Myer (or Meyer) Prinstein (born Mejer Prinsztejn, December 22, 1878 – March
10, 1925) was a Polish American track and field athlete and member of the Irish
American Athletic Club. He held the world record for the long jump and won gold
medals in three Olympic Games for the long jump and triple jump.[1]
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Olympic Gold-Medalist
Myer Prinstein |
Medal Record |
Competitor for the
United States |
Gold |
1900 Paris |
Triple jump |
Gold |
1904 St. Louis |
Triple jump |
Gold |
1904 St. Louis |
Long jump |
Gold |
1906 Athens |
Long jump |
Silver |
1900 Paris |
Long jump |
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Early Life
Prinstein was Jewish and was born in Szczuczyn, in Russian-ruled Poland.[2]
His parents, Jacob and Julia Prinstein (born Jankiel Prinsztejn and Judes
Rubinsztejn),[3] emigrated to New York City in 1883 and soon thereafter moved to
Syracuse, New York, where Myer was raised. They had five daughters and four
sons; Jacob was a grocer and baker. Myer was the third child.
Prinstein was captain of the Syracuse University track team, and graduated
with a law degree.
World Record
Prinstein set a long jump world record of 7.235 m (23' 8 ") in New York on
June 11, 1898. However, the record was soon broken, first by William Newburn of
Ireland on June 18, 1898, and then by Alvin Kraenzlein on May 26, 1899. On April
28, 1900, Prinstein set a new record of 7.50 m (24' 7¼") in Philadelphia.[2]
Four months later, on August 29, 1900, this record was also broken by Peter
O'Connor of Ireland.
Olympic Games
Prinstein won the silver medal in the long jump at the 1900 Summer Olympics
in Paris, France, losing to Alvin Kraenzlein after being denied permission by
Syracuse officials to compete in the final because it was contested on a Sunday
– despite the fact that Prinstein was a Jew, and Kraenzlein, who was a
Christian, did compete.[2] The two had had an informal agreement not to compete
on Sunday, and when Prinstein learned that Kraenzlein had competed he became
angry and, depending on the account, punched Kraenzlein in the face or was
restrained from doing so. The following day, he won the gold medal in the hop,
step and jump (triple jump), beating 1896 champion James Connolly with a leap of
14.47 meters which simultaneously set the Olympic Record.[4]
Competing as a member of the Irish American Athletic Club in St. Louis 1904
he won both the long jump (setting a new Olympic record)[2] and the hop, step
and jump on the same day, the only athlete ever to win both events in the same
games.[5][6] He also came 5th in both the 60 m and 400 m dash.[7]
In Athens 1906 he again won the long jump competition, beating the world
record holder, Peter O'Connor. The only judge for the competition was Matthew
Halpin, who was manager of the American team. O'Connor protested, but was
overruled. He continued to protest Halpin's decisions through the remainder of
the competition. The distances were not announced until the end of the
competition. When they were, Prinstein had won with his very first jump.[8]
Later Career
Prinstein did not compete in the Olympics after 1906. He practiced law in
Jamaica, Queens, and later became a businessman. He died in 1925 at age 46 of a
heart ailment at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York.
Myer Prinstein was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame
in 1982.
References
1. "Myer Prinstein". Olympedia. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
2. Paul Taylor, Jews and the Olympic Games: The Clash Between Sport and
Politics, Sussex Academic Press, 2004, ISBN 1903900883, pp. 239-40
3. Szczuczyn Marriage Register 1870
4. Meyer Prinstein, USA Track and Field
5. Tyler, Martin; Faulkner, Keith (1984). Olympics 1984. Marshall Cavendish.
p. 28. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
6. Matthews, George (2005). America's First Olympics: The St. Louis Games Of
1904. University of Missouri Press. p. 151. ISBN 0826264751. Retrieved 24
September 2015.
7. Matthews (2005), pp. 132–5
8. The King of Spring - The Life and Times of Peter O'Connor. Mark Quinn.
ISBN 1-904148-52-2
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