Cross & Crescent

Each person has his favorite event and athlete during the Olympics. Others enjoy the celebration, complete with music and fireworks that make it the multi-billion dollar spectacle that it is today.

This year, when I heard John Tesh’s (North Carolina State 1975) “Roundball Rock” used by NBC on the Olympic basketball games, it reminded me of Lambda Chi’s connections to the Olympic Games in general and to basketball in particular.

The cover story of this issue introduces us to Phil Dalhauser (Central Florida 2002), who was part of the Gold Medal winning beach volleyball team. A feature article on John D. McKinlay (Boston 1953), who won the Silver Medal in the “fours without” rowing event in 1956, is also a part of this issue.

Earliest Contributors

Lambda Chi’s first significant contribution to the Olympic effort was in 1924 when the games were held in Paris, France. George Hill (Pennsylvania), ran the 200 meters and finished fourth behind two other Americans and Eric Liddell. This race was later portrayed in the movie, “Chariots of Fire.” Others competing that year were Wayne Johnson (Wabash 1923), who competed in the 10,000 meter run, and George Mulholland (Butler 1926), who finished fifth in boxing at the 175 pound level.

Theta Kappa Nu’s Glenn ‘Slatts’ Hardin (Louisiana State) was a pledge beginning in 1932, but a League and Covenant paper could never be found proving that he was initiated. The Theta Kappa Nu chapter at Louisiana State was filled with outstanding athletes and student leaders during the 1930s. Hardin competed in the 1932 and 1936 Olympics, winning a Silver Medal in 1932, and a Gold Medal in 1936 in the 400 meter hurdles. He set a world record that stood until 1953.

Robert “Bobby” Packard (Georgia 1938) participated in the 200 meter dash in Berlin in 1936.

1950s and 1960s

In 1956, it was another strong year for Lambda Chi Alpha in competition. Charles T. Butler (Brown 1944) and Arthur W. Tyler (Michigan 1936) were members of the four-man bobsled team that won the Bronze Medal. They won the world championship in 1959 in St. Moritz. Tyler earned a doctorate in physics and perfected many changes in his sleds using wind tunnels. Also in 1956, Alvin Pfeffer (Union 1954) competed in a six inning exhibition baseball game against Australia.

Lambda Chi has also contributed to the success of the Canadian teams in the 1950s with Laird Sloan (Michigan 1956), placing fifth in the 1956 games on the 4×400 meter relay team and Edson Warner (McGill 1957)who competed on the Canadian rifle teams in 1952 and 1960.

Basketball

Basketball has seen Lambda Chi’s most concentrated efforts. They began with Adrian Smith (Kentucky 1957) being part of the U.S.’ Gold Medal team in 1960. Adrian went on to play 11 seasons in the NBA and was selected as the MVP of the 1966 NBA All-Star Game. Today, he is in the banking industry.

In 1964, Henry Iba (Westminister 1927) became the coach of the American team and one of his players was Larry Brown (Los Angeles-California) who would later become a Lambda Chi while the head basketball coach at University of California-Los Angeles. Iba has been featured on several occasions in the Cross & Crescent and his success as a coach and teacher has been well chronicled. He was also the coach of the 1968 Gold Medal team and one of his players was John Clawson (Michigan 1965) who is now president of a custom home building company in California. It is interesting that Brown and Clawson would cross paths in 1968-69 as both were members of the Oakland Oaks of the American Basketball Association that won the league championship. Brown continued on to great successes in coaching, becoming the only coach of teams that won the NCAA and the NBA championship.

1980s and 1990s

In 1984, James Wooding (Indiana-Pennsylvania 1975), competed in the decathlon against a very strong field and finished seventh with his strongest events. He finished second in the 400 meters and fourth in the discus throw.

In 1988, Doug Gjertsen (Texas-Austin 1989) won a Gold Medal in the 4×200 meter freestyle in swimming and another as a member of the 4×100 meter freestyle team and, in 1992, he was part of the 4×200 meter freestyle team that won the Bronze Medal. Today, Gjertsen is the coach of swimming at the Atlanta DeKalb International Training Center.

Lambda Chi Alpha has been an influence in so many arenas, including the world of international competitive sports.