Olympian Athletes: Track and Field Participants Who Were Former College Hoopers
There is no higher accolade than designation as an Olympian. Texas A&M had a couple of All-Southwest Conference basketball selections go on to earn Olympic goal medals in track and field events - Walter "Buddy" Davis (high jump in 1952) and Randy Matson (shot put in 1968). A striking number of college hoopers participated in track and field for the U.S. in the Olympics. Consider the following alphabetical list of versatile athletes:
WALTER ASHBAUGH, Cornell
Won the IC4A 120-high hurdles championship in 1951. In addition, he won the outdoor Heptagonal 120-hurdles title in 1949 and again in 1950. Placed fourth in the triple jump at the 1952 Olympic Games. . . . All-Ivy League (EIBL) second-team selection in 1949-50 and 1950-51 when he was runner-up in scoring with the Big Red both seasons.
JEFF BANNISTER, New Hampshire
Won U.S. Olympic Trials in decathlon in 1979 Olympic Trials and placed 21st at 1972 Olympics. Won the AAU pentathlon title in 1966. In the decathlon, he finished third in 1969 and second in 1972. . . . All-Yankee Conference second-team selection in 1968-69 as a junior.
JIM BAUSCH, Kansas
Olympic decathlon champion in 1932 won the Sullivan Award that year as the nation's outstanding amateur athlete. Member of College Football Hall of Fame and Track and Field Hall of Fame played in the NFL in 1933. . . . Starter for 1929-30 Jayhawks basketball team compiling a 13-game winning streak on its way to a 14-4 record and second-place finish in the Big Six Conference. The Spalding Official Basketball Guide said that the Wichita transfer "solved the center problem which had bothered Kansas for several seasons." Older brother of eight-year NFL center-linebacker Frank Bausch.
SOL BUTLER, Dubuque (Iowa)
In 1914, he broke the National Interscholastic record for the 60-yard dash. In 1919, he won both the 100-yard dash and broad jump at the Penn Relays. He won the national AAU championship in 1920 by broad jumping 24-8. Butler went to Antwerp for the Olympics, but on his very first jump in the preliminaries he pulled a tendon and was forced to withdraw. . . . He was a center in basketball. Football teammate of the legendary Jim Thorpe with the Canton Bulldogs.
PRESTON CARRINGTON, Washburn (Kan.)/Wichita State
Finished fifth in long jump at 1972 Munich Olympics with a leap of 26-2 1/2 inches after placing runner-up in the qualifying. Twice placed in the NCAA long jump - third in 1970 and sixth in 1971. . . . Juco recruit after starting his college career with Washburn (Kan.) was a two-year starter with the Shockers, averaging more than 10 ppg each season in 1969-70 and 1970-71.
TOM CHURCHILL, Oklahoma
Three-year letterman in football played in the 1929 East-West Shrine Game. He also competed in boxing and won the decathlon at the 1928 Kansas Relays. Earned a place on the U.S. Olympic team, finishing fifth in a field of 38 at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam. Pitched for the Sooners and signed a contract with the New York Yankees before ending his baseball career because of a damaged shoulder. . . . Forward-center averaged 12.4 ppg in Big Six Conference competition in 1929 when he was a consensus basketball All-American.
OTIS DAVIS, Oregon
Double gold-medal winner in track and field in the 1960 Olympic Games. Won the 400 meters with a world record time of 44.9 seconds and anchored the 1600-meter relay team as it set a world record of 3.02.2. . . . The 6-1 Davis collected 18 points and 13 rebounds in 15 basketball games in 1957-58 after transferring from Los Angeles City College.
WALTER "BUDDY" DAVIS, Texas A&M
Winner of gold medal in 1952 Olympic Games high jump with a leap of 6'-8 1/2". Won AAU high jump titles in 1952 and 1953. Set then world high-jump record of 6'-11 1/2" in 1953. . . . Played three seasons of varsity basketball with the Aggies, averaging 9.9 ppg as a sophomore, 12.1 as a junior (NCAA Tournament team) and 15.1 as a senior. First five selection on All-Southwest Conference team as both a junior and senior. Held school season (362 points) and career (952 points) scoring records when he graduated in 1952. Named to Helms Foundation All-American third team as a junior. The 6-8, 210-pound center-forward averaged 4.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in five seasons (1953-54 through 1957-58) in the NBA with the Philadelphia Warriors and St. Louis Hawks. Member of two NBA championship teams (Warriors in 1956 and Hawks in 1958).
DWIGHT "DIKE" EDDLEMAN, Illinois
Member of 1948 U.S. Olympic track and field team finished fourth in the high jump with a mark of 6-4 3/4. Won 1948 NCAA high jump title (6-7), placed fourth in 1946 and tied for second in 1947. Held Illini football records for highest punting average in a season (43 yards per kick in 1948), longest punt (88 yards vs. Iowa in 1948), punt return average in a season (32.8 in 1948) and longest punt return (92 yards vs. Western Michigan in 1947). . . . Led Illinois basketball squad in scoring in 1947-48 (13.9 ppg) and 1948-49 (13.1). The 6-3, 180-pound guard-forward was named to the second five on Associated Press All-American team in 1947-48 and 1948-49 and first team on Converse All-America team in 1948-49. Played four seasons in the NBA.
STEVE FRITZ, Kansas State
Decathlete was runner-up to Jim O'Brien in the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1996 before finishing fourth at the Olympics in Atlanta. Won the Big Eight Conference decathlon title in 1989 and 1990 prior to finishing runner-up in 1994 Goodwill Games at St. Petersburg, Russia. His wife, Suzie, became coach of women's volleyball team at K-State. . . . The 6-4, 190-pound forward scored seven points in 12 games for the Wildcats in 1988-89 (played briefly for coach Lon Kruger in NCAA playoff loss against Minnesota) and 81 points in 26 games in 1990-91. He hit the game-winning basket for Hutchinson (Kan.) in the 1988 NJCAA Tournament final.
JIM GERHARDT, Rice
Finished 11th in the triple jump in 1952 Olympics in Helsinki after a second-place finish in the U.S. trials with a career-best mark of 49-7.75. . . . Averaged 6.3 ppg from 1948-49 through 1950-51. He was runner-up in team scoring as senior with 12.3 ppg.
RAFER JOHNSON, UCLA
Former world record holder in the decathlon was called the "world's greatest all-round athlete" at the time. Brother of All-Pro cornerback Jimmy Johnson won gold medal in the decathlon in the 1955 Pan American Games and the 1960 Olympic Games and was runner-up in the 1956 Olympics. Awarded Sullivan Award in 1960 as the nation's No. 1 amateur athlete. His daughter, Jenny Johnson Jordan, and Annett Davis finished fifth in beach volleyball competition at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. . . . Lettered in basketball with the Bruins two seasons as a 6-3 forward-guard. Student body president averaged 2.5 ppg in 1957-58 and 8.2 ppg in 1958-59 under coach John Wooden. Third-leading scorer and rebounder (6.6 rpg) on 1958-59 team he led in field-goal shooting (50.7%). Sketch in school guide: "Had to miss practice sessions because of his duties as the Associated Students (student body) president, and, as a result, hasn't come along as fast as hoped for. But this great athlete figures to be mighty valuable."
RANDY MATSON, Texas A&M
Former world record holder in the shot put became first shot putter to exceed 70 feet with a toss of 70'-7 1/4" in 1965. Won gold medal in shot put in 1968 Olympic Games and silver medal in 1964. Won both shot put and discus in the 1966 and 1967 NCAA and AAU meets. Sullivan Award winner in 1967 as the nation's outstanding amateur athlete. . . . In his only season of varsity basketball (1965-66), the 6-6 1/2, 250-pound forward-center averaged 8.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. In Southwest Conference competition, he finished third in field-goal shooting (54.9 percent) and fifth in rebounding (10 rpg) to become an all-league second-team selection. Matson was an 11th-round choice by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1967 NBA draft.
RALPH MAUGHAN, Utah State
Longtime track coach at his alma mater won three conference championships in the Hammer (1946-48) and two league titles in the javelin (1947 and 1948). He won the 1946 AAU national title in the hammer and also qualified for the event in the 1948 Olympics. Finished fifth in the javelin at the 1947 NCAA Championships. . . . Second-team All-Mountain States Conference selection in basketball in 1943. Two-time all-conference center in football (1946 and 1947).
JOHN RAMBO, Long Beach State
Bronze medal winner in the high jump in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics with a jump of 7-1, which was two inches under his career best mark. NCAA high jump champion in 1964 before winning the AAU indoor high jump championships in 1967 and 1969. . . . Attended Utah State in 1962-63 before the 6-7, 195-pound forward averaged 19.8 ppg and 11 rpg in two years as California Collegiate Athletic Association first-team all-star choice in 1963-64 and 1964-65. He led the 49ers in scoring (20.3 ppg) and rebounding (12.7 rpg) in his second season. Rambo had a 42-point, 31-rebound outing against San Diego. Rambo was a sixth-round choice of the St. Louis Hawks in the 1965 NBA draft.
IRVIN "BO" ROBERSON, Cornell
In February 1960, he broke Jesse Owens' 25-year-old world indoor record in the broad jump when he leaped 25-9 1/2 at the National AAU Track and Field Championships. Roberson won the silver medal in the broad jump at the 1960 Olympic Games with a leap of 26-7 3/8, finishing narrowly behind gold medalist Ralph Boston's distance of 26-7 3/4. He won five Heptagonal (the Ivy League schools plus Army and Navy) titles, winning two indoor Heps titles in the long jump (1957 and 1958) and one in the 60-yard dash (1958), and outdoor Heps championships in the long jump (1958) and 220-yard low hurdles (1956). . . . Roberson was also a standout football player, leading the team in rushing as a sophomore and junior. He scored 10 touchdowns in his three-year varsity career, rushing for 1,175 yards on 348 carries and catching 16 passes for 224 yards. He holds the school record for longest kickoff return (100 yards vs. Colgate in 1956). Roberson went on to play flanker for seven seasons in the AFL with the Los Angeles Chargers, Oakland Raiders, Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins. His only basketball season was as a 6-1 sophomore center in 1955-56 when he was the second-leading scorer for the Big Red (14.9 ppg) and finished among the national leaders in rebounding (15th with 17.6 rpg) and field-goal shooting (sixth at 52.2%). Roberson scored 27 of his career-high 31 points in the first half of a game against Penn.
HARLOW ROTHERT, Stanford
Member of two U.S. Olympic track and field teams placed seventh in the shot put in 1928 and won silver medal in the event in 1932. NCAA shot put champion in 1928, 1929 and 1930. Second in discus in 1930 AAU meet and fourth in 1930 AAU decathlon. . . . A 6-2, 225-pounder, he was named to the 10-man Helms Foundation 1928-29 All-American team selected in 1943. Excerpt from Spalding Basketball Guide: "The opinion seemed to be nearly unanimous that Rothert is the best guard in the (Pacific Coast) conference. Rangy and aggressive, he is clever at getting the ball off the backboard and putting it back in play, and is a dangerous scorer when in shooting distance."
EUIL SNIDER, Auburn
Qualified for the 1928 Olympic Games by setting a national record of 48 seconds flat in the 400 meters. . . . Basketball letterman in 1926.
GEORGE STANICH, UCLA
Won a bronze medal in the high jump in the 1948 Olympic Games. Also reached the AAA level as a pitcher in the New York Yankees' organization. . . . The 6-3 guard was an All-PCC South Division selection in 1948-49 and 1949-50 in John Wooden's first two seasons as coach of the Bruins. UCLA captured the league playoff in his final season when he was named a first-team All-American by Converse (7.9 ppg).
WILLIE STEELE, San Diego State
Won long jump at the 1948 London Olympics (25 feet 8 inches) despite hampered by an ankle injury. Twice won the NCAA long jump title. . . . Earned basketball letter with the Aztecs in 1946-47 when he averaged 5.2 points in 13 games.
KEN WIESNER, Marquette
Won three NCAA high jump championships from 1944 through 1946 before winning a silver medal in the event at the 1952 Olympics. In 1953, he broke the world indoor record three times. . . . Three-year basketball letterman with Marquette from 1945 through 1947. He scored 189 points in the 1945-46 season.