When St. Louis philanthropist E. Desmond Lee carried the Olympic torch into Francis Field on June 17 as part of the 2004 Olympic Global Torch Relay, a 100-year journey was nearly complete. In 1904, St. Louis hosted the first Olympics in the Western Hemisphere, and the track and field events that year took place on Francis Field. Now, 100 years later, the Olympic flame again visited the historic playing field.
Entering campus from Big Bend Boulevard, Lee carried the torch along the southern half of Bushyhead Track and through the main wrought iron entrance gates to Francis Field. There, he passed the flame to Teri Clemens, who coached the WUSTL volleyball team to seven national Division III titles. Clemens took the torch back across the track and headed north along Big Bend.
After passing through University City along the Delmar Loop, the torch was passed to Michael R. DeBaun, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics and of biostatistics at the Washington University School of Medicine and a leading researcher of the causes and effects of sickle cell disease. DeBaun took the torch up the Brookings Hall steps and back down again before handing it off for the torch’s final leg into Forest Park, where the daylong torch relay culminated with a ceremony featuring numerous past Olympians, music by the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, and gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee lighting the cauldron with the Olympic flame.
Olympic Torch Relay image gallery
A jubilant E. Desmond Lee finishes off his run around Bushyhead Track in Francis Field. Washington University Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton (foreground, left) congratulates Lee on his run. Lee, a 1940 graduate of the John M. Olin School of Business, is a great supporter of the University and an advocate for higher education.
St. Louis philanthropist E. Desmond Lee is all smiles as he lights the torch of Teri Clemens, who coached the Washington University volleyball Bears to seven national titles, including six straight from 1991-96. Framed by the torches is Washington University Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton.
Teri Clemens, who led the Washington University volleyball Bears to seven national Division III titles, begins her leg of the relay by taking the torch into Francis Field. The torch would be carried along the Delmar Loop in University City, before returning to campus for an ascent of the Brookings Hall steps.
Six-year-old Jaelithe Virgin examines one of the torches used in the relay, as her mother, Joan Downey, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics in the Washington University School of Medicine, and torchbearer Rick Muhr look on.
Michael R. DeBaun, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics and of biostatistics at the Washington University School of Medicine, runs up the steps of Brookings Hall. Completed in 1902, Brookings Hall was leased by the Louisiana Purchase Exposition Company to be the administrative center for the 1904 World’s Fair, held in conjunction with the 1904 Olympic Games.
Michael R. DeBaun, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics and biostatistics at Washington University’s School of Medicine, celebrates with family and colleagues after carrying the U.S. Olympic torch up the steps of Brookings Hall. Shown clockwise from DeBaun’s right are his daughter, Morgan, 14; his son, Malcolm, 16; his brother-in-law, Mike Alsup; his wife, Sandra; Larry J. Shapiro, M.D., executive vice chancellor for medical affairs and dean of the School of Medicine; Judy Cook, wife of Alan L. Schwartz, M.D., Ph.D., the Harriet B. Spoehrer Professor of Pediatrics and chairman of the Department of Pediatrics; Barry Markovitz, M.D., associate professor of anesthesiology; Carol-Ann Uetake, wife of Dean Shapiro; and Schwartz.