Olympian In '68 Black-Gloved Salute To Sell Medal
SAN JOSE (AP) - Olympian Tommie Smith is selling the gold medal he won at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, where his black-gloved salute on the podium shocked the sports world.
The former San Jose State University runner has put his 200-meters gold medal and running shoes up for auction at New York-based M.I.T. Memorabilia. The bid starts at $250,000, and the sale is scheduled to close Nov. 4.
The 66-year-old Smith, who now lives in Georgia, declined comment to the San Jose Mercury News.
M.I.T.'s Gary Zimet says Smith is selling the medal for the money but also because he wants to share it with the public.
Smith was banned from the Olympics after making his iconic gesture on the medal stand, but the human rights protest eventually earned him international acclaim.
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