Submitted by Paul Brewer, Apr 19, 2007 00:16

Hitler was informed that after shaking hands with Finnish gold medal winners, that as presiding "Guest of Honor' he was to refrain from officially congratulating the participants. Jesse Owens himself stated that Hitler actually did wave to him later in the 1936 event as he pased nearby. Following his return home, Owens was neither recieved, congratulated or even mentioned by President Roosevelt. Further, Owen states that he was 'treated like a clown" in tawdry publicity stunts. He was pitted in speed contests against race horses and cars (with a head start). Owens recalled, "In Germany, I was welcome in any hotel, resturant, and cinema. ." He was hounded not only by the press, but deluged by women, and recieved numerous marriage proposals. On my last visit to Berlin, I had the opprotunity to pore through the official Nazi published 1936 Olympics Book. Several pages were prominently devoted to his accomplishments, including a full page photograph of Owensin the long jump event.

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