Hall of Icons Artist Statement Rough Draft

Johnny Cash's cover of Soundgarden's "Rusty Cage" epitomizes the struggle Billy Mills faced in order to overcome the social and economic adversities he faced as an American Indian and win the Olympic gold medal for the 10,000-meter race.

Throughout the road of life, one will undoubtedly face numerous obstacles in order to continue moving forward. The song “Rusty Cage” uses the metaphor of breaking out of a rusty cage to depict the struggle one must face in order to endure the challenges they will encounter and pursue their dreams.

The adversities Billy Mills faced on the road to become an Olympian were the components that made up his rusty cage. In 1938, the Oglala Lakota (Sioux) native, Billy Mills, was born in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. He was raised on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, the poorest Indian reservation in the entire country as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau’s “Profile of Selected Economic Characteristics: 2000” and was orphaned at the age of twelve. He began participating in cross-country running with hopes of one day becoming an Olympian, however he would have to overcome the social adversities he faced as an American Indian. In an interview for the July 2008 issue of “United Airlines Hemispheres Magazine,” Billy Mills reflected on his struggle to reach his goal. “By the time I was a junior in college I came very close to committing suicide after being asked to step out of a photo at the national championships, where I had made All-American for the third time in a row.” Although he came close to attempting suicide, he realized the importance of continuing to chase his dream. Three years after his suicidal low point, Billy Mills burst out of his rusty cage during the 10,000-meter race of the 1964 Olympics by running through the yellow tape that awaited him at the finish line and winning the gold medal.

Billy Mills’s amazing victory during the 1964 Olympics is a tale of a societal underdog courageously persevering through adversity and quite literally running ahead of the pack, inspiring countless others to chase their dreams.

1) Cornell, Chris. "Rusty Cage." Unchained. By Johnny Cash. MP3. Rick Rubin, 1995-1996.
2) "Pine Ridge CDP, South Dakota - DP-3. Profile of Selected Economic Characteristics: 2000"
3) Johnson, Maria. "Innerviews-Running Strong." United Airlines Hemispheres Magazine : 96-99. 17 Jan. 2009 .