Don Bragg facts for kids
Don Bragg in 1960
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Quick facts for kids Personal information |
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| Born | May 15, 1935 Penns Grove, New Jersey, U.S. |
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| Died | February 16, 2019 (aged 83) Oakley, California, U.S. |
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| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 89 kg (196 lb) | ||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Pole vaulting | ||||||||||||||||
| Club | Villanova Wildcats | ||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Donald George Bragg (born May 15, 1935 – died February 16, 2019) was an amazing American athlete. He was best known for pole vaulting. He even won a gold medal in pole vault at the 1960 Summer Olympics.
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Don Bragg's Life and Career
Don Bragg grew up in Penns Grove, New Jersey. He went to Penns Grove High School there.
He was one of the last great pole vaulters to use an aluminum pole. From 1954 to 1960, he was ranked among the best in the world. In 1960, he set a world record of 4.80 meters (about 15 feet, 9 inches) at the Olympic Trials. He then won an Olympic gold medal with a vault of 4.70 meters (about 15 feet, 5 inches).
In 1959, he set a world indoor record of 4.81 meters (about 15 feet, 9.5 inches) in Philadelphia. Don was a very tall and strong vaulter, standing 1.90 meters (6 feet, 3 inches) tall and weighing 89 kilograms (197 pounds).
While at Villanova University, he won the NCAA pole vault championship in 1955. He also won the IC4A championship, both indoors and outdoors, from 1955 to 1957. After college, he continued to win many championships. He won the AAU indoor championship several times from 1957 to 1961. He was also the AAU outdoor champion in 1959.
The "Tarzan" Athlete
Don Bragg was nicknamed "Tarzan" because he was so big and strong. His big dream was to play Tarzan in movies! He worked hard to make this happen. He even traveled around Europe and Africa as a goodwill ambassador for the U.S. government. During these trips, he would climb trees and swing from vines, just like Tarzan.
He met Johnny Weissmuller, a famous actor who played Tarzan. Weissmuller thought Don would be perfect for the role. When Don won his gold medal at the 1960 Olympics, he famously did the Tarzan yell from the podium! This surprised everyone in the crowd. He was offered the role twice, but injuries stopped him both times. Sadly, his dream of being Tarzan in movies never came true.
After his pole vaulting career, Don became an athletic director at Stockton State College in New Jersey. He also owned a summer camp. He wrote a book about his life called A Chance to Dare: The Don Bragg Story. His time running the summer camp is also told in the book Kamp Olympik.
In 2010, Don Bragg gave a speech in Rome to celebrate 50 years since the 1960 Summer Olympics. He ended his speech with his famous Tarzan yell.
Don's younger sister, Diane Bragg, also learned to pole vault by watching him. In 1952, she set a women's world record in pole vault. This was long before women competed in the event regularly. Her record stood for over 25 years!
Don Bragg passed away on February 16, 2019, at his home in Oakley, California. He was 83 years old.
Achievements and Records
World Record
- Pole vault: 4.80 meters (July 2, 1960)
Major Championships Won
- 1955 NCAA: Pole Vault (1st place)
- 1957 AAU Indoors: Pole Vault (1st place)
- 1958 AAU Indoors: Pole Vault (1st place)
- 1959 AAU Indoors: Pole Vault (1st place)
- 1959 AAU Outdoors: Pole Vault (1st place)
- 1960 AAU Indoors: Pole Vault (1st place)
- 1960 Summer Olympics: Pole Vault — 4.70 meters (Gold Medal)
- 1961 AAU Indoors: Pole Vault (1st place)
Education
- High school: Penns Grove High School (Penns Grove, New Jersey), graduated 1953
- College: Villanova (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), graduated 1957
See also
In Spanish: Donald Bragg para niños
