This is too freaky.

Mark's Stutz on P bars/North Miami Beach High School.1975

Was looking up a gymnastics photo on google for a post I was answering on Dragon Door when I ran across this name: Seymour Rifkind. Slightly different spelling, I see Rifkin all the time but never with the "D".

On this site:

http://www.illinoishsglorydays.com/id198.html

and this info:

1968-69 Team Finished THIRD in State Competition

Individual Medalists

Seymour Rifkind All-Around STATE CHAMPION!!
Parallel Bars STATE CHAMPION!!
Rings 3RD PLACE
Horizontal Bars 5TH PLACE
Bob Quintanales Parallel Bars 5TH PLACE
Al Weiner Trampoline 5TH PLACE

Turns out my older "brother" not only did gymnastics but is an author

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1932872000/002-2075919-2404052?v=glance&n=283155

and has been strongly influenced by Eastern philosophy, including Zen, and a serious appreciation of the Samurai code as was I, about the same time, apparently.

Got his phone number from the web and called him up. You never know. Turns out he also was a gymnast at the University of Iowa, same school that I went to, just four years earlier! He also coached gymnastics, worked with Olympic gymnasts, ran marathons,climbed Mt. Kilamanjaro ,competed at an international level in tennis and took up Karate at 51 and became a black belt and certified instructor. His family is also from the place(Lithuania) that my great great grandparents are from. He also has a son the same age as mine.

I urgedhim to try kettlebells and it turns out he works out of La Jolla and I have him IronCores name. Brett should be able to introduce him to kettlebells quite nicely. I know he will love them.

He says he is now in training for the Ironman triathlon. I've got to read this book and meet this guy. Too weird!