During the late 50’s and early 60’s my aunt and uncle came to visit us in Italy several times. Our three cousins also came over with them and we all lived at our first villa at Fregene. We had a great time and enjoyed eating and playing together.
Then, when I was about 17 years old, on one of the last trips that the Peterson family made to Italy, Uncle Bart, Dad and I went to the beach and Dad called over the strongest man in Fregene after which he took out a very heavy medicine ball that he had just bought and we all began to throw it around for about 20 minutes. At the time I was an enthusiastic basketball player and though that everyone else would not be able to keep up with me since I had thrown identical sized basketballs more than all of the others put together. I was used to doing that sort of thing with even two or more basketballs at the same time.
It took me about three minutes to discover how wrong I was.
My arms soon got tired, but since there were three other grown men that I was competing with it was hard for me to ask everyone to stop. To my surprise all three men kept throwing the ball back and forth without slowing down. I was amazed how strong they all were and how good a shape.
Uncle Bart who had been an incredible athlete while in High School and College, surprised me the most. He seemed the least fazed of them all. His signified manner shone through and he had no trouble passing the ball around with gusto right up to the end.
That next few weeks I practiced with the medicine ball so that the next time I was invited I would be better prepared.