Robin Everhart - Olympian Jack Robinson - Charlotte Robinson - Coach Mike Krzyzewski - my son Drew Everhart. This picture was taken after Jack addressed the USA Olympic Team at Coach K's request - before the historic game with Nigeria.
Jack Robinson - Baylor University - All-American - Olympic Gold Medalist 1948. Photo taken from a sale on eBay today.
Wednesday was a big day for our family. It started out with all of us gathering in the lobby of the hotel where the USA Basketball Team was staying. Coach Mike Krzyzewski wanted Big Jack to address the team and tell them what it was like to travel to London for the Olympics in 1948.
Since Robin and Drew both graduated from Duke - they were hopeful to see their idol - Coach K.
Jenna Bush was there - the president's daughter - she is a news person for the NBC Today Show. She is doing a piece to be played this week on the Today Show all about Jack.
Finally 2 PM arrived and Big Jack Robinson - Olympic gold medalist - and great grandfather to Jack Everhart - my grandson - addressed the team.
The team was glued to Jack's face as he told them how in 1948 - the team went to London on an 11-day steamship ride. He explained how they were housed in an old army barracks at Uxbridge Airbase - about 10 miles west of town. He talked about how the London kids were still living in rubble and did not know what candy bars were. Many of the meals were horsemeat - and they lived on an 1100 calorie a day diet - even the athletes. They were impressed when he said he was invited to Buckingham Palace to meet the king and Princess Elizabeth. He was impress how pretty she was. Finally - he explained how he roomed with the only black player on the team. He said the team went to the University of Kentucky to play an exhibition game and 45,000 tickets were sold for the game. UK did not want to allow a black player to play. The Olympic team was adamant and said they would not play without the black player. UK relented.
Drew and Robin got their wish - about 20 minutes of conversation with Coach K - he insisted on being called Mike. Pictures were taken and will probably be made into family posters. Coach Mike gave them 6 tickets for that night's game.
After meeting the basketball team - we all went to Princess Diana's playground - a truly fantastic place for kids. A guy asked Drew to take a picture of his family. It turned out to be heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis. What a day!
We took a cab home so Drew and Robin could prepare for the big game.
Jenna Bush - yeah the president's daughter - interviewed Jack Robinson for the Today Show.
Jenna Bush and crew took some footage of Big Jack and Little Jack Everhart to be shown on the Today Show - tomorrow - Monday morning.
More of Jack and Jack.
Little Jack in the foreground and Heavyweight Champion Lennox Lewis playing together at the Princess Dianna Playground.
Father and Son - Drew and Jack - enjoying a Black London Cab ride home. Father and grandfather - me - took the picture.
Lennox Lewis at the playground in Kensington Park.
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