Terry Collins

Terry Collins, a coach at Union and a member at Tulsa, Parkview, helped Stringer with the pole vault. Stringer found a shuffleboard court at another recreational center."I went over there and practiced it once," he said. He also bought a badminton set and practiced in his backyard with his wife, Linda, herself an accomplished senior games participant who placed fifth in the high jump at the national games in Tucson, Ariz. in 1997. Stringer, who played baseball, football and basketball in high school and also competed in the hurdles, high jump and mile run in track, actually began participating in senior games about eight years ago.He won a few medals along the way, but had never had as much success as he did this year. "I saw a commercial about the games on TV, so I went over to watch and see how they did it," he recalled."I said to myself, 'you know, I think I might be able to do some of that,' so I tried it." He also got his father, P.M., involved.P.M., now 91, gives full credit to his son. "He was my coach; he showed me how to do all those things, and told me I had to do it," P.M. exclaimed!"And you know what, I did." P.M. bypassed the senior games this year because of health concerns, but he plans to compete again next year.P.M. is a national champion, having won gold medals in the shot put, discus and javelin at the State Games of America in St. Louis, Mo. in 1999.Meanwhile, Pel won a bronze medal in the high jump there. Pel and Linda both were saved during the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, when he was in the Air Force Reserve. "Linda and I both got saved while reading the Book of Revelation," he said.