Peter Clentzos
Encyclopedia
Peter Clentzos was an American
pole vault
er and the son of Greek immigrants who competed for Greece
in the 1932 Summer Olympics
.
Clentzos was born in Oakland, California
. His father, a carpenter, and his mother had emigrated to the United States
from Kythera, an island in Greece.
Clentzos attended the University of Southern California
, where he was a member of the track and field
team. For three years he lettered on the USC team coached by Dean Cromwell
and that won NCAA team titles
in 1930 and 1931.
He tried out as a pole vaulter for the United States team in the 1932 Olympics, but fell just short of qualifying. His Greek heritage allowed him to vie for one of the 16 spots on Greece's team.
Clentzos' personal best in the pole vault competition was 13 feet, 9 inches. In the event at the 1932 Olympics, however, he cleared only 12 feet 3.5 inches, earning him seventh place.
After graduating from USC, Clentzos taught history and woodworking, which he had learned from his father, at Barstow High School
in Barstow, California
. He also coached the football and track teams.
During World War II
he joined the U.S. Army and was assigned to the Santa Ana Army Air Base
as a physical education instructor.
After the war, Clentzos and his wife Helen moved to Pasadena, California
, where he initially worked as a teacher and coach at Roosevelt High School
. He later served as an administrator at Narbonne High School
and Boys Vice-Principal at Franklin High School in Northeast Los Angeles.
Clentzos was co-founder and meet announcer at the Pasadena/Crown Valley Senior Olympics until shortly before his death. He was given the Senior Service Award by the Pasadena Senior Center in 2004.
Clentzos attended the 2004 Summer Olympics
in Athens as a guest of the government of Greece. He also ran a leg of the Olympic torch relay that year.
Clentzos died in Rancho Mirage, California
at Eisenhower Medical Center
. His death was attributed to complications from hip surgery.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pole vault
Pole vault
Pole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts...
er and the son of Greek immigrants who competed for Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
in the 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...
.
Clentzos was born in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. His father, a carpenter, and his mother had emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from Kythera, an island in Greece.
Clentzos attended the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, where he was a member of the track and field
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...
team. For three years he lettered on the USC team coached by Dean Cromwell
Dean Cromwell
Dean Bartlett Cromwell , nicknamed "Maker of Champions", was an American athletic coach in multiple sports, principally at the University of Southern California...
and that won NCAA team titles
NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship
The NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship is an annual collegiate outdoor track and field competition for men organised by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. It has three divisions: Division I, II, and III. Athlete's individual performances earn points for their institution and...
in 1930 and 1931.
He tried out as a pole vaulter for the United States team in the 1932 Olympics, but fell just short of qualifying. His Greek heritage allowed him to vie for one of the 16 spots on Greece's team.
Clentzos' personal best in the pole vault competition was 13 feet, 9 inches. In the event at the 1932 Olympics, however, he cleared only 12 feet 3.5 inches, earning him seventh place.
After graduating from USC, Clentzos taught history and woodworking, which he had learned from his father, at Barstow High School
Barstow High School
Barstow High School is a public high school located in Barstow, California. Founded in 1915, the school soon expanded and relocated to its current location in 1938. The school serves about 3,000 students in grades 9 to 12 from across the city, as well as outlying areas...
in Barstow, California
Barstow, California
Barstow is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 22,639 at the 2010 census, up from 21,119 at the 2000 census. Barstow is located north of San Bernardino....
. He also coached the football and track teams.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he joined the U.S. Army and was assigned to the Santa Ana Army Air Base
Santa Ana Army Air Base
Santa Ana Army Air Base was an air base built during World War II that was decommissioned in 1946. The air base was used for basic training but did not have planes, hangars or runways. The base was and located in Costa Mesa between Baker Street on the north, Harbor Blvd. on the west, Wilson...
as a physical education instructor.
After the war, Clentzos and his wife Helen moved to Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, where he initially worked as a teacher and coach at Roosevelt High School
Theodore Roosevelt High School (Los Angeles)
See also Roosevelt High School for schools of the same nameTheodore Roosevelt High School is a high school located in the Boyle Heights area of Los Angeles, California named for the 26th president of the United States....
. He later served as an administrator at Narbonne High School
Narbonne High School
Nathaniel Narbonne High School is a school located at 24300 South Western Avenue, in the Harbor City area of Los Angeles, California.Narbonne serves grades 9 through 12 and is a part of the Los Angeles Unified School District. Narbonne serves the Harbor City area and the city of Lomita.Narbonne...
and Boys Vice-Principal at Franklin High School in Northeast Los Angeles.
Clentzos was co-founder and meet announcer at the Pasadena/Crown Valley Senior Olympics until shortly before his death. He was given the Senior Service Award by the Pasadena Senior Center in 2004.
Clentzos attended the 2004 Summer Olympics
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
in Athens as a guest of the government of Greece. He also ran a leg of the Olympic torch relay that year.
Clentzos died in Rancho Mirage, California
Rancho Mirage, California
Rancho Mirage is a resort city in Riverside County, California, United States. The population was 17,218 at the 2010 census, up from 13,249 at the 2000 census, but the seasonal population can exceed 20,000. In between Cathedral City and Palm Desert, it is one of the eight cities of the Coachella...
at Eisenhower Medical Center
Eisenhower Medical Center
The Eisenhower Medical Center is a not-for-profit hospital located in Rancho Mirage, California. It was named one of the top one hundred hospitals in the United States in 2005 and is adjacent to the world-famous Betty Ford Center....
. His death was attributed to complications from hip surgery.