1984 Summer Olympics

American gymnast Peter Vidmar celebrates his perfect score of 10 on the horizontal bar during the men’s all-around gymnastics competition. The American men won team gold in 1984 for the first time in 80 years, and haven’t done it since.  (Rusty Kennedy / Associated Press)

The Los Angeles Coliseum hosts the opening ceremonies of the 1984 Summer Olympics.  (Steve Powell / Allsport)

The scene at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum during opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics on July 28, 1984.  (Ken Hively / Los Angeles Times)

Bill Suiter soars with the help of a jet pack during the welcoming of nations at the opening ceremonies in the Coliseum.  (Rusty Kennedy / Associated Press)

Rafer Johnson, gold medalist in the Olympic decathlon in 1960, carries the Olympic torch through the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum moments before lighting the Olympic flame and formally launching the 1984 Summer Games.
  (Peter Leabo / Associated Press)

Evelyn Ashford of the U.S. reacts to winning the gold medal in the women’s 100-meter race.  (Lenny Ignelzi/AP)

Mary Decker of the U.S. gets tangled up with Zola Budd and falls in the women’s 3,000-meter final.  (Copyright, 1984, HIRAM CLAWSON / Los Angeles Times)

Great Britain’s Sebastian Coe lets out a yell as he crosses the finish line to set an Olympic record and win the gold in the men’s 1,500-meters on Aug. 11, 1984. Coe became the first Olympian to win two gold medals in the event. Teammate Steve Cram follows to take the silver medal.  (Dave Tenenbaum / Associated Press)

The United States’ Patrick Ewing, right, ducks as teammate Michael Jordan goes up for a shot during a basketball game against China at the Forum on July 29, 1984. The United States won 97-49.  (Rusty Kennedy / Associated Press)

Mary Lou Retton celebrates her balance beam score during the Olympic Games on Aug. 3, 1984. Retton, 16, became the first American woman ever to win an individual Olympic gold medal in gymnastics.  (Lionel Cironneau / Associated Press)

Bart Conner, left, and Peter Vidmar, center, celebrate following the U.S. men’s gymnastic team’s gold medal triumph on July 31, 1984.  (Rusty Kennedy / Associated Press)

China’s Zhou Jihong does a forward 1 1/2 somersault, piked, during the finals of the women’s platform diving event Aug. 10, 1984. Zhou won the gold medal.  (Bob Daugherty / Associated Press)

Greg Louganis executes a backdive on his way to winning a gold medal in the 10-meter platform competition on Aug. 8, 1984.  (Bob Daugherty / Associated Press)

American rhythmic gymnast Valeria Zimring performs at UCLA’s Pauley Pavillion on Aug. 11, 1984.  (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

Freeport, Maine‘s Joan Benoit carries an American flag after winning the first-ever women’s marathon in the Summer Games on August 5, 1984, at the Coliseum. The 27-year-old Benoit finished the 26-mile, 385-yard distance in 2 hours 24 minutes 52 seconds.  (Sadayuki Mikami/AP)

First baseman Mark McGwire of the United States tags out Japan’s Katsumi Hirosawa during the gold-medal baseball game of the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles on Aug. 7, 1984. Japan won the gold, 6-3.  (Ray Stubblebine/AP)

Henry Tillman fights Willie Dewit of Canada during the heavyweight bout at the Olympic Games on Aug. 11, 1984 at the Sports Arena. Tillman won the gold and the bout on a 5-0 decision.  (Michel Lipchitz/AP)

Li Ning of China performs his floor exercise routine in the individual all-around gymnastics finals Aug. 2, 1984.  (Suzanne Vlamis / Associated Press)

Mary Lou Retton performs on the balance beam during the women’s gymnastics individual all-around finals Aug. 3, 1984.  (Suzanne Vlamis / Associated Press)

Michael Jordan of the U.S. team controls the ball around Spanish defenders Juan Antonio San Epifanio, left, and Fernando Romay on Aug. 2, 1984.  (Ray Stubblebine / Associated Press)

Hugo Perez of the U.S. team jumps over an Italian defender in an Olympic soccer match July 31, 1984.  (Diether Endlicher / Associated Press)

Tracie Ruiz, left, of Bothell, Wash., and Candy Costie of Seattle perform the duet synchronized swimming routine that won them the first-ever Olympic gold in the event Aug. 9, 1984.  (Bob Daugherty/AP)

Anne Donovan, left, and Cheryl Miller celebrate the United States’ 92-61 semifinal victory over Canada in women’s basketball on August 5 at the Forum.  (Ray Stubblebine/AP)

Jeff Blatnick, left, of the United States wrestles with Thomas Johansson of Sweden on his way to winning the gold medal in the 100-kilogram division during the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.  (Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times)