My original query:
"For years I have been telling a story of a "family event" which
included the "fact" that we were watching, on TV, Wilma Rudolph run
in an Olympic track event in the early evening (USA time) of October
15, 1964. In reading a recent reader's theater in Library Sparks by
Toni Buzzeo where she deals with Wilma Unlimited by Kathleen Krull --
I read her note about the subject. Toni mentions that Rudolph
retired from sports in 1963. Of course, my memory (and this family
legendary tale that has been told for nearly 40 years) could not be
wrong -- I was going to write Toni a note and before doing so, I
wanted to document her error. <grin> But in checking it appears that
my memory is wrong and Toni (and the author Kathleen Krull) were
correct.
But I do distinctly remember a female runner, running triumphantly
that night. So if not Rudolph, then who?"
===================================================
Several responded and in less than 2 hours all the clues came
together to identify the runner as Georgia native Wyomia Tyus who was
often compared to Wilma Rudolph. Since that is so, it would be
reasonable that the TV commentator would have mentioned Rudolph on
the air and thus clouded my memory. Frank Moore (who identifies
himself as a former resident of Toni Buzzeo's home state of Maine)
was the first to mention Tyus specifically although she was included
in several winner lists that were sent. However, it was my colleague
at the University of Wisconsin - Stout, Josephine Dervan who doggedly
pursued verification that Tyus not only was the winner of the 100
meter run but that she did so on October 16, 1964. She also ran on
the 15th but it was the triumphant record setting run on the 16th I
saw -- now my memory did not fail me here. I know I said the 15th
but I was in Iowa and Tokyo is 11 hours ahead of us; so our evening
on the 15th would be early morning on the 16th in Tokyo - hence the
variance of official dates.
Now Josephine found the initial information verifying the date on
wikipedia. And I usually do not accept that as clear verification of
any fact that I want to be sure is totally accurate. I tell my
students that using is akin to asking Uncle Arnie about a topic -
-he knows a lot but it is off the top of his head. But often what he
says gives clues as to where we can look for credible sources. So
with Josphine's information from Wikipedia I was able to verify the
dates on several legitimate sites including:
Sportsofworld.com. (2006-07) "Women 100m, 1964 Athletes, Olympics,
Sports World [Women's 100 meter Event at 1964 Tokyo Olympics,
Japan]." Sports of World: Athletics - (Online) URL:
http://www.sportsofworld.com/olympics/athletics/women-100m-1964.html
(Accessed 29 April 2008).
This quest to find the answer to a "real research question" serves as
a model of:
1) Even first hand memory of someone "who was there" isn't always accurate.
2) Wikipedia -- while undoubtedly (IMHO) is not a totally credible
source can well be used for the kind of informal clues and
information that can then lead to verification on sites where the
information is more elusive. So we should in no way discount it's
total value to the research process -- but unlike having immediate
access to an unquestionably authoritative source it gives us
immediate access to many Uncle Arnies -- one who means well, is often
right, but sometimes subjected to faulty information fed to him by
some of his other family members.
3) Collaborative research can bring a result fast as several knew,
for example that Tyus was African American, another knew that she was
often compared to Wilma Rudolph, and yet another knew she had run in
the 1964 Olympics, and finally Jospehine contributed the final links
that made all the facts fit.
4) And along the way some red herrings were thrown into the mix and
discarded because they did not match the known criteria (Ann Packer -
she was English; Bob Hayes - while he was African American he was
male and so forth). But this was dicey as my memory told me the
runner was Rudolph so it was reasonable to think that perhaps I was
incorrect about some of the other "facts" as well.
But the preponderance of facts point to Wyomia Tyus so now I feel I
can rewrite the accurate version of my family's oft-told tale. No
longer will Wilma Rudolph take center stage but Wyomia Tyus. will be
the featured runner.
Thanks to all for helping make my story accurate - Can you imagine
all the research an author has to go through to make sure her/his
story is accuaate even if it is fiction?
Thanks all.
Sharron
--
===================================================
Sharron L. McElmeel
http://www.mcelmeel.com
McBookwords (a literacy organization)
http://www.mcbookwords.com/
Instructor - University of Wisconsin-Stout
Children's Literature in the Reading Program
http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/childrenslit/
Young Adult Literature in the Reading Program
http://www.uwstout.edu/soe/profdev/yalit/
3000 N Center Point Rd
Cedar Rapids, IA 52411-9548
ph. (319) 393-2562
fax (319) 393-4749
mcelmeel@mcelmeel.com
===================================================
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