Lindgren earned honor

Congratulations, Gerry Lindgren, for your belated induction into the (track and field) Hall of Fame.

We lived in the Downriver area in the 1960s and often observed this really skinny kid running – uphill and down, rain or shine, day or night – in a T-shirt and tennis shoes (unlike today’s spandex and $60 Nikes).

We followed his many track triumphs under coach Tracy Walters at Rogers High School.

Then came the thrill of his victory over the highly touted Russians. We felt the devastation when this virtual unknown from Spokane made it to the Olympics with every possibility of a gold medal, only to be sidelined by injury.

He was the inspiration to so many and deserves a lot of credit for the international interest in Spokane’s Bloomsday. Thank you, Gerry. You truly loved to run when running wasn’t cool.

Dona M. Van Gelder

Spokane Valley