Kenneth Sitzberger
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Robert Sitzberger (February 13, 1945 – January 2, 1984) was a diver
from the United States
and Olympic champion. He represented his native country at the 1964 Summer Olympics
in Tokyo
, where he received a gold medal.
Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Sitzberger was trailing U. S. teammate Frank Gorman after nine of the ten dives in the springboard competition at the 1964 Olympics, but Gorman performed poorly on his last dive and Sitzberger was nearly flawless, winning the gold medal.
As a student at Indiana University, Sitzberger won the AAU national indoor 1-meter and 3-meter springboard championships in 1964 and 1965. He was the NCAA champion in the 1-meter from 1965 through 1967, in the 3-meter in 1966 and 1967.
He married Jeanne Collier, who won a silver medal in the women's Olympic springboard in 1964.
He died under rather mysterious circumstances in Coronado, California
. He was brought to a hospital unconscious and died shortly afterward. His wife said that he had fallen and hit his head on a table during a New Year's Eve party and had been complaining of headaches before losing consciousness.
The death of the former Olympic diving champion was ruled an accident.
Acting on the release of the coroner's report, San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Bob Blum said that there was no criminal cause in the death of Mr. Sitzberger.
The Coronado police said Mr. Sitzberger twice picked fights with another man at the party, and in the second scuffle he struck his head, probably on a couch. He died of a brain hemorrhage the next morning, according to the coroner's report.
Mr. Sitzberger, who worked part- time as an ABC television commentator, fought with a guest who was a family friend, according to a police investigator, Ed Sousek, who indicated the argument was a personal matter.
The guest refused to fight, witnesses said. Mr. Sitzberger appeared uninjured after he fell, but he went to bed complaining of a headache and apparently died in his sleep.
Because Sitzberger had been subpoenaed as a federal witness in a cocaine-trafficking case, police investigated his death further, but discovered no evidence of foul play.
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...
from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Olympic champion. He represented his native country at the 1964 Summer Olympics
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, where he received a gold medal.
Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
Sitzberger was trailing U. S. teammate Frank Gorman after nine of the ten dives in the springboard competition at the 1964 Olympics, but Gorman performed poorly on his last dive and Sitzberger was nearly flawless, winning the gold medal.
As a student at Indiana University, Sitzberger won the AAU national indoor 1-meter and 3-meter springboard championships in 1964 and 1965. He was the NCAA champion in the 1-meter from 1965 through 1967, in the 3-meter in 1966 and 1967.
He married Jeanne Collier, who won a silver medal in the women's Olympic springboard in 1964.
He died under rather mysterious circumstances in Coronado, California
Coronado, California
Coronado, also known as Coronado Island, is an affluent resort city located in San Diego County, California, 5.2 miles from downtown San Diego. Its population was 24,697 at the 2010 census, up from 24,100 at the 2000 census. U.S. News and World Report lists Coronado as one of the most expensive...
. He was brought to a hospital unconscious and died shortly afterward. His wife said that he had fallen and hit his head on a table during a New Year's Eve party and had been complaining of headaches before losing consciousness.
The death of the former Olympic diving champion was ruled an accident.
Acting on the release of the coroner's report, San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Bob Blum said that there was no criminal cause in the death of Mr. Sitzberger.
The Coronado police said Mr. Sitzberger twice picked fights with another man at the party, and in the second scuffle he struck his head, probably on a couch. He died of a brain hemorrhage the next morning, according to the coroner's report.
Mr. Sitzberger, who worked part- time as an ABC television commentator, fought with a guest who was a family friend, according to a police investigator, Ed Sousek, who indicated the argument was a personal matter.
The guest refused to fight, witnesses said. Mr. Sitzberger appeared uninjured after he fell, but he went to bed complaining of a headache and apparently died in his sleep.
Because Sitzberger had been subpoenaed as a federal witness in a cocaine-trafficking case, police investigated his death further, but discovered no evidence of foul play.