Senior Olympics

John F. A. FischerOwned printing firmJohn Frederick Albert Fischer Jr., whose life was spelled out in the metal block letters of the printer's trade, died Friday of cancer at Stella Maris Hospice. He was 86.Mr. Fischer retired in 1965 as owner and president of Milton Art Press. But every working day still found him in the office of the Baltimore family commercial printing business that he had begun learning at age 10 from his grandfather."He's been retired for 30 years, but because he loved me, loved the employees of the company, he's come in every day," said his son, William C. Fischer, who became president and owner of the company when his father retired.

Elmer Hull says he gets tired, but he continues to follow his rigid, decade-old training schedule.He runs for 1 1/2 hours on Edmondson High School's track and then works seven hours as a car salesman five days a week.Except that Hull, 66, doesn't want to slow down. He wants more challenges."At first, I ran because it helped my back problem," Hull said. "Now, I am looking to qualify for the world decathlon. I'm just two years away from that goal and closing fast."In his 11 years of competing in the Maryland Senior Olympics, Hull has won eight gold medals and set state records in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter --es, 1,500-meter race walk, pole vault, standing long jump and high jump.

She's been sending athletes, old and young, off to the games for 30 years. But last year, it was her turn to go.Anne Clemmitt, 56, finally got the chance to prove her own tennis skills last June when she won first place in the Senior Olympic National Consolation Singles Tournament in Baton Rouge, La.Mrs. Clemmitt, although suffering from tendinitis and lower back pain, beat every tennis opponent age 55 to 59 who crossed her path. The Crofton resident of 22 years played three sets of tennis each day for five days consecutive in 90-degree weather to capture the gold.

Below are Carroll County's top finishers in the state Senior Olympics at Towson State University.* Diane T. Perry (age 55-59): gold in badminton singles; silver in standing long jump, 100-meter --, long jump, discus, shot put; bronze in one-mile walk.* Patricia Hicks (55-59): bronze in golf, fifth in tenpin bowling.* Jane Rogers (55-59): gold in volleyball.* Eva Thompson (60-64): gold in archery (compound fingers).* Gloria Bortell (60-64): silver in volleyball.* Mary Sanders (60-64): gold in archery.

In 1925, at the age of 18, Vernon Faid of Baltimore ran the 100-yard -- in 10.3 seconds -- not far off Olympic record time.Mr. Faid, now 86 and living in Westminster, was preparing Thursday to run the 100-meter -- at the Maryland Senior Olympics at Towson State University."

The Maryland Old Liners softball team took the gold medal for the fourth straight year during the Maryland Senior Olympics last week at Towson State University.The team is made up of men 65 and older from Howard, Montgomery and Baltimore counties.The first game of the double-elimination tournament was played in Glen Burnie last month. In the finals Friday, the Old Liners beat Pepco of Montgomery County, 21-10 and 9-1.The Maryland Senior Olympics were held Thursday through Saturday. More than 1,500 seniors participated in the track and field, team and individual events, including more than 60 from Howard.

Turning 55 was a big moment in John Elliott's athletic life.It meant he was old enough to compete in the Maryland Senior Olympics.Elliott took full advantage of his first appearance in the games by winning everything he entered -- the five- and 10-kilometer and one-mile cycling events and the five- and 10-kilometer and 1,500-meter runs.In the 1,500, his final race, his victory margin of 50 meters served as testimony to his domination of the 55-59 age group in all six events.Elliott, chief of the Conflict Analysis Center of the Army Concepts Analysis Agency in Bethesda, was one of the standouts in the 14th annual Maryland Senior Olympics that completed a two-day run yesterday at Towson State.

The Maryland Senior Olympics that start today will be dedicated to a man who was one of the pillars of the games from their inception in 1980.Beach Schultz, who died at age 72 last February soon after swimming in a meet at UMBC, will be remembered during a ceremony before the start of the swimming events tomorrow at 3:30 p.m. at Towson State's Burdick Pool. He was an organizer and commissioner as well as a participant.Schultz, a St. Paul's School graduate, competed as a Masters swimmer at the state, national and international levels.

At age 10, he swam with alligators and water moccasins across St. John's River in Florida. Now, at 72, Cecil "Jack" Hull of Annapolis races some of the best swimmers in the country.In June, Mr. Hull demonstrated his swimming skills to the nation by winning two silver medals and one bronze at the U.S. National Senior Sports Classic in Baton Rouge, La. He was one of only three seniors from Anne Arundel County to win medals in the age 70 to 74 division.The classic is a national competition for medal winners at the state Senior Olympic level.

Mount Airy's "Golden Girl," Jane Rogers, may have brought home a silver medal from the 1993 National Senior Olympics in June, but the softball enthusiast is not ready to rest on her laurels.Mrs. Rogers played first base for this year's Virginia Senior Olympic women's softball team -- the Golden Girls. The team earned a silver medal for each of its 18 members during the National Senior Sports Classic IV in Baton Rouge on June 17, she said.Although a weekend event on June 26 and 27 officially ended the Olympic team, Mrs. Rogers is now a member of the Golden Girls II, a Virginia women's softball tournament team.