Speaking of 1952 (and 1968)

[Double R Bar]

Happy 87th birthday today (Friday) to this Olympic champion of 1952. Born in Pennsylvania and a graduate of Penn State, this Olympic champion also won a silver medal at the Pan American Games.
Hint: Not many expected this birthday athlete to win a gold medal in Helsinki, but it happend.
Additional Hint: Fixed Barriers Included

[KDFINE]

Fixed barriers. 1952. Must be Ashenfelter.

[Double R Bar]

KDFINE, you are absolutely right. Happy birthday today to Horace Ashenfelter. Horace won the steeplechase (in a huge upset) at the Helsinki Olympic Games. His winning time established a new Olympic record. World records in the steeplechase were not ratified until 1954.
Ashenfelter is still alive today and I believe he lives in Pennsylvania.

[Double R Bar]

My mistake. I thought yesterday (Friday) was the 23rd of January. Happy birthday today (Saturday) to Horace Ashenfelter.

Today (Saturday) is also the birthday of another Olympic champion. This athlete turns 59 years old today and won a gold medal in the Mexico City Olympics of 1968. I can tell you that she was part of a world record performance in Mexico City. Do you know this woman?

[Double R Bar]

This athlete is not exactly easy to remember even if she did win an Olympic gold medal. Here are more hints:

She was the 1968 AAU champion at 100 meters. She was second in the 1968 AAU 200 meters. She won her gold medal at the age of 17 and she retired from the sport at the age of 17. She is from Oregon.

[rhymans]

Maggie Bailes

[Double R Bar]

Very good rhymans. Happy birthday yesterday to Maggie Bailes who turned 59 years old Saturday and retired from the sport at the age of 17 with one Olympic gold medal from the four by 100 relay at Mexico City.

[lovetorun]

Interesting...does anyone know why she retired at age 17?

[El Toro]

Interesting...does anyone know why she retired at age 17?

http://www.internationalmedalist.org/ba ... ampion.htm

[Double R Bar]

Everyone has a story and Maggie Bailes is no exception. What would have happened had she not been ill before the Mexico City Olympics? She was an exceptional talent in high school and I would imagine she would have made the team to Munich four years later, had she had the opportunity.

[Guest]

Interesting...does anyone know why she retired at age 17?

http://www.internationalmedalist.org/ba ... ampion.htm

Thanks for that link! Great stuff.