John H. Caldwell
Encyclopedia
John Homer Caldwell was an American
nordic skier who competed in the 1950s and later wrote a series of books in the United States
that popularized cross-country skiing
in that country.
A native of Vermont
and a Dartmouth College
graduate, Caldwell competed in the 1952 Winter Olympics
, finishing 22nd in the nordic combined
event and 73rd in the 18 km cross-country skiing
event. He later coached three Winter Olympic teams for the United States in the 1960s and later coached at the Putney School from the mid-1950s until his 1989 retirement. Among the students he coached was Bill Koch
, the only American to ever medal in cross country skiing both at the Winter Olympics (30 km silver: 1976 Innsbruck
) and the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
(30 km bronze: 1982 Oslo
), and his four children including his eldest son, Tim, who competed in four Winter Olympics of his own (1972
-1984
)
In 1964, Caldwell wrote his first how-to book on cross-country skiing in the United States titled Cross-Country Ski. The book is now in its eighth printing .
He was inducted into the National Ski Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Vermont Ski Museum Hall of Fame in 2005, along with his son Tim, now an attorney
in New Hampshire
.
A cross country ski trail at Telemark in Cable, Wisconsin
is named in his honor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
nordic skier who competed in the 1950s and later wrote a series of books in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that popularized cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
in that country.
A native of Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
and a Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
graduate, Caldwell competed in the 1952 Winter Olympics
1952 Winter Olympics
The 1952 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VI Olympic Winter Games, took place in Oslo, Norway, from 14 to 25 February 1952. Discussions about Oslo hosting the Winter Olympic Games began as early as 1935; the city wanted to host the 1948 Games, but World War II made that impossible...
, finishing 22nd in the nordic combined
Nordic combined
The Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in both cross-country skiing and ski jumping.- History :While Norwegian soldiers are known to have been competing in Nordic skiing since the 19th century, the first major competition in Nordic combined was held in 1892 in Oslo at the...
event and 73rd in the 18 km cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
event. He later coached three Winter Olympic teams for the United States in the 1960s and later coached at the Putney School from the mid-1950s until his 1989 retirement. Among the students he coached was Bill Koch
Bill Koch (skier)
Bill Koch is an American ski racer and the first world-class cross-country skier from the United States.A native of Brattleboro, Vermont, he is a graduate of the nearby The Putney School in Putney, Vermont. He originally competed in the NIS in the Nordic combined, but later switched to cross...
, the only American to ever medal in cross country skiing both at the Winter Olympics (30 km silver: 1976 Innsbruck
1976 Winter Olympics
The 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
) and the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships have been held in various numbers and types of events since 1925 for men and since 1954 for women. Championship events include nordic skiing's three disciplines: cross-country skiing, ski jumping, and nordic combined...
(30 km bronze: 1982 Oslo
1982 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships
The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 1982 took place 19-28 February 1982 in Oslo, Norway at the Holmenkollen ski arena. This was Oslo's record-tying fourth time hosting the event after previously doing so in 1930, the 1952 Winter Olympics, and 1966. The Nordic combined 3 × 10 km team event and...
), and his four children including his eldest son, Tim, who competed in four Winter Olympics of his own (1972
1972 Winter Olympics
The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...
-1984
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
)
In 1964, Caldwell wrote his first how-to book on cross-country skiing in the United States titled Cross-Country Ski. The book is now in its eighth printing .
He was inducted into the National Ski Hall of Fame in 1983 and the Vermont Ski Museum Hall of Fame in 2005, along with his son Tim, now an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
.
A cross country ski trail at Telemark in Cable, Wisconsin
Cable, Wisconsin
Cable is a town in Bayfield County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 836 at the 2000 census. The census-designated place of Cable is located in the town...
is named in his honor.
Selected work
- Caldwell, John H. (1971). The new cross-country ski book. S. Greene Press. 128 pp.