OT: has a theft ever left you with more than you lost?

[Wolfman]

50 years ago, on December 1, 1974, the women's world-record marathon time was set at the Western Hemisphere Marathon that ended at Culver City's Veterans Memorial Park just 3 miles from my house. I jog around the park when my kid's at swim practice.

The runner was SoCal's own Jaqueline Hansen, who had just won the Boston Marathon the previous year. Her Culver City record held for a few months, but times were dropping quickly and she lost it 4 months later. She stuck herself back on top in late 1975 with a 2:38 up in Eugene, OR. That time was the world's best for a year and a half... and I didn't know any of this until last night.

I noticed that the concrete block that sits out front was stripped bare; there was still shreds of caulking and some concrete chips around the base. I had that feeling when you *know* that something was stolen for scrap, but I didn't really know what, exactly, was gone.

A web search when I got home was thin on specifics of the plaques that were there, but a single post deep in a runner's forum referenced the theft and had the clues that pointed me to Ms. Hansen, who still has a web presence and had even posted some digitized footage of her finishing that race.

I'm livid about the theft, as I am about all stupid tagging, vandalism, littering, and lack of respect for public spaces, but I'm also wondering if this particular one is not tempered somehow by what I've learned... I sort of feel objectively better off for now knowing about a cool, local, notable athletic feat of the past that I'm negatively affected by the theft, which feels wrong. I never even looked at that plaque more than maybe seeing the marathon name on it in passing... it certainly didn't sink in like it has now. So, the questions for discussion are 1) Have you unexpectedly been given something more valuable in exchange for something that was taken away, however wrongly? and 2) am I the ******* for even trying to champion the cause of a plaque that I didn't even understand until yesterday?

[AngryScientist]

Really cool, and born in Binghamton NY too. I was at the Boston Marathon spectating last year, and though I wasnt there for the ceremony, remember reading about it:

https://www.jacquelinehansen.com/about/

Stirs up some good fun thoughts, as I'm prepping for a Spring Eugene half myself.

I'm disgusted that someone would steal a plaque like that for scrap value. Truly a scumbag move.

I think if you want to take up the cause it is fair and good of you. That plaque is part of your local community, whether you knew it for years or not. Fighting to keep your local community whole, and trending positively is a noble cause.

[merckxman]

This recently happened:
"A 45-year-old man was arrested in the theft of a bronze Jackie Robinson statue that was cut off at the ankles and found days later smoldering in a trash can in a city park in Kansas, police announced Tuesday."

[Louis]

Originally Posted by merckxman

This recently happened:
"A 45-year-old man was arrested in the theft of a bronze Jackie Robinson statue that was cut off at the ankles and found days later smoldering in a trash can in a city park in Kansas, police announced Tuesday."

When I read the first post I also thought of this story. Such a shame.

[paredown]

A partial answer to your questions--I think getting involved in a public issue like this is random, but if you feel the concern you should act on it. It may be possible that the plaques were made by some company who has the molds. or at the very least the art work for new ones.

Things like this make it off the back burner for local politicians when someone champions the issue!

Originally Posted by Louis

When I read the first post I also thought of this story. Such a shame.

And the investigation concluded it was not racially motivated--what a crock!

[dustyrider]

I spent sometime thinking about what I’ve lost thanks to theft, and the only one I can really recall that had any real significance to me was my dad’s bike. It was a cheap department store bike with no name everything on it, but he stuck me in a seat behind the saddle and rode on the weekends when I was still small enough. Those rides are some of my earliest memories and they can’t be stolen, so I guess the unexpected gift of losing the bike forever taught me to be more present in the moments that matter most.

As far as replacing the plaque goes, our local university has a working foundry and students are constantly creating works of art. I wonder if there’s something like that nearby. I know they’ve created several local plaques and works of art for the community. It might be a great way to make some new connections, learn about a pretty cool process, share what you’ve learned, and grow that unexpected understanding even more.