Jerry Siebert

[utopian]

What are the best sources for his career?

Anybody know what he is doing now?

[EastBayprepoftheweek67]

Re: Jerry Siebert

Unless there is a book somewhere on his life, TF&Ns from the late 50s to mid 60s should be the best resources.

He ran at Cal and was coached by Brutus Hamilton to make two US Olymipc teams in the 800 meters. At Rome in '60, despite a famous stomach illness, he reached the semis and missed the 6 man final by one place. In Tokyo '64, he finished 6th in the final.

I don't believe he was ever under 1:46, but can't be sure from memory.

[dukehjsteve]

Re: Jerry Siebert

I remember reading that he was a superb scholar as well as a superb runner.

[KDFINE]

Re: Jerry Siebert

And in '64 he was sick with fever at the Olympics from having drank unpasteurized milk in Finland (undulent fever or some similar name). He was a PhD in physics - I think nucleur

[EastBayprepoftheweek67]

Re: Jerry Siebert

If he was sick at Tokyo, then Siebert was one "sick" Olympic competitor. This is meant in the 'bad' is 'good' sense, because he had had to deal with a bout of dysentery in Rome 4 years before that caused considerable weight loss before placing 4th in the semis (only 3 advanced for a final of 6 runners.)

My memory from the time was that the Bay Area papers were aware of his being sick and that he was given credit for overcoming it, so I probably am recalling his Tokyo 64 adversity. In fact, it had to be the Tokyo episode I recall reading about at the time as I did not start reading the Chron until 1961.

>And in '64 he was sick with fever at the Olympics from having drank
>unpasteurized milk in Finland (undulent fever or some similar name).

[oneill]

Re: Jerry Siebert

Certainly the U.C Berkeley Alumni Association and the Big C Athletic Society there would be sources for history and current information. I picked up a reference to Jerry (Jerome if you're being formal) in a Denver CO announcement of an event in 2002 featuring residents who are former Olympians, so you might try a search for address/phone number in that area. Googling will unfortunately get you a multiplicity of hits for another Jerry Siebert, an agriculture expert with numerous publications and memberships to his name, who taught at U.C. Berkeley - That's not the runner.

I don't recall that Jerry broke 1:46; I think that his best 880 was 1:46.8, and 1:46.2 for 800 m., but I haven't gone back and checked. And Yes, Jerry was a Physics major, very intelligent, who went on to get a Ph.D. With that, I'm a little puzzled that I can't find a publication or position credited to him by Googling.

des o'neill, Cal Track and Cross-country 1957-61

[tc]

Re: Jerry Siebert

Siebert's best was 1:47.0 for 880 yards (then the third fastest ever) at Palo Alto on 9 June 1962. He ran 1:47.1y two weeks later at Mt SAC to win the AAU meet, then ran 1:46.4m to beat the Soviets at Palo Alto in mid-July. He did 1:46.8m in 60 & 61, and 1:47.5y in 64.