Sunday, November 1, 2009

Out Spotlight CIV

Today's Out Spotlight is Tom Waddell, founder of the Gay Games.

Tom Wadell was an Olympic decathlete who competed in the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games. But Waddell is best known for founding the Gay Games, a sports competition modeled on the Olympics for athletes of all sexual orientations.

Waddell was born Thomas Flubacher on November 1, 1937 in Paterson, New Jersey to a Catholic family. Aware of his homosexual feelings in high school, he excelled in athletics as a means to compensate for them.

His parents separated while he was in his teens, and at the age of fifteen he went to live with Gene and Hazel Waddell, for whom he did chores. They adopted him six years later. The Waddells, former vaudeville acrobats and encouraged Tom to take up gymnastics.

He attended Springfield College in Massachusetts on a track scholarship. Originally majoring in physical education, he switched to pre-medicine following the sudden death of his best friend and co-captain of the gymnastics team, an event that moved him deeply. At Springfield, he competed on the gymnastics and football teams and began training for the decathlon following his graduation in 1959.

In the summer of 1959, he worked at a children's camp in western Massachusetts, where he met his first lover, socialist Enge Menaker, then a 63-year-old man. The men remained close for the rest of Menaker's life, which ended in 1985 when he was ninety years old.

Waddell attended medical school at New Jersey College of Medicine, a division of Seton Hall University. He traveled on a U.S. State Department-sponsored track and field tour of Africa in 1962, interned at Beth El Hospital in Brooklyn, in 1965. In 1965, he journeyed from Brooklyn to participate in the civil rights demonstrations in Selma, Alabama.

Drafted into the Army in 1966, Waddell became a preventative-medicine officer and paratrooper. Entering a course in global medicine, he protested when he found out that he would be shipped to Vietnam. Expecting a court-martial, he was instead unexpectedly sent to train as a decathlete for the 1968 Olympics.

At the Mexico City Olympics, Waddell placed sixth among the 33 competitors. He broke five of his own personal records in the ten events.

After discharge from the Army, Waddell served residencies at Georgetown University and Montefiore Hospital (The Bronx) before beginning a graduate fellowship at Stanford University in 1970.

After injuring his knee in 1972 in a high jump while training, Waddell focused on medicine rather than athletics and began coming out to friends. In his first serious affair since his alliance with Menaker, he finally entered into a relationship with Charles Deaton, in 1974.

The two men threw themselves into the emerging gay culture of 1970s San Francisco, even as Waddell continued to explore occasional relationships with women.

Waddell's medical background enabled him to find jobs easily and in exotic locales. He served in the Middle East as medical director of the Whittaker Corporation from 1974 through 1981. Part of his job entailed serving as a personal physician for a Saudi prince and a Saudi businessman, and he eventually became the team physician for the Saudi Arabian team at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

After leaving Whittaker, Waddell happened to attend a Bay Area gay bowling competition, which inspired him to consider organizing a gay sports event modeled on the Olympics. He took up the cause of the "Gay Olympics" by traveling across the country to drum up support.

The first Gay Olympics was to take place in San Francisco in 1982 in the form of a sports competition and arts festival, but the U.S. Olympic Committee (U.S.O.C.) sued Waddell's organization over its use of the word "Olympic."

Despite the fact that the U.S.O.C. had not previously protested when other groups had used the name, they alleged that allowing a "Gay Olympics" would injure them. They succeeded in securing an injunction just nineteen days before the first games were to begin.

Nevertheless, the games, now re-christened the Gay Games, went forward and were a great success, perhaps because they emphasized sportsmanship, personal achievement, and inclusiveness to a far greater degree than the Olympics.

The battle over the right to use the term "Gay Olympics" continued in the courts and was not finally settled until 1987, when the Supreme Court of the United States, in a 5-4 decision, ruled in favor of the U.S.O.C. and affirmed the U.S.O.C.'s right to collect legal fees from Waddell.

In 1981, Waddell met public-relations man and fundraiser Zohn Artman, with whom he fell in love and began a relationship. That same year, Waddell, who had longed to be a father, also met lesbian athlete Sara Lewinstein and they decided to have a child together. Their daughter Jessica was born in 1983 and they were married in 1985.

In 1985, Waddell was diagnosed with AIDS. Although dogged by the lawsuit filed by the U.S.O.C. to recover legal fees in the battle over the right to use the word "Olympics," Waddell lived his final years with bravery and dignity. He saw the enormous success of Gay Games II in 1986, and even participated in it, winning a gold medal in the Javelin event.

Waddell died on July 11, 1987 with the enormous grace and courage that marked his life. His last words were "Well, this should be interesting."

27 comments:

destiny said...

An inspiring spotlight today, but one with such a sad ending. :-(

Florida Tom said...

Mr. Waddell sure did live an interesting and full life. Sounds like his interest and vigor for life continued onto the next.

Seaweed said...

Yes... Inspiring is the correct word for this Out Spotlight, and for Mr. Waddell's life and efforts.

Tobey talks Brothers said...

It's something of a relief too, to see Maguire looking much fitter than in the Jim Sheridan film, which opens Dec. 4. He had dropped more than 20 pounds from his already slender frame to play Sam Cahill, a Marine captain who survives captivity in Afghanistan only to find his relationship back home with his family -- and his self-image -- changed. It is a role that required the " Spider-Man" hero to lose himself in dark, emotional depths that his fans may be unaccustomed to seeing.

The film isn't all gloom, although most of the warmth emanates from scenes with his brother (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) and wife ( Natalie Portman) before his rocky return.

LA Times

Special K said...

Thanks for the article abour Tobey. Interesting that he admitted that he was in a mood while filming. Makes me think of the gossip about him and Jake having that tiff early on during the shoot, and wonder if he was just like that with everyone else on the set too.

"Tommy finds himself to be unworthy, unlovable," says Maguire of Gyllenhaal's character, "so he isolates, he doesn't get attached or connected. The older brother is such a strait-laced good guy who's been good at things his whole life, had the attention of their father, ended up getting a great wife and family and all of that. And when I go away, Tommy learns how to show up and he learns responsibility. He learns how to care for people and gets cared for."

It's going to be interesting to see Jake play against type. The last sentence says a lot,"he learns how to care for people and get cared for", it looks like its a journey of not just redemption, but trust and caring too.

Interesting Read said...

Interesting story. What a LIFE! Did I read it well? After having a child with his lesbian friend did they marry? He also had little sexual flings with women also. Not to get on the pro Jake bi situation, but doesn't this read like lots of men a women in life. Lire is not always black and white.

Interesting Read said...

Sorry: Meant to type Life is not always black or white, or for that fact Straight or Gay.

movie buff said...

Gotta see that movie "Brothers".

sexuality isn't fluid said...

... doesn't this read like lots of men a women in life

No.

elaine b said...

sexuality isn't fluid

LOL speak for yourself. I've known plenty of men who go both ways and who can't be happy with one choice. I get pursued by 'gay' men (I'm female) all the time. Tom Waddell's sexuality isn't that unique. IMO it's rare to have only one preference. I do believe Jake is bi:- 80% gay, 20% straight (and dropping) but in no way do I believe he's having sex with Reese. There's nothing there except a physical uncomfortableness, visual noncommunication and a brother/sister-gay/faghag aura.

sexuality isn't fluid said...

IMO it's rare to have only one preference.

Sorry, that can't be further from the truth, only a small percentage of people are bisexual.

Gay Olympics said...

Tom Waddell's sexuality isn't that unique.

Dr. Tom Waddell was gay.


Messages to Daughter

He needs the time so that he can finish the notes and tapes that he is preparing for his daughter to listen to at different stages of her life, explaining who daddy was, what he wanted from life and how he came to die this horrible way.

"How do you explain to a young girl growing up that your father was gay and died of AIDS and your mother is a lesbian?" Waddell asked out loud before answering: "I'm gay. But I always wanted a family. I'm sorry I waited so long. I was waiting for the right person to come along, and there was Sara.

"We met during the first Gay Olympic Games. She came on board and said, 'I'm a jock and I like what you're doing. And we gotta know each other,' and it turned out we both had the same wish, which was to have a child, so we did."


link

m said...

Always fascinitating, spot light days.

Seems quiet on the Jake front. I wonder if he will do any talk shows in conjunction with Brothers or leave it to Tobey. Didnt they postpone the film because one or the other was too busy for promo? I dont plan to see it myself until it is out on DVD. I saw the original, that was enough. Not boycotting Jake or anything, just not particulary interested in seeing the story. Same way I felt about Rendition.

no limits said...

Sorry, that can't be further from the truth, only a small percentage of people are bisexual.

Perhaps, if truly bisexual. But you might be overlooking one thing: sex (especially in the experimental years) with any gender is fun, nasty and exciting! No matter what the gender combination is, there's always some activity that can be done!

Special K said...

Jake wore the gilded hockey mask last year. Did the Goose go for feathers this year?

Sophia Bush News Blog

Can't really tell if it really is Austin by this picture. What do you think?

marfa said...

Jake was filming Pop in London rhis time last year, he wore the Mexican wrestler mask in 2007.

The Halloween party took plac in Marfa, TX yesterday and that was the theme, everyone wore the same thing, it was a mask ball.
It's Austin, check out the ears.

:) said...

check out the ears

I would if I could see them in that picture.

tweet said...

Dagny w Jake gyllenhal at pamelas! He's the dude in red in the back

Breakfast in Pittsburgh

Special K said...

Sorry. My bad. Yeah you're right about the gold mask was 2007. It all runs together somedays.

Special K said...

There was another tweet about Jake being at Pamela's yesterday. (10/31/09)

Almost positive I saw Jake Gyllenhaal in Shadyside, on Walnut, outside Pamela's, around 3:50pm today!!!!

Tweet - Jake at Pamela's in Shadyside

Reese said...

Who the h-e-double-hockey-sticks is Pamela? Jake and I have a contract! Is he two-time bearding on me? Fudge!

Life's Experiences said...

Sorry, that can't be further from the truth, only a small percentage of people are bisexual.


^ And what about all the women who have slept and had sex with other women on their own or with a male partner involved? Growing up experimenting, college days, Just an interest and curious? Now most of them are married and with children.
Please explain No limits.
Or is this one of those double standards of only women can be interested and participate in same sex acts then go to their opposite sex desires with a man, or ocassionally dip and dab into the same sex interest / curiousity when the feeling hits them. Well let me tell you, whatever Jake's sexual preference is, this type of situation happens to men also. It's just not talked about or giggled about couriously by them. Oh NO, this will not work for the mainstream hetro society.
Well let me tell you also, It will not work for the Mainstream Gay society either. What a Joke.

no limits said...

"Life's Experiences" - I have no idea what you're trying to say.

destiny said...

Am I missing something? Does Marfa stand for something? Because when I google it it appears to be a tiny town in Western Texas, near El Paso.

I can't tell whether it is really Sophia Bush, let alone Austin. For one thing the arms look kind of heavy.

idk said...

Reeke = Barfa
Bushnic = Marfa?

PoP said...

Prince of Persia movie trailer

.. said...

Marfa Stewart