The Ancient Greeks considered fire to be a divine element, and they maintained perpetual fires in front of their principal temples. This was the case in the sanctuary of Olympia, where the Ancient Olympic Games took place. The flame was lit using the rays of the sun, to ensure purity, and a Skaphia, the ancestor of the parabolic mirror used today for lighting the Olympic flame.
The 1960 Winter Olympics were held in Squaw Valley (now Olympic Valley), California, in the United States, from January 31 to February 18, 1960. It was the first torch relay in the Americas, although a flame had previously been lit at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. For the final time, the Olympic flame was not lit in the Greek city of Olympia. The relay instead began in Morgedal, Norway, as had been done for the first Winter Olympics torch relay in 1952. After the flame was lit on January 31, it was carried to Sondre Norheim‘s chalet by skier Olav Nordskog. It was then transported by car through Oslo to Copenhagen, Denmark, from which it was flown to Los Angeles.
The torch was designed by Disney artist John Hench, who modeled it after the torches used in 1948 and 1956. The International Olympic Committee credits Ralph Lavers, who created the 1948 torch, as co-designing the 1960 torch with Hench. However, Hench found these torches to be too top-heavy and difficult to carry, and produced a smaller model which has influenced the design of later Olympic torches. The torch bears the inscriptions “VIII Olympic Winter Games 1960″ and “Olympia to Squaw Valley“, reflecting the canceled plan to light the flame in Greece.
The Olympic flame arrived at Los Angeles International Airport on the morning of February 1, 1960. A Scandinavian Airlines jet liner carried it over the North Pole on its way to the United States. From the airport, a helicopter carried the torch to Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1932 Summer Olympics had been held. Shot put champion Parry O’Brien was the first American to carry the torch, handing it to Los Angeles mayor Norris Poulson.
The first segment of the relay was run entirely on foot from Los Angeles to Stockton, with runners carrying the flame for roughly six hours per day and typically stopping in the mid-afternoon. For most of its journey across California, the torch was carried by high school athletes from all around the state.
The California Interscholastic Federation organized the selection of torchbearers, with high school coaches allowed to choose one student each. Approximately 600 students participated in the relay, each one carrying the flame for one mile. Renault, a sponsor of the 1960 Winter Olympics, provided pace cars which followed the relay, picked up and dropped off runners, and supplied them with torches and fuel. The cars were driven by officers of the California Highway Patrol.
Note: Wikipedia goes into detail about the various towns and stops the torch took, but it is too much detail to take the time to note here. I will tell you that it took a detour to San Francisco before it headed back to Thorton. Yeah, Thorton. (February 10 from Stockton through Thornton to Sacramento). It actually didn’t came though the town of Elk Grove, only that a bus load of EGHS students carried it though the area.)
Upon reaching the summit of Little Papoose Peak on the afternoon of February 18, the torch was brought down the ski jump ramp by Andrea Mead Lawrence, accompanied by an honor guard of eight members of the National Ski Patrol. Lawrence entered Blyth Arena, the opening ceremony venue, and passed the flame on to speed skater Ken Henry. Henry circled the ice rink, then lit the cauldron to mark the beginning of the Games.
Jim Entrican (’60) who was one of the runners remembered, ” I believe mostly senior (’60) track team runners were picked. I only remember a few classmates (Gary Hedman-’60, Jeff Tooker-’60 and Steve Hibbs-’61), but don’t remember how many (actually 14). Each of us ran 1 mile from Thornton to the city limits (Florin Road) of Sacramento down Franklin Boulevard. My 1-mile started at Elk Grove Boulevard, and I ran 1 mile north. I don’t remember who handed the torch to me (it was Wayne MacDonald) or who I passed it off to (it was Steve Hibbs).”
“My mother delivered me to the starting checkpoint. All the cars behind her were other parents who brought us there. We boarded a bus and the bus drove us all the way down to Thornton. Then the bus was in the lead with one or two cars. The whole road was blocked off for no traffic. The bus would go 1 mile and drop off one of our guys and then it would go to the next mile and drop off another guy. Another bus would follow picking us up and taking us to the final checkpoint were our parents would come and pick us up.”
Elk Grove Citizen – Wednesday, February 10, 1960
“…..The torch is scheduled to be taken by Galt High School runners from Stockton at about 9:30 this morning into Thorton. It will be brought in relays to one mile south of Lambert Road on Franklin Boulevard. The four Cortland High School runners will relay the torch to a point south of Bilby Road, where it will be taken by Elk Grove High School runners. The torch will be relayed along Franklin Boulevard to Florin Road where C. K. McClatchy runners will take the torch.”
Elk Grove Citizen – Wednesday, February 17, 1960
Crowds gathered in Franklin, as they did along the way from Los Angles, and watched as Orlan Glantz of Elk Grove brought the torch into town. Glantz had taken the torch from a Courtland High School runner about one mile from Franklin. It was then relayed along Franklin Boulevard by Elk Grove runners including Norman Archibald, who received it from Glantz, Richard Richardson, Wayne MacDonald, Jim Entrican, Steve Hibbs (’61), Gary Hedman, Warren Sargeant (’61), Jeff Tooker, Larry Heitzman (’61), John Frey, Ron Roberts, Wayne Woolens, and Danny Delong (’61) gave up the torch to a McClatchy High School runner. A ceremony at the state capitol marked the arrival of the torch. Bob Mathias, a former Olympic champion, was on hand to receive the flame from a high school runner. The torch remained in the capitol overnight, then was transported by relays to the Sierra.”
“The Olympic Torch ended its long journey yesterday having finally arrived at its destination, Squaw Valley.”
Jim said each runner got a t-shirt to keep that they wore during the relay, and a pin that they pinned to their Block EG Varsity sweater.