Old Blue Andover Olympians by David Chase Andover enjoys an outsize presence in the annals of American athletics, and not least in the history of the modern Olympic games. To date, 32 Andover athletes have competed in the games. The first were brothers, Lewis and Richard Sheldon of the classes of 1892 and 1896. They were members of the U.S. team that captured 47 medals in the Paris games of 1900. Lewis Sheldon took bronze in the standing high jump and triple jump. Dick Sheldon gained the bronze medal in discus and gold in shot put. Andover athletes have competed in every Olympiad the United States has participated in since, but the 1924 Olympics are particularly noteworthy, from an Academy perspective, because six alumni took part. John Porter Carleton ’18 captained the U.S. Ski Team in the first official Winter Olympic Games, held in Chamonix, France. Carleton raced in the Nordic Combined and Cross Country events. The 1924 summer games were held again in Paris. This was the first Olympiad to be truly global and to attract enormous interest from around the world. These were the games featured in the film Chariots of Fire, which focused on British track stars Eric Liddell, Harold Abrahams, David Cecil, and Lord Burghley. The strong American team (mocked in the movie) was led by Eddie Farrell, Class of 1907. Farrell was a member of the 1912 U.S. team, and later became Harvard’s head track coach. He would coach the U.S. Olympic Track Team
in 1924, 1928, and 1932. Under Farrell’s tutelage in 1924, U.S. athletes competing in 27 track and field events brought home 18 gold, 12 silver, and 9 bronze medals. One of Farrell’s athletes, Rhodes Scholar William Edwards Stevenson ’18 (later in life president of Oberlin College and then ambassador to the Philippines), set a world record as a member of the gold-winning 4x400 meter U.S. relay team, with Stevenson running the final leg of the race. Although Andover did not offer crew until 1955, three members of Andover’s Class of 1921—Alfred Lindley, Benjamin Spock (yes, Dr. Spock), and Alfred Wilson— rowed in the all-Yale eightman boat that gained the 1924 gold medal, beating Italy and Canada in the final. Quite a record. We are proud of each of Andover’s 32 Olympians and of the thousands of Andover athletes who have given their all for the love of sport and the thrill of competition. [Editor’s note: The 2012 Summer Olympic Games will take place in London July 27–August 12. At press time, competitors had not been determined.] more: For a list of the 32 Andover Olympians [plus Norman Cahners ’32, who refused to participate in the Berlin Olympics of 1936, and William Harding ’34, who qualified for the cancelled 1940 games], go to www.andover.edu/magazine
Andover | Spring 2012
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