USA wins Gold Medal -1997

..stadium representing our country, and our families inside knew little or nothing about what happened just outside the gates. The show went on, as the saying goes. It was said later that the ceremonies had to go on in order to keep the crowded stadium from emptying out to see what happened and obstructing the rescue crews and emergency vehicles. While, after the fact, that appeared to be a valid concern, the Israeli press and many others considered it to be a very harsh and uncompassionate decision. The fireworks and revelry did seem a bit much in light of the circumstances. The games were delayed for a day of mourning and the Australian team decided to play on in the spirit of the Maccabiah Games. Every country began their competition with a moment of silence and remembrance for the Australian athletes.

The rugby competition had actually begun the day before the Opening Ceremonies. The U.S. team defeated Great Britain in the first match by a score of 28-19.  We had the unfortunate task of playing Australia in the next match scheduled for the day after the ceremonies. After a one day delay, we held on to defeat the determined Australian side 18-10. The last match in our bracket was against Argentina, and we easily defeated them 39-16. Winning our bracket qualified us to play against Israel in the semi-final. The semi-final and final rounds were played in the Herzilya soccer stadium. A beautiful venue with lush turf unlike what most of us were use to playing on. The crowd for the match against Israel numbered about 2500, and while the U.S. had a very vocal crowd, most of the crowd was definitely rooting for the home team. In a spirited contest, the U.S. pulled away at the end to win 24-13. This set up a repeat of the gold medal match from four years ago when the Americans were narrowly defeated in the waning minutes and sent home with the silver medal hanging heavily around their necks. The crowd was estimated to be near 5000 people for the final match. Most of the U.S. team had never played in front of more than a couple hundred people in a rugby match. This was by far the most exciting match of the competition, and when the whistle blew, the U.S. team had held off the reigning champions by a score of 23-22 to win the gold medal. This was without a doubt the most exciting moment in my rugby career. We jumped for joy, we hugged each other, we knew all along we could do it and still couldn’t believe we had. There was a phenomenal sense of pride and accomplishment as the medals were hung around our necks. We sang our National Anthem under the goal posts as we posed for pictures. The bus ride home was buzzing with the excitement as we planned our celebration.

The Maccabiah Committee wanted the Closing Ceremonies to be really special after the disappointment of the Opening. We all gathered in one spot just outside the Old City and proceeded to march through Jerusalem country by country. The march was about one mile long and I believe there were athletes stretched out the entire length at some point. There were people marching as far as the eye could see both ways from our vantage point, about five countries from the start. The mayor of Jerusalem had made a plea to his citizens to come out and support the march, since we had not been able to march in the Opening Ceremonies, and the streets were lined with people. The small Israeli children were given hats, pins, and other memorabilia, while their mothers were recipients of the roses handed out to the athletes as the march began. It was a wonderful feeling, especially after winning the gold medal, and for the moment the tragedy of the first march was all but forgotten. After the march, everyone boarded buses for Latrun and the finale. The Closing Ceremonies were indeed a spectacle to behold. Flames burned in memory of the lost athletes, paratroopers dropped from the sky, there was dancing and singing, fireworks exploding, and people from fifty countries trading t-shirts and hats. The Prime Minister spoke, the mayor of Jerusalem spoke, then countless others spoke. Then we all sang and danced together until it was time to board the buses for Ben Gurion Airport.

The Maccabiah Games were very special for me in many ways. After visiting Israel three years ago with my wife, I wanted very much to go back and see more of this incredible country. My wife, children, mother, and my wife’s parents all came to tour the country and watch the games. While I knew that some day my children would get to visit, the fact that I was playing was the impetus to get our parents to go and they all were very glad they had shared this experience with us. To end my rugby playing career by winning a gold medal in international competition was the thrill of a lifetime, and something I will never forget. The camaraderie that our team developed over the last year and especially while we were in Israel is something I will always cherish. I have participated in many sports, on many teams, and have never felt closer to a group of people so quickly in my life. I will continue to count them all as friends for many years to come. The chance to meet athletes from fifty other countries that all have a common bond was an incredible experience.

Bill Taute