Wade

[DoubleRBar]

Happy birthday today (Monday) to an Olympic champion who was undefeated in a certain event (not hurdles) during the year this person won that Olympic gold medal.

This athlete had six of the top eight marks in a certain event during the Olympic year in which this individual won that gold medal.

Born 116 years ago today, our birthday champion died at the age of 59.

A certain "athletic" U.S. president was born with the same last name as our birthday athlete. The "athletic" president was born about seven years after our birthday athlete.

You might be interested to know that this birthday athlete endured five hours of competition to win the Olympic gold medal.

Some of you already know that this champion competed in only one Olympic Games.

Please name this Olympic champion on this day where our Sun shines right over the Tropic of Cancer.

Remember, no research is allowed on these quizzes.

Good luck to you.

[cigar95]

The US president might be Gerald Ford, who played football for the 'rines and would be about the right age given in the clue.

Beyond that I got nuthin. The games were likely '28 or '32. Five hours - did they run a qualifying heat in the marathon back then?

[DoubleRBar]

A good start, cigar95. Yes, the president was Ford (born 1913). You are also right about the likely Games (1928 or 1932). I can tell you that the event was not a running event.

[cigar95]

And a rather suspicious bit of wording, it seems - "born with the same last name", not "shared the same last name as . . .".

[Olli]

Pole vault often lasts long, but I don't remember pole vaulters' names from those days.

[DoubleRBar]

The pole vault is not the event, however it is close. I can tell you that cigar95 makes a very good point with his post (#4).

[noone]

I know Gerald Ford’s birth name, but I won’t say it, because I don’t know the athlete with that last name (other than a sprinter who was active 1956)

[LopenUupunut]

Bob King?

[cigar95]

(other than a sprinter who was active 1956)

Are you thinking of someone from the California central valley? (Delano, I think?)

[noone]

Are you thinking of someone from the California central valley? (Delano, I think?)

Nope, I am thinking of “citrus fruit plus a” “monarch”

[DoubleRBar]

I can tell you that our birthday athlete graduated from a private college (university) in Santa Clara County and was one of several Olympic champions from this school. Would I give it away by saying "Obstetrician"?

[DoubleRBar]

Bob King was born in Los Angeles, California, 116 years ago today. Very good, LopenUupunut.

I just about missed your correct answer, but I'm glad you got him.

Bob King graduated from Stanford University and won the Olympic high jump in Amsterdam (1928). He had a very good season in 1928 (undefeated).

Benjamin Hedges (U.S.) took the high jump silver medal at the 1928 Olympics. Hedges graduated from Princeton in 1930 (was about a year younger than King: both King and Hedges were born in June).

Hedges became a World War II hero as an air combat intelligence officer in the Pacific Theatre.

Bob King became a fairly famous Obstetrician and died in California about nine months after the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games at the age of 59.

Thank you, LopenUupunut, cigar95, Olli, and noone.

[cigar95]

And I'm guessing that Leamon ("Lemon") King is the runner noone is thinking of, from Delano High.

[midwestfan]

One of your best "guess who" Olympic Gold Medalists birthday quizzes. I have no clue when the athlete is born before 1956 Olympics and do my homework (not cheating but learning and not participating. I found out Bob King's Obituary and saw he died of a heart attack on the main street where he lived in Alamo, CA in 7/29/65. Also found that for three successive Olympics 1924-28-32 the High Jump Gold Medalists all became "Doctors". Harold Osborn (D.O.), Bob King (M.D.), and Duncan McNaughton (PhD). Never knew the "birth" name of President Ford was really King. Never learned that in school, only here. Thanks for the history lesson.

[noone]

Off topic, I know..But speaking of athletes with the last name King, I find it interesting that British hurdler David King is a 1:1 translation of Italian 400m runner Davide Re.