BOB BEAMON world long jump record...
Between 1935 and 1968, the world long jump record increased exactly eight and one-half inches. Coming into the Olympics, the world record was 27 feet, 4¾ inches, shared by American Ralph Boston and Soviet Igor Ter-Ovanesyan. In six seconds, that all changed.
Bob Beamon, a 22-year-old New York native, barely qualified for the Olympic long jump finals after fouling in two of his qualifying runs. Fortunately, he did.
The following day in the finals, Beamon took off down the runway in the thin air of Mexico City. After exactly 19 loping strides, he hit the board perfectly, stretched out with his legs and flew through the air like no one ever had. And finally, he hit the sand in the pit below—29 feet, 2½ inches later!
UPDATE on wolves: 7/2008
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The last time I wrote you, 37 wolves had been slaughtered since the Bush Administration stripped them of their endangered species protection in March.
Now I'm sorry to report that a terrible new milestone has been reached: 106 wolves have been killed in the past 118 days.
That's nearly one wolf killed every day. And if Wyoming, Idaho and Montana have their way, at least 900 wolves -- nearly 60 percent of the population -- could be exterminated this fall, when a massive public hunt begins.
Make no mistake: This will be the very last summer for many of Yellowstone's wolves -- unless immediate action is taken to stop the killing.
That is why I am urging you to sign our petition to the Interior Department demanding that it restore protection for wolves now.
Tourists visiting Yellowstone have been horrified to learn that the very wolves they've traveled hundreds and thousands of miles to see are being gunned down just outside the park. Hundreds of tourists a day are signing petitions to protest the slaughter.
bravenet.com