Got this at a card show for $10. Iconic US Olympian. I wish it wasn’t a sticker auto. But it was only $10!

🎥

Bob Beamon

Why this moment is so iconic:

• Record-shattering leap: At the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, Beamon jumped 8.90 meters (29 ft 2½ in)—obliterating the previous world record by an astonishing 55 cm (21.7 inches).

• “Beamonesque”: The jump was so far beyond expectations that it inspired a new term in sports for a performance that exceeds all limits.

• Altitude + execution: While the high altitude in Mexico City helped, the jump itself was near perfect—he barely hit the takeoff board and maximized speed and lift.

• Unmatched dominance: His record stood for 23 years, until Mike Powell broke it in 1991.

Fun detail:

Officials actually had to bring out a manual measuring tape because the electronic system couldn’t measure that far—no one expected a jump like that.

Even got to add some Victorian Ghosts to my PC.

Another Olympic medal for Jessie Diggins this morning!! The US’s most decorated women’s cross country skier of all time, in her last Olympics, competing on bruised ribs. If you don’t know her story, there was a great article in the NY Times about her a week ago: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/05/magazine/jessie-diggins-ski-winter-olympics-milan.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share

In honor of the Olympics going on, and Team USA's first game on Thursday, here are some Team USA cards of players I got to watch in college. Of these, only Brian Cooper was in the Olympics. Saville and Pivonka were Team USA World Juniors. Stolarz and Megna were IIHF World Championships Team USA. And Knoepke was on the USNDT prior to coming to UNO. I need to try and track down some Guentzel Team USA cards (either last year's 4 Nation Faceoff or any eventual cards from this Olympics). USA! USA! USA!

Truly a must have sports card to own. The most memorable Mark McGwire memory for me was his battle against Sammy Sosa for 62 hrs in a season. What a time to be a baseball fan. I was rooting for Sosa though. The great Slammin Sammy! I know it was the Steriod era but it was fun.