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H-ASIA Date: August 27, 1995 1)************************************************************** Subj:RE: H-ASIA: 1964 Olympics query From: paradi@ionet.net (peter aradi) Yoshinori Sakai, born August 6, 1945 near Hiroshima carried the Olympic torch into the stadium during the opening ceremonies. As the local papers stated at the time, he was born a few hours after his father has seen the 'lightning in the sky.' The choice of the runner was not missed by the world media. The November 10, 1964 edition of the New York Times stated: 'Some foreigners and letters to the Tokyo newspapers suggested that a youth born on December 7, 1942, on the day of the Pearl Harbor attack, could have served the purpose too.' To most Japanese, the choice of Sakai represented national resurrection. And, I might add, the resurrection of nationalism as well. Peter Aradi 2)******************************************************************* subj:RE: H-ASIA: 1964 Olympics query From: Gerald Figal <figal@lclark.edu> I believe in a documentary entitled "Japan: Living Through a Miracle" (part of a series aired on Arts & Entertainment channel a few years ago) there is a reference to the torch bearer of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics having been born in Hiroshima on August 6--and it was definitely planned to be symbolic (of having risen from ashes to Mt. Olympia, or whatever). I also seem to recall that his name was given. I can verify that for you, Dr. Spendelow, once I retrieve my copy of the video from my office next week (unless someone else can do so sooner). gerald figal lewis & clark college 3)************************************************************* Subj:RE: H-ASIA: 1964 Olympics query From: Glenn Alan Stark <gstark@leland.Stanford.EDU> I am a graduate student at the Center for East Asian Studies, Stanford. I study Chinese literature, not Japanese history, but I managed to dig the following paragraph out of Nexis. Los Angeles Times September 14, 1988, Wednesday, Home Edition Part 1; Page 1 Column 1; Foreign Desk ``American Carries Torch; His Olympic Moment to Last Forever'' by Bill Dwyre ``It will be hard to top the memory of Yoshinori Saki, the last of 100,000 runners in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics torch relay. Saki was chosen to be the last because he had been born in Hiroshima the day the atomic bomb was dropped.'' This is all I know. Nexis seems to have only this mention of Yoshinori Saki. Bill Dwyre is the current Sports Editor at the LA Times. Glenn Stark gstark@stanford.edu ================================================================= To post to H-ASIA simply send your message to H-ASIA@msu.edu For vacations send message to listserv@msu.edu on message line type set h-asia nomail upon return simply type set h-asia mail
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