| I choose to make this a short
story, although it can be quite long, and I will be happy to supply you
with dates and information - this information may also be obtained from
the Montreal sports pages of the year noted.
My mother, Joan Graham, was Canadian
National track and field champion in 1949(?). She was known as "the
Pony Express", and ran the 220 in Madison Square Garden in New York,
L.A. and Montreal primarily. She stood 5' and weighed 94 lbs and was the
fastest woman runner in Canada at the time. Her golden hair and cute looks
won her the adoration of the Canadian public. She was their "golden
girl". At one point, during an exhibition race against Fanny Blankers
Cohen, my mother beat her, unofficially. To this day, there is no known
record. I have seen my mother on the old reel-to-reels and watched fascinated
as her little legs swept her by 6' tall giants, sat in awe as a 15 year
old was bombarded by news hounds with microphones in hand, and looked on
with love at my mother, Joan Graham, talked excitedly to the camera. To
this day my mother still retains her clippings from the newspapers, her trophies
are dull with age.. but this is a son who wants the world never to forget,
that a GRAHAM won that title! If anybody has input to this, I would be
happy to hear from you.
James
Marshall |
