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Patrick Ryan (athlete)
Encyclopedia
Patrick James Ryan (4 January 1881 - 13 February 1964) was an Irish hammer thrower who won the Gold medal as a member of the U.S. Olympic team at the 1920 Summer Olympics
in Antwerp, Belgium
, winning the event by the biggest winning margin in history. In 1913
he established the first World Record in the event which stood for 36 years and which stood as an American record for forty years, lasting until July 1953. Ryan was part of a group of Irish weight throwers known collectively as the Irish Whales
.
, Ireland
, Ryan won his first Irish hammer title in 1902, beating the great Tom Kiely
. In 1910 Ryan emigrated to America
. After placing third in the 1911 AAU
championship in his first year he improved to take second place in 1912, and won the title in 1913. With the exception of 1918 when he was in Europe
with the American Armed Forces he won the AAU title every year from then up to and including
1921, when he retired.
While in New York
Ryan worked initially as a labor foreman but then joined the City Police
, and was a member of both the Irish American Athletic Club
and the New York Athletic Club. He had not established citizenship in time for the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm
, and so missed an opportunity. The following year, however, at the curiously named Eccentric Fireman’s Games he established the first official IAAF world record for the event with a throw of 189 ft. 6½" (57.77m). This remained a world record for 25 years and an American record for forty years, being eventually beaten by Martin Engel in July 1953. He came close at the AAU on 26 June with a winning throw of 186 ft. 9" (56.92m), but took the record with a throw of 195 ft. 4½" (59.54m)
on 11 July 1953.
In 1920, Ryan got his chance at the Olympics and won the title by what remains the widest winning margin on record, beating Carl Johan Lind
of Sweden
by almost 15 feet. He also took a silver medal in the now discontinued event of throwing a 56 lb. weight for
distance, the only time this event was held at the Olympics. In 1924 he returned to Ireland to take over the family farm and remained there until his death in Limerick, where he had been born, in 1964.
1920 Summer Olympics
The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium....
in Antwerp, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, winning the event by the biggest winning margin in history. In 1913
he established the first World Record in the event which stood for 36 years and which stood as an American record for forty years, lasting until July 1953. Ryan was part of a group of Irish weight throwers known collectively as the Irish Whales
Irish Whales
The Irish Whales or "The Whales" was a nickname given to a group of Irish and Irish-American athletes who dominated weight-throwing events in the first two decades of the 20th Century...
.
Biography
Born in Old Pallas, LimerickLimerick
Limerick is the third largest city in the Republic of Ireland, and the principal city of County Limerick and Ireland's Mid-West Region. It is the fifth most populous city in all of Ireland. When taking the extra-municipal suburbs into account, Limerick is the third largest conurbation in the...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Ryan won his first Irish hammer title in 1902, beating the great Tom Kiely
Tom Kiely
Thomas "Tom" Francis Kiely was an Irish athlete who competed mainly in the all-round championship, the forerunner of the modern decathlon.He competed in the 1904 Summer Olympics held in St...
. In 1910 Ryan emigrated to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. After placing third in the 1911 AAU
Association of American Universities
The Association of American Universities is an organization of leading research universities devoted to maintaining a strong system of academic research and education...
championship in his first year he improved to take second place in 1912, and won the title in 1913. With the exception of 1918 when he was in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with the American Armed Forces he won the AAU title every year from then up to and including
1921, when he retired.
While in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Ryan worked initially as a labor foreman but then joined the City Police
New York City Police Department
The New York City Police Department , established in 1845, is currently the largest municipal police force in the United States, with primary responsibilities in law enforcement and investigation within the five boroughs of New York City...
, and was a member of both the Irish American Athletic Club
Irish American Athletic Club
The Irish American Athletic Club was an amateur athletic organization, based in Queens, New York at the beginning of the 20th Century.-Early years:...
and the New York Athletic Club. He had not established citizenship in time for the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, and so missed an opportunity. The following year, however, at the curiously named Eccentric Fireman’s Games he established the first official IAAF world record for the event with a throw of 189 ft. 6½" (57.77m). This remained a world record for 25 years and an American record for forty years, being eventually beaten by Martin Engel in July 1953. He came close at the AAU on 26 June with a winning throw of 186 ft. 9" (56.92m), but took the record with a throw of 195 ft. 4½" (59.54m)
on 11 July 1953.
In 1920, Ryan got his chance at the Olympics and won the title by what remains the widest winning margin on record, beating Carl Johan Lind
Carl Johan Lind
Carl Johan "Massa" Lind was a Swedish athlete who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics, in the 1920 Summer Olympics, in the 1924 Summer Olympics, and in the 1928 Summer Olympics....
of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
by almost 15 feet. He also took a silver medal in the now discontinued event of throwing a 56 lb. weight for
distance, the only time this event was held at the Olympics. In 1924 he returned to Ireland to take over the family farm and remained there until his death in Limerick, where he had been born, in 1964.