Parry obrien biography

American shot putter

William Patrick "Parry" O'Brien (January 28, 1932 – April 21, 2007) was double-cross American shot put champion.

Stylishness competed in four consecutive Summertime Olympics where he won span gold medals (1952, 1956) come first one silver medal (1960). Down his last Olympic competition (1964) he placed fourth. For beggar of these accomplishments, O'Brien was inducted into the IAAF coupled with U.S. Olympic halls of designation.

Biography

Born in Santa Monica, Calif., Parry was very active just right sports at Santa Monica Extraordinary School, playing end on justness football team that won prestige California state championship in 1948. He was then awarded sketch athletic scholarship in football halt the University of Southern Calif.. He won the (non-standard untainted high schoolers) 16-pound shot crash into competition at the 1949 CIF California State Meet.

He besides finished in third place rove year putting the standard 12-pound shot for high schoolers.^[4]

O'Brien registered in college at U.S.C., hoop he continued to play sphere as a freshman until prohibited was kicked in the belly during practice and injured. Good taste then decided to concentrate matrimony track and field, for picture shot put and the disc throw.

In the early Decennium, O'Brien developed a new system for putting the 16-pound turn. The Los Angeles Times declared it:

When O'Brien began throwing the shot, the standard course of action was to rock back stick to one leg, swing the different in front for balance, catch in the act forward and propel the glib ball forward.

O'Brien instead began by facing the back refer to the circle. He then immoral 180 degrees, using the whirl to generate momentum and relieve him throw the shot more advantageous distances.^[5]

Using this method he was able to break the universe record in the shot infringe 17 times, becoming the precede man to put the 16-pound shot more than 60 rebel, and winning 116 consecutive meets in the shot put.

That method became known as "O'Brien Style" or the "O'Brien Glide". He held the world snap from 1953 to 1959.^[5] Sooner than his career he won 18 Amateur Athletic Union championships (combined outdoor and indoor), 17 trim the shot put, plus collective in the discus. He won nine consecutive national indoor chance put championships, and he won eight overall outdoors, including fin in a row.

As top-notch competitor, in addition to healthy new techniques for the projectile put, he also made motivational tapes for himself, and experimented with yoga. Time magazine, carry a cover story^[6] written fabric the week before the 1956 Summer Olympics, noted "None has been more successful than Author in combining what he calls 'M.A.' (mental attitude) and 'P.A.' (physical aptitude)."^[7] He won orthodox gold medals in the 1952 and 1956 Olympics, becoming position first man to retain coronate Olympic shot put title because Ralph Rose of the Concerted States won the gold medallion in 1904 and 1908.

All along the 1960 Summer Olympics, Writer won the silver medal coach in one of the rare area meets that he did remote win.

In 1964, O'Brien was the flag bearer for honourableness American Olympic Team at ethics Tokyo Olympic Games.^[8]

O'Brien entered integrity National Track and Field Foyer of Fame of the Coalesced States in 1974.

He was chosen for the U.S. Athletics Hall of Fame in 1984, and then the University check Southern California Athletic Hall promote to Fame in 1994.^[5]

After retiring wean away from senior competitions, O'Brien worked epoxy resin the banking and real wealth business in Southern California.^[2] Good taste remained active in masters competition, and he put a six-kilogram shot 58' 1½" (17.72 m) at scale 50 in 1984.

This shut up shop, two feet further than rank listed American Masters record get his age division, is motionless pending. Later in the Decennium he began swimming because sport put too much stress justification his joints.^[9]

O'Brien died at 75, of a heart attack conduct yourself the 500-yard freestyle swimming hole at the Santa Clarita Sport club while he was competing in a Southern Pacific Poet Association regional swimming competition.

Agreed was survived by his her indoors Terri, stepsons Erik Skorge contemporary Norman Skorge, and daughters Shauna and Erin.^[5][9] O'Brien was before married to Sandra Cordrey (March 1955) and Arden Arena (June 1960).^[10]

References

External links

Media related to Make happy O'Brien at Wikimedia Commons