United States at the 1948 Summer Olympics

Sporting event delegation

United States at the
1948 Summer Olympics

Flag of the United States

IOC code| USA
NOC| United States Olympic Committee
in London
Competitors| 300 (262 men and 38 women) in 19 sports
Flag bearer| Ralph Craig
Medals
Ranked 1st|

Gold

Silver

Bronze

Total

Summer Olympics appearances (overview)

* 1896
* 1900
* 1904
* 1908
* 1912
* 1920
* 1924
* 1928
* 1932
* 1936
* 1948
* 1952
* 1956
* 1960
* 1964
* 1968
* 1972
* 1976
* 1980
* 1984
* 1988
* 1992
* 1996
* 2000
* 2004
* 2008
* 2012
* 2016
* 2020
* 2024

Other related appearances
1906 Intercalated Games

The United States competed at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England, United Kingdom. 300 competitors, 262 men and 38 women, took part in 126 events in 19 sports.[1]

## Medalists

[edit]

Medal  | Name  | Sport  | Event  | Date

|
|
|
|

Gold | Harrison Dillard | Athletics | Men's 100 metres | July 31
Gold | Roy Cochran | Men's 400 metres hurdles
Gold | Willie Steele | Men's long jump
Gold | Wally Ris | Swimming | Men's 100 metre freestyle
Gold | Glen Brand | Wrestling | Men's freestyle middleweight
Gold | Henry Wittenberg | Men's freestyle light heavyweight
Gold | Mal Whitfield | Athletics | Men's 800 metres | August 2
Gold | Guinn Smith | Men's pole vault
Gold | Mel Patton | Men's 200 metres | August 3
Gold | Wilbur Thompson | Men's shot put
Gold | Bruce Harlan | Diving | Men's 3 metre springboard
Gold | Vicki Draves | Women's 3 metre springboard
Gold | Arthur Cook | Shooting | Men's 50 metre rifle prone
Gold | Jimmy McLane
Wally Ris
Bill Smith
Wally Wolf | Swimming | Men's 4 × 200 metre freestyle relay
Gold | William Porter | Athletics | Men's 110 metres hurdles | August 4
Gold | Bill Smith | Swimming | Men's 400 metre freestyle
Gold | Sammy Lee | Diving | Men's 10 metre platform | August 5
Gold | Bob Mathias | Athletics | Men's decathlon | August 6
Gold | Vicki Draves | Diving | Women's 10 metre platform
Gold | Allen Stack | Swimming | Men's 100 metre backstroke
Gold | Marie Corridon
Ann Curtis
Brenda Helser
Thelma Kalama | Women's 4 × 100 metre freestyle relay
Gold | Harrison Dillard
Barney Ewell
Mel Patton
Lorenzo Wright | Athletics | Men's 4 × 100 metres relay | August 7
Gold | Cliff Bourland
Roy Cochran
Arthur Harnden
Mal Whitfield | Men's 4 × 400 metres relay
Gold | Alice Coachman | Women's high jump
Gold | Jimmy McLane | Swimming | Men's 1500 metre freestyle
Gold | Joe Verdeur | Men's 200 metre breaststroke
Gold | Ann Curtis | Women's 400 metre freestyle
Gold | Gordon Giovanelli
Bob Martin
Allen Morgan
Warren Westlund
Bob Will | Rowing | Men's coxed four | August 9
Gold | George Ahlgren
David Brown
Lloyd Butler
James Hardy
Justus Smith
John Stack
David Turner
Ian Turner | Men's eight
Gold | Joseph DePietro | Weightlifting | Men's 56 kg
Gold | Frank Spellman | Men's 75 kg | August 10
Gold | Steven Lysak
Stephen Macknowski | Canoeing | Men's C-2 10000 metres | August 11
Gold | Stanley Stanczyk | Weightlifting | Men's 82.5 kg
Gold | John Davis | Men's +82.5 kg
Gold | Hilary Smart
Paul Smart | Sailing | Star | August 12
Gold | Alfred Loomis
Michael Mooney
James H. Smith Jr.
James Weekes
Herman Whiton | 6 Metre
Gold | Charles Anderson
Frank Henry
Earl Foster Thomson | Equestrian | Team eventing | August 13
Gold | United States men's national basketball team

* Cliff Barker
* Don Barksdale
* Ralph Beard
* Lew Beck
* Vince Boryla
* Gordon Carpenter
* Alex Groza
* Wallace Jones
* Bob Kurland
* Ray Lumpp
* R. C. Pitts
* Jesse Renick
* Jackie Robinson
* Kenny Rollins

| Basketball | Men's tournament  | August 14
Silver | Barney Ewell | Athletics | Men's 100 metres | July 31
Silver | Alan Ford | Swimming | Men's 100 metre freestyle
Silver | Gerald Leeman | Wrestling | Men's freestyle bantamweight
Silver | Ann Curtis | Swimming | Women's 100 metre freestyle | August 2
Silver | Barney Ewell | Athletics | Men's 200 metres | August 3
Silver | Jim Delaney | Men's shot put
Silver | Miller Anderson | Diving | Men's 3 metre springboard
Silver | Zoe Ann Olsen | Women's 3 metre springboard
Silver | Walter Tomsen | Shooting | Men's 50 metre rifle prone
Silver | Clyde Scott | Athletics | Men's 110 metres hurdles | August 4
Silver | Steve Seymour | Men's javelin throw
Silver | George Moore | Modern pentathlon | Men's competition
Silver | Jimmy McLane | Swimming | Men's 400 metre freestyle
Silver | Bruce Harlan | Diving | Men's 10 metre platform | August 5
Silver | Suzanne Zimmerman | Swimming | Women's 100 metre backstroke
Silver | Patsy Elsener | Diving | Women's 10 metre platform | August 6
Silver | Bob Cowell | Swimming | Men's 100 metre backstroke
Silver | Keith Carter | Men's 200 metre breaststroke | August 7
Silver | Robert Borg
Earl Foster Thomson
Frank Henry | Equestrian | Team dressage | August 9
Silver | Pete George | Weightlifting | Men's 75 kg | August 10
Silver | Frank Havens | Canoeing | Men's C-1 10000 metres | August 11
Silver | Harold Sakata | Weightlifting | Men's 82.5 kg
Silver | Norbert Schemansky | Men's +82.5 kg
Silver | Steven Lysak
Stephen Macknowski | Canoeing | Men's C-2 1000 metres | August 12
Silver | Ralph Evans | Sailing | Firefly
Silver | Hank Herring | Boxing | Welterweight | August 13
Silver | Frank Henry | Equestrian | Individual eventing
Bronze | George Stanich | Athletics | Men's high jump | July 30
Bronze | Herb Douglas | Men's long jump | July 31
Bronze | Robert Bennett | Men's hammer throw
Bronze | Leland Merrill | Wrestling | Men's freestyle welterweight
Bronze | Bob Richards | Athletics | Men's pole vault | August 2
Bronze | Fortune Gordien | Men's discus throw
Bronze | Jim Fuchs | Men's shot put | August 3
Bronze | Sammy Lee | Diving | Men's 3 metre springboard
Bronze | Patsy Elsener | Women's 3 metre springboard
Bronze | Craig Dixon | Athletics | Men's 110 metres hurdles | August 4
Bronze | Mal Whitfield | Men's 400 metres | August 5
Bronze | Floyd Simmons | Men's decathlon | August 6
Bronze | Audrey Patterson | Women's 200 metres
Bronze | Bob Sohl | Swimming | Men's 200 metre breaststroke | August 7
Bronze | Greg Gates
Stu Griffing
Fred Kingsbury
Robert Perew | Rowing | Men's coxless four | August 9
Bronze | Richard Tom | Weightlifting | Men's 56 kg
Bronze | Miguel de Capriles
Dean Cetrulo
Norman C. Armitage
James Flynn
Tibor Nyilas
George Worth | Fencing | Men's team sabre | August 11
Bronze | Lockwood Pirie
Owen Torrey | Sailing | Swallow | August 12
Bronze | Ladislava Bakanic
Marian Barone
Dorothy Dalton
Meta Elste
Consetta Lenz
Helen Schifano
Clara Schroth
Anita Simonis | Gymnastics | Women's artistic team all-around | August 14

## Athletics

[edit]

Main article: Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics

By winning the women's high jump, Alice Coachman became the first black woman to clinch an Olympic gold medal.[2]

## Basketball

[edit]

Main article: Basketball at the 1948 Summer Olympics

## Boxing

[edit]

Main article: Boxing at the 1948 Summer Olympics

## Canoeing

[edit]

Main article: Canoeing at the 1948 Summer Olympics

## Cycling

[edit]

Main article: Cycling at the 1948 Summer Olympics

Nine cyclists represented the United States in 1948.

Individual road race

* Frank Brilando
* Ed Lynch
* Chester Nelsen
* Wendell Rollins

Team road race

* Frank Brilando
* Ed Lynch
* Chester Nelsen
* Wendell Rollins

Sprint

* Jack Heid

Time trial

* Jack Heid

Tandem

* Marvin Thomson
* Al Stiller

Team pursuit

* Al Stiller
* Thomas Montemage
* Ted Smith

## Diving

[edit]

Main article: Diving at the 1948 Summer Olympics

Men
Athlete  | Event  | Final

|
|

Points  | Rank
Miller Anderson | 3 m springboard | 157.29  |
Bruce Harlan | 163.64  |
Sammy Lee | 145.52  |
Bruce Harlan | 10 m platform | 122.30  |
Sammy Lee | 130.05  |

Women
Athlete  | Event  | Final

|
|

Points  | Rank
Vicki Draves | 3 m springboard | 108.74  |
Patsy Elsener | 101.30  |
Zoe Ann Olsen-Jensen | 108.23  |
Vicki Draves | 10 m platform | 68.87  |
Patsy Elsener | 66.28  |
Juno Stover-Irwin | 62.63  | 5

## Equestrian

[edit]

Main article: Equestrian at the 1948 Summer Olympics

## Fencing

[edit]

Main article: Fencing at the 1948 Summer Olympics

20 fencers represented the United States in 1948.

Men's foil

* Dean Cetrulo
* Silvio Giolito
* Nathaniel Lubell

Men's team foil

* Daniel Bukantz, Dean Cetrulo, Dernell Every, Silvio Giolito, Nate Lubell, Austin Prokop

Men's épée

* Norman Lewis
* Joe de Capriles
* Albert Wolff

Men's team épée

* Norman Lewis, Andrew Boyd, Joe de Capriles, Donald Thompson, Albert Wolff, Ralph Goldstein

Men's sabre

* George Worth
* Tibor Nyilas
* Dean Cetrulo

Men's team sabre

* Norman Cohn-Armitage, George Worth, Tibor Nyilas, Dean Cetrulo, Miguel de Capriles, James Flynn

Women's foil

* Maria Cerra
* Jan York-Romary
* Helena Dow

## Football

[edit]

Main article: Football at the 1948 Summer Olympics

Results
U.S. 0–9 Italy

Roster

* Robert Annis
* Walter Bahr
* Raymond Beckman
* Bill Bertani
* Charlie Colombo
* Joe Ferreira
* Steve Grivnow
* Manuel Martin
* Benny McLaughlin
* Gino Pariani
* Joseph Rego-Costa
* Archie Strimel
* Ed Souza
* John Souza
* Rolf Valtin

## Gymnastics

[edit]

Main article: Gymnastics at the 1948 Summer Olympics

## Hockey

[edit]

Main article: Field hockey at the 1948 Summer Olympics

Head coach: Henry Goode as playing manager and Kurt Orban as playing coach.

No.  | Pos.  | Player  | DoB  | Age  | Caps  | Club  | Tournament
games | Tournament
goals

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| HB | Donald Buck | September 26, 1916 | 31 | ? |  Mt. Washington Club | 2 | 0
|  | Hughes Cauffman |  |  | October 29, 1916 |  | 0 | 0
| FW | Claus Gerson | November 12, 1917 | 30 | ? |  New York Tennis and Hockey Club | 3 | 0
| FW | Henry Goode | June 7, 1918 | 30 | ? |  | 1 | 0
| FW | Frederick Hewitt | September 16, 1916 | 31 | ? |  Mt. Washington Club | 2 | 1
| HB | William Kurtz | December 18, 1917 | 30 | ? |  Philadelphia Field Hockey Association | 2 | 0
| HB | Hendrick Lubbers | December 30, 1926 | 21 | ? |  | 3 | 0
| FW | Harry Marcoplos | January 28, 1926 | 22 | ? |  Baltimore Field Hockey Club | 3 | 0
| FW | Kurt Orban | August 6, 1916 | 31 | ? |  Downtown Athletic Club | 3 | 0
| B | John Renwick | May 13, 1921 | 27 | ? |  Rye Field Hockey Club | 3 | 0
|  | Phillip Schoettle |  |  | ? |  | 0 | 0
| HB | Sanders Sims | June 1, 1921 | 26 | ? |  Philadelphia Hockey and Tennis Club | 1 | 0
| GK | John Slade | May 30, 1908 | 40 | ? |  Westchester Field Hockey Club | 2 | 0
| B | Walter Stude | December 3, 1913 | 34 | ? |  Baltimore Field Hockey Club | 3 | 0
| FW/HB/GK | Felix Ucko | January 4, 1919 | 32 | ? |  New York Field Hockey Club | 3 | 0
| FW | William Wilson | October 26, 1917 | 30 | ? |  Westchester Field Hockey Club | 2 | 0

Felix Ucko played a different position in every match.

## Modern pentathlon

[edit]

Main article: Modern pentathlon at the 1948 Summer Olympics

Three pentathletes represented the United States in 1948.

* George Moore
* Richard Gruenther
* Hale Baugh

## Rowing

[edit]

Main article: Rowing at the 1948 Summer Olympics

The United States had 26 rowers participate in all seven rowing events in 1948.[3]

Men's single sculls

* John B. Kelly Jr.

Men's double sculls

* Joe Angyal
* Arthur Gallagher

Men's coxless pair

* John Wade
* Ralph Stephan

Men's coxed pair

* Vincent Deeney
* Joseph Toland
* John McIntyre (cox)

Men's coxless four

* Fred Kingsbury
* Stu Griffing
* Greg Gates
* Robert Perew

Men's coxed four

* Warren Westlund
* Bob Martin
* Bob Will
* Gordy Giovanelli
* Allen Morgan (cox)

Men's eight

* Ian Turner
* David Turner
* James Hardy
* George Ahlgren
* Lloyd Butler
* David Brown
* Justus Smith
* John Stack
* Ralph Purchase (cox)

## Sailing

[edit]

Main article: Sailing at the 1948 Summer Olympics

## Shooting

[edit]

Main article: Shooting at the 1948 Summer Olympics

Twelve shooters represented the United States in 1948. In the 50 metre rifle event, Art Cook won gold and Walter Tomsen won silver.

25 metre pistol

* Bob Chow
* Philip Roettinger
* John Layton

50 metre pistol

* Joe Benner
* Walter Walsh
* Quentin Brooks

300 metre rifle

* Emmett Swanson
* Art Jackson
* Frank Parsons, Jr.

50 metre rifle

* Art Cook
* Walter Tomsen
* Harry Cail

## Swimming

[edit]

Main article: Swimming at the 1948 Summer Olympics

Men
Athlete  | Event  | Heat  | Semifinal  | Final

|
|
|
|

Time  | Rank  | Time  | Rank  | Time  | Rank
Keith Carter | 100 m freestyle | 58.7  | 1 Q*  | 57.6  | 1 Q*  | 58.3  | 4
Alan Ford | 59.2  | 1 Q*  | 57.8  | 2 Q*  | 57.8  |
Wally Ris | 58.1  | 1 Q*  | 57.5 =OR | 1 Q*  | 57.3 OR |
Bill Heusner | 400 m freestyle | 4:58.3  | 10 Q | 4:57.4  | 9  | Did not advance
Jimmy McLane | 4:42.2 OR | 1 Q | 4:49.5  | 3 Q | 4:43.4  |
Bill Smith | 4:45.3  | 2 Q | 4:48.4  | 2 Q | 4:41.0 OR |
Bill Heusner | 1500 m freestyle | 20:29.6  | 11 Q | 20:23.9  | 8 q | 20:45.4  | 8
Jimmy McLane | 20:17.7  | 6 Q | 19:52.2  | 1 Q | 19:18.5  |
Forbes Norris | 20:21.0  | 10 Q | 20:09.3  | 5 Q | 20:18.8  | 6
Bob Cowell | 100 m backstroke | 1:06.9  | 1 Q*  | 1:08.5  | 1 Q*  | 1:06.5  |
Howard Patterson | 1:09.3  | 2 Q*  | 1:09.9  | 4*  | Did not advance
Allen Stack | 1:06.6  | 1 Q*  | 1:07.3  | 1 Q*  | 1:06.4  |
Keith Carter | 200 m breaststroke | 2:46.3  | 4 Q | 2:43.0  | 2 Q | 2:40.2  |
Bob Sohl | 2:44.9  | 2 Q | 2:44.4  | 5 Q | 2:43.9  |
Joe Verdeur | 2:40.0  | 1 Q | 2:40.7  | 1 Q | 2:39.3 OR |
Wally Ris
Wally Wolf
Jimmy McLane
Bill Smith
Bob Gibe
William Dudley
Edwin Gilbert
Eugene R. Rogers | 4 × 200 m freestyle relay | 8:55.9  | 2 Q*  | —  | 8:46.0 OR |

*Ranks given are within the heat.

Women
Athlete  | Event  | Heat  | Semifinal  | Final

|
|
|
|

Time  | Rank  | Time  | Rank  | Time  | Rank
Marie Corridon | 100 m freestyle | 1:08.4  | 9 Q | 1:08.9  | 9  | Did not advance
Ann Curtis | 1:06.9  | 2 Q | 1:07.6  | 3 Q | 1:06.5  |
Brenda Helser | 1:09.0  | 13 Q | 1:10.0  | 16  | Did not advance
Ann Curtis | 400 m freestyle | 5:32.0  | 8 Q | 5:26.4  | 3 Q | 5:17.8 OR |
Brenda Helser | 5:30.0  | 5 Q | 5:28.1  | 4 Q | 5:26.0  | 5
Nancy Lees | 5:29.6  | 4 Q | 5:31.9  | 8 q | 5:32.9  | 8
Barbara Jensen | 100 m backstroke | 1:18.8  | 11 Q | 1:19.1  | 12  | Did not advance
Muriel Mellon | 1:18.7  | 8 Q | 1:18.2  | 6 Q | 1:19.0  | 7
Suzanne Zimmerman | 1:16.8  | 3 Q | 1:16.8  | 2 Q | 1:16.0  |
Clara LaMore | 200 m breaststroke | 3:23.6  | 6*  | Did not advance
Penny Pence | 3:28.1  | 7*  | Did not advance
Jeanne Wilson | 3:18.3  | 7*  | Did not advance
Marie Corridon
Thelma Kalama
Brenda Helser
Ann Curtis | 4 × 100 m freestyle relay | 4:34.1  | 2*  | —  | 4:29.2 OR |

*Ranks given are within the heat.

## Water polo

[edit]

Main article: Water polo at the 1948 Summer Olympics

## Weightlifting

[edit]

Main article: Weightlifting at the 1948 Summer Olympics

## Wrestling

[edit]

Main article: Wrestling at the 1948 Summer Olympics

## Art competitions

[edit]

Main article: Art competitions at the 1948 Summer Olympics

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "United States at the 1948 London Summer Games". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
2. ^ "Athletics at the 1948 London Summer Games: Women's High Jump". sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved December 27, 2017.
3. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "United States Rowing at the 1948 London Summer Games". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2018.

* v
* t
* e

National Olympic Committees at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom

Africa|

* Egypt
* South Africa

America|

* Argentina
* Bermuda
* Brazil
* British Guiana
* Canada
* Chile
* Colombia
* Cuba
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Panama
* Peru
* Puerto Rico
* Trinidad
* United States
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Asia|

* Afghanistan
* Burma
* Ceylon
* China
* India
* Iran
* Iraq
* Philippines
* Korea
* Lebanon
* Pakistan
* Singapore
* Syria
* Turkey

Europe|

* Austria
* Belgium
* Czechoslovakia
* Denmark
* Finland
* France
* Great Britain
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Ireland
* Italy
* Liechtenstein
* Luxembourg
* Malta
* Monaco
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Yugoslavia

Oceania|

* Australia
* New Zealand

* v
* t
* e

United States at the Olympics

| Summer Olympic Games|

* 1896
* 1900
* 1904
* 1908
* 1912
* 1920
* 1924
* 1928
* 1932
* 1936
* 1948
* 1952
* 1956
* 1960
* 1964
* 1968
* 1972
* 1976
* 1980
* 1984
* 1988
* 1992
* 1996
* 2000
* 2004
* 2008
* 2012
* 2016
* 2020
* 2024

|

Winter Olympic Games|

* 1924
* 1928
* 1932
* 1936
* 1948
* 1952
* 1956
* 1960
* 1964
* 1968
* 1972
* 1976
* 1980
* 1984
* 1988
* 1992
* 1994
* 1998
* 2002
* 2006
* 2010
* 2014
* 2018
* 2022
* 2026

Intercalated Games|

1906

The United States hosted the 1904, 1932, 1984, 1996, and 2028 Summer Olympics, as well as the 1932, 1960, 1980, and 2002 Winter Olympics. The United States did not participate in 1980 due to a boycott.

* v
* t
* e

Summer Olympics medal table leaders by year

* 1896:  United States
* 1900:  France
* 1904:  United States
* 1908:  Great Britain
* 1912:  United States
* 1920:  United States
* 1924:  United States
* 1928:  United States
* 1932:  United States
* 1936:  Germany
* 1948:  United States
* 1952:  United States
* 1956:  Soviet Union
* 1960:  Soviet Union
* 1964:  United States
* 1968:  United States
* 1972:  Soviet Union
* 1976:  Soviet Union
* 1980:  Soviet Union
* 1984:  United States
* 1988:  Soviet Union
* 1992:  Unified Team
* 1996:  United States
* 2000:  United States
* 2004:  United States
* 2008:  China
* 2012:  United States
* 2016:  United States
* 2020:  United States
* 2024:  United States

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