THE STORY OF 9.79

Many have asked why I use "jer979" so often....

In the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, the men's 100 meter dash final was a much anticipated event. The two favorites were Carl Lewis of the U.S. and Ben Johnson of Canada. Finally, the race was run and Johnson covered the 100 meters in the extraordinary and incredible time of 9.79 seconds. What made the moment all the more spectacular was the call by the television announcer Charlie Jones of NBC Sports. As Johnson crossed the finish line, Jones screamed out his now famous line
of "NINE!!!!......SEVEN!!!!.....NINE!!!!!"

(Here's the video. YOu should fast forward to 3:14 and watch the race)


A few months later, January of 1989 to be exact, during one particularly monotonous class at the Jewish Day School of Greater Washington, two students, Daniel Robert Frisch (henceforth "Dan" ) and Charles Andrew Fox (henceforth "Chuck") began to mimic Charlie Jones's call. Soon, as is often the case in high school, the 9.79 call was being heard in the halls and the classrooms. A 9.79 fever was making its way into the minds of many members of the 10th grade and many in various grades above and below. Soon, the answers to questions on math and science tests were 9.79 or somehow used the number in the problem. In Physics class, when acceleration due to gravity was called for, usually 9.8 or 10 m/s (squared), students who wished were permitted to use the acceleration due to gravity in Denver, which because of its elevation was, you guessed it, 9.79 m/s (squared). Then, the numbers 9 and 7 became noteworthy in their own rights. One example was that if one saw a license plate with 979 in it, one was bound to have a good day. It was a mania out of control.

Eventually, however, as is once again the case with high school fads, there was an anti-9.79 backlash. Many scoffed and laughed at those who held true to the number and all of its significance and deeper meaning, one of which was the belief in Johnson's innocence regarding steroid use at the Olympics. At the end, only three students remained absolutely dedicated to the number. Aside from Chuck and Dan, there was me, Jeremy Epstein.

Anyway, since then we have stayed true, guarded the 979 handshake in secrecy and held it with the esteem and respect it deserves.

Upon my arrival at JHU, I was allowed to choose my own email ID. Instead of choosing BEN979, or as Chuck writes it B-N979, kind of like G-D, I chose JER979.

And that is the whole, true story of 9.79.