Once Upon a Time in the Vest: V 12 N. 3 Jerry Siebert US Olympian R.I.P.

Monday, January 9, 2023

V 12 N. 3 Jerry Siebert US Olympian R.I.P.

Jerry Siebert leading Peter Snell in an Olympic Prelim 1964

We received a note from Walt Murphy this morning that Jerry Siebert, one of America's top 880/800 runners of the 1960's has passed away on December 30, 2023. Little or no information is yet found on the internet and no obituary has been posted.. Siebert was a native of Willits, California and went to Cal Berkeley. He was a member of the US Olympic team in 1960 and 1964.

Obituary

Finishing 6th in Tokyo behind Snell, Carutthers, Kiprigut, Kerr, and Farrell

Still on the Willits HS record list at 1:53.8 set in 1955

The Hallowed Halls of Willits High School, Willits California

Do you have any details….Jerry and I were room mates .. Some of his friends and I have been trying to locate him since the fire in his area… a year ago..

Jerry , I and Don Bowden were on five world record relay teams while at Cal.. In reply will sent you a fun story about Jerry Jack Yerman

from Olympedia: In 1958 Jerry Siebert ran on a Cal Berkeley relay team that broke the world record for 4×880y. In 1960 he again ran on a world-record setting 4×880 y relay team (with Ernie Cunliffe, Tom Murphy, and Jack Yerman), this team a US team that competed in a dual meet against the British Empire, although the US team did not win the race. The British Empire team was made of athletes from four different nations, so their mark could not be recognized for record purposes. Siebert was AAU 800 champion in 1962 and 1964. He was runner-up in the 1960 800 for Cal.

Personal Bests: 800 – 1:46.3y (1962); Mile – 4:12.4 (1960).

John Cobley of racingpast.ca notes that Siebert was not at full strength in the final at Tokyo.

"The first four were in a class of their own. Behind them American Tom Farrell ran a PB to get fifth, while his American colleague Jerry Siebert, who was running with a fever and great pain, was a courageous sixth."

John Cobley is correct. Jerry drank some unpasteurized milk (ie raw milk) in Finland I believe or one of the other Nordic countries in 1964 prior to the Japan Olympics and he did not completely recover from that illness but ran anyway. (from one of his teammates)

End of Lap 1 Tokyo

Heading for the Backstretch on Lap 2

1961 in Scandinavia after the Russian dual meet. Oliver Jackson (Abilene Christian) Earl Young, Ralph Boston, Jerry Siebert, Frank Budd, Jim Beatty

The picture was taken while we were on a tour to Scandinavian countries following the Russian - American Meet in Moscow in 1961. Oliver Jackson, my coach, had been assistant coach on the Team with Jumbo Elliott as head coach and when we broke off following the Moscow meet he was chaperone. ( He was also Bobby Morrows coach) Beatty and I met Elizabeth Taylor and Eddie Fischer on this trip but that is another story. Lots of stories from this trip like how the Russians were confused seeing Wilma and Cliff walking down the street holding hands when all they ever heard was propaganda about racial strife in the U.S.

I serve as a Director of the Olympians for Olympians Relief Fund, and we received a $25,000.00 check last week as a contribution. Our Executive Director, Cindy Stinger, sent out a note to the board advising of such announcing it was from it was from Jerry. I emailed a personal note of thanks to Jerry and that is when we discovered that the check was from his estate. I could not locate an obituary or any evidence of his passing. Thanks for your posting of the great athlete and all around good guys passing.

Teammate, roommate and all around solid guy. BTW only Ralph, Jim and I in the picture are still around. I copy them and say hello to both. It is my honor to call them teammates.

Wishing you a healthy and successful 2023, Earl Young

from Richard Mach: From his Wiki page, he passed away in Golden, CO, Coors Beer land.