dropping off the evening meds or,
perhaps, something more memorable?
Perhaps no one captured the hearts and imagination of America during the 1980s quite like Mary Lou Retton. The cherubic 16-year-old U.S. gymnast won the Individual All-Around Gold Medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Additionally, she claimed an individual Silver in the Vault, Bronze in the Uneven Bars and Floor, and Silver as part of the U.S. Team.
This all occurred less-than two months after a freak knee injury leading up to the Games that required arthroscopic surgery to repair the injury.
Retton’s medal haul in Los Angeles earned her a Sports Illustrated cover appearance and – along with the Games’ track and field standout, Edwin Moses – the honor as SI‘s “Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year.”
Retton was recently in the news as she suffered from a severe case of pneumonia that found her hospitalized in an intensive care unit. Good news from Retton’s family in the past week is that she’s now recovering from home, but with a long road ahead.
You’re welcome to read more about Retton in her U.S. Olympic Museum bio here and see key moments of her All-Around performance below.
Just to review, The Fan Teaser comes courtesy of longtime buddy, Pat Schutte. The cropped photo below and the accompanying clue give you an idea as to who or what the image is of. We invite you to use the Comment option to take a crack at solving the Teaser and, if you’re so inclined, participate in some good-spirited banter with your fellow sports fans. The Fan Teaser will appear each Friday morning with the reveal coming to you Sunday.