Parry O'Brien
Encyclopedia
William Parry O'Brien, Jr. (January 28, 1932 – April 21, 2007) was an American
shot put
champion. Born in Santa Monica, California
, he competed in four consecutive Summer Olympics where he won two gold medals (1952
, 1956
) and one silver medal (1960
). In his last Olympic competition (1964
) he placed fourth. For this, he is inducted in the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.
, playing End on the team that won the State Championship in 1948 and with it he procured a football scholarship to the University of Southern California
. He won the (non-standard) 16 pound shot put competition at the 1949 CIF California State Meet
. He also finished third that year with the conventional high school 12 pound shot.
He went on to USC, where he continued to play football as a freshman until he was kicked in the stomach. He decided to focus his efforts into track and field
. He was known for being so dedicated, he would jump the fence to practice at night.
In the early 1950s, O'Brien developed a new method for putting the 16-pound shot. The Los Angeles Times
described it:
Using this method he was able to break the world record 17 times, become the first person to put the 16-pound shot more than 60 feet, and win 116 consecutive competitions. This method became known as "O'Brien Style" or the "O'Brien Glide." He held the world record from 1953 to 1959 During his career he won 18 Amateur Athletic Union championships, 17 in the shotput and one in the discus. He won nine consecutive national indoor shotput titles and won eight overall outdoors, including five in a row.
As a competitor, in addition to developing new techniques for the shotput, he also made motivational tapes for himself, and experimented with Yoga. Time magazine, in a cover story written during the week before the Melbourne Olympics, noted "None has been more successful than O'Brien in combining what he calls "M.A." (mental attitude) and "P.A." (physical aptitude)." He was the first man to retain his Olympic shot put title since Ralph Rose
in 1904 and 1908. In the 1960 Olympics he won a silver.
In 1964, he was the flag bearer for the U.S. Olympic team at the Tokyo Games.
O'Brien was inducted into USA Track and Field's Hall of Fame
in 1974, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1984 and USC's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994.
He remained active in masters athletics throwing a 6 Kg. shot put 58'1½" (17.72 m) at age 50 in 1984. That mark, two feet superior to the listed American Masters record
in that age division is still pending.
O'Brien died of a heart attack in the 50-meter pool at the Santa Clarita Aquatics club during the Southern Pacific Masters Association regional swimming competition. He was 75 years old.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
champion. Born in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
, he competed in four consecutive Summer Olympics where he won two gold medals (1952
Athletics at the 1952 Summer Olympics
At the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, 33 athletics events were contested, 24 for men and 9 for women. There were a total number of 963 participating athletes from 57 countries.-Medal table:-Men's events:-Women's events:-References:...
, 1956
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
) and one silver medal (1960
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
). In his last Olympic competition (1964
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
) he placed fourth. For this, he is inducted in the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.
Biography
O'Brien was very active in sports at Santa Monica High SchoolSanta Monica High School
Santa Monica High School, informally known as SAMOHI, is located in Santa Monica, California. Founded in 1884, it is one of the oldest high schools in the state....
, playing End on the team that won the State Championship in 1948 and with it he procured a football scholarship to the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. He won the (non-standard) 16 pound shot put competition at the 1949 CIF California State Meet
CIF California State Meet
The CIF California State Meet is the annual championship track and field meet for the California Interscholastic Federation. The meet was started in 1915 for boys and 1974 for girls. Every athlete in every high school in California has a direct qualification path that can reach the state meet...
. He also finished third that year with the conventional high school 12 pound shot.
He went on to USC, where he continued to play football as a freshman until he was kicked in the stomach. He decided to focus his efforts into track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. He was known for being so dedicated, he would jump the fence to practice at night.
In the early 1950s, O'Brien developed a new method for putting the 16-pound shot. The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
described it:
When O'Brien began throwing the shot, the standard method was to rock back on one leg, swing the other in front for balance, hop forward and propel the iron ball forward. O'Brien instead began by facing the back of the circle. He then turned 180 degrees, using the spin to generate momentum and help him throw the shot greater distances.
Using this method he was able to break the world record 17 times, become the first person to put the 16-pound shot more than 60 feet, and win 116 consecutive competitions. This method became known as "O'Brien Style" or the "O'Brien Glide." He held the world record from 1953 to 1959 During his career he won 18 Amateur Athletic Union championships, 17 in the shotput and one in the discus. He won nine consecutive national indoor shotput titles and won eight overall outdoors, including five in a row.
As a competitor, in addition to developing new techniques for the shotput, he also made motivational tapes for himself, and experimented with Yoga. Time magazine, in a cover story written during the week before the Melbourne Olympics, noted "None has been more successful than O'Brien in combining what he calls "M.A." (mental attitude) and "P.A." (physical aptitude)." He was the first man to retain his Olympic shot put title since Ralph Rose
Ralph Rose
Ralph Waldo Rose was an American track and field athlete.He was born in Healdsburg, California....
in 1904 and 1908. In the 1960 Olympics he won a silver.
In 1964, he was the flag bearer for the U.S. Olympic team at the Tokyo Games.
O'Brien was inducted into USA Track and Field's Hall of Fame
National Track and Field Hall of Fame
The National Track and Field Hall of Fame located within the Armory Foundation at 216 Fort Washington Avenue, between 168th and 169th Streets, in Washington Heights, in the New York City borough of Manhattan, is a museum operated by The Armory Foundation in conjunction with USA Track & Field...
in 1974, the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1984 and USC's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994.
He remained active in masters athletics throwing a 6 Kg. shot put 58'1½" (17.72 m) at age 50 in 1984. That mark, two feet superior to the listed American Masters record
United States records in masters athletics
These are the current American records in the various age groups of masters athletics. Starting at age 35, each age group starts on the athlete's birthday in years that are evenly divisible by 5 and extends until the next such occurrence. For record purposes, older athletes are not included in...
in that age division is still pending.
O'Brien died of a heart attack in the 50-meter pool at the Santa Clarita Aquatics club during the Southern Pacific Masters Association regional swimming competition. He was 75 years old.