David Meets Goliath or (Anthony Meets The Hulk)

It has been said that, “You are where you are today, because of the decisions you made two (2) years before)!”  I would promote to you that this statement has never been more true once you take a deeper look at these two men separated by more than 40 years.

Lou Ferrigno was born November 9, 1951 in Brooklyn, New York.  As a newborn, he suffered a series of ear infections that left him with an 80% hearing loss.  Feeling as though the odds were stacked against him, he made a decision to be bigger than the obstacle.  Through Strength Training and Body Building, Lou won Teen-Age Mr. America in 1971 and Mr. America in 1973.  Lou has since compiled an incredible resume of Body Building victories, TV appearances (The Incredible Hulk), Films (Hercules, Sinbad), and Stage (Of Mice & Men).

Anthony Mills was born July 31, 1987 in Amsterdam, New York.  As a newborn, he suffered a severe club foot deformity, which led doctors to believe that he would be lucky to walk, to say nothing of competing at any sort of sports.

Born a little over 7 lbs. and 20 inches long, he seemed like just another purple colored, slimy skinned baby boy.  Then the doctor asked that question that every parent loathes, “May I see you in the waiting room when we are finished here?”  And then, all of those wicked thoughts race through every Mom’s and Dad’s mind, “What’s wrong with my little baby?”  It didn’t take the doctor very long as he gently, but directly broke the news that little Anthony Jr. was born with a club foot.  Suddenly his Mom began to weep for her little boy who rested so quietly in her arms after he had been delivered.  The only thing his Dad could think of saying was, “Don’t worry dear, he’ll be just fine!”  At that moment Dad was trying desperately just to console his wife, but deep inside he prayed that every word of it would come true.

The doctor went on to explain the long and seemingly difficult odds of this little boy being completely normal physically, and ever recovering fully from this early deformity.  There was only one thing that Dad could think of for a solution; and that was to overcome it!

As a young boy, at the age of 5, Anthony would go to the track with his Mom and Dad and run around like a happy little puppy enjoying the freedom from being caged inside the walls of a home.  The world was his to conquer!  Within the two years that followed, Anthony began to cruise around the track almost effortlessly, pushing Dad and passing Mom.  At the age of 9, he was beating Dad in anything longer than 1500m.  It was then that Dad realized that his little boy was going to be just fine, and that Anthony was never going to allow this “club foot” to be an issue.

Anthony played Pop Warner Football for four years and started at, tailback, nose tackle, quarterback, safety, and kicker.  He was the only player on his team to be able to put the ball through the uprights (not bad for a club foot).

In 2001, his Dad started his own youth track & field team called the Country Mills Eagles.  Anthony’s older sister Erika was a freshman in high school, and his Dad was teaching her how to throw the Discus and Shot Put.  Anthony became overly intrigued by these implements and the thought of throwing or hurling objects through the air.  “He took to the concept of a ‘spin’ almost immediately” Anthony Sr. states.  He recalls, “This was a little boy that would stand in the middle of the Family Room and spin himself dizzy until he fell down, then he’d get up and do it again!”  Well, all of that spinning has paid off, as Anthony has qualified for the National Junior Olympics in the Discus for four of the last six years, Shot put three years, and Javelin four of the last five years.  He is currently working on the Decathlon, and he is the favorite to win the Region 1 Junior Olympics Gold Medal, and contend for a medal at the National level in that same event.  He is also on course to compete for the Gold Medal in the Young Men’s Javelin throw at the National Junior Olympics in Baltimore, MD in 2006.  And, just to remind you that he hasn’t lost interest in running on the track, Anthony will compete at the USATF Eastern Regional Open Meet in Albany, NY with the Men’s 4 x 100m Relay Team, and the 4 x 400m Relay Team.  “But, what about his club foot”, you ask?  Please note, you can make excuses, or you can win Gold Medals, but you can’t do both!