Jimmie Heuga (PolSci’73)

Jimmie Heuga (PolSci’73)

It was a first for American men when Jimmie Heuga (PolSci’73) and Billy Kidd  (Econ’69) won the 1964 Olympic bronze and silver medals, respectively, in alpine skiing. In the 1968 Olympics, Jimmie finished in the top 10, although he had begun to experience symptoms of multiple sclerosis. Doctors told him to stop exercising, but he resumed skiing and felt stronger. In 1983 he founded Can Do Multiple Sclerosis to promote the benefits of exercise and nutrition for people with chronic medical conditions.

Billy Kidd (Econ’69)

Billy Kidd (Econ’69)

They’re his signature pieces – a bright red parka, cowboy hat and Olympic medal. Billy Kidd (Econ’69) wears them all. He set the ski world on its ear winning a silver medal in the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. In a sport previously dominated by Europeans, Kidd proved that U.S. skiers could compete on the same level in alpine races. In 1970 he won the combined gold medal at the World Alpine Championships in Val Gardena, Italy.