Run Mr.Bhat, Run .... Away From Facts!

Wilma Rudolph was a great athlete and an inspiration to many. There is no doubt about that. But, when Mr.Bhat starts writing about her life, we at Noorentu Sullu H.Q. as usual start having doubts. Not about Rudolph's accomplishments but about what Mr.Bhat writes.

Mr.Bhat writes:

"1960 ROm olimpiksnalli tanna 18nE vayassinalli nAlku chinnada padakagaLannu paDeda chigare"

(In 1960 Rome Olympics, when she was 18 years old, this gazelle won 4 gold medals.)

Facts:
Wilma was born in 1940. She was 20 years old when she participated in Rome Olympics. She won 3 gold medals there. (Source: ESPN)

Bhat writes:

"..Ike tanage hattu varSha Aguvavarege I bhUmiya mEle kAlugaLannE iTTiralilla. avaLa kAlugaLeraDannU pOliyO tiMdu hAkittu."

("Till she was 10 she had not set her feet on the ground. Both of her legs were lost to polio")

Facts:
Wilma was a premature baby. She weighed only 4.5 lbs when was born. As a child she was chronically sick. However she contracted polio just before her 5th birthday. Mr.Bhat is wrong when he writes that she did not set her feet down till she was 10.

Further, it's not true that both of her legs were afflicted with polio. Polio deformed her left leg only. (Sources: Publishers Weekly via Amazon and White House)

Bhat writes:

"vilmA samudra daDadalli guDDagADugaLalli oMdE samane ODuttidare..."
"I madhye Ake tannUrinalliruva vishvavidyAlayada kOch baLi hOgi "...nanage mArgadarshana mADi. nanage guruvAgi...." eMdu bEDikoMDaLu."

("When Wilma started continuously running on the seashore and hilly paths..."
"Meanwhile she went to the coach in her local university and begged him to train her, guide her")

Facts:
Wilma was born in Tennessee and spent most of her life there. The last time we checked there was no sea near Tennessee. So which seashore was she running on?

As mentioned earlier, by her 5th birthday Wilma's left leg was deformed due to polio affliction. Between ages six and ten, she wore leg braces. By 11 she had removed her braces and even started playing basketball. By 15 she had become a star player for school basketball team. In fact, Tennessee State University athletics coach Edward S. Temple noticed her for the first time in one of the basketball games. And it was he who approached her rather than Wilma approaching him. (Source: Tennessee Encyclopedia)

Later Mr.Bhat writes about US President paying his last respects to Wilma by standing infront of her mortal remains. When Wilma died in 1994, Bill Clinton was the president. We in Noorentu Sullu H.Q. tried to confirm this "fact" at many places. But, no luck. Nada. The above referred Tennessee Encyclopedia article mentions about funeral as well memorial service for Wilma. But does not mention President Clinton attending either of them.

Bhat writes:

"...huTTu kuMTanAdarU....fraMklin rUsvelT.."

("..born a cripple.." "Franklin Roosevelt")

Facts:
Franklin D. Roosevelt was not born a cripple. He was born in 1882. He contracted polio in 1921 while vacationing with his wife Eleanor. By that he had already been a well known figure in Democratic party. (Source: Wikipedia)

We believe when Wilma and Roosevelt could overcome their terrible physical afflictions, Mr.Bhat could very well overcome his anti-fact-checkitis.