born: November 1, 1937
died: July 11, 1987

"Winning is doing your best."
-Tom Waddell

tom_waddell.jpgTom Waddell, MD, is an official honoree today for LGBT History Month 2012.

In 1968, Waddell competed in the Olympics and placed sixth in the decathlon. A knee injury forced him to retire from athletics, but his passion for sports was undiminished.

Waddell founded the Gay Games, which first took place in San Francisco in 1982. He originally called it the Gay Olympics, but the U.S. Olympic Committee sued him for inappropriate use of the name.

He died of AIDS-related complications in 1987.

Go to lgbthistorymonth.com for more information about Waddell and the other LGBT honorees this month.