Gay Games I: the True Story: The Forgotten Man

By Mark Brown

This is the true story of Gay Games I and Mark Brown's part in its happening—a story that has never been told.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 23, 2020
• ISBN: 9781646287956

Mark Brown

Mark is an Australian Physiotherapy Association titled Sport Physiotherapist, a Fellow of the Australian Sports Medicine Federation, and also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. He is currently the Executive Officer of the Sports Medicine Australia Queensland Branch, and also holds adjunct academic positions as Associate Professor in the Griffith Health Institute at Griffith University and Assistant Professor of Physiotherapy in the School of Health Sciences and Medicine at Bond University. His previous positions include the Executive Director of the Australian Physiotherapy Association New South Wales Branch and the Director of Physiotherapy for the Sydney 2000 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Mark’s international sports event experience as a Sports Physiotherapist also includes the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games and the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games, as well as numerous other national and international events.

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Gay Games I: the True Story

The Forgotten Man

Mark Brown

Copyright © 2020 Mark Brown

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING, INC.

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2020

ISBN 978-1-64628-794-9 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-64628-795-6 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Part I

Early Years in the Midwest

Move to San Francisco

Introduction to Gay Sports

Enter Tom Waddell

Forming the Board of Directors

Part II

The Forgotten Man

A Historical Account of Mark Brown’s Involvement with the First Gay Games

Abstract

Introduction

Key Figures in Gay Games I

Purpose

Discussion

San Francisco Arts and Athletics

Early Planning for Games

Mark Brown Resigns

Conclusion

Part III

The Gay Games Sports Committee

Men’s Basketball

Women’s Billiards

Men’s Billiards

Women’s Bowling

Men’s Bowling

Boxing

Women’s Cycling

Men’s Cycling

Diving

Golf

Marathon

Physique

Powerlifting

Soccer

Women’s Softball

Men’s Softball

Swimming

Women’s Tennis

Men’s Tennis

Track and Field

Women’s Volleyball

Men’s Volleyball

Wrestling

Part I

My name is Mark Brown. This first section (of three) is my story from my youthful roots in rural Illinois to ending up being a pioneering gay sports leader in San Francisco—culminating in playing a key role in the creation of the world’s first Gay (Olympics-style) Games.

Early Years in the Midwest

I was born Reuben Arthur Brown on August 18, 1934, in Manville, Illinois. I attended Bradley University in Peoria for two years where I belonged to Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.

I joined the US Army as a paratrooper (101st Airborne) in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

After military service, I became an Arthur Murray dance instructor for ten years.

Tired of that, I next worked in the shoe business for the Morse Shoe company. Ending up in Mansfield, Ohio, and on the verge of a promotion to district supervisor, I had a change of thinking—professionally and personally.

Jump School 1958

101st Airborne Fort Campbell Kentucky U.S. Army

Paratroopers

Bradley University 1952-1954

Peoria, Illinois

Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity

Delta Sigma Chapter

Move to San Francisco

In July 1970, I left my Midwest existence for the excitement—and the emerging gay community—of the San Francisco Bay Area.

I had several jobs through the years in San Francisco. Probably the best was purchasing agent for Gilbert/Clark Stationery Company for ten years.

What a change in my personal life! I fell in love with San Francisco, swore I would never leave, and haven’t. Loved the gay life. It truly made me feel at home.

Introduction to Gay Sports

In 1974, I met Paul Lynch. We were briefly boyfriends, roommates in the next thirteen years, and are still best friends.

Paul introduced me to gay softball. The team was from the Kokpit Bar in the Tenderloin area. Athletically, the team was terrible. Half were members of the Imperial Court, but we had fun. We won only one game all season.

I became very much involved with the gay softball scene—loved it. I played with some of the best back then in the Community (gay-oriented) Softball League. I became league commissioner for two years (1978 and 1979).

I became involved in gay bowling—again because of my roommate Paul Lynch. I became president of the Tavern Guild Bowling League (at Haight Street’s Park Bowl) for a couple of seasons.

My first venture in gay media/newspapers was a sports column called On the Mark—backed by my softball and bowling teams/bars.

Paul Lyncn & Mark Brown as Bubbles

Kokpit-Gay Softball Team 1974 Short Stop

Mark Brown & Paul Lynch

Enter Tom Waddell

¹

Along came Tom Waddell. I had no idea who he was. He showed up at our Wednesday night bowling league, looking for a team to join. As I was tired at the time, I had him take my place. I became the team’s substitute bowler. This was the 1979–80 season. We ended up playing well and winning.

Because of my involvement in the gay community, Tom approached me with the idea of a gay Olympics. Because I was too busy with other things at the time, I said, No thanks, and forgot about it.

The next year, Tom approached me with the Games idea again. This time—loving to be involved with things—I said, Yes, why not?—still doubting that we could pull it off. Back then, there was no interest. My only available tools were my sports column and the Bay Area Reporter.

Doctor Tom was traveling overseas with his medical duties, so it was up to me to get the Gay Olympics idea rolling. I said to myself, What in hell have you got yourself into this time?

Tom’s Albion Hall home was the site of our original—and subsequent—meetings. We needed to select a board of directors. Easier said than done. Many were willing to lend their names but not the necessary hard