I just found out that the legendary Australian athlete, Peter Norman, was the Doggies' running coach during the 1980s.
And today, October 9th - the day of Norman's funeral in 2006 - was declared Peter Norman Day by US athletics officials for Norman's gesture in supporting Tommie Smith and John Carlos on the dais when they gave their famous black power salute at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.
The incident ended Norman's career and it took until 2012 for federal parliament to apologise for the way he was treated by Australian athletics officialdom.
Norman's nephew, Matt (a Doggies fan) was interviewed yesterday in a podcast by the ABC's Richard Fidler. He's made a documentary about his uncle, called Salute.
For those too young to remember, Norman won the 200 metres silver medal in what is still the Australian record time.
He knew that Carlos and Smith were going to stage a protest on the dais, and suggested that they share a pair of black gloves in their salute when he heard that one pair got left back in the village. That's why one has his left fist raised and the other his right.
Smith and Carlos both came to Australia to act as pall bearers at Norman's funeral.
It's a great story and I'm proud that the Doggies had a tiny bit of involvement in it.
http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/conversations/conversations-matt-norman/10326552