'That was the most bitter and painful experience of my life," observes Tom McMillen. "What happened in Munich was the most controversial and tragic sports competition in modern times."

Mr. McMillen is a former college and NBA basketball star, Rhodes scholar, three-term Democratic member of Congress, and now successful businessman. We're in his Northern Virginia office reminiscing about the continuing impact of the 1972 Olympic Games, held 40 years ago this summer. Overshadowing it all is the tragedy of what TV announcer Jim McKay called "the worst day in the history of sports."

That was the hostage crisis in the Olympic Village, which culminated in the murder of 11 Israeli athletes and coaches by Palestinian terrorists (linked to the Fatah group that we now know enjoyed Soviet funding and training for many years). Four days later was the disputed basketball game between the U.S. and the Soviet Union, in which Mr. McMillen played a pivotal role.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Culture-Watch • History • Sports • * Economics, Politics • Terrorism • * International News & Commentary • America/U.S.A. • Europe • Germany • Russia

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