Introduction * 1988 * 1992 * 1994 * 1996-2006 * 2008-2010 * 2012 * 2014 * 2016-2018
1988 Winter Olympics (February 13-28)
Olympic.org; Wikipedia
Held in Calgary, Canada. I don't remember anything specific about these games, but I must have watched at least some of them, probably on CBC. Living as close to Canada as I did, it's only natural to have felt some of the country's excitement about hosting the Olympics. I just wish I remembered it better. Wikipedia mentions the debut of the Jamaican bobsled team, which has become a famous historic event (and a movie). I also see the name Alberto Tomba, though I feel like if I remember him, it would more likely be from the 1994 Olympics. And I see the name Katarina Witt, of whom I know I was a fan probably both before and after these games, though I usually don't specifically recall having seen her in any Olympics. I'm sure I did, but she was pretty popular for more than that, so... my memories of her are more generalized, I guess. Other familiar names include Brian Orser, Brian Boitano, Elizabeth Manley, Kurt Browning, and Dan Jansen. But again, I'm probably familiar with them for other things.
1988 Summer Olympics (September 17 - October 2)
Olympic.org; Wikipedia
Held in Seoul, South Korea. I suppose I must have been aware of the Olympics before this, but I think my earliest memory of anything related to the Olympics was reading that Seoul would be the host of this year's summer games. Since host cities are typically chosen seven years prior to the event, Seoul was chosen in 1981, when I suppose I would have been in first grade. Of course between the city's section and the event itself, there were the 1984 games (Summer in Los Angeles and Winter in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia), and I may have watched those. But I don't remember anything about them, if I did. To be honest, I don't really remember anything about the 1988 Summer Games, either, but looking at Wikipedia's highlights, I see some familiar names: Florence Griffith Joyner, Ben Johnson (no relation to Shakespeare's rival), and Greg Louganis (actually, I do sort of remember him hitting his head on the diving board). Also for this year's games, an album was released featuring the hit song "One Moment in Time," by Whitney Houston. I'm sure I got that album at some point, but I don't seem to have it anymore. And I don't remember any of the other songs/artists on the album, with the possible exception of "Olympic Spirit" by John Williams. (In 1991, Houston would sing "The Star Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl, and I'm sure I got that as a single, which I also don't seem to have anymore. When I think about the Olympic album, I think I sometimes mistakenly remember the latter song as being included on the album, what with my memory being teh suck, and all.)