The following information fell into my hands when John Morgan (of the Morgan Bobsled dynasty) gave me a beautiful magazine entitled “Souvenir Issue.” The magazine was published for the Bobsled and Skeleton World Championships held in Lake Placid in March 2025.

It is filled with photos (and if you believe that a picture is worth a thousand words, then hang onto your hat or helmet) and stories of the those sports that will keep you on the edge of your chair or sled. And talk about cool advertising — the ads are nearly as much fun to read as the copy.

The opening pages are welcoming words, with photos, by Ivo Ferriani, president of the IBSF, and ORDA President and CEO Ashley Walden.

There is no way I could possibly do justice to that publication in this limited space, so do yourself a favor and buy a copy. Copies are available at the ORDA office at the Bobrun.

The Morgan brothers — Jim, Sean, Bryan and John — upside down in the tricky Zig-Zag curve during the U.S.A. Olympic Trials in Lake Placid, Jan. 5, 1980. (Photo courtesy of Kay Jones)

I must tell you about my great contribution to bobsledding. The late Monty Purdy was owner and operator of the Elm Tree Inn in Keene, probably the most famous watering hole north of Albany. Monty volunteered at the bobsled run like forever. He had a bad hip so he would drive his car up right beside the timing shack at the run.

Leading up to the Olympic Games, his son Ron Purdy told me his dad was told he could no longer drive his car up to the shack. He was told he had to ride up in a van with other workers making it difficult for him to maneuver.

When I heard this, I immediately went to my boss, J. Bernard Fell, president of The Lake Placid Olympic Organizing Committee, and told him the story. The next day Monty drove his car up to the timing shack. Was I the hometown hero at Purdy’s that weekend?