It was one of the highlights of the red, white and blue celebration known as the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics: the U.S. men’s gymnastics team, standing atop the medal podium at UCLA’s Pauley Pavilion, having just upset reigning world champion China to win the gold medal.
As Bart Conner relived the joyous moment Monday during a phone interview, he wasn’t thinking of himself or his five American teammates. His thoughts went to a man in the television commentary booth that night, a gymnast who could have and probably should have been on top of the medal stand with him that day.