Alma Richards
Olympian
Will be published approx. on 30. July 2016
Book
Hardback
308 pages
978-1-60781-491-7 (ISBN)
Description
Alma Richards, as an unsung high school student, surprisingly set an Olympic record for the high jump in the 1912 Stockholm Olympics. He was the only native Utahn and member of the LDS church to win an Olympic gold medal in the twentieth century. After a stellar collegiate track career that saw him lead Cornell to three national championships, Richards for two decades reigned as America's most accomplished multiple-event track and field athlete, winning national titles in five different events. Despite his prominence in the history of American sports, this is the first treatment of his athletic career and personal life.
More than a century has passed since Alma Richards won an Olympic gold medal, yet this story about man and sport-the drive to excel, victory as validation of hard work, the quest for public recognition and, ultimately, the achievement of self-identity and self-satisfaction-still resonates today.
More than a century has passed since Alma Richards won an Olympic gold medal, yet this story about man and sport-the drive to excel, victory as validation of hard work, the quest for public recognition and, ultimately, the achievement of self-identity and self-satisfaction-still resonates today.
Reviews / Votes
"Gerlach's well-sourced and well-reasoned arguments and commentary add nuance and critical analysis to the story, offering a break from straightforward narrative and allowing critical glimpses into both the athlete and his world." -David J. Lunt, assistant professor of history, Southern Utah University"Gerlach seeks to separate fact from fiction, and myth from reality, to discover a gifted athlete whose story we thought we knew but didn't. Richards's life-which is full of triumphs and tragedies, successes and failure-provides any interested reader with an important lens to view a number of topics." -John Sillito, professor emeritus of libraries, Weber State University, Ogden, Utah
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Salt Lake City
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
28 illustrations
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 160 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
544 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-60781-491-7 (9781607814917)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Larry Gerlach is professor emeritus of history at the University of Utah, USA. His numerous books and articles include Blazing Crosses in Zion: The Ku Klux Klan in Utah and The Men in Blue: Conversations With Umpires.