It seems like it’s getting rarer and rarer these days for the world of sports media to find a positive and relevant story and make it a big deal in the day’s news cycle.
Which is why it was great to see, this week, the tremendous press coverage and collective (and much deserved) respect from the sports media industry for Eunice Kennedy Shriver.
Following her passing on Tuesday at the age of 88, Ms. Shriver was memorialized by virtually every media source, including most sports outlets – but not because she was a member of the famous Kennedy Family and a sibling of the former President.
Ms. Shriver has been recognized and praised all week by the sports media as the founder of the Special Olympics and her 40 years of incredible work and dedication to the wonderful program.
Born into a family of wealth and privilege, Ms. Shriver dedicated a major part of her life to removing the awful stigma attached to developmentally retarded children and adults by using sports as an avenue to do so.
The Special Olympics was created by Ms. Shriver and others in 1968 to develop self-confidence, social skills and a sense of personal accomplishment for people with intellectual disabilities.
The program has since grown worldwide, impacting millions of special-needs people and their families, with local, regional and national competitions in more than 150 countries worldwide.
When its inaugural Summer Games were held at Chicago’s Solider Field, the 1,000 participating athletes were cheered on and encouraged by less than 100 spectators. But by its 40th anniversary in 2008, more than three million athletes in 181 countries competed in Special Olympic events with many more millions attending to watch, cheer and encourage.
Success like that doesn’t happen by just lending a famous last name. Ms. Shriver’s lifetime work to improve the lives of tens of millions of people is truly awe inspiring.
Although the Special Olympics is so much more than a “sporting event”, the bridge used to connect special-needs people to a better and more fulfilling life is, simply, sports.
So it’s been very important for the sports media folks to not only recognize this great lady’s work but to put it at the forefront of people’s attention.
Maybe instead of leading off a sportscast with two minutes of Terrell Owens and his latest declamation, the media can use the opportunity to educate people about a very important person who used sports to make our world a little bit better.
The sports media folks had a responsibility this week to make Ms. Shriver’s passing and the significance of her legacy known to all of its viewers, readers, followers, etc. – and they came through big time.
It’s been a good week for the world of sports media.
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In a world where ESPN leads it’s Sports Center this week with the likes of Snoop Dog as a guest commentator, it is truly sad that people like Eunice Shriver are not given top billing as she so much deserves! Hopefully the work she started and championed will be continued!
Looking at the pic, are the Chinese sneaking standard AND under the age minimum girls into the special olympics? Shame.