1920 Antwerp Summer Games
2,607 Athletes, 29 Countries, 152 Events
The 1916 Berlin Olympics were cancelled due to World War I. In a
showing of compassion, the IOC awarded the 1920 Games to the
Belgian capital of Antwerp, and Germany, Austria, Hungary,
Bulgaria, and Turkey were not permitted to participate. The 1920
Games saw the birth of two new Olympic traditions, an Athletes'
Oath at opening ceremonies, and an Olympic flag.
Twenty-one athletes from the Ancient Eight competed at the 1920
Games. The most successful of this group was American shooter
Karl T. Frederick (Princeton '03). Frederick left
Antwerp with three gold medals around his neck (free pistol, free
pistol team, and rapid fire pistol team), the first Ivy athlete to
do so since Alvin C. Kraenzlein (Penn '00) won
four gold medals in track and field at the 1900 Paris Games. Long
since removed from his undergraduate days, Frederick had graduated
from Harvard Law School and was a practicing lawyer in New York
City when he went to Antwerp. He would later become president of
the National Rifle Association and a vicepresident of the American
Rifle Association.
Ivy League wrestlers Charles E. "Ed" Ackerly
(Cornell '20) and Samuel N. Gerson (Penn '24)
faced each other in the freestyle featherweight final match at the
1920 Games. Having met twice in collegiate competition, and once in
the A.A.U., Ackerly led the series 21. He kept that lead in
Antwerp, winning the gold medal and leaving Gerson with silver.
Cornellians had a good showing in Antwerp. In addition to
Ackerly, Ivan Dresser '19 and Frank
Foss '17 won gold in the 3,000-meter team race and the
pole vault, respectively. Another Ivy, Edwin E.
Myers (Dartmouth '20) was far behind Foss in the pole
vault even though he still won the bronze medal. Foss' 151/2 inch
margin of victory was the largest in Olympic history.
Two Yalies enjoyed their Antwerp experience. Edward Eagan '21
won the gold medal in the light heavyweight boxing competition.
Twelve years later, at the 1934 Winter Games in Lake Placid, he
would win a gold medal in the fourman bobsled competition, becoming
the first person to win a gold medal in both the Summer and Winter
Olympics, a title he still holds today. Richmond Landon '21 won the
gold medal in the high jump. But more importantly, he met his
future wife, diver Alice Lord, on a ship to Antwerp.
| Name |
School |
Sport |
| Millard J. Bloomer |
Columbia University |
Men's Fencing |
| Steddiford Pitt |
Columbia University |
Men's Fencing |
| Charles E. 'Ed' Ackerly |
Cornell University |
Men's Wrestling |
| Ivan Dresser |
Cornell University |
Men's Athletics |
| Frank Foss |
Cornell University |
Men's Athletics |
| Walker Smith |
Cornell University |
Men's Athletics |
| Jack Watt |
Cornell University |
Men's Athletics |
| Howard G. Cann |
Dartmouth College |
Men's Athletics |
| George P. Geran |
Dartmouth College |
Men's Ice Hockey |
| Edwin E. Myers |
Dartmouth College |
Men's Athletics |
| Earl J. Thomson |
Dartmouth College |
Men's Athletics |
| Leon P. Tuck |
Dartmouth College |
Men's Ice Hockey |
| Robert W. Harwood |
Harvard University |
Men's Athletics |
| Nathaniel W. Niles |
Harvard University |
Men's Figure Skating |
| William H. Russell |
Harvard University |
Men's Fencing |
| Walter Leo Whalen |
Harvard University |
Men's Athletics |
| Earl Eby |
University of Pennsylvania |
Men's Athletics |
| Samuel N. Gerson |
University of Pennsylvania |
Men's Wrestling |
| Sherman G. Landers |
University of Pennsylvania |
Men's Athletics |
| James E. 'Ted' Meredith |
University of Pennsylvania |
Men's Athletics |
| J. Brooks B. Parker |
University of Pennsylvania |
Men's Fencing |
| Henry Breckenridge |
Princeton University |
Men's Fencing |
| Karl T. Frederick |
Princeton University |
Men's Shooting |
| Ralph Hills |
Princeton University |
Men's Athletics |
| Leon M. Schoonmaker |
Princeton University |
Men's Fencing |
| Thomas Campbell |
Yale University |
Men's Athletics |
| Edward Eagan |
Yale University |
Men's Boxing |
| Richmond Landon |
Yale University |
Men's Athletics |