History Book: Olympic gold

NICK EICHER, HOST: Today is Monday, February 19th. Good morning! This is The World and Everything in It from listener-supported WORLD Radio. I’m Nick Eicher.

MARY REICHARD, HOST: And I’m Mary Reichard. Up next: the WORLD History Book. Today, an American men’s figure skater brings home the gold. But first, a missionary to Spain begins using radio to broadcast the gospel—and launches a worldwide media ministry. Here’s WORLD Radio executive producer Paul Butler.

PAUL BUTLER: In 1953 a young father sells his car and his North Carolina home, packs up his young family and heads to Tangier, Morocco to start a gospel radio station. Audio here from the Towers to Eternity audiobook:

PAUL FREED: I had never been a radio enthusiast. I knew a lot more about ten dozen other things than I did about radio. And it seemed rather strange that, with so many radio hams in the world, the Lord would put His finger on me for this broadcasting venture into Europe.

Youth evangelist Paul Freed first visited Spain in 1948. Dictator Francisco Franco ruled the European country with an iron fist. Spanish protestants were forbidden to evangelize or distribute Christian literature. But the church was vibrant and committed. Everywhere he went, Spanish Christians pleaded with Freed to help them. He believed he had more to learn from them than the other way around, but he promised to do what he could.

Five years later, Freed is back. He sets up a small Christian radio station 26 miles off the coast of Spain from Tangier, Morocco, and beams the first gospel broadcast into the closed country on February 22nd, 1954:

FREED: We started with a little tiny 2500 Watt war surplus transmitter, went on the air there in two languages, in Spanish and English. I'll never forget those broadcasts were so simple, so small, so tiny in every way, but God was a part of it.

It isn’t long before the radio ministry spreads to neighboring countries, expanding to 26 languages within two years. No longer focused on just Spain, the ministry eventually becomes known as Trans World Radio.

FREED: But right then and there, I said, this is not enough. We're reaching certain areas by God's grace, we shall reach the whole world with the gospel.

Paul Freed’s first humble radio station has now grown into a global media ministry. Today, 70 years later, TWR reaches into nearly 200 countries, with programming in more than 300 languages and dialects. And not just using radio, but the latest internet and mobile app technology as well.

TOWERS TO ETERNITY INTRO: This is purely and simply a setting forth of what God has done and I want to give all glory and praise to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Next, a short athlete, with a tall goal: winning Olympic Gold.

1980 OLYMPIC COVERAGE: …unusual, difficult and OK. And that's it for Scott Hamilton. Nice going.

American skater Scott Hamilton discovered the sport after a puzzling illness as a child. From age 4 to age 9 Hamilton stopped growing. Doctors couldn’t figure it out. In 2021 he told TBN’s Kirk Cameron how his illness introduced him to skating:

SCOTT HAMILTON: Just sort of wondering who I am in all of this and how am I, how do I fit in with the rest of [the] kids my age and, and I started skating, and I realize, after a few weeks that I could skate as well as well kids. And then after a few more weeks, I realized I could skate as well as the best athletes in my grade. And then my health started to improve. And it was miraculous.

Hamilton began competing in 1976. He made the 1980 U.S. Olympic team—ending the games in 5th place overall, a strong finish for the young skater. Then from 1981 to 1984, Hamilton was undefeated, easily qualifying for the 1984 U.S. team.

HAMILTON: Once that four years was over and I was going into the Olympics, all of a sudden, it became so important. It wasn't a competition anymore. It was like, this life’s goal.

SOUND: [HAMILTON’S 1984 SKATING ROUTINE]

Years of intense training and competition made Hamilton the hands down favorite, but the pressure was immense.

HAMILTON: I have this guilt thing. I don't want to disappoint anybody. I want to I want to be everything everybody wants me to be and that's that can drive you crazy.

Hamilton started the Olympics strong—winning the compulsory figures and placing second in the short program. The gold medal was within reach. But then on February 17th, 1984, he completed only three of the five planned jumps in the long program.

SOUND: [HAMILTON’S 1984 LONG PROGRAM]

Hamilton finished second in the long program, but his performance was just enough for him to eke out a gold medal.

SOUND: [MEDAL CEREMONY]

His victory ended a 24-year gold medal drought for U.S. men in Olympic figure skating. During the medal ceremony, Hamilton struggled to keep it together.

HAMILTON: I think half the reason that I was so emotional on the podium at the Olympics was because I, I felt kinda like, now what am I gonna do? There’s nothing left to accomplish in the sport. And I felt kind of lost.

Hamilton turned pro following his gold medal performance. He was at the top of his sport and became a popular broadcast analyst. Audio here from CBS coverage of the 1992 Olympics:

HAMILTON BROADCAST:This is it. Everything you’ve ever wanted and dreamed and hoped for happens tonight in four and a half minutes.

But in 1997, Hamilton faced a new challenge: testicular cancer. And it was through this fight, Hamilton found Christ. Audio here from his “I am second” video testimony…

HAMILTON: (I AM SECOND VIDEO) You have to understand that Christianity is is a faith of history. These things actually happened.

Hamilton has had three bouts with brain cancer since then, but through it all, the skater sees God’s hand at work.

HAMILTON: (I AM SECOND VIDEO) When I look back, and I see all those little moments in my life where I needed a great deal of strength. I understand that through a strong relationship with Jesus, God was there every single time. Every single time. Hm. My name is Scott Hamilton and I am Second.

That’s this week’s WORLD History Book. I’m Paul Butler.

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