V10 N. 60 Death of a Polevaulter and the Olympics Reported 100 Years Ago

Today we bring you two stories.  One the passing of a polevaulter I met through this blog and an Associated Press Report of the Antwerp Olympics of 1920.

Preston Holsinger

First, I was informed today that former Oklahoma State University polevaulter Preston Holsinger passed away on June 20, 2020.  Preston was a state champion high school vaulter in Oklahoma in the early 1960s as well as an all state quarterback.  He was recruited to play both sports at OSU.  His best talent was seen  in the polevault where he was a three time Big 8 champion in that event.  If he played a game of football for the Aggies, I'm not aware.  He also qualified for the US Olympic trials.   A few years ago, Preston got to reading this blog and we communicated several times about events.  He even sent me a book about one of his teammates Chris McCubbins of Enid, Oklahoma who won the steeplechase in the Pan Am Games for the US, but met a Canadian girl at that event held in Winnipeg and subsequently became a Canadian and ran for Canada in the Montreal Olympics.

You can see Preston vaulting in this video link at 21sec.   It is from the Big 8 Outdoor meet held at OSU in 1964.  He is the vaulter in orange shorts, black top.  Opening race is the 880 won by Tonni Coane of Kansas.  Second and third were Dave and John Perry of OSU, fourth Walt Mizell of Oklahoma, and fifth Lowell Paul of Kansas.
The Vaulters are Preston Holsinger,  Jim Ferrell in white, Oklahoma, Floyd Manning Kansas,  Missouri vaulter unk.  Jerry McFadden can you help me on that one?  Ferrell was the leading high school vaulter about 1962 over 15 feet. I think the Mizzou vaulter won that particular meet.

Big 8 1964

The other story today was picked up off the AP website.  It is coverage of the 1920 Olympics, the first after an 8 year hiatus during WWI.  There is also a video clip in the article with some nice pictures of early Olympic Games.

Here is that link.  To see it just clik on it

1920 Olympics Report from Associated Press

Note the military presence in the US team as they march into the stadium.  This was one year after the pandemic of 1918-19.  There had been an international military games held in 1919 in Europe as well.  How they coped with the virus is not noted.

It is indeed a frustrating time for us watching the few live sports activities these days and the effect of a stadium packed with live, breathing, cheering fans is becoming very self evident.   Best to all of you and take care of yourselves and your loved ones.