McDermott, "Terry" (Richard Terrance)
Speed Skating
b. Sept. 20, 1940, Essexville, MI
The only U. S. gold medal in the 1964 Winter Olympics went to McDermott, in the 500-meter speed skating event. McDermott's victory was a major upset and a major sports story. Fans throughout the country who had never paid any attention to speed skating before read about the 23-year-old barber who had raced on skates borrowed from the team coach, Leo Freisinger, wearing a good luck pin given to him by Mrs. Freisinger.
McDermott probably a deserved a gold medal in 1968, but he skated in the last pairing on ice that was melting under the mid-day sun and finished in a tie for second. Erhard Keller of Germany, who won the gold medal, said later, "If he had started in the earlier heats while the ice was still good, I'd have lost. It's as simple as that."
McDermott won the national indoor speed skating championship in 1960, the North American indoor title in 1961. He later became a speed skating official and took the Olympic oath on behalf of all officials at the opening ceremonies of the 1980 Winter Games.