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American Speed Skater Traded Equipment With Japanese Skier
POSTED: 12:59 p.m. EST February 25, 2002
SALT LAKE CITY -- The speed skates worn by Jack Shea during two gold-medal runs in the 1932 Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid were returned to the Shea family Sunday.
When the 1932 games ended, Shea (pictured, right) traded the skates to a Japanese Olympian for a pair of Nordic skis. Shea's skates were then passed to a young Japanese speed skater, Kozo Yoshida.
Yoshida, now 62 and a horse breeder in Hokkaido, learned that Shea was recently killed in a car accident and returned the skates to Shea's grandson, Jimmy.
Jimmy Shea, an American Olympian who won gold in this year's skeleton event, said that he was "overwhelmed" by Yoshida's generosity.
2002 Winter Olympics  Olympics Trivia |
When the 1932 games ended, Shea (pictured, right) traded the skates to a Japanese Olympian for a pair of Nordic skis. Shea's skates were then passed to a young Japanese speed skater, Kozo Yoshida.
Yoshida, now 62 and a horse breeder in Hokkaido, learned that Shea was recently killed in a car accident and returned the skates to Shea's grandson, Jimmy.
Jimmy Shea, an American Olympian who won gold in this year's skeleton event, said that he was "overwhelmed" by Yoshida's generosity.
Previous Stories:
- January 22, 2002: Oldest American Medalist Killed In Crash
- February 22, 2002: Jim Shea Wins Skeleton Gold
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