Jesse Owens' Medal Up For Auction
WHITFIELD: A tremendous show of love outside a home of civil rights icon Nelson Mandela. Flowers, balloons, stuff animals, signs and notes have all been placed on the fence surrounding his house in Johannesburg. But the remembrances aren't all somber. Hundreds of people turned out to sing and dance and celebrate Mandela's 95 years. A memorial service for the former South African leader is set for Tuesday. Here's something you might not know about Nelson Mandela. He was an amateur Boxer and long distance runner. And what's more, he learned in prison that sports can be a major weapon against racism. Of course, Mandela didn't invent using athletic competitions to unite people, but he came close to perfecting it in 1995 when he brought his nation together through the rugby world cup. Despite fears, racial tensions could tear the country apart the nearly all white crowds cheered and chanted Mandela's name when he wore the team's green and gold jersey on the field. And even back in 1990 on his first visit to New York, he rocked the crowd at Yankees stadium by wearing a Yankees cap and jacket there and fans went crazy, of course. And especially when he declared, quote, "I am a Yankee." So much of what Mandela accomplished through the world of sports got him honor we'd an international athletic association award of a lifetime. And that was the Jesse Owens global award. Mandela won the honor in 1995 but didn't receive it until 1999 in Johannesburg. The award is given to those who have, quote, "made a significant and lasting contribution of enduring quality to society from a background of sports." Jesse Owens exemplified that as one of the most iconic athletes of all time. In 1936, the 23-year-old from Alabama shocked the world winning four gold medals in track and field. His win disproved Hitler's claims of Arian (ph) superiority and broke barriers for generations to come. Now, one of Owens' medals from those games is being sold on SCP auctions online. And last we checked, there were 24 bids. The highest bid is just over $595,000. Experts believe it could go for more than a million bucks. So, I want to bring in Beverly Owens Prather, she is one of Jesse Owens' daughters. She's joining us right now from Chicago. Good to see you.</s>BEVERLY OWENS PRATHER, JESSE OWENS' DAUGHTER: Good to see you, too.</s>WHITFIELD: So Beverly, this is a medal that the family had possession of, right, but one your dad, Jesse Owens, gave to Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. What were the circumstances that your dad gave his medal away to a friend?</s>PRATHER: Well, you would have to understand my father and know him to know what a big heart he had. And at the time that he gave the medal to Bojangles, it was because Bojangles gave him a place to stay and a job.</s>WHITFIELD: And that's what's extraordinary and we're looking at some images right now, file tape of Bojangles. But what is extraordinary there because I think a lot of folks don't realize or understand that even after being overseas, winning these Olympic medals, representing this nation, the country that your dad and many others African- American Olympians came back to, it was still a nation of segregation. It was still very difficult to get a job. Your dad was unable to get employment, as was the case for my dad after his Olympic wins in '48. So, your dad actually gave his medals in large part to Bojangles to actually help land him some employment, as well?</s>PRATHER: Not to land him employment, but to thank him for employment. So, you know, he was -- daddy was like a giving person. And that was his way, I guess, of saying thank you.</s>WHITFIELD: And so the estate of Robinson has put this medal on the auction block. As I mentioned, over $500,000 of the 24 bids so far is being offered for it. What does that make you feel, that one of your dad's four gold medals is on the auction block? Does it bother you at all or is that just the way it goes?</s>PRATHER: Well, it is disturbing that his medal is being auctioned off. We, as a family, just hope that if, you know, whoever gets it, puts it on display and holds it in high esteem.</s>WHITFIELD: And, you know, this week the world is also mourning the death of Nelson Mandela. And to learn that Nelson Mandela was awarded as the Jesse Owens global award and that your dad, Jesse Owens, and the name Nelson Mandela are being paired together and had been paired together, what does that make you think about the gravity of your dad's history and the gravity of that of Nelson Mandela's?</s>PRATHER: The kind of go hand in hand because they were -- I feel that they're basically the same kind of person, understanding, giving, but always for the right thing.</s>WHITFIELD: And the remaining then three gold medals of your dad, your dad winning those medals in the 100, 200 meters, 4 x 4 and long jump. This medal that is on the auction block, which event does that represent?</s>PRATHER: I think it was the 400 meters. I'm not sure.</s>WHITFIELD: OK. All right. Thank you so much, Beverly Owens Prather for your time. Appreciate it. Again you know, that medal on the auction block and I know the other three medals are close at heart for you and your family. Thanks so much for your time. Appreciate it.</s>PRATHER: Thanks for asking.</s>WHITFIELD: All right. Some in Dallas are calling it the icepocylis (ph). And ice storm knocking out power and grounding plight flights. We will go live to Dallas and here how the city is coping.