Michigan in the Olympics
1948 - London
Bob Sohl
Michigan had only one medal winner in London and even that was controversial. Judges awarded swimmer Bob Sohl the bronze medal in the 200 meter breaststroke even though his official time was slower than the 4th place finisher's, giving the U.S. a medals sweep. That 4th place swimmer was John Davies of Australia who would soon enroll at Michigan. Another future U of M swimmer was Jack Wardrop who competed for Great Britain in the 1500 meter freestyle.
Wolverine track man Herb Barten, 1947 Big Ten 800 yard champion, won both of his heats in the 800 meters and finished fourth in the finals. Erkki Koutonen competed in the triple jump but did not make the qualifying distance for the finals.
Bruce Harlan of Ohio State, later UM diving coach, placed first in 3 meter and second in platform diving. He won the first of eight AAU titles in 1944 while serving in the Navy and won five NCAA titles at OSU. He became UM diving coach in 1954. Harlan in 1959 following a fall from the tower when dismantling scaffolding at a diving exhibition in Connecticut.
Herb Barten, Erkki Koutonen, Bruce Harlan
Cliff Keen, 1927
U of M wrestling coach Cliff Keen served as manager of the U.S. wrestling team. Keen, who was an outstanding college wrestler at Oklahoma State, made the U.S. wrestling team in 1924, but a broken rib kept him out of the games. His replacement won a silver medal. Keen served on the U.S. Olympic committee from 1928 to 1952.
Ralph Craig, double gold medal winner at Stockholm in1912, was an alternate on the yachting team. His team's boat "Rhythm" finished 11th in the dragon class. In recognition of his Olympic accomplishments, Craig was given the honor of carrying the U.S. flag in the opening ceremonies.
For U of M, the great disappointment of this Olympics came in the shot put. World record holder Charles Fonville was a heavy favorite for gold, but a back injury kept him off the U.S. team. Fonville finished 4th in the U.S. trials, seven inches behind the 3rd place winner.
Ralph Craig with flag in opening ceremony, Charles Fonville, world record holder
Herb Barten finishing 4th in the 800-meter run behind Mal Whitfield
(Olympic record 1:49.2), Wint of Jamaica and Hansenne of France
Winter Games - St. Moritz
Neil Celley
Wolverine hockey player Neil Celley, a letter winner in 1949-1951, was selected for the official U.S. team in 1948 and made the trip to St. Moritz but never got the chance to compete. Domestic and international rivalries in the management of "amateur" hockey would intervene. The U.S. Olympic Association's Ice Hockey Committee held tryouts in St. Paul, Minnesota and Princeton, New Jersey. A team of fifteen college and amateur club players was named, including Celley. Another group, the Amateur Hockey Association, representing commercial hockey interests and the Boston Garden and Madison Square Garden organizations put together another team which included some professional players. On the eve of the games, following a complicated series of decisions, the International Olympic Committee at first declined to recognize either of the U.S. teams and threatened to cancel the hockey competition if the dispute was not resolved. In the end the AHA team was allowed to participate but its results would not be count in medal standings. Since the AHA contained some professionals, it was not allowed to march in the opening ceremonies, but the USOA team was. The upshot was that Celley's Olympic experience all took place off the ice.
Walter Bietila
Ski jumper Walter Bietila from Ishpeming MI was captain of the U.S. team. He finished 42nd overall in the large hill competition in which Norway swept the medals.
The U-M Results - 1948
| Bob Sohl | ||
| 220 breaststroke | 3rd, 2:43.9 | |
| John Davies (Australia) | ||
| 220 breaststroke | 4th, 2:43.7 | |
| Jack Wardrop | ||
| 1500 meter freestyle | did not place | |
| Herb Barten | ||
| 800 meters | 4th, 1:50.1 | |
| Erkki Koutonen | ||
| triple jump | did not place | |
| Ralph Craig | ||
| yachting | alternate, did not compete | |
| Neil Celley | ||
| Ice Hockey | did not compete | |
| Cliff Keen | ||
| manager of U.S. wrestling team | ||
Photo Credits:
- Bob Sohl - copy print from 1949 Michiganensian, in Ath. Dept., Box 43, 1940-1949, neg. #9973
- Herb Barten - Ath. Dept., Box 41, 1944-1951, neg. # na , BHL.
- Erkki Koutonen - Ath. Dept., Box 41, 1945-1951, neg. #na , BHL.
- Bruce Harlan - Ath. Dept., Box 43, 1955-1959, BHL
- Cliff Keen - Ath. Dept., Box 9 out., BHL
- Ralph Craig with flag, Alumni Association, Box 139, BHL.
- Charles Fonville - Ath. Dept., Box 41, 1945-1951, neg. NIS Ser. A, Box 2, track #, BHL
- Neil Celley - from 1948 Michiganensian
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