George Roth facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Roth
Roth in Olympic clothing, c. 1932
Personal information
Full name	George Helm Roth
Country represented	United States
Born	(1911-04-25)April 25, 1911 Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Died	October 31, 1997(1997-10-31) (aged 86) Studio City, California, U.S.
Discipline	Men's artistic gymnastics
Gym	Los Angeles Athletic Club
Medal record Representing  United States Men's artistic gymnastics Event 1st 2nd 3rd Olympic Games 1 0 0 Olympic Games Gold 1932 Los Angeles Indian Clubs

George Helm Roth (born April 25, 1911 – died October 31, 1997) was an American gymnast. He won a gold medal at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. His event was called club swinging, also known as Indian Clubs. After his gymnastics career, George Roth became a successful petroleum geologist. He even started his own company, which helped find many new oil fields in California.

George Roth's Early Life

George Roth was born in California, just like his parents and grandparents. He was the second son of George and Inez Roth. His father was a mining engineer, and his mother was a prospector. This family background sparked his early interest in rocks and minerals.

He finished high school at Hollywood High School around 1929. He was very good at sports, especially gymnastics. George was also a member of the Los Angeles Athletic Club. He married his high school sweetheart, Beatrice, around 1930.

George started studying Geology at the University of California Berkeley. He moved there with his wife. However, he had to leave college after about a year and a half. This was because of his marriage and the tough times of the Great Depression. He then moved his family back to the Los Angeles area.

Winning Olympic Gold in 1932

When the 1932 Olympic Games began, George Roth was unemployed. He was likely training full-time for the competition. He even took food from the Olympic Village to his wife and baby daughter. They lived in East Hollywood.

On August 9, 1932, George won his gold medal. About 60,000 people watched him compete. After his win, he simply walked out of the stadium. He then hitchhiked back home.

George scored 26.9 out of 30 in the Indian Clubs event. The scoring for this event was not as strict as for speed or distance events. It included judging on artistry. The event had only been in the Olympics once before, in 1904. This meant the scoring rules were still developing.

The silver medalist in Indian Clubs was Philip Erenberg. He was also from Los Angeles and a member of the Los Angeles Athletic Club. The bronze medalist was American William Kuhlemeier. This meant Americans won all the medals in this event that year. This was a special achievement, as American gymnasts had not won many Olympic medals before 1932.

Indian Clubs was a sport that used to be popular in England. It came from England's colonies in India. In this sport, you swing a club that looks like a long bowling pin. You never let go of the club. Each club weighs about a pound and a half. This sport needs muscle and endurance more than perfect timing. Indian Clubs was not part of the Olympics after 1932.

George Roth's Education and Career

George went back to school in 1934. He studied at the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles. He worked full-time while attending night school. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Geology and Petroleum Engineering in June 1942. He graduated with honors.

In the early 1930s, George found a job with the Work Projects Administration. This was part of President Roosevelt's "New Deal." In 1935, he was hired by Shell Oil in Long Beach. He started as a geological draftsman. Shell Oil later promoted him to Chief Draftsman.

Around 1942, Shell promoted him again to Scout/Landsman. He and his family moved from Long Beach to Ventura, California. After finishing his degree in 1942, Shell promoted him to Geologist in 1944. He then moved his family to Bakersfield, where he worked until about 1948. The Roth family lived in different oil areas before moving to Hollywood when George left Shell Oil.

Becoming a Consulting Geologist

Around 1948, George moved to Hollywood. He worked for a petroleum consulting company for about four years. This experience helped him learn what he needed to start his own business.

In 1952, he started his own successful company, George H. Roth and Associates. It was based in Hollywood. He worked long hours to get funding and new clients. For thirty years, he and his team found more than ten new oil and gas fields across California. His company helped discover parts of the Cascade field, near Los Angeles. He also presented a paper about the "Castaic Hills Oil Field" in 1952. His firm also helped discover other fields, including Santa Clara Avenue, Brentwood, and Livermore.

Retirement and Later Life

George Roth retired in 1980. He sold his petroleum consulting company. Even after retiring, he sometimes went back to the office to check on his royalty interests. He passed away on October 31, 1997, at 86 years old. He had been married to his wife Beatrice for 67 years. He was also survived by his two daughters, a son, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. George's son also became a petroleum engineer, continuing a family tradition.