Norman Cleaveland
Encyclopedia
Norman Cleaveland was an American
rugby union
player who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics
.
Cleaveland was born in California
, but spent a considerable portion of his youth growing up on his family's ranch outside of Datil, New Mexico
. He was a standout athlete for Stanford University when he became a member of the American rugby union team which won the gold medal in Paris at the very start of the 1924 Summer Olympics. Known as 'Peabody' by his teammates, because that was what he called everyone else, he stayed on in France after the rugby concluded in order to attend the rest of the games.
After graduating from Stanford with a degree in mining engineering, Cleaveland began a long and respected career specializing in dredge operations. During World War II he took a break from mining and served as an Army Air Corps pilot in the US and then immediately after the war in Korea and Manchuria as part of the United States Reparations Commission. 22 years of his mining career was spent mining tin in Southeast Asia, especially in what is now known as Malaysia eventually becoming President of the Pacific Tin Corporation.
The son of noted western author Agnes Morley Cleaveland, after his retirement from mining, Norman wrote and edited three books. His first, written with George Fitzpatrick, was titled The Morleys - young upstarts on the Southwest Frontier and chronicled Norman's maternal grandparents move to Northern New Mexico to participate in the management of the Maxwell Land Grant. Norman raised eyebrows with his assertion that his grandfather's death was not accidental but due to lingering animosity with a group known as the Santa Fe Ring
over the land grab that occurred of the original land grant. 'Bang Bang in Ampang' published in 1973 concerned Norman's time in Southeast Asia during the communist uprising known as the Malaya Emergency. Norman did not support the early British colonial approach to appeasing developing communist factions in Malaya in the late 1940s. Norman caused considerable consternation, including with the young Kennedy senators and Lyndon B. Johnson
, when he re-armed local constabularies
in order to protect themselves and his mining operations. Norman's last literary effort was editing a book on the eccentric western faith healer Francis Schlatter
, who was reported to have died in 1896. Titled The Healer: The Story of Francis Schlatter (Santa Fe, NM: Sunstone Press, 1989), it includes the text of The Life of the Harp in the Hand of the Harper, published by Norman's grandmother, Ada Morley, in 1897, detailing the healer's life and her conversations with him, as well as recollections of the event by his mother, Agnes.
Norman died at his home on June 8, 1997, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, at the age of 96. He played rugby most of his life and was a life member of the Santa Fe Rugby Club.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics
1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VIII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1924 in Paris, France...
.
Cleaveland was born in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, but spent a considerable portion of his youth growing up on his family's ranch outside of Datil, New Mexico
Datil, New Mexico
Datil is an unincorporated town in Catron County, New Mexico, United States. Located at the intersection of U.S. Route 60 and New Mexico State Road 12, Datil is on the edge of the Cibola National Forest. The Very Large Array is also nearby. Rock climbers are attracted to Datil because it hold the...
. He was a standout athlete for Stanford University when he became a member of the American rugby union team which won the gold medal in Paris at the very start of the 1924 Summer Olympics. Known as 'Peabody' by his teammates, because that was what he called everyone else, he stayed on in France after the rugby concluded in order to attend the rest of the games.
After graduating from Stanford with a degree in mining engineering, Cleaveland began a long and respected career specializing in dredge operations. During World War II he took a break from mining and served as an Army Air Corps pilot in the US and then immediately after the war in Korea and Manchuria as part of the United States Reparations Commission. 22 years of his mining career was spent mining tin in Southeast Asia, especially in what is now known as Malaysia eventually becoming President of the Pacific Tin Corporation.
The son of noted western author Agnes Morley Cleaveland, after his retirement from mining, Norman wrote and edited three books. His first, written with George Fitzpatrick, was titled The Morleys - young upstarts on the Southwest Frontier and chronicled Norman's maternal grandparents move to Northern New Mexico to participate in the management of the Maxwell Land Grant. Norman raised eyebrows with his assertion that his grandfather's death was not accidental but due to lingering animosity with a group known as the Santa Fe Ring
Santa Fe Ring
The Santa Fe Ring was a group of powerful attorneys and land speculators in the United States during the late 19th century and into the early 20th century. It amassed a fortune through political corruption and fraudulent land deals. Many prominent people in New Mexico Territory including future...
over the land grab that occurred of the original land grant. 'Bang Bang in Ampang' published in 1973 concerned Norman's time in Southeast Asia during the communist uprising known as the Malaya Emergency. Norman did not support the early British colonial approach to appeasing developing communist factions in Malaya in the late 1940s. Norman caused considerable consternation, including with the young Kennedy senators and Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
, when he re-armed local constabularies
Constabulary
Constabulary may have several definitions.*A civil, non-paramilitary force consisting of police officers called constables. This is the usual definition in Britain, in which all county police forces once bore the title...
in order to protect themselves and his mining operations. Norman's last literary effort was editing a book on the eccentric western faith healer Francis Schlatter
Francis Schlatter
Francis Schlatter was an Alsatian cobbler who, because of miraculous cures attributed to him, became known as the Healer.-Biography:...
, who was reported to have died in 1896. Titled The Healer: The Story of Francis Schlatter (Santa Fe, NM: Sunstone Press, 1989), it includes the text of The Life of the Harp in the Hand of the Harper, published by Norman's grandmother, Ada Morley, in 1897, detailing the healer's life and her conversations with him, as well as recollections of the event by his mother, Agnes.
Norman died at his home on June 8, 1997, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, at the age of 96. He played rugby most of his life and was a life member of the Santa Fe Rugby Club.