George Gray (athlete)

George Gray
Personal information
Nationality	Canadian
Born	(1865-05-04)May 4, 1865 Coldwater, Ontario, Canada
Died	January 7, 1933
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)^[1]
Weight	85 kg (187 lb)^[1]
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Shot put
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	shotput, WB=14.75 m^[1]

George Gray is a Canadian shot putter who held the world record of 43 feet 11 inches (13.39 m) from 1887 through 1902. He earned 188 first place medals and trophies through his career along with national titles in Canada, the United States, England, and Ireland.^[2]

Gary first competed in the shotput 1885.^[2]^[3]

On 24 May 1889 he is recorded as being recognized as the first Canadian athlete to set a world best in an athletics event with a shot put distance of 45' 2".^[4](Note: 45' 1 3/4".^[1]).

He won the shot put title AAU (United States National) Championship 10 times: 1887-1894, 1896 and 1902, the record number of wins in that event.^[5]

He was, remarkably, to remain unbeaten throughout his career and held the world's best mark until early the next century (to 1902;^[4] 1904^[1]).

World Best Marks

There were no official world records until the formation of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in 1912. However, world best marks before that are universally recognized.

Gary recorded 8 such world best marks:^[1]

13.38 m (43' 10 3/4") at New York on 22 September 1888.
13.76 m (45' 1 3/4") at Barrie on 24 May 1889.
14.07 m (46' 2") at New York on 20 September 1890.
14.11 m (46' 3 1/2") at Saint Catherine's on 10 August 1891.
14.12 m (46' 4") at New York on 12 September 1891.
14.22 m (46' 7 3/4")at New York on 19 September 1891.
14.32 m (47' 0") at Chicago on 18 September 1893.
14.75 m (48' 5") at Ottawa on 1 August 1898.

Later life

Gray was raised in Coldwater, Ontario, Canada.

He is reported as working as a manager in the Lumber industry.^[6]

He was also a candidate for post of Chief of the Toronto Fire Brigade, for which he was not successful.^[6]

Achievements

In 1973, Gray was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.^[4]

Gray is recognized as one of Canada's most important early athletes. The trophy he won at the 1887 World Fair is one of exhibits held by the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.^[6]

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 Progression of IAAF World Records 2011 Edition, Editor Imre Matrahazi, IAAF Athletics, p 477
1 2 "George Gray". Canada's Sport Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2015-12-24.
↑ "Family of Gwen David Cunningham & Dale Cunningham - Person Sheet". Retrieved 2015-12-24.
1 2 3 Ernie Gross (2001). "This Day in Sports". McFarland & Company Inc. Retrieved 2015-12-24.
↑ "USA Outdoor Track & Field Champions Men's Shot Put". USA Track and Field. Retrieved 2015-12-24.
1 2 3 "Canada Hall opens new exhibit". International Sports Heritage Association. June 18, 2014. Retrieved 2015-12-24.

US National Championship winners in men's shot put

1876–1878 New York Athletic Club	1876–78: Henry Buermeyer

1879–1888 NAAAA	1879–80: A.W. Adams 1881–86: Frank Lambrecht 1887: George Gray/Frank Lambrecht 1888^{Note 1}: Frank Lambrecht

1888–1979 Amateur Athletic Union	1888–94^{Note 1}: George Gray 1895: William Hickok 1896: George Gray 1897: Charles Hennemann 1898–99: Richard Sheldon 1900: Denis Horgan 1901: Fred Beck 1902: George Gray 1903: Leon Feuerbach 1904: Martin Sheridan 1905–06: Wesley Coe 1907–10: Ralph Rose 1911–12: Pat McDonald 1913: Lawrence Whitney 1914: Pat McDonald 1915–17: Arlie Mucks 1918: Alma Richards 1919–20^OT: Pat McDonald 1921: Bud Houser 1922: Pat McDonald 1923: Orville Wanzer 1924: Ralph Hills 1925: Bud Houser 1926: Herbert Schwarze 1927: John Kuck 1928^OT–31: Herman Brix 1932^OT: Leo Sexton 1933–35: Jack Torrance 1936: Dmitri Zaitz 1937: James Reynolds 1938: Frank Ryan 1939: Lilburn Williams 1940–42: Al Blozis 1943–44: Earl Audet 1945–46: Bill Bangert 1947–48: Jim Delaney 1949–50: Jim Fuchs 1951–55: Parry O'Brien 1956: Ken Bantum 1957: Bill Nieder 1958–60: Parry O'Brien 1961: Dallas Long 1962: Gary Gubner 1963: Dave Davis 1964: Randy Matson 1965: John McGrath 1966–68: Randy Matson 1969: Neal Steinhauer 1970: Randy Matson 1971: Karl Salb 1972: Randy Matson 1973–75: Al Feuerbach 1976–77: Terry Albritton 1978: Al Feuerbach 1979: Dave Laut

1980–1992 The Athletics Congress	1980: Brian Oldfield 1981: Dave Laut 1982: Kevin Akins 1983: Dave Laut 1984: Augie Wolf 1985: Dave Laut 1986–87: John Brenner 1988: Ed Wade 1989: Randy Barnes 1990: Jim Doehring 1991: Ron Backes 1992^OT: Mike Stulce

1993–onwards USA Track & Field	1993: Randy Barnes 1994: C.J. Hunter 1995: Brent Noon 1996^OT–97: Randy Barnes 1998–99: John Godina 2000^OT: Adam Nelson 2001: John Godina 2002: Adam Nelson 2003: John Godina 2004^OT: Adam Nelson 2005: Christian Cantwell 2006: Adam Nelson 2007–08^OT: Reese Hoffa 2009–10: Christian Cantwell 2011: Adam Nelson 2012^OT: Reese Hoffa 2013: Ryan Whiting 2014–15: Joe Kovacs 2016: Ryan Crouser

Notes	Note 1: In 1888 both the NAAAA and the AAU held championships OT: The 1920, 1928, 1932, and since 1992, championships incorporated the Olympic Trials, otherwise held as a discrete event.

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