Hal Haig Prieste
Encyclopedia
Hal Haig "Harry" Prieste (November 23, 1896 – April 19, 2001) was an American
athlete who participated in the 1920 Summer Olympics
in Antwerp as a diver
.
to Armenian immigrant
parents. Their original surname was Keshishian. "Haig" is the name of the mythical progenitor of the Armenians. Prieste first took "Harry" as his American name, but later switched to "Hal."
He won a bronze medal in platform diving as a member of the 1920 US Olympic team. He also competed in the 1920 plain high diving event
, but was eliminated in the first round.
He is known for taking the original five interlocking ring Olympic flag as a prank at the 1920 Summer Olympics
hosted by the city of Antwerp, Belgium. At the end of the Games, the flag could not be found. In 1997, at a banquet hosted by the US Olympic Committee, a reporter was interviewing him and the reporter mentioned that the IOC had not been able to find out what had happened to the original Olympic flag. "I can help you with that," Prieste said, "It's in my suitcase." At the end of the Antwerp Olympics, spurred on by team-mate Duke Kahanamoku, he climbed a flagpole and stole the Olympic flag. For 77 years the flag was stored away in the bottom of his suitcase. The flag was returned to the IOC by Prieste, by then 103 years old, in a special ceremony held at the 2000 Summer Olympics
in Sydney. The Antwerp Olympic Flag is now on display at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, with a plaque thanking him for donating it.
At the time of his death at 104, Haig was the world's oldest former Olympic
medal
ist.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
athlete who participated in 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 as a diver
Diving
Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...
.
Biography
He was born Haig Prieste in Fresno, CaliforniaFresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
to Armenian immigrant
Immigration to the United States
Immigration to the United States has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the history of the United States. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants,...
parents. Their original surname was Keshishian. "Haig" is the name of the mythical progenitor of the Armenians. Prieste first took "Harry" as his American name, but later switched to "Hal."
He won a bronze medal in platform diving as a member of the 1920 US Olympic team. He also competed in the 1920 plain high diving event
Diving at the 1920 Summer Olympics - Men's plain high diving
The men's plain high diving was one of five diving events on the diving at the 1920 Summer Olympics programme. The competition was held on Monday, August 22, Tuesday, August 23, and on Thursday, August 25, 1920....
, but was eliminated in the first round.
He is known for taking the original five interlocking ring Olympic flag as a prank 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....
hosted by the city of Antwerp, Belgium. At the end of the Games, the flag could not be found. In 1997, at a banquet hosted by the US Olympic Committee, a reporter was interviewing him and the reporter mentioned that the IOC had not been able to find out what had happened to the original Olympic flag. "I can help you with that," Prieste said, "It's in my suitcase." At the end of the Antwerp Olympics, spurred on by team-mate Duke Kahanamoku, he climbed a flagpole and stole the Olympic flag. For 77 years the flag was stored away in the bottom of his suitcase. The flag was returned to the IOC by Prieste, by then 103 years old, in a special ceremony held at the 2000 Summer Olympics
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
in Sydney. The Antwerp Olympic Flag is now on display at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, with a plaque thanking him for donating it.
At the time of his death at 104, Haig was the world's oldest former Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
medal
Medal
A medal, or medallion, is generally a circular object that has been sculpted, molded, cast, struck, stamped, or some way rendered with an insignia, portrait, or other artistic rendering. A medal may be awarded to a person or organization as a form of recognition for athletic, military, scientific,...
ist.