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 Bob
Lutz
by Sharon
Brinkman-Windle
September 1999
Bob Lutz is probably not best known as the
creator of the Speleo-Olympics, but this favorite past-time of spectators and
participants was created during Bob’s tenure as OTR Chair in 1961-1962. A
lot of the older cavers had nothing to do and nothing in common with the younger
cavers. To decrease friction and give them both something to do, Bob came up
with the idea for the contests. Contests were very different in the early days.
The bowline tie contest was performed blindfolded, standing on a log. Other
contests, no longer current, were the simulated cave rescue contest, or a belay
contest using a concrete block. Bob said "I set up the contests for the
younger people to do and the older people to watch and the original thought
worked pretty good." Then the younger cavers got involved in rope work and
nobody knew much about it, prusiks and such, except Bill Cuddington. He was
considered the expert then and is the expert now.
Bob’s hopes for the future entail no real
substantive changes, just a hope for an opportunity to draw many of the real old
timers back into participation, perhaps by a formal dinner once a year like they
started out in Davis. Another positive suggestion was "putting top hats on
all of the TRA Board of Directors so they are easily recognized by the
membership, so they can chip their teeth if they’ve a mind to!"
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