2 x Olympian Pat Bolger

I spoke with Two-time Olympian Pat Boldger over the phone a couple of days ago.  Pat was my father’s teammate at the 1973 World Championship and the 1973 World Student Games.  He also earned a spot on both the 1968 and the1972 Olympic Teams with my father.  Pat was able to share some great stories about my father’s antics in his younger days to help me out with my book.

He was also able to fill in some background information for me in regards to the 1968 and 1972 Olympic training camps.  Pat was able to describe the torturous workouts that Bill Smith, the 1968 Olympic Coach, put the team through.  He also gave a detailed account of the 1972 training camp in Minnesota, where the Canadian team would workout with the American Olympic Wrestling Team sharing the mats with the likes of Dan Gable, Ben Peterson and Chris Taylor.

Pat also recalled the horrible Munich Massacre that took place at the 1972 Olympic Games.  He explained that the Canadian Wrestling Team was house a mere twenty-five yards away from the murders.  How’s that for a history lesson!!!

Peter Michienzi and Pat Bolger at the Opening Ceremony of the 1968 Olympic Games