Jamaica’s Usain Bolt was off the charts with his dynamic performance at the IAAF World Championships in Berlin last week. Bolt broke his own world records in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. His record times of 9.59 seconds in the 100 and 19.19 in the 200 are simply mind-boggling.
It’s quite amazing to see a human being move so fast and look so smooth and fluid while doing it. And, he is just 22 years old.
As a track and field enthusiast, the next thing I want to see this wonderful 6-foot-5 Bolt of lightning do is take a shot at the 400-meter dash. The world record is 43.18, held by former American great Michael Johnson. After the world championships, Bolt said he wanted to be a legend. He many have already achieved that status.
However, if he decides to move up and take on the 400, which has been an American stronghold for generations, he could move into track immortality if he could run that sub-43 second 400. Bolt hinted that he might give the 400 a go at the 2011 World Championships in Korea. Now, that would be exciting.
As dominant as the 6’5” Bolt was, a diminutive Ethiopian distance runner named Kenenisa Bekele was just as extraordinary in winning the 5,000 and 10,000-meter runs. Bekele became a four-time world champion in the 10,000 and a rare “Woolworth Double” winner at the World Championships and the Olympics.
All-black talk
I hope all of you good folks who are reading the St. Louis American every week turning your radio dial to WESL-AM 1490 to hear a little urban sports and talk. It’s good to see an all-black talk format back in St. Louis once again. I was part of the all-black talk format at KATZ in the 1990’s and had a ball, so it was a sad day for me when it went away.
Now, it is back in the form of “The New WESL: Urban Sports and Talk” with some veteran stalwarts of the industry in St. Louis along with some fresh new voices in the mix. Most of the talk is about sports, but there is a healthy dose of local, social and political talk as well. There’s something for everybody.
You have the sage wisdom of Richard “Onion” Horton at 6 a.m., followed by No Half Steppin’ with KTVI’s sports anchor Rob Desir and the very, very knowledgeable Robert “Moses” Knighten from 9-11 a.m. Rob and Moses are followed by veteran Charlie “Tuna” Edwards & Friends from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Charlie is joined by former Hazelwood East and University of Missouri football standout Darryl Whittington and Rayna Reynolds, who both bring a fresh insight to the airwaves. Veteran Deneen Busby comes in at 1 p.m. with an excellent public affairs show. At 2 p.m. is Craig Blac, who combines sports and hip-hop in the mid-afternoon.
Finishing off the day is my buddy Maurice Scott’s “From the East Side” from 4-6 p.m. Maurice has national guests on a daily basis, but he can also bring the heat. On Thursdays, I join Maurice as a co-host on “Basketball Thursday.”
It is a great mix of talent. It’s just wonderful to see black sports and talk back on the air in St. Louis because it is so badly needed. I hope everyone continues to support it.
Little brio in Bologna
Congratulations to my younger brother, Richard Austin, on leading his to the Italian Baseball League championship. Richard played for Fortitudo Bologna, which defeated San Marino four games to one in the championship series last week. Richard hit a robust .471 in the championship series, including a four-for-five performance with a homer and five runs batted in in the series-clinching victory. Richard was the Most Valuable Player of the Italian Baseball League in 2008. Congrats, little bro.
Thompson Youth Invitational
The Ralph James Thompson, Sr. Youth Football Invitational will be held on Saturday at MICDS. The event is a special youth football jamboree named in honor of Mr. Thompson, a long-time youth sports coach and a good man who died in 2002. His son, Robin Thompson is putting on the event, which will feature five youth football games.
The schedule goes as follows: Jr. Stars vs. University City (11 year olds), 9:30 a.m.; Jr. Stars vs. Mathews-Dickey (12 year olds), 11 a.m.; Jr. Stars vs. U. City (8 year olds), 12:30 p.m.; Jr. Stars vs. Prime-Time (2 p.m.); Herbert Hoover vs. Hazelwood East (13 year olds), 3:30 p.m.
Donations for the event are welcomed as well as canned goods or non-perishable items. Proceeds will go to the Anthony Troupe Memorial, named in honor the young junior football player from Berkeley Middle School who tragically died at a practice last week. People who want to make a donation to the memorial fund can also go to any US Bank location. The canned goods and perishable items will go to the Anointed Hands Food Pantry (2629 Rauschenbach). Hope to see you there.
Golfing for boys & girls club
The 20th annual Mathews-Dickey/Coca-Cola Golf Tournament will be held on Monday, Aug. 31 at the Old Hickory Golf Course (I Dye Clue) in St. Peters, Mo. The golf tournament is one of the fund raisers for the club’s numerous programs for our area’s youth. The festivities will begin at noon.
Earl Austin Jr. can be heard every Thursday on WESL-AM 1490 with Maurice Scott from 4-6 p.m.