the shower for about an hour and a half. I think I cried just about every minute I was in that shower,” he told the group.
“However, my parents didn’t raise a quitter. My father instilled in me that I wasn’t to cry over spilled milk, and not to have sour grapes. I also had to get myself together because I had a relay race to run. My personal dream may have passed, but my team needed me to anchor the relay race. So, even though I was in pain – and everyone in my hometown was grieving inside with me – I had to let that go and refocus on my team,” said Hart.
Hart stood in a chilly room inside The Old Laundry building, on the prison grounds and reflected on his path to the Olympics.
“Jesse Owens was a big hero of mine, setting four world records, and winning four gold medals in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin; also ‘Bullet’ Bob Hayes in the ‘64 Olympics when he broke Jesse Owens’ record. He was a hero of mine as well.”
Hart said he made his mind up to be an Olympian while still in junior high school.
“I could see my name in lights: ‘Eddie Hart, Olympic Gold Medalist.’ I spent the next ten years putting myself in a position to achieve that goal,” Hart stated, pulling the Olympic gold medal from his pocket. It shimmered in his hand.
“Coming out of junior college, I was ranked number 1 in the country. I had offers from several of the top universities in the land, but I chose University of California, Berkeley. Part of the reason I chose Cal Berkeley it was close to home. It also had something to do with the fact that my then girlfriend (and future wife) Gwen Carter was attending Cal Berkeley,” Hart said with a boyish smile and gleam in his eye. Hart and Carter have been married for 40 years.
“Just three weeks prior to the Olympic trials in 1972, I pulled a muscle at the Kennedy Games, one of the major track meets in the country. I was worried if it would heal before the Olympic trials. When the trials came around, I hadn’t come out of the (racing) blocks in three weeks. I was really worried about injuring myself again and missing the Olympics altogether.”
His message about overcoming adversity was well received by those in attendance.
“Just the fact that he came into San Quentin to speak to us says a lot about the man behind he medal,” said one club runner. “It puts emphasizes to his overall message about giving back, and the responsibility of being a celebrity and an American icon.”
“What I was most impressed about was his message that true strength is overcoming adversity,” said Steve Emrick. Emrick is the community partnership manager. “The message that character is developed by how you overcome hardship and not necessarily the successes is tailored for these men (of San Quentin).”
Hart began a foundation ten years ago called the Hart All In One Foundation. “I have been living with my family in Pittsburg for the past 12 years. Now that I have achieved my goals, I believed it was time for me to give back and to help the youth in mine, and the surrounding communities, to develop and attain their goals.”
Ralph Ligons, a childhood friend of Hart, said, “Growing up, Eddie was always serious. I mean, more serious than any other kid in our neighborhood. He was focused and he knew what he wanted.” Hart and Ligons have known each other since they were both in elementary school. They have remained close friends even to this day.
“I remember when we were growing up, Eddie used to chase us –- he was faster than everybody,” Ligons laughed as he recalled the memory, sharing the moment with those in attendance. “If he caught you? He’d give you a Charlie-horse in your thigh! But he never caught me.”
Ligons also competed in the Olympic trials in 1972, and made it to the semi-finals. He lost to his friend in the 100 meter. “I lost, but I lost to the fastest man on the planet (at that time) and that’s not a bad thing,” said Ligons, a former Sacramento State College All-American track star from 1971-74.
Hart answered questions from those in attendance, and took pictures with the 1,000-Mile Club members and sponsors.
When asked about talking with convicted criminals about difficulties, Hart was reflective.
“My path to the Olympics began 10 years before I stood on the podium and actually bent at the waist to receive the medal. It began with a dream. I want these men in here to know that they have the capacity to still dream and achieve those dreams despite their current circumstance.”