Larry Snyder (athlete)

American track and field athlete and coach (1896–1982)
Larry Snyder
Biographical details
Born(1896-08-09)August 9, 1896
Canton, Ohio, U.S.
DiedSeptember 25, 1982(1982-09-25) (aged 86)
Alma materOhio State University
Playing career
1922–1924Ohio State
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1932–1942Ohio State
1946–1965Ohio State
1952U.S. Olympic Team (assistant)
1960U.S. Olympic Team
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
  • Ohio State Varsity “O” Hall of Fame
  • The Ohio Association of Track and Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame
  • The Drake Relays Hall of Fame
  • The USATF Hall of Fame (1978)

Lawrence Snyder (August 9, 1896 – September 25, 1982) was an American track and field athlete, coach, and military veteran. He served as the track and field coach at Ohio State University from 1932 to 1965.[1]

Larry Snyder was portrayed by Jason Sudeikis in the 2016 biopic, Race, about Olympic athlete Jesse Owens.[2]

Early life

A graduate of Canton High School (OH), Snyder served a pilot instructor during World War I, later doing some stunt flying in the early 1920s. He enrolled at Ohio State University shortly thereafter and earned three letters as a high hurdler from 1922–24.[3]

Military career

Snyder was an instructor pilot in World War I and also served in the U.S. Navy in World War II.[4]

Coaching career

Snyder was due to participate in the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris as a runner, but was injured in an airplane crash a few weeks before he was due to set out. This ended his hope of an athletic career, leaving him only the option of being a coach and training others.

The most heralded athlete coached by Larry Snyder was Jesse Owens, and Coach Snyder helped improve Jesse's techniques and performance.[5]

He gets more out of you than you ever dreamed you had. ... At the Olympic Games, he had me so fired up I couldn't miss.

— Olympic legend Jesse Owens on Snyder, Stark's Famous: Larry Snyder

Other successful athletes coached by Snyder were Dave Albritton, Glenn Davis and "Marvelous Mal" Whitfield.[4] All told, Snyder's OSU athletes set 14 world records, won 52 All-Americans certificates and eight Olympic gold medals.[1] Snyder was inducted into Ohio State Varsity O Hall of Fame in 1977.

Olympic coaching career

Snyder was the U.S. track and field assistant coach in 1952 (Helsinki) and the head coach in 1960 (Rome).[1] Under his coaching, the 1952 USA team won 40 medals in Helsinki[6] and the 1960 team won 32 medals in Rome.[7]

External links

  • "Larry Snyder, USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame Special Inductee ::: USTFCCCA". Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  • https://www.flickr.com/photos/ohio-state-university-archives/4295430409/in/photolist-7xzcNZ-7xD2dY-7xD2du-7xD2kC
  • https://www.flickr.com/photos/ohio-state-university-archives/4296175244/in/photolist-7xzcNZ-7xD2dY-7xD2du-7xD2kC
  • https://www.flickr.com/photos/ohio-state-university-archives/4296175630/in/photolist-7xzcNZ-7xD2dY-7xD2du-7xD2kC
  • https://www.flickr.com/photos/ohio-state-university-archives/4296175216/in/photolist-7xzcNZ-7xD2dY-7xD2du-7xD2kC
  • https://kb.osu.edu/items/507bea3f-b775-59cf-abf4-777e2ccfe709
  • https://kb.osu.edu/items/6790d03b-ffd8-582d-a4c3-2be4914f0e93
  • RACE: HISTORY VS. HOLLYWOOD
  • https://www.cantonrep.com/story/news/local/stark-county/2016/03/15/stark-s-famous-larry-snyder/32392364007/

References

  1. ^ a b c "Hall of Fame". USATF. 1982-09-25. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
  2. ^ "Race Chronicles Jesse Owens's Rise to Olympic Glory". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
  3. ^ "Larry Snyder, USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame Special Inductee ::: USTFCCCA". Retrieved 2024-06-03.
  4. ^ a b "Larry Snyder, USTFCCCA Special Inductee ::: U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association". Ustfccca. 2013-10-07. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
  5. ^ "Jesse Owens | The Ohio State University". Library.osu.edu. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
  6. ^ "Track & Field results for the 1952 Summer Olympics". Databaseolympics.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
  7. ^ "Track & Field results for the 1960 Summer Olympics". Databasesports.com. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
  • v
  • t
  • e
Men's track
and road athletes
Men's field athletesWomen's track athletesWomen's field athletesCoaches
  • Brutus Hamilton (men's head coach)
  • Clyde Littlefield (men's assistant coach)
  • Larry Snyder (men's assistant coach)
  • Charles Werner (men's assistant coach)
  • Lucile Wilson (women's manager-coach)
  • v
  • t
  • e
Men's track
and road athletes
Men's field athletes
Women's track athletes
Women's field athletes
Coaches
  • Larry Snyder (head coach)
  • George Eastment (assistant coach)
  • Ralph Higgins (assistant coach)
  • Lloyd "Bud" Winter (assistant coach)
  • Ed Temple (women's head coach)
  • Fran Welch (women's field event coach)