Harry Smith (athlete)
Smith in 1911, holding a trophy.
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Harry J. Smith |
| Nationality | American |
| Born |
July 30, 1888 Bronx, New York, United States |
| Died | November 1961 (aged 73) |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Long-distance running |
| Event(s) | Marathon |
| Club | Pastime Athletic Club |
Harry J. Smith (July 30, 1888 – November 1961) was an American long-distance runner. He was also the father of Hart wrestling family matriarch Helen Hart and the father-in-law of Stu Hart.
He was born in The Bronx, New York City, New York, United States and was of Irish descent. Smith came from a relatively well off family and had a brother named Frank. It has been speculated that both of them may have suffered from bipolar disorder.
His athletic interest began when he was a child. At the age of 12 Smith was playing craps with some friends in an alley when a police officer spotted them and ran after them, attempting to arrest them for illegal gambling. The man caught all of them except Smith. Another day when the officer found Smith he advised him to pursue competitive running.
He competed in the marathon for the United States at the 1912 Summer Olympics. He finished in 17th place. He shared rooms with Jim Thorpe on the way to the Olympics. Smith also ran the Boston Marathon 10 years in a row. He finished 10th at the 1912 event with a time of 2:27:46. He finished in the top three at the 1913 event.
Smith also participated in at least three Run for the Diamonds events. In came in at third place in both 1911 and 1913. He came first and won in 1912.
Smith was USA Outdoor Track & Field Champion 10000 m in 1912, a victory he shared with Hannes Kolehmainen.
Later in 1912 Smith won a race called the Union Settlement Road Race and was given a gold medal award, handed to him by congressman Amos Pinchot.
He won the Coney Island Derby Race in 1913.
Smith refrained from competing in the fall of 1914 due to sore feet.
While in training Smith had a diet that had him consume little watter and instead eat a lot of vegestables.
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Wikipedia