Ralph Rose facts for kids
 Ralph Rose |
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| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men’s athletics | ||
Representing the  United States |
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| Olympic Games | ||
| Gold | 1904 St. Louis | Shot put |
| Gold | 1908 London | Shot put |
| Gold | 1912 Stockholm | Two handed shot put |
| Silver | 1904 St. Louis | Discus throw |
| Silver | 1912 Stockholm | Shot put |
| Bronze | 1904 St. Louis | Hammer throw |
Ralph Waldo Rose (born March 17, 1885 – died October 16, 1913) was a famous American track and field athlete. He was born in Healdsburg, California. Ralph Rose was known for his amazing strength. He competed in events like the shot put, discus throw, and hammer throw.
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Ralph Rose's Athletic Career
Ralph Rose was very tall and strong. He stood about 6 feet 5.5 inches (197 cm) and weighed around 250 pounds (115 kg). He was the first shot putter to throw the shot over 50 feet (15 meters). His world record throw of 51 feet 0 inches (15.5 meters) in 1909 was not broken for 16 years!
College and National Titles
In 1904, Ralph Rose attended the University of Michigan. While there, he won both the shot put and discus events at the Big Ten championships. Later, he competed for the Olympic Club in San Francisco, California. He won seven national titles in the shot put, discus, and javelin.
Olympic Games Achievements
Ralph Rose competed in three Olympic Games. He won a total of six medals: three gold, two silver, and one bronze.
1904 St. Louis Olympics
At the 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri, Ralph Rose had a great performance:
- He won a gold medal in the shot put.
- He won a silver medal in the discus throw.
- He won a bronze medal in the hammer throw.
- He also placed sixth in the 56-pound (25 kg) weight throw.
1908 London Olympics
Four years later, at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, Ralph Rose won the shot put again, earning another gold medal.
During the opening ceremony of the 1908 Olympics, Ralph Rose was the flag bearer for the United States. It is said that he, along with many of his teammates, refused to dip the American flag towards the royal box. This was something athletes from other countries usually did. Another athlete, Martin Sheridan, is believed to have said, "This flag dips to no earthly king." This story became famous, but there is no strong proof that British people were upset by it at the time. Also, the famous quote did not appear in print until many years later.
At the 1908 Olympics, Ralph Rose also competed in tug of war, but his team did not win a medal.
1912 Stockholm Olympics
In the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden, Ralph Rose continued to win medals:
- He won a gold medal in the two-handed shot put. In this event, athletes throw the shot with both their right and left hands, and the distances are added together. Ralph threw a total of 27.70 meters (90 feet 10.5 inches).
- He won a silver medal in the regular shot put.
- He placed ninth in the hammer throw.
- He placed eleventh in the discus throw.
Later Life and Death
Ralph Rose passed away at the age of 28 in San Francisco. He died from typhoid fever, which is a serious illness.
See also
In Spanish: Ralph Rose para niños
