ONLINE: Jessie Garcia

press release:Join us for "Book Bites" - a series of brief Facebook Live book talks from the Wisconsin Historical Society Press exploring all things Wisconsin! The series streams on the WHS Press Facebook page.

On Wednesday, August 4 Jessie Garcia discusses Going for Wisconsin Gold: Stories of Our State Olympians

U-S-A, U-S-A is a familiar refrain heard in every Olympics, but truly it could be Wis-con-sin, Wis-con-sin! Since pioneering hurdler Alvin Kraenzlein got his Olympic start in the Badger State in the 1890s, Wisconsin has nurtured, trained, or schooled more than 400 Olympic athletes in a vast array of sports—from weightlifter Oscar Osthoff to speed skater Dan Jansen and from gymnast Paul Hamm to runner Susie Favor Hamilton. Tonight author Jessie Garcia provides insights into lives of Wisconsinites who made an Olympic journey, sharing some of their most captivating tales, from legendary feats to unlikely brushes with glory.

Award-winning sportscaster Jessie Garcia covered Wisconsin athletes for over twenty years, first at WISC-TV in Madison and then at WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee, where she now serves as Editorial Director. Garcia was one of the first women in the country to host an NFL coach’s show and served as the Green Bay Packers’ sideline reporter. Garcia’s work has also appeared on Milwaukee Public Radio and in several newspapers and magazines.  Her memoir My Life with the Green and Gold: Tales from 20 Years of Sportscasting was published by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press.