OLYMPIAN GETS AUTOGRAPH FOR LIL’ SISTER
Track and Field record holder Carl Lewis was the name that rolled off of everyone’s lips during the 1984 and 1988 Olympics. Even I, at the time a 10-year-old girl, had a full-length poster of Carl Lewis on my bedroom wall. I had the biggest crush on Carl, my brother Larry’s Olympic competition. I HAD to get his autograph and my brother Larry was my key to getting that for me. 
I had ordered a pretty autograph book through my school book club… using my allowance money. I vividly remember it. It was very colorful and girly. A white background covered with crayons of every imaginable color. Larry, the sweet big brother that he is, put it in his bag. I could only hope he’d have the time between training to get it autographed. 24-years later I think about that moment and chuckle. Could you imagine being a competitor in the Olympics, sucking up your pride, carrying around a kiddie autograph book and asking your competition for an autograph for your little sister? I guess when he saw the innocence in my face asking for Carls autograph, how could he refuse? After all, Larry had to know I was HIS biggest fan, right? I mean, he had to know that HE was my true hero. Carl was just “the guy in the poster.” Wow! That’s some brotherly love! As I reminisce, I feel bad that I put my brother through that.
When Larry came back from the 84 Olympics….in his bag was my crayon autograph book. Did he get it signed? Sure enough, there on the front page read, “Carl Lewis.” Wow. Carl Lewis touched my autograph book! Wow. That was one happy little 10-year-old Sharon. But, an even prouder little girl of her big brother Larry…..the Olympian.
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