Michael Galitzen
Encyclopedia
Michael Riley Galitzen, also known as Mickey Riley (September 6, 1909, Los Angeles, California
– June 6, 1959, Hollywood, California
) was an American diver
who won four total medals, one gold, at the 1928 Summer Olympics
and 1932 Summer Olympics
.
Galitzen was a native of southern California
, and won acclaim both for his individual diving and as a tandem diver
with his brother John. He won two medals in diving at Amsterdam
in 1928 as Michael Galitzen. In 1931, he began calling himself Mickey Riley, and won gold and silver medals in Los Angeles
in 1932 under that name. After the Olympics, he worked as a film editor, and he and John appeared frequently in diving shows. He was found dead in his Hollywood apartment in 1959; the death was attributed to natural causes.
Galitzen was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
in 1977.
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
– June 6, 1959, Hollywood, California
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
) was an American 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...
who won four total medals, one gold, at the 1928 Summer Olympics
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
and 1932 Summer Olympics
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...
.
Galitzen was a native of southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, and won acclaim both for his individual diving and as a tandem diver
Synchronized diving
Synchronized diving is an Olympic sport. First brought to the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia in 2000, the event features two divers who attempt to perform identical or mirrored dives...
with his brother John. He won two medals in diving at Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
in 1928 as Michael Galitzen. In 1931, he began calling himself Mickey Riley, and won gold and silver medals in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
in 1932 under that name. After the Olympics, he worked as a film editor, and he and John appeared frequently in diving shows. He was found dead in his Hollywood apartment in 1959; the death was attributed to natural causes.
Galitzen was inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame
International Swimming Hall of Fame
The International Swimming Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame, located at One Hall of Fame Drive, Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of swimming in the United States and around...
in 1977.