(Encyclopedia) Kahanamoku, Duke, 1890–1968, American swimmer and surfer, b. Honolulu. A native Hawaiian, he was an excellent swimmer, surfer, and canoeist, and by 1911 he was setting Amateur Athletic…
(Encyclopedia) Bannister, Sir Roger Gilbert, 1929–2018, British athlete and neurologist. On May 6, 1954, at Oxford's Iffley Road track, Bannister, a medical student, became the first man to run the…
(Encyclopedia) Payton, Walter Jerry, 1954–99, American football player, b. Columbia, Miss. He played at Jackson State College (now Jackson State Univ.) in Mississippi before being drafted as a…
(Encyclopedia) Nurmi, PaavoNurmi, Paavopäˈvō n&oobreve;rˈmē [key], 1897–1973, Finnish track star. Between 1920 and 1932 he set 20 world running records and won nine Olympic gold medals. His…
(Encyclopedia) Wooden, John, 1910–2010, American basketball coach, b. Martinsville, Ind. He was the first athlete to be honored in the basketball Hall of Fame as both player and coach. An All-…
(Encyclopedia) Blair, Bonnie Kathleen, 1964–, American speed skater, b. Cornwall, N.Y. An outstanding technical skater, she won more individual gold medals (five) in Olympic competition than any…
Jump to a category: Animals & PetsEntertainmentHarry PotterFoodU.S. & PoliticsOther Cool Stuff What’s your favorite part of summer vacation? What’s your favorite school snack? How…
(Encyclopedia) Monk, Meredith Jane, 1942–, American dancer, choreographer, composer, singer, director, and filmmaker, b. Lima, Peru, grad. Sarah Lawrence College, 1964. A major figure in the avant-…
(Encyclopedia) Taylor, Paul (Paul Belville Taylor), 1930–2018, American modern-dance choreographer, b. Wilkinsburg, Pa. Taylor trained as an artist before he received scholarships to study dance. In…
