Friedrich Traun
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Adolph Traun (March 29, 1876 in Wandsbeck
– July 11, 1908 in Hamburg
) was a German
athlete and tennis
player.
He competed at the 1896 Summer Olympics
in Athens
— the first modern Olympic games. Traun placed third in his preliminary heat of the 100 metres and did not advance to the final.
In the singles tennis tournament, Traun was defeated in the first round by John Pius Boland
of Great Britain and Ireland
, the eventual gold medal
list. This put Traun in a six-way tie for eighth place in the field of thirteen men. For the doubles tournament, Traun and Boland partnered. They defeated the Greek
brothers Aristidis
and Konstantinos Akratopoulos
in the first round and had a bye for the semifinals. In the final, the pair defeated Dionysios Kasdaglis
of Egypt
and Demetrios Petrokokkinos
of Greece to give Traun his own gold medal.
He grew up in a wealthy family, his father was the owner of a business for sale.
After his Olympic victory he emigrated to the United States for some years. He returned to Germany and was found dead in a hotel room in Hamburg
. It was believed that he had committed suicide due to being a bigamist.
Wandsbek
Wandsbek is the second-largest of seven boroughs that make up the city of Hamburg, Germany. The name of the district is derived from the river Wandse which passes here. The quarter Wandsbek, which is the former independent city, is urban and, with the quarters Eilbek and Marienthal part of the...
– July 11, 1908 in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
) was a German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
athlete and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player.
He competed at the 1896 Summer Olympics
1896 Summer Olympics
The 1896 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the I Olympiad, was a multi-sport event celebrated in Athens, Greece, from April 6 to April 15, 1896. It was the first international Olympic Games held in the Modern era...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
— the first modern Olympic games. Traun placed third in his preliminary heat of the 100 metres and did not advance to the final.
In the singles tennis tournament, Traun was defeated in the first round by John Pius Boland
John Pius Boland
John Mary Pius Boland was an Irish Nationalist politician, and Member of Parliament in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and as member of the Irish Parliamentary Party for South Kerry 1900-1918...
of Great Britain and Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
, the eventual gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
list. This put Traun in a six-way tie for eighth place in the field of thirteen men. For the doubles tournament, Traun and Boland partnered. They defeated the Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
brothers Aristidis
Aristidis Akratopoulos
Aristidis Akratopoulos was a Greek tennis player. He competed at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens.-Career:Akratopoulos won his first-round match in the singles tournament, defeating Edwin Flack of Australia. He met fellow Greek Konstantinos Paspatis in the second round, however, and Paspatis...
and Konstantinos Akratopoulos
Konstantinos Akratopoulos
Konstantinos Akratopoulos Akratopoulos had a bye in the first round of the singles tournament. He met Dionysios Kasdaglis of Egypt in the second round, losing to the eventual silver medallist. Akratopoulos finished in a three-way tie for fifth place....
in the first round and had a bye for the semifinals. In the final, the pair defeated Dionysios Kasdaglis
Dionysios Kasdaglis
Dionysios Kasdaglis was a Greek-Egyptian tennis player. He competed in the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens.-Career:Kasdaglis, the only competitor from Egypt, made it to the finals in both the singles and doubles events...
of Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Demetrios Petrokokkinos
Demetrios Petrokokkinos
Demetrios Petrokokkinos was a Greek tennis player. He competed at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens.Petrokokkinos was defeated in the first round of the singles tournament by fellow Greek Evangelos Rallis. This put him in a six-way tie for eighth place among the thirteen man field.In the...
of Greece to give Traun his own gold medal.
He grew up in a wealthy family, his father was the owner of a business for sale.
After his Olympic victory he emigrated to the United States for some years. He returned to Germany and was found dead in a hotel room in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. It was believed that he had committed suicide due to being a bigamist.
External links
- Sports-Reference.com (Records and biography of Fritz Traun)
- IO Media Guide