Even though the XXXIII Olympiad recently ended, it’s not too late to honor an Olympic coach and an Olympic athlete on their birthdays.
And even though we could celebrate Frederick William 1 of Prussia’s 311th birthday or the Tenth Emperor of the Qing Dynasty’s 149th birthday, let’s wish a happy birthday to a notorious American legend instead.
Happy 274th Birthday to Doc Holliday
Gambler and Gunfighter
Born: August 14, 1851
Birthplace: Griffin, Georgia, United States
Died: November 8, 1887 (36 years old)
Doc Holliday gained a prime spot in the mythos of the American frontier when he joined his close friends, Wyatt Earp and his brothers, at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona on October 26, 1881. The deadly confrontation between the lawmen and the cattle rustlers is considered the most famous shootout in Wild West history.
“Conflict follows wrongdoing as surely as flies follow the herd."
(Doc Holliday)
A Few Facts:
- Though we know him as “Doc,” his parents named him John Henry.
- He graduated from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery when he was twenty years old.
- He moved out west after being diagnosed with tuberculosis.
- He died without his boots on in a Glenwood, Colorado hotel where he stayed while seeking the curative powers of nearby hot springs.
Famous actors who’ve played Doc Holliday include Cesar Romero, Victor Mature, Kirk Douglas, Martin Landau, Stacy Keach, Willy Nelson, Val Kilmer, and both Dennis Quaid and his brother Randy.
“Conflict follows wrongdoing as surely as flies follow the herd.”
Happy 124th Birthday to Earl Foster Thomson
American Equestrian and Olympic Silver Medalist
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Died: July 5, 1971 (almost 71 years old)
Best known as Tommy, Thomson holds an illustrious Olympic record in the equestrian competition known as “eventing.” He won:
- 1932 Los Angeles ~ individual silver; team gold
- 1936 Berlin ~ individual silver; team gold
- 1948 London ~ team gold; team silver in the dressage competition (to date, the highest team medal won by the U.S. in dressage)
In 1952, Thomson served as a judge at the Games (Helsinki), and in 1960, he served as a chef d’equipe for the eventing team (Rome).
The 1936 competition was especially notable because Thomson was the only American to successfully negotiate an especially difficult obstacle that included a three-foot jump into the water. Most of the competitors “found that the footing on the bottom was slippery and it was much deeper than it looked” (EFT).
Only a few other riders besides Thomson successfully completed the course so suspicion was cast onto the Germans when their entire team did so.
“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.” Muhammad Ali, gold-medal boxer
Thomson didn’t win medals only for his equestrian skill. A 1922 West Point graduate, Thomson was awarded the Silver Star in World War II while serving as chief of staff to the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division in Italy.
Happy 106th Birthday to LeRoy T. Walker
Former President of the US Olympic Committee
Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Died: April 23, 2012 (94 years old)
LeRoy Tashreau Walker’s grandparents were slaves, and he was the first in his family to attend college. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Benedict College (Columbia, SC), his master’s degree from Columbia University (New York, NY), and his Ph.D. in exercise physiology and biomechanics from New York University.
The teams that he coached at North Carolina Central University (Durham) won eleven gold medals at the Olympic Games held between 1956 and 1980. He also coached track teams from Israel, Ethiopia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and Kenya.
“My mother and [my brother] Joe told me, ‘You determine your destiny.
Don’t let somebody else tell you what you are capable of doing.’”
LeRoy Walker
Other Achievements:
- 1976 ~ First Black coach of an American Olympic team;
- 1983 ~ Named chancellor of NCCU;
- 1987 ~ Inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame;
- 1991 ~ Awarded the United States Sports Academy’s Eagle Award, the organization’s highest international honor;
- 1992 ~ First Black president of the US Olympic Committee and served two terms.
Your Turn
Whose birthday party do you most want to attend? You can…
- Play poker with Doc Holliday,
- Ride a horse with Earl “Tommy” Thomson, or
- Be mentored by LeRoy T. Walker.
Johnnie Alexander writes “Stories Past and Present” in multiple genres. A fan of classic movies, stacks of books, and road trips, she shares a life of quiet adventure with Rugby, her racoon-treeing papillon. Visit her at johnnie-alexander.com.
Quotes
Photos ~ individual photos in public domain; images created with Canva.
Doc Holliday ~ This is a copy of a photograph taken by photographer D.F. Mitchell in 1879-80.
Earl Foster Thomson ~ Portrait of Thomson (1900–1971) at West Point in 1922 from The Howitzer: The Yearbook of the United States Corps of Cadets, 1922, page 194.
LeRoy Walker as Chancellor of North Carolina Central University, 1984.
North Carolina Central University - "The Eagle," North Carolina Central University student yearbook, 1984 (p. 9), available online.
Sources
EFT ~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earl_Foster_Thomson
LeRoy T. Walker ~ https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/walker-leroy-t-1918-2012/
Thank you for posting today. I think I would ride a horse with Mr. Thomson.
ReplyDeleteThat would be fun!!! Though I haven't been on a horse in years--and even then it wasn't a horse but a tall pony! LOL!!!
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