Sammy Lee (diver)
Encyclopedia
Dr. Samuel Lee (born August 1, 1920) is the first Asian American
to win an Olympic gold medal for the United States
and the first man to win back-to-back gold medals in Olympic platform diving. He was born in Fresno, California
to parents who owned what he describes as "a little chop suey restaurant," and is of Korea
n descent.
As a twelve-year-old in 1932, Lee dreamed of becoming a diver, but at the time Latinos, Asians and African-Americans were only allowed to use Fresno's Brookside Pool on Wednesdays, on what was called "international day": the day before the pool was scheduled to be drained and refilled with clean water. Because Lee needed a place to practice and could not regularly use the public pool, his coach dug a pit in his backyard and filled it with sand. Lee practiced by jumping into the pit.
Lee won a bronze medal in springboard diving in the 1948 games. His accomplishments were not limited to the athletic field. Lee was a student-athlete at the University of Southern California
School of Medicine, where he received his M.D. in 1947. He went on to serve in the U.S. Army Medical Corps in Korea from 1953–55, where he specialized in the diseases of the ear. In 1953, while serving his tour of duty in Korea, he won the James E. Sullivan Award
, which is awarded annually by the Amateur Athletic Union
to the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. He went on to coach Olympic divers including Pat McCormick
, Bob Webster
, and Greg Louganis
. He is a member of the US Olympic Hall of Fame
.
A landmark, the Sammy Lee Square, at the corner of Olympic Boulevard and Normandie Avenue
in Los Angeles' Koreatown was named after him.
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
to win an Olympic gold medal for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the first man to win back-to-back gold medals in Olympic platform diving. He was born in Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
to parents who owned what he describes as "a little chop suey restaurant," and is of Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n descent.
As a twelve-year-old in 1932, Lee dreamed of becoming a diver, but at the time Latinos, Asians and African-Americans were only allowed to use Fresno's Brookside Pool on Wednesdays, on what was called "international day": the day before the pool was scheduled to be drained and refilled with clean water. Because Lee needed a place to practice and could not regularly use the public pool, his coach dug a pit in his backyard and filled it with sand. Lee practiced by jumping into the pit.
Lee won a bronze medal in springboard diving in the 1948 games. His accomplishments were not limited to the athletic field. Lee was a student-athlete at 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...
School of Medicine, where he received his M.D. in 1947. He went on to serve in the U.S. Army Medical Corps in Korea from 1953–55, where he specialized in the diseases of the ear. In 1953, while serving his tour of duty in Korea, he won the James E. Sullivan Award
James E. Sullivan Award
The James E. Sullivan Award, presented by the American Amateur Athletic Union , is awarded annually in April to "the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States". Often referred to as the Oscar of sports awards, it was first presented in 1930. The award is named for the AAU's founder and past...
, which is awarded annually by the Amateur Athletic Union
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
to the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. He went on to coach Olympic divers including Pat McCormick
Pat McCormick (diver)
Patricia Joan McCormick is a retired female diver from the United States, who won a total number of four gold medals by winning both diving events at two consecutive Summer Olympics ....
, Bob Webster
Bob Webster
Robert David Webster is an American former diving champion who won gold medals at both the 1960 and 1964 Olympic games in the 10-meter platform event. He also won a gold medal at the 1963 Pan American Games and finished first in every platform diving event he entered from 1960 to 1964...
, and Greg Louganis
Greg Louganis
Gregory "Greg" Efthimios Louganis is an American Olympic diver and author.He received the James E. Sullivan Award from the Amateur Athletic Union in 1984 as the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States....
. He is a member of the US Olympic Hall of Fame
United States Olympic Hall of Fame
The United States Olympic Hall of Fame is an honor roll of the top American Olympic athletes.The Hall of Fame was established by the United States Olympic Committee in 1979; the first members were inducted in 1983. Between 1992 and 2003, the Hall of Fame went dormant, with no induction of new...
.
A landmark, the Sammy Lee Square, at the corner of Olympic Boulevard and Normandie Avenue
Normandie Avenue
Normandie Avenue is one of Los Angeles County's longest north-south streets. With a stretch of about 22.5 miles , it lies between Vermont Avenue and Western Avenue, starting off north of Franklin Avenue. At Wilshire Boulevard, the Metro Purple Line intersects at an underground subway station. ...
in Los Angeles' Koreatown was named after him.
External links
- Sammy Lee on The Asians in America page
- Sammy Lee on hickoksports.com
- Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story written by Paula Yoo, illustrated by Dom Lee, (LEE & LOW BOOKS, 2005), ISBN 978-1-58430-247-6. The inspirational true story of Sammy Lee, a Korean American who overcame discrimination to realize both his father’s desire that he become a doctor and his own dream of becoming an Olympic champion diver.
- Sammy Lee's profile at Sports Reference.com