Olympic great and masters champ O’Brien dies at 75
Parry O’Brien’s obituaries have rightly recited his Olympic golds and shot put innovations. But except for noting his death during a masters swimming race, they haven’t given due deference to his earlier masters career — as a thrower. According to Len Olson’s “Masters Track: A History,” Parry set M50 world records in the shot (58-1 1/2) and discus (185-11) in 1984 and won silver (in the shot: 16.04) and gold (discus: 53.86) at the 1985 WAVA World Championships in Rome (where in 1960 he won Olympic silver). He won shot golds at the 1952 and 1956 Games.
According to The New York Times account by Frank Litsky, “O’Brien’s death was announced by his wife, Terri, who said he had a heart attack midway through a 500-yard freestyle race. She said he took up swimming in the 1990s when shot-putting became too painful for his joints.”
Our condolences to his family.
A masters swimming site carried these personal anecdotes:
Comment by Erik
Posted on April 23rd, 2007 at 15:20
The saddest swim meet I have ever attended — I was at the meet and was scheduled to swim the 500 a few heats later.
I did not know Parry personally, but we have attended the same meets for years now. My prayers and condolence are with his wife – I can not even begin to imagine what she went through.
Comment by Tony Austin
Posted on April 23rd, 2007 at 15:51
At the SPMA Regionals meet on Saturday I was told that Parry loved swimming so much that in a meet in or around the middle 80’s Parry stood in long line at Santa Monica College to pick up his 5th or 6th place ribbon despite the wait and the pounds of Olympic medals and other assorted trophies he had at home because the ribbon really meant something to him.
I was told that he was a happy guy, had a great life and was very loved.
USMS executive Michael Heather told me yesterday that Parry was still getting requests from all around the world for his autograph because he was still remembered and appreciated. He said that Parry’s favorite magazine cover was the cover of TIME; (The one you have displayed above), because it wasn’t a sports magazine.
Comment by Jim
Posted on April 23rd, 2007 at 16:25
Hey I was there too, it was awful. They stopped the meet for a few hours for debriefing and nobody really felt like swimming afterwards, but the announcer made a statement that O’Brien would want the show to go on and that was enough to motivated us all; and though attendance was down by Sunday, those present swam with spirit and resolve. On the plus side, it made the horrendous cold, wet weather in Santa Clarita seem like nothing in comparison.
He sounds like a great guy and my condolences to his family, friends, and teammates at Southwest Masters.
I would also commend to thank the young lifeguard who got him out of the water, the doc who did the CPR and the other staff/officials who handled the emergency well and recovered to run a great meet, thanks
2 Responses
Great job in putting the entire story up Ken. This morning while riding the subway to work i read an article in a NY paper that ended with the statement>> “and his athletic career was over by 1970” Thanks Ken…you honor this great great athlete with the FULL truth of his history.
Parry and I were teammates at Air Force Worlds and then as members of National Teams. He was in competition when he died. When it’s my turn, let me be in a footrace. He was one, special human.
R.I.P, Parry
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