Irving Mondschein
Encyclopedia
Irving "Irv or Moon" Mondschein (born February 7, 1924) is an American former track and field
athlete and football player.
, where he ran track. He also ran for the New York Pioneer Club. He entered the US Army in 1943. He became a member of the Pi Lambda Phi
while attending New York University
decathlon
champion in 1944, and in 1946 and 47.
He was NCAA high jump
champion in both 1947 and 1948, competing for New York University
. As of 2007, he still held NYU’s record in the high jump—6 feet, 7¾ inches.
He also played football as an end for NYU in 1946, earning All-East honors.
He competed in the 1948 Olympics for the United States in decathlon, coming in eighth, as teammate Bob Mathias
won the gold medal.
In his career, he was ranked third in the world in outdoor high jump and tenth in the decathlon in 1947; sixth in the indoor high jump and eighth in the decathlon in 1948; and third in the outdoor high jump and sixth in the decathlon in 1949.
, starting in 1949. He coached the US team at the 1950 Maccabiah Games
, and was also an advisor to the Israeli Ministry of Education, helping for two years to prepare the countries athletes for the 1952 Olympics
.
He was then a coach at the University of Pennsylvania
; first the assistant track coach (1965–79) and then the head coach (1979–87). He was also an assistant coach on the 1988 U.S. Olympic team.
He has previously been an assistant coach at Kutztown University, and now volunteers as an assistant coach at Haverford College.
Hall of Fame.
vaulter at Virginia Tech.
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete and football player.
Early life
Mondschein, who is Jewish, was born in Brooklyn, New York. He attended Boys High SchoolBoys High School
Boys High School is an historic and architecturally notable public school building in the Bedford–Stuyvesant, neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. It is regarded as "one of Brooklyn's finest buildings.-Architecture:...
, where he ran track. He also ran for the New York Pioneer Club. He entered the US Army in 1943. He became a member of the Pi Lambda Phi
Pi Lambda Phi
Pi Lambda Phi International Fraternity Inc. is a college social fraternity with 35 active chapters and four colonies in the United States and Canada....
while attending New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
Decathlon, high jump, and football career
He was AAUAmateur 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...
decathlon
Decathlon
The decathlon is a combined event in athletics consisting of ten track and field events. The word decathlon is of Greek origin . Events are held over two consecutive days and the winners are determined by the combined performance in all. Performance is judged on a points system in each event, not...
champion in 1944, and in 1946 and 47.
He was NCAA high jump
High jump
The high jump is a track and field athletics event in which competitors must jump over a horizontal bar placed at measured heights without the aid of certain devices in its modern most practiced format; auxiliary weights and mounds have been used for assistance; rules have changed over the years....
champion in both 1947 and 1948, competing for New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. As of 2007, he still held NYU’s record in the high jump—6 feet, 7¾ inches.
He also played football as an end for NYU in 1946, earning All-East honors.
He competed in the 1948 Olympics for the United States in decathlon, coming in eighth, as teammate Bob Mathias
Bob Mathias
Robert Bruce "Bob" Mathias was an American decathlete, two-time Olympic gold medalist, actor and United States Congressman representing the state of California.-Early life and athletic career:...
won the gold medal.
In his career, he was ranked third in the world in outdoor high jump and tenth in the decathlon in 1947; sixth in the indoor high jump and eighth in the decathlon in 1948; and third in the outdoor high jump and sixth in the decathlon in 1949.
Coaching career
He later coached track, basketball, and football at Lincoln UniversityLincoln University
Lincoln University or University of Lincoln or variations may refer to:in England*University of Lincolnin New Zealand*Lincoln University, New Zealandin the United States*Lincoln University...
, starting in 1949. He coached the US team at the 1950 Maccabiah Games
1950 Maccabiah Games
Scheduled to be staged in 1938, political events in Europe, Arab violence in Palestine, and British Mandate authorities’ concern that a Maccabiah Games would create huge illegal immigration resulted in cancellation of the Games....
, and was also an advisor to the Israeli Ministry of Education, helping for two years to prepare the countries athletes for the 1952 Olympics
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
.
He was then a coach at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
; first the assistant track coach (1965–79) and then the head coach (1979–87). He was also an assistant coach on the 1988 U.S. Olympic team.
He has previously been an assistant coach at Kutztown University, and now volunteers as an assistant coach at Haverford College.
Honors
He is a member of the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, the New York Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, and the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the NYU Athletics Hall of Fame, and the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches AssociationU.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association is a New Orleans, Louisiana-based professional association representing men's and women's cross country and track & field coaches in the United States. The organization has about 8,000 members...
Hall of Fame.
Family
His son, Brian Mondschein, was a world-class decathlete in the 1980s. His grandson Brian was an All-American polevaulter at Virginia Tech.