Norman Armitage
Encyclopedia
Norman Armitage was an American
saber fencer
. He was tall, willowy, and sported a "little waxed moustache."
. In less than three years he won the Intercollegiate Fencing Association
sabre championship, in 1928.
. His span of 28 years between appearances would only be matched among U.S. Olympians by equestrian Michael Plumb in 1992, nearly half a century later. He was a member of the three-man color guard
that carried the U.S. flag in the 1948 opening ceremony, and he was the lone flag bearer at the opening ceremony in the 1952 Helsinki Games and in 1956.
He first competed at the 1928 Amsterdam Games (as Norman Cohn) in the individual and team events. In the team competition, the U.S. was eliminated in the first round after losing to Hungary (2–14) and Poland (7–9). Armitage did a little better in the individual sabre, reaching the semifinals, but was eliminated after finishing seventh in his pool.
Armitage returned to the Olympics in 1932 at the Los Angeles
Games, competing in the team and individual sabre events. While the U.S. team finished fourth after reaching the finals (they lost to Hungary and Poland), Armitage was ninth in the individual competition.
A chemical engineer
and later a patent attorney
, Armitage suffered third degree
chemical burn
s on his right hand and arm in a January 1936 accident, and doctors said he would never fence again, yet he made the Olympic team that year. At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Armitage did not advance past the semifinals in the individual sabre, and was fifth in team sabre.
He won his only medal, a bronze, at the 1948 London Games, leading the U.S. to third place in the team sabre event. He was awarded the 'Friendship Trophy' as the outstanding American fencer.
At the 1952 Helsinki
Games, Armitage was the lone flag-bearer at the opening ceremonies. Although he did not compete in the individual competition, but he helped lead the U.S. team in the team sabre event. They defeated Switzerland (9–2) in the first round, Germany (11–5) in the second, and Poland (10–6) in the semifinals. In the final round-robin
, the U.S. lost to Hungary (13–3), Italy (12–4), and France (8–6), and finished fourth.
, in 1963.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
saber fencer
Fencing
Fencing, which is also known as modern fencing to distinguish it from historical fencing, is a family of combat sports using bladed weapons.Fencing is one of four sports which have been featured at every one of the modern Olympic Games...
. He was tall, willowy, and sported a "little waxed moustache."
College
He took up the sport when he was a student at Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. In less than three years he won the Intercollegiate Fencing Association
Intercollegiate Fencing Association
The Intercollegiate Fencing Association is the oldest collegiate fencing conference in the United States. It is affiliated with the Eastern College Athletic Conference .-Membership:The IFA has 12 members...
sabre championship, in 1928.
National sabre championships
Armitage fenced in the national championships 25 times, finished among the top three in sabre 22 times, and won 10 championships: in 1930, from 1934–36, from 1939–43, and in 1945. He holds 17 national championship titles, more than any other US sabre fencer.Olympics
Armitage competed in six Olympics, 1928–36 and 1948–56, only taking a break for World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. His span of 28 years between appearances would only be matched among U.S. Olympians by equestrian Michael Plumb in 1992, nearly half a century later. He was a member of the three-man color guard
Color guard
In the military of the United States and other militaries, the color guard carries the National Color and other flags appropriate to its position in the chain of command. Typically these include a unit flag and a departmental flag...
that carried the U.S. flag in the 1948 opening ceremony, and he was the lone flag bearer at the opening ceremony in the 1952 Helsinki Games and in 1956.
He first competed at the 1928 Amsterdam Games (as Norman Cohn) in the individual and team events. In the team competition, the U.S. was eliminated in the first round after losing to Hungary (2–14) and Poland (7–9). Armitage did a little better in the individual sabre, reaching the semifinals, but was eliminated after finishing seventh in his pool.
Armitage returned to the Olympics in 1932 at the Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
Games, competing in the team and individual sabre events. While the U.S. team finished fourth after reaching the finals (they lost to Hungary and Poland), Armitage was ninth in the individual competition.
A chemical engineer
Chemical engineer
In the field of engineering, a chemical engineer is the profession in which one works principally in the chemical industry to convert basic raw materials into a variety of products, and deals with the design and operation of plants and equipment to perform such work...
and later a patent attorney
Patent attorney
A patent attorney is an attorney who has the specialized qualifications necessary for representing clients in obtaining patents and acting in all matters and procedures relating to patent law and practice, such as filing an opposition...
, Armitage suffered third degree
Burn (injury)
A burn is a type of injury to flesh caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, light, radiation or friction. Most burns affect only the skin . Rarely, deeper tissues, such as muscle, bone, and blood vessels can also be injured...
chemical burn
Chemical burn
A chemical burn occurs when living tissue is exposed to a corrosive substance such as a strong acid or base. Chemical burns follow standard burn classification and may cause extensive tissue damage. The main types of irritant and/or corrosive products are: acids, bases, oxidizers, solvents,...
s on his right hand and arm in a January 1936 accident, and doctors said he would never fence again, yet he made the Olympic team that year. At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Armitage did not advance past the semifinals in the individual sabre, and was fifth in team sabre.
He won his only medal, a bronze, at the 1948 London Games, leading the U.S. to third place in the team sabre event. He was awarded the 'Friendship Trophy' as the outstanding American fencer.
At the 1952 Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
Games, Armitage was the lone flag-bearer at the opening ceremonies. Although he did not compete in the individual competition, but he helped lead the U.S. team in the team sabre event. They defeated Switzerland (9–2) in the first round, Germany (11–5) in the second, and Poland (10–6) in the semifinals. In the final round-robin
Round-robin
The term round-robin was originally used to describe a document signed by multiple parties in a circle to make it more difficult to determine the order in which it was signed, thus preventing a ringleader from being identified...
, the U.S. lost to Hungary (13–3), Italy (12–4), and France (8–6), and finished fourth.
Hall of Fame
Armitage was the first person to be inducted into the USFA Hall of FameUSFA Hall of Fame
This is a list of the members of the United States Fencing Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame itself is on display at the Museum of American Fencing, in Shreveport, Louisiana.-1963-1978:...
, in 1963.
See also
- List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games
- List of select Jewish fencers