At the 1924 Winter Olympics in Chamonix, France, the U.S. paraded in behind the flag — then with just 48 stars — carried by hockey player Clarence “Taffy” Abel.
Few knew, however, outside his family and neighbors, that he was the first Indigenous athlete to carry the flag and the first to medal for the U.S. at the Winter Olympics.
Feb. 4 is known as Taffy Abel Day. Troy Oppie of Boise State Public Radio reports.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
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