Steve Seymour
Encyclopedia
Stephen Andrew Seymour (October 4, 1920 in New York City
– June 18, 1973 in Los Angeles
) was an American
athlete who competed mainly in the javelin throw
.
Steve Seymour is regarded by track and field historians as America's original master technician of the event. During an era when performance levels of U.S. javelin throwers lagged well behind Europeans, Seymour spent a considerable amount of time in Finland
studying the technique of that nation's world-class throwers. Seymour's research paid big dividends in 1947, when he established an American Record of 75.80 meters (248' 8") at the U.S. AAU
Championships. Thanks to Steve Seymour's efforts, the American Record had been pushed to within ten feet of the global standard set by Finland's Yrjo Nikkanen
in 1938.
The crowning achievement of Steve Seymour's relatively short career came in 1948, when he represented the United States
at the Summer Olympics in London
, winning a silver medal
in the javelin throw. Seymour went on to claim two more national titles in 1948 and 1950. Then in 1951, he stood once more upon the awards podium at a major international competition; this time picking up a silver medal in the javelin at the Pan American Games
.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
– June 18, 1973 in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
athlete who competed mainly in the javelin throw
Javelin throw
The javelin throw is a track and field athletics throwing event where the object to be thrown is the javelin, a spear approximately 2.5 metres in length. Javelin is an event of both the men's decathlon and the women's heptathlon...
.
Steve Seymour is regarded by track and field historians as America's original master technician of the event. During an era when performance levels of U.S. javelin throwers lagged well behind Europeans, Seymour spent a considerable amount of time in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
studying the technique of that nation's world-class throwers. Seymour's research paid big dividends in 1947, when he established an American Record of 75.80 meters (248' 8") at the U.S. AAU
Amateur 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...
Championships. Thanks to Steve Seymour's efforts, the American Record had been pushed to within ten feet of the global standard set by Finland's Yrjo Nikkanen
Yrjö Nikkanen
Jouko Yrjö Nikkanen was a Finnish athlete who competed mainly in the javelin throw....
in 1938.
The crowning achievement of Steve Seymour's relatively short career came in 1948, when he represented the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
at the Summer Olympics in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, winning a silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
in the javelin throw. Seymour went on to claim two more national titles in 1948 and 1950. Then in 1951, he stood once more upon the awards podium at a major international competition; this time picking up a silver medal in the javelin at the Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
.