International Gymnast - December 2007

spotted
GYMNASTS
MEET SKATER
PLUSHENKO

THE Tylenol Skating and Gymnastics Spectacular in Oklahoma City on Oct. 14 combined an impressive cast of Olympic skaters and gymnasts, along with virtuoso pianist Lang Lang of China. Shown here (from left) are Nastia Liukin, Nadia Comaneci (who helped husband Bart Conner as a co-host), 2006 Olympic gold medal figure skater Yevgeny Plushenko and Romania’s Catalina Ponor.

Other gymnasts in the cast
were Paul Hamm, Ivan
Ivankov, Jonathan Horton,
Kevin Tan and Raj Bhavsar.
NBC will air the show on
Feb. 9, 2008.

INCLUSION Body Myositis (IBM) has been battling Frank Bare for 17 years, but on one front the rare degenerative muscle disease doesn’t stand a chance. Though Bare is restricted to a wheelchair and reliant on wife Linda for all of life’s trivial challenges, he isn’t a quitter. In fact, he’s always found a way to get things done.

As the first Executive Director of the U.S. Gymnastics Federation in 1963 (see our January/February 1963 cover here), Bare was instrumental in setting the solid footing on which USA Gymnastics sits today. More recently, he’s had a similar impact on the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame, for which he is Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Bare is also a painter, and his art has helped his mind remain active as his limbs have gradually shut down. One of his acrylic paintings was selected for the

November/December 2007 cover of Quest magazine, which is published by the

Muscular Dystrophy Association.

“I meet with the MDA medical staff once every six months,” says Bare, the 1952 NCAA pommel horse champion

(Illinois). “During one of those exams I mentioned that I enjoyed painting, and one of their representatives asked if I would

submit several photos of paintings.”

To Bare’s surprise, his “Cello Player” was chosen for the magazine cover and for inclusion in a 2008 calendar. “I was surprised to learn it was used in both places,” says Bare, 77, who lives in Mesquite, Nev. “MDA has a collection of some 350 paintings, which they send around as a traveling exhibition to illustrate that, even after being stricken with a devastating disease, one can still continue in such areas as art and still be productive.”

Bare says that even painting has become more difficult as his condition progresses. “But with Linda’s help, I attempt to continue,” he says.

IBM has no known cause, no treatment and no cure, yet it has been unable to affect Bare’s engaging spirit or sense of humor. “I feel wonderful,” he says. “I simply can’t do anything by myself.”