Here Because of Senior Games

Dick Taylor, 92,  Lumber River Senior Games

Dick Taylor has been a long-time North Carolina Senior Games participant, until his retirement last year, and he currently serves on the North Carolina Senior Games Board of Directors. One of his favorite Senior Games memories is carrying in the torch at the Opening Ceremony in 1997. “I have and will continue to tell people to go out and enjoy it. It’s not all in winning, but the benefits you get for health are great too. I just recommend people join and participate because you really benefit, and you meet a lot of fine people,” Dick says about Senior Games.

Dick has been running since junior high school. His family moved around until they landed in Raleigh for his last year and a half of high school. He ran for the track team at Broughton High School, where the determined team took home the state championship his senior year. “We didn’t even have a coach, we signed up the football coach, I don’t think he even knew he was our coach!” he says. After high school, he attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he continued his track career. He was an all-American runner in 1949, and three times all-conference. 

Dick started competing in Senior Games at the second annual Lumber River Senior Games in Lumberton. “One of my friends was working with the [Senior Games] committee and came to me and asked me since I had a history of running track in college,” he says, “I ended up entering about 5 or 6 different things.”

Dick has more medals than he can count from Local Games and State Finals, and a handful of medals from Nationals, including a bronze for high jump at the 1993 Baton Rouge games and a bronze medal with his basketball team at the 2017 Birmingham games. “I’ve been very fortunate, people comment on the [medals] I have in my office, and it’s not even half of them. It was fun. I enjoyed it, and it was very health-providing.”

Dick has owned Taylor Insurance Agency in Lumberton since 1952, and he still goes into the office for work every day. He credits Senior Games for his ability to be as active as he is.  “Truly I would have to say it was a lifesaver for me,” he says, “I don’t think I would be 92 years old now if it hadn’t been for Senior Games getting me back into reasonably good physical condition.”

“I went to Wilmington one time a few years ago with Senior Games and they asked me to make some comments. So I said ‘I was here because of Senior Games and I was here because of Senior Games.’ I was there to represent Senior Games and I was there because I probably wouldn’t have been alive except for Senior Games putting me in shape after 38 years of no running and not doing much exercising.”  

Dick achieved his goal of running in the 90+ age group, not just at his Local Games, but also at State Finals in 2017. “I’m just proud to have been able to compete, it just brings so much out of so many people. It puts the excitement of youth back in you to a large extent. And the fun of winning is always great.”