Watching Televised Olympics

My wife and I enjoy watching athletic contests on television. We both watch tennis. We have each played. She sometimes watches golf. I like to watch lacrosse, football, and basketball. She likes ice skating, which I watch because of her interest, although I can get into almost any athletic event and become interested.

We have been watching ice dance events at the Olympics these last few days. Her interest stems from the time she and her father participated in ice dancing contests in her youth in Michigan. She also likes synchronized swimming, which she participated in when we were in college.

I have had opportunities to meet, and photograph, some very interesting people. I sold a photo years ago to Life Magazine and another to Sports Illustrated. I think the only Olympic athletic I photographed is Milt Campbell.

When we think of the world’s greatest athletes, names like Jesse Owens, Jim Thorpe, and Bruce Jenner often come to my mind. But for those who know New Jersey sports history, Milt Campbell stands as a true legend—a decathlete whose journey from Plainfield High School to Olympic gold is inspiring and is important as historic. I think of him.

Raised in Plainfield, NJ, Campbell’s athletic prowess was evident early on. At Plainfield High School in the early 1950s, he excelled in track, football, and basketball, already showing the versatility that would later define his career as a decathlete. His talent wasn’t limited to one field—he was a standout fullback in football. Records show him scoring 140 points during his senior season, and he earned All-State honors in both football and swimming.

In my sophomore year of high school, I had the opportunity to photograph for the school yearbook the game between Perth Amboy High School, which I attended at the time, and Plainfield High School, where Milt Campbell played. I still have a clear image of him dragging three or four of our players for another first down. He was indeed difficult to bring down—a testament to his strength and determination on the field.

After high school, Campbell attended the University of Illinois, where he became a dominant force in collegiate track and field. But it was on the world stage that he truly made history. At the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, during my freshman year in college, Campbell won the gold medal in the decathlon, setting an Olympic record. The decathlon, a grueling two-day event covering ten track and field disciplines, is often seen as the ultimate test of athleticism. Campbell’s victory not only crowned him as the world’s most complete athlete but also resonated deeply during the Cold War era, when U.S. and Soviet athletes fiercely contested the event.

Campbell’s impact went beyond medals. Known for his combination of power and finesse and efficient technique, he helped modernize expectations for decathletes. His achievements earned him induction into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame. He remains a benchmark for American combined-events athletes. For New Jersey, Campbell is proof that a public-school kid from Plainfield could become the world’s best. I am sure his accomplishments were without the personal coaching, single focus on one sport, and multiple sports camps that seem to be part of the process today.

Campbell’s high school football career is the stuff of local legend. He was named to the Star-Ledger football team of the decade for the 1950s and recognized as one of New Jersey’s top all-around high school athletes before heading to Indiana University on a football and track scholarship.

Yearbook records indicate that Plainfield and Perth Amboy high school teams played to a 20-20 tie in the early 1950s, but there is no digitized record confirming Campbell’s participation in those specific games. Still, his overall impact on the field is unquestioned. And I saw him play in one of those games, although I do not remember the score of the game.

Milt Campbell’s story is more than a tale of athletic achievement—it’s an inspiration. His journey from Plainfield’s public schools to Olympic gold shows what’s possible with talent, determination, and opportunity. For anyone who dreams big, Campbell’s legacy is a reminder that greatness can come from anywhere.

I watched it happen.