Charles Reidpath
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| Olympic medalist | |||
 Charles Reidpath |
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| Medal record | |||
| Men's athletics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | Stockholm 1912 | 400 metres | |
| Gold | Stockholm 1912 | 4x400 m relay | |
Charles Decker Reidpath (September 20, 1889 – October 21, 1975) was an American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1912 Summer Olympics, who later went on to have an outstanding military career.
Born in Buffalo, New York, it was while at Syracuse University 1908 - 1912 that Reidpath became a collegiate track star, winning the 220 yd (201 m) and 440 yd (402 m) dashes in the 1912 intercollegiate games.
On graduating from Syracuse in 1912 with a degree in civil engineering, Reidpath was pressured by relatives to quit sports and take a position with the family business in Buffalo. Instead, he made the U.S. Olympic track team, and headed to Stockholm, Sweden. Reidpath won the 400 m in an Olympic record shattering time of 48.2 seconds. Running the anchor leg of the 4 x 400 m relay, Reidpath helped the U.S. team set a world record of 3:16.6.
As regards his military career, he was a Lieutenant Colonel who served in England, France and Belgium in the Transportation Corps during World War II, winning battle stars for the Northern France and Rheinland campaigns. In Belgium he was made Officer of the Crown for his services at the vital port of Antwerp in 1944 and 1945. Reidpath was made a Brigadier General when he retired from the New York National Guard in 1948.
Away from sports and the military, Reidpath worked for the Berdencer construction company from 1912 through 1937, when he was named director of buildings for Buffalo. For 15 years he worked in the city department of public works, and in 1956 helped build the Federal Reserve Bank as superintendent of construction for architects.
He died in Kenmore, New York in 1972.
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| Olympic champions in men's 400 m |
|---|
| 1896: Tom Burke | 1900: Maxey Long | 1904: Harry Hillman | 1906: Paul Pilgrim | Wyndham Halswelle | 1912: Charles Reidpath | 1920: Bevil Rudd | 1924: Eric Liddell | 1928: Ray Barbuti | 1932: Bill Carr | 1936: Archie Williams | 1948: Arthur Wint | 1952: George Rhoden | 1956: Charlie Jenkins | 1960: Otis Davis | 1964: Michael Larrabee | 1968: Lee Evans | 1972: Vincent Matthews | 1976: Alberto Juantorena | 1980: Viktor Markin | 1984: Alonzo Babers | 1988: Steve Lewis | 1992: Quincy Watts | 1996: Michael Johnson | 2000: Michael Johnson | 2004: Jeremy Wariner |
Categories: 1889 births | 1975 deaths | American track and field athletes | People from Buffalo, New York | American military personnel of World War II | United States Army generals | Olympic competitors for the United States | Olympic gold medalists for the United States | Athletes at the 1912 Summer Olympics
