Eric Heiden never asked for his moment of fame. It was more than the customary 15 minutes, too. More like nine days. The muscular speed skater never sought the glory, although he skated for the gold.

It was a cold and snowy spring day last week as I stood on an embankment alongside an oval track. In the background was the century-old Lake Placid High School, while in the distance, snow-covered ...