Olympic track & field frauds

[NormZylstra]

Does anyone know who long jumped (or made the team) for the United States in the 1956 Olympics?

... or where I could find such information?

[bricks]

Re: Olympic Team rosters ... where?

The U.S. had only two long jumpers in 1956, the top two finishers, Gregory Bell (7.83) and John Bennett (7.68). David Wallechinsky's "the Complete Book of the Summer Olympics" lists top-8 finishers for each games. However, you can find Official Olympic reports and lots more historical info at the Amateur Athletic Foundation's site: www.aafla.org
Click search on top and check which periodial(s) to search.

[gh]

Re: Olympic Team rosters ... where?

Rafer Johnson was the third U.S. team member. He had a sore knee and with the decathlon coming up 5 days later, withdrew before the qualifying round.

[Realist]

Re: Olympic Team rosters ... where?

Why go to Wallechinsky's obviously INCOMPLETE Book of the Summer Olympics when you can come here where the real experts are?

[NormZylstra]

Olympic Team rosters ... where?

Thank you for the information ... I really enjoy this site.

Would a 10.5 at the trials have made the 1956 USA Olympic 100m dash team?
Did they allow another American to long jump in Rafer Johnson's place? If so, who?
Who finished 4th in Melbourne behind J. Vahema (Finland)?
Was 4th a jump of 25-01?

I am sorry for all the questions ... I am trying to delicately check a story I have been told about the roster for that Olympiad.

[gh]

Re: Olympic Team rosters ... where?

If we can ever find the time in this horridly busy year, we'll post a file we have which has not only the top 8 finishers in each Olympic event, but also an appending of what the U.S. team members did if not in that 8.

[gh]

Re: Olympic Team rosters ... where?

>>Would a 10.5 at
>the trials have made the 1956 USA Olympic 100 yd. dash team?>>

NO, AND IT WOULDN'T HAVE MADE THE TEAM AT 100m EITHER :-) SERIOUSLY, 5TH IN THE OT WAS 10.4

<<Did they allow
>another American to long jump in Rafer Johnson's place? If so, who?>>

NO, BECAUSE HE ONLY CAME UP FEELING PUNY LATE IN THE GAME WHILE IN MELBOURNE

<<Who
>finished 4th in Melbourne behind J. Vahema (Finland)?
Was 4th a jump of
>25-01?>>

4TH WAS DMITRIY BONDARENKO AT 24-5. 25-1 WOULD HAVE WON BRONZE

I am sorry for all the questions ... I am trying to delicately check
>a story I have been told about the roster for that Olympiad.

YOU COULD JUST FLOAT THE FRAUD'S NAME BY US HERE AND SOMEBODY WOULD TELL YOU FLAT-OUT.

(excuse the caps--not yelling, just distinguishing Q & A)

[Per Andersen]

Re: Olympic Team rosters ... where?

Third at Melbourne was Jorma Valkama and he was indeed from Finland.
Garry is right, just name the fraud and we'll nail him. We have done it before!

[NormZylstra]

Olympic Team roster

Here is what I was sent by the author ... he sent me this as his “resume” to coach in a Track & Field Club I work with ... I guess I see someone with some serious personal problems if he is going to fabricate such an elaborate lie ... I would not want to post his name on a public forum and destroy him ... at the same time it angers me that someone would take credit for something others had to sacrifice greatly to accomplish ... he works with children and I am guessing he tells others of these accomplishments ... I brought the issue here because I am not going to confront him until I am certain he is lying.

What do you folks think I should do?

He wrote this to me on the 3rd of June ...

"I am a former USA Olympian in the Long Jump"

”My best jump in Melbourne where I finished fourth in the long jump. I had qualified in the trials before I was shipped overseas to Japan in the Marines. I qualified at 24'8". I jumped 25' 1" in Melbourne. I was on an aircraft carrier in Japan , was notified that I was to fly to Melbourne to compete in Nov. 1956. I missed the opening ceremonies, competed on a 100 degree day, as Nov. is in the middle of the summer down there. I stayed and saw the closing of the games, and then flew back to Japan. The only work outs I had was playing basketball on the hanger deck of the carrier. I also qualified in the 100 and 200 meters, but since I didn't have any time to work out, declined to be in the games in the dashes. My qualifying time in the 100 was 10.5. Back then, for just turning 18 in August, it was pretty speedy. Bobby Morrow had the same time in the trials, and won the gold in the 100 in 10.5. He also won the 200 gold.”

”The long jump was won by Greg Bell USA at 25’8 1/4". Second was John Bennett USA at 25'2 1/4". Third was Jorna Vahema from Finland at 25'1 1/2". I was fourth at 25'1".”

”My very best jump was a year later in Athens, where they had a meet of all middle eastern countries, and Greece, Italy, and Germany. I won that one at 26'1" for my best ever.”

[gh]

Re: Olympic Team roster

Let's discuss Melbourne weather, where November is spring, not summer (Olympics were equivalent of end of May). Average daily high in Melbourne for November is 24 (75). T&FN report doesn't give specific temperatures but says "... too much cold for the conditions to be termed ideal."

Dump that chump!

[Since 1956]

Re: Olympic Team roster

This looks like a case of mixing truth with lies...probably the worst kind of deception!

[bricks]

Re: Olympic Team 1956 roster

The temperatures during the eight days of track and field events ranged from 56 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Not close to 100 degrees.

[billthedog]

Re: Olympic Team roster

That 26-1 in Athens in 1957 would have had him 11th on the 1960 all-time list.

[dj]

Re: Olympic Team roster

I was on an aircraft carrier in Japan , was notified that I
>was to fly to Melbourne to compete in Nov. 1956. I missed the opening
>ceremonies, competed on a 100 degree day, as Nov. is in the middle of the
>summer down there. I stayed and saw the closing of the games, and then flew
>back to Japan. The only work outs I had was playing basketball on the hanger
>deck of the carrier.

I'm not certain he was even on the aircraft carrier. Would he have misspelled hangar?

[highjumpsteve]

Re: Olympic Team roster

whoever wrote that resume is one of the world's all-time liars/losers. Absolutely pathetic. You should not "out" him here but I sure hope you do so locally.