Rafer Johnson Receives the UCLA Medal

Bruin great Rafer Johnson was presented with UCLA's highest honor.The first time I learned about Rafer Johnson was during the 1984 Olympics when he was the individual who lit the Olympic flame for those Summer Games. Personally, I had no idea who he was, but that was because I was too young.

My mom explained to me how he had won the gold medal in the Decathlon at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. To her, he is someone she knew from the Olympics.

It wasn't until years later that I learned that he was also a very accomplished Bruin.

Not only was he a world-class track athlete, he played basketball under Coach Wooden and was a starter on the 1959-60 team. Somehow, among all this, he also found time…