Byron Dorgan: “if one is going to boast on the Senate floor, I assume I can be forgiven for boasting about close relatives. My story is…”

“if one is going to boast on the Senate floor, I assume I can be forgiven for boasting about close relatives. My story is about my Uncle Harold--Harold Bach to be exact. I called Harold last week and asked him what he had been doing. He said he had just gotten back from Minnesota. I asked, ``What were you doing there?'' He said, ``Well I was running in the Senior Olympics events.'' I guess it is not too unusual to have someone tell you that they are engaged in some track and field events. But my uncle is 87 years old. I said, ``Harold, what events did you enter?'' He said, ``I ran in the 50 meter, the 100 meter and the 200 meter.'' I asked, ``How did you do?'' Harold said, ``I won three medals--a gold, a silver and a bronze.'' It wasn't news to me to hear that my uncle was running. At age 72 Harold went to the Prairie Rose Games in North Dakota and just as a lark he entered races for age 70 and above. He easily won all three races that he entered. Then he decided, you know--I must have a talent here. It appears I can run faster than people my age. So he started running in other States. He ran in the Minnesota Senior Olympics, he ran in the South Dakota Senior Olympics, and then he was in Arizona and California. He never stopped running. He has now won 100 medals in Senior Olympics events across the country. At age 87, I think he is still angling for more victories.…”