THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS By Lillian Pompian Chicago Park District

Deck Hockey at the Special Olympics in Soldier Field

On the evening of Thursday, August 13th, a proud young athlete circled the track at Soldier Field, mounted a ceremonial platform and ignited an olympic torch—thus heralding the beginning of one of the most exciting and heart-warming events, the International Special Olympics.

Conceived by the Chicago Park District and co-sponsored by the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., Foundation, the three day International Special Olympics brought 2,500 mentally retarded children from 47 states, Canada and France to Chicago to compete in over 190 track and field and swimming events. In all, more than a million mentally retarded children participated in local physical fitness programs for the honor of coming to Chicago on August 13, 14 and 15 to represent their state or country.

The objectives of the International Special Olympics was not to only provide a vehicle for athletic competition by the mentally retarded, but to stimulate the development of recreational programs for the retarded throughout the United States and in foreign countries. The value of exercise and games for the retarded cannot be overemphasized. Although their physical abilities average two to six years behind those of normal children, making it impossible for them to compete on an equal basis in regular programs, retarded children have the same urge for physical activity, the same urge to experience fun and success through sports. A series of failures in various undertakings may cause the retarded child to look at himself as a failure. But in supervised athletics, he has an opportunity to achieve a very real success, to start building a positive self image, and to gain in confidence and physical development.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 137 September/October 1970