Frank J. Shea was an American track and field athlete. While competing for the University of Pittsburgh

University of Pittsburgh

The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...

, he won the 440-yard dash

440-yard dash

The 440-yard dash, or quarter-mile race, is a sprint race in track and field competitions.In many countries, athletes previously competed in the 440 yard dash – also referred to as the 'quarter-mile'...

 competition at the Amateur Athletic Union

Amateur Athletic Union

The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...

 championships in 1917, 1919 and 1920 and at the 1918 IC4A

IC4A

IC4A or ICAAAA is an annual men's competition held at different colleges every year....

 meet. He also won the 440-yard dash at the first NCAA track and field championships

NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship

The NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship is an annual collegiate outdoor track and field competition for men organised by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. It has three divisions: Division I, II, and III. Athlete's individual performances earn points for their institution and...

 in 1921

1921 NCAA Men's Track and Field Championships

The 1921 NCAA Track and Field Championships was the first NCAA track and field championship. The event was held at Stagg Field in Chicago, Illinois in June 1921. The University of Illinois won the team title.-Overview:...

 with a time of 49 seconds. He was a member of the U.S. Olympic team at the 1920 Summer Olympics

1920 Summer Olympics

The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium....

 in Antwerp, Belgium, and narrowly missed winning a medal in two events. In the 400-meters finals, Shea finished fourth after a three-way photo finish for the silver medal, as three runners (Guy Butler

Guy Butler (athlete)

Guy Montagu Butler was a British athlete, winner of the gold medal in the 4x400 m relay at the 1920 Summer Olympics....

, Nils Engdahl

Nils Engdahl

Nils Engdahl was a Swedish athlete who competed mainly in the 400 metres.He competed for a Sweden in the 1920 Summer Olympics held in Antwerp, Belgium in the 400 metres where he won the bronze medal....

 and Shea) finished with the same time of 49.9 seconds. In the four-by-400 meters relay race, Shea ran on the American relay team that finished in fourth place -- one second behind the first-place British team and one-tenth of a second behind the third-place French team. Shea's best time in the 440-yard race was 47.6 seconds in 1918. In May 1922, Shea was appointed as the track coach at the University of Pittsburgh. Shea died in 1976 at Duluth, Minnesota

Duluth, Minnesota

Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...

, at age 79.

See also

• 1921 NCAA Men's Track and Field Championships
  1921 NCAA Men's Track and Field Championships
  The 1921 NCAA Track and Field Championships was the first NCAA track and field championship. The event was held at Stagg Field in Chicago, Illinois in June 1921. The University of Illinois won the team title.-Overview:...
  
  
• Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres
• Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics – Men's 4x400 metre relay