 Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States, and Mrs. Reagan. I have been to be your president these past four years. Because I know it's repetitious and at the risk of being accused, as I have been these past few weeks, of being patriotic games ever held. And you've helped America maybe forget some of its problems and remind us all what a wonderful country we all live in. You are real champions, each and every one of you on and off the field, and you've made all America terribly proud. The newest member of the Olympic team, the President of the United States. Thank you all very much. Thank you. Thank you. Well, thank you, Bill Simon, and thank you all very much. As the newest member of the team, I'm trying to figure out how I qualify. In high school, there was the 880 relay. We only finished second in the state finals in that. And then it was swimming. But in my day, we didn't do a flip turn, so I'd have to learn that if I'm going to qualify in that. But anyway, ladies and gentlemen of America's team at the 23rd Olympiad, Bill Simon has said it all, you did us proud. Your heroes, every one of you, living proof of what happens when America sets its sights high and says, let's create a little excellence. And you gave us moments that we'll never forget. There was Blatnik dropping to his knees in thanks and Mary Lou Retton getting that perfect 10. There was Steinsiefer and Hogshead hitting the wall at the exact same 100th of a second and Carl Lewis smiling when he tied Jesse Owens' record. There was something very special about the Olympics. There was a special spirit to it. You gave us all such a lift. You gave us something to be unified around and cheer for together. And I think maybe you possibly heard down in the field that cheer went something like USA, USA. Well, it doesn't matter whether you won the gold or the silver or the bronze, the cheer was for you and for all of you. The specialness of this Olympics was apparent from the beginning. You walked into the opening ceremonies with a special kind of pride, a vibrant and a very human delight that was transmitted to the crowds and that was picked up by the people who were watching on TV. Throughout the games, I couldn't help but think that if the people of the world judged Americans by what they saw of you, then they think Americans, well, they're generous and full of serious effort. They're full of high spirits. They're motivated by all the best things. They're truly a nation of champions. And I want to take a moment here to single out and say thank you to the uncelebrated story in the people. Your coaches and trainers, your parents and friends, all the quiet people who stood behind you when the shot rang out and the race began. And yes, those you may have defeated, but whose own efforts helped push you to do your best. Every hero knows that no hero does it alone. The people who stood behind you deserve our thanks. And the way I see it, there ought to be an Olympic event in moral support and they'd get a perfect 10. I want to say too that the city of Los Angeles did a marvelous job and a lot of terrific people in this time. Just about everyone in this city had to put him or herself out some way, one way or another, while the games were on. They not only did it, they did it with a smile. They won the admiration and the thanks of the entire country. This is a good time also to thank the generous corporations that decided a few years back to contribute money and personnel and time to help our athletes. They proved that the profits reaped from a free economy can be used to help our young people compete on an even footing with the state subsidized athletes of other countries. Those corporations did us proud and so did Bill Simon who led this great citizen's effort. So did the Los Angeles Olympic organizing committee and the U.S. Olympic committee. The 23rd Olympia to the modern era is over, but it will never be forgotten. It was attended by more countries than ever before. There was more competition than ever before. There was more brilliant talent than ever before and as you know, a lot of records were broken. The games were a triumph, a triumph of friendly and generous competition, a triumph of fellowship and a triumph of the spirit. And it turned out that nothing could mar those games, nothing could detract. The only losers of the 23rd Olympia were those who didn't or couldn't come. As for those who did, what greatness they knew all showed us. I know you're impressed by the athletes the other countries sent, the South Korean boxers, the Chinese gymnasts, the Romanian athletes, the Jamaicans, the Japanese, for a lot of us, one of the really indelible images of the games was of Gabriela Anderson Scheisse of Switzerland, walking dazed and dehydrated to the finish line, refusing to give up, pushing on even when all her strength was gone, summoning up just that last bit of reserve and crossing that line. She truly was heroic. And I have just a final point here. One of the things I noted and liked so much as I watched the games on TV was that often in many of the events, you could sort out or figure out who represented what country, except with the American athletes. With the American athletes, we almost always had to see the USA on your uniforms because our team came in all shapes and sizes, all colors and nationalities and races and ethnic groups. When I was thinking, you can talk on and read forever books about the melting pot, but the past two weeks, there it was, winning medals for us, representing us every day. 140 countries represented here in the only place in the world where those who were competing for this nation had the bloodlines and the background of more than those 140 countries. And so I say to you, the great melting pot team of 1984, the members of America's team at the 23rd Olympics, thanks for the memories and thanks for the great moments and thanks for being what you are, genuine heroes. And you know what? 1984 is a kind of special significance for me. I'm finding it to be a very interesting year, but after what I saw of you and what you did at these Olympics, I can't wait till 88. Just can't wait. Thank you all very much and God bless you. And now you remember that right before the games, you gave me a gift of all your Olympic team pins, and today I want to return the favor. I have a gift for the future U.S. Olympics Hall of Fame. It is the American Eagle and is given to honor the members of America's team at the 84 Games because you soared to greatness. On behalf of all of the Olympic athletes, I'd like to thank Mr. President for this gracious gift, and now I would like to present it to Mr. William Simon to be placed in the new Olympic Hall of Fame. Thank you very much, Tracy. This will be put in a very special place in our new museum. Now I would ask you all to please stand and sing America the Beautiful.