Platt Adams

For another person, see Platt Adams (politician).

Platt Adams (March 23, 1885 – February 27, 1961) was an American athlete. He competed in various events at the 1908 and 1912 Olympics and won a gold and a silver medal in jumping events in 1912.^[1][2]

Platt Adams

Platt Adams in 1913
Personal information
Born	March 23, 1885 Belleville, New Jersey, United States
Died	February 27, 1961 (aged 75) Normandy Beach, United States
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	78 kg (172 lb)
Sport
Sport	Athletics
Club	NYAC, New York
Medal record Representing the  United States Olympic Games 1912 Stockholm Standing high jump 1912 Stockholm Standing long jump

Biography

Adams was born in Belleville, New Jersey. He had a brother, Ben Adams, also an Olympic athlete. In 1908 he finished fifth in the triple jump competition as well as in the standing high jump event. In the standing long jump competition he finished sixth. He also participated in the discus throw event and in the Greek discus contest but in both events his result is unknown.^[1]

Four years later he won the gold medal in the standing high jump and the silver medal in the standing long jump. In 1912, he also finished fifth in the triple jump competition and 23rd in the high jump event. At the same Olympics he competed in the baseball event which was held as demonstration sport.^[1]

In January 1915, the Metropolitan Association of the Amateur Athletic Union found Adams not guilty on charges of professionalism, having sold a prize or accepted cash for a medal in violation of his amateur status, in connection with a claim the Adams had traded a trophy he had received at an exhibition jump in exchange for pins.^[3]

A resident of South Orange, Adams was serving in the New Jersey General Assembly when he was named as the state's Chief Boxing Inspector in March 1923.^[4]

He died at his home in the Normandy Beach section of Toms River, New Jersey on February 27, 1961.^[5][6]

References

1. Platt Adams. sports-reference.com
2. "Platt Adams". Olympedia. Retrieved 12 March 2021.
3. Staff. "CLEAR PLATT ADAMS OF SELLING PRIZES; A. A. U. Committee Dismisses Charges of Professionalism Against Athlete.", The New York Times, January 21, 1915. Accessed October 21, 2015. "Platt Adams, Olympic champion and holder of several jumping records, was acquitted last night by the Registration Committee of the Metropolitan Association of the A.A.U. of the charges of professionalism made against the New York A.C. athlete by T.I. Glynn, Max Theimer and Peter L. Schenck."
4. Staff. "Platt Adams, Former Olympic Champion, Made Chief Boxing Inspector in Jersey", The New York Times, March 25, 1923. Accessed April 13, 2013. "Assemblyman Platt Adams of South Orange, one of the Republican delegation from Essex County was named Chief Boxing Inspector under the new Stevens bill today."
5. "PLATT ADAMS, 75, ATHLETE, IS DEAD; Won Standing High Jump at 1912 Olympics -- Ex-Chief Jersey Boxing Inspector", The New York Times, March 3, 1961. Accessed April 13, 2013.
6. "A Roundup Of The Sports Information Of The Week", Sports Illustrated, March 13, 1961. Accessed April 13, 2013. "DIED: PLATT ADAMS, 75, winner of the 1912 Olympic standing high jump, at Normandy Beach, N.J. Adams won the now-discontinued Olympic event with a jump of 5 feet 4 inches."

External links

• Platt Adams at Find a Grave