Cook

[DoubleRBar]

Happy birthday today (Tuesday) to an Olympic champion who was born on a Friday and died on a Friday at the age of 83.

This champion won two Olympic gold medals, four days apart.

Our birthday individual competed in only one Olympic Games (no hurdles), however this athlete carried the national flag during the Olympic Opening Ceremonies about 36 years after winning those two Olympic gold medals.

Born 133 years ago today, this person was only 23 years old when winning those two Olympic gold medals in Europe.

Do you have any idea who this Olympic champion is on this 25th Tuesday of 2022?

Some say this athlete has two first names.

Please name our birthday athlete without using any research.

Good luck.

[Olli]

Two golds in Stockholm. Carried flag in London 1948. Hannes Kolehmainen won two golds but certainly didn't carry the flag in London. No idea who this might be. Perhaps from a smallish country?

[DoubleRBar]

This birthday champion was not from a smallish country.

[Olli]

OK, my wrong guess was based on the thought that in small countries there is more reason to celebrate the few champions they have.

[bambam1729]

Ralph Craig - was an alternate on 1948 USA sailing team and carried the flag at the London 1948 Opening Ceremony

[DoubleRBar]

Ralph Craig was born in Detroit, Michigan (just like Quincy Watts) 133 years ago (not like Quincy Watts).

Nice going, bambam1729.

Ralph Craig went to the University of Michigan, ran track, and made the U.S. Olympic team to the 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games.

He led a U.S sweep of the 100 and four days later, Craig won the 200 in Sweden.

Ralph Craig was an alternate on the 1948 London Olympic American yachting team, however he did not compete at those Games. He did, however carry the American flag at the Opening Ceremonies.

Ralph Craig died just about exactly one month after his 83rd birthday in 1972 in New York.

Thank you to bambam1729 and to Olli.

[Trickstat]

Is Detroit in Cook County?

[noone]

Two golds in Stockholm. Carried flag in London 1948. Hannes Kolehmainen won two golds but certainly didn't carry the flag in London. No idea who this might be. Perhaps from a smallish country?

And I’m pretty sure Kolehmainen won another gold in 1920. If the 1916 games hadn’t been cancelled we might talk of him in the same class as Nurmi and Ritola.

[DoubleRBar]

Is Detroit in Cook County?

No, Detroit is in Wayne County (Michigan). Ralph Cook Craig is his full name.

[Olli]

And I’m pretty sure Kolehmainen won another gold in 1920. If the 1916 games hadn’t been cancelled we might talk of him in the same class as Nurmi and Ritola.

Yes, he won the marathon in 1920. He has certainly been a respected figure here in Finland, above Ritola probably, who was a bit in Nurmi's shadow. Kolehmainen's wins in 1912 were very significant for the national pride of our not-yet-independent country, and there was a saying that he "ran Finland to the world map" (sorry for clumsy translation).

Nurmi and Kolehmainen were the two chosen to light the Olympic fire in Helsinki Olympics 1952, Kolehmainen in the top of the stadium's tower and Nurmi within the stadium.