Thousands Of Athletes

THOUSANDS OF ATHLETES have participated in the Olympic Games. Hundreds have won gold medals. But only a single athlete has captured a gold in both the Winter and Summer Games.

Eddie Eagan grew up in a poor family in Denver, Colorado. As a youth, he idolized Frank Merriwell, an athlete featured in dime fiction novels. Eagan followed his hero’s footsteps, attending Yale, Harvard Law School, and Oxford. Eventually, the Colorado native became a successful attorney.

Like Merriwell, the young man from Denver excelled in sports. In 1920, Eagan won the light heavyweight division at the Games in Antwerp, Belgium. Later, he won the United States Amateur Heavyweight title and the Amateur Championship of Great Britain.

Twelve years later, the boxer competed on the U.S. four-man bobsled team in Lake Placid, New York. Eagan, Billy Fiske, Jay O’Brien, and Clifford Gray claimed the gold for the USA over Germany and Switzerland.

So far nine Americans have competed in summer and winter Olympic events. Eagan, however, holds the honor as the only Olympian to capture gold in both.

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POINT Eddie Eagan found success in both hot weather and cold—in both Lake Placid and Antwerp. People honored Eagan for the gold medals he won. But his achievement went beyond the boundaries of countries and of seasons. His accomplishments transcended sports. He made a name for himself in life. God says an honorable name is more valuable than money. We should treasure it more than gold.

How do we make a good name for ourselves? We must be honest, truthful, kind, considerate, true to our promises, and willing to admit when we’re wrong.

But we can’t do all those things alone. We must depend on our heavenly Father for help. The Bible provides principles for living. Prayer gives us strength.

GOAL! When your name surfaces in conversation, what do you think people say? If you honestly don’t know, ask a friend you can trust to tell you the truth. Commit to God to working hard to earn a good name.