Ben: Olympian from your school...

[BillVol]

BH, did you notice that Michael Bingham, from your McCallie School in Chattanooga (and later Wake Forest), competed in the OGs for Great Britain in the 4x4? Somehow that got by me. If it was mentioned in the local press, I didn't notice it. I think he is the first Olympian from our local prep ranks. Although I have often read that Pollack "Polly" Boyd, also from McCallie, was a golfer on the Olympic team, back when golf was in the OGs. He was the NCAA golf champ, I think representing Dartmouth College. Supposedly Bobby Jones was on that same team as Boyd, but I haven't seen anything solid to verify this. Anyhow, hats off to Bingham, also a great decathlete for your Blue Tornado.

[ponytayne]

I noticed Michael Bingham competing in the 4x4 for GB, but only because I was at Wake when he was. Go DEACS!

[bambam1729]

Re: Ben: Olympian from your school...

BH, did you notice that Michael Bingham, from your McCallie School in Chattanooga (and later Wake Forest), competed in the OGs for Great Britain in the 4x4? Somehow that got by me. If it was mentioned in the local press, I didn't notice it. I think he is the first Olympian from our local prep ranks. Although I have often read that Pollack "Polly" Boyd, also from McCallie, was a golfer on the Olympic team, back when golf was in the OGs. He was the NCAA golf champ, I think representing Dartmouth College. Supposedly Bobby Jones was on that same team as Boyd, but I haven't seen anything solid to verify this. Anyhow, hats off to Bingham, also a great decathlete for your Blue Tornado.

BillVol - is that Louis Boyd, 35th in 1904 golf qualifying round? If so, do you have any biographical information on him and can lead me to something on him. We have nothing. Thanx

[BillVol]

Re: Ben: Olympian from your school...

BH, did you notice that Michael Bingham, from your McCallie School in Chattanooga (and later Wake Forest), competed in the OGs for Great Britain in the 4x4? Somehow that got by me. If it was mentioned in the local press, I didn't notice it. I think he is the first Olympian from our local prep ranks. Although I have often read that Pollack "Polly" Boyd, also from McCallie, was a golfer on the Olympic team, back when golf was in the OGs. He was the NCAA golf champ, I think representing Dartmouth College. Supposedly Bobby Jones was on that same team as Boyd, but I haven't seen anything solid to verify this. Anyhow, hats off to Bingham, also a great decathlete for your Blue Tornado.

BillVol - is that Louis Boyd, 35th in 1904 golf qualifying round? If so, do you have any biographical information on him and can lead me to something on him. We have nothing. Thanx

bam, I dug up a coffee table book on The Honors Course, Chattanooga's great golf course that has been ranked in the top 100 in the world since the year it was built (1984 or so). They have something there called the "Honors Circle." Around the flag pole in front of the club house is a circle made of stacked stone with plaques on it representing people/teams honored in the Honors Circle. Tiger Woods, who won the NCAAs at The Honors for Stanford, is a member of the Honors Circle. Another plaque is for Pollack "Polly" Boyd. Following is exactly what is written on his plaque, which is pictured in the book I'm now looking at:

"No. 12 Honors A. Pollack "Polly" Boyd

"Tennessee State Amateur Champion - 1920, '21, '22, '30

"National Intercollegiate Champion - 1922

"U.S. Olympic Team Member - 1921 ("Polly" Boyd, Bobby Jones, Perry Adair, Tom Prescott)"

I found these links on Boyd:

http://www.golfhousetennessee.com/fw/ma ... d-431.html

http://dartmouthsports.com/ViewArticle. ... LID=613483

Of course, there were no OGs in 1921, so I don't understand the where they are coming from with this plaque. Any idea?

Interestingly, bh's McCallie School can claim another NCAA golf champ, Dixon Brooke, who won the title for Virginia. I wonder how many high schools can claim two NCAA golf champs?

I wish I could help you further on this one. I've been curious about it since I first read the plaque in person. But you know how it is, I'm sure. You start asking people questions about such things, and they have no idea. It is frustrating.

PS: Our city has another Olympian I should have remembered, Venus Lacy, from Brainerd HS and Louisiana Tech, who won a gold medal in women's basketball.

Edit: More from another book I have on The Honors on Polly Boyd...

"A member of the only Olympic golf team ever fielded, in 1920, a team that also included the incomparable Bobby Jones."

Did Boyd compete in the OGs in Antwerp???

[bambam1729]

Well, Polly Boyd is not Louis Boyd, who competed in 1904. I checked some other stuff last night. Louis played out of Milwaukee CC, and as you noted, Polly Boyd was NCAA Champion in 1921 (?1922 - doing from memory). Perhaps a relation.

It should be noted that golf was held in only 1900 and 1904 at the Olympics but it was on the Olympic Program in 1908, 1916, and 1920 but the events were never held, for various reasons I won't get into here. I guess it is possible that Polly Boyd was on the 1920 Olympic golf team that did not compete. I've never seen that US team listed but it is possible.

[BillVol]

Well, at very least then, the plaque is in error with the 1921 reference. I knew something wasn't adding up.

[bhall]

I did notice and posted on Oly Events forum with banter with gm. Good stuff! Ran 2nd fastest split for GB in both the prelims and finals. Also noticed that he still has been listed in 1-2 UK meets after the OG with a USA affiliation. Someone needs to update their database.